Enticing Her Fox (Embracing The Bond #14)

Chapter One

Rylee

Cutting a man’s dick off in my imagination is vastly different than doing it in real life.

I glare at the asshole tied to the chair, trying to control my urge to vomit.

Stabbing him everywhere else on his body was easy.

My rage bubbled up from my memories of being held captive, and the knife slid in with no problem.

I swore I would chop off the offensive appendage that caused most of my trauma, but I couldn’t follow through.

“I’m sure you would laugh at me if you were conscious,” I grumble, and move to the sink. “I wish there was toothpaste.” I grip the sides of the porcelain and bow my head, breathing deep. I’m still ready to gag, even though his penis wasn’t near my mouth. My stomach is turning.

I have waited years to get my revenge. Bobbie is on the edge of death, and the final step is removing the one thing he holds dear.

He is beyond talking and covered in blood.

When I started, he threatened, but quickly his anger turned to pleas.

It didn’t matter what excuses he cried out; I was numb to them.

There is nothing he could say to make his abuse anything but evil.

I turn around, my body calming, and stare at him.

His eyes are closed because I gave him two black eyes.

His heartbeat is slow, and his fear is stinking up the room.

I’ve tried to prolong his death for at least a week.

I thought it was poetic since that was the amount of time he had me, yet it’s only been four days.

He’s human, so I knew he wouldn’t last long.

I didn’t like it, but I was going to end it.

I was seventeen when I met him. At the time, I thought he was handsome and charismatic.

His dark brown hair was shaggy and fell charmingly over his eyes.

Through the eyes of a teenager who was desperate for any kind of attention, no one could compare.

He knew exactly what to say and do. I fell hard and regretted it every day since.

I’ve worked hard to be in a place where I could handle seeing him again and killing him.

I may have underestimated his control over my emotions.

Not that I feel sorry for him, but I’m not sure I am cut out for torturing someone.

“Shit,” I whisper, looking toward the door, hearing movement outside.

I borrowed the location from friends to bring Bobbie to justice, and I’ve been found.

Heath is the man who rescued me after my captivity.

He is a snake shifter, and the brother I always wanted.

For years, he tracked and killed all the men involved.

He thought I'd given him all the men's names, but I held one back. I wanted to be the one who found Bobbie. I can tell he’s annoyed by the tapping of his cane as he enters the building. “Heath, are you stalking me?”

“The only person I stalk now is my mate,” he drawls, stopping inside the doorway. “I paid others to stalk you.” He grins slightly.

“Who?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

“Kade and Cash.” He looks at Bobbie briefly before focusing on me. “Which was convenient since they are the ones you asked to borrow the building.”

“Fuck,” I grit out. The tiger shifters have become my friends, and although I didn’t tell them why I needed a place in the middle of nowhere, I should have known they would wonder.

“They were concerned. Asking to use a shack in the middle of the woods prompts questions.” He raises a brow, and I sigh.

Leaning against the door frame, he crosses his arms, hanging the handle of his cane on his arm.

He doesn’t use it for balance, but as a weapon.

The cane holds his power and turns into a whip on his command.

Most people are terrified of the snake shifter, yet I know he loves me and only wants the best for me.

“This is Bobbie.” I wave toward the chair. “I didn’t tell you about him. I thought I could kill him.”

“He was part of the group?” he asks.

“He was the ringleader,” I say softly.

“Why would you hide his identity from me?” He scowls.

“I wanted to be ready to confront him.” I lean against the wall.

“All these years, I tried to move past it, but I knew that one day, I would find him. If it weren’t for him, everything else wouldn’t have happened.

He deserves death, and I wanted to be the one to do it.

” I slide down and sit on my ankles, clasping my hands between my knees.

“Seeing him again brought me back to that moment. I felt like a girl again, and for a second, I felt powerless.”

“Did tying him to the chair help?” he asks, standing straight.

“A bit,” I chuckle.

“When you stabbed him, what did you feel?” He walks further into the room and crouches beside me.

“Powerful. Justified.” I meet his gaze.

“Good,” he says.

“I couldn’t go through with it, though.”

“With what?”

“Cutting his dick off,” I mumble, and he shakes his head and looks at Bobbie. “I gagged.”

He looks at me. “So, you are taking this as a weakness?”

“Well, yeah.” I scrunch my nose. “He made the most awful noises and passed out. I barely nicked the skin, and I almost threw up.” I look at Bobbie. “I tossed the towel over his junk and backed away.”

“Rylee,” Heath says, and waits for my attention. “Most people wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“Saphira did,” I grumble.

“Don’t compare yourself,” he orders, and then sighs. “Did you say everything you needed to say to him?”

“I think so.”

“Let me take care of him,” he offers, and I tilt my head. “I started killing them in your honor, so let me finish it.”

“I don’t think torture is my thing,” I grumble, and he laughs.

“Rylee, the man is a bloody mess. You tracked him, brought him here, and stabbed him multiple times.” He tilts his head as he looks at Bobbie. “Did you punch him?”

“Yes.” I roll my lips.

“I think it was a successful torture session.” He turns back to me, his eyes crinkling. “I’m proud of you.” Heath is the only person who has ever told me that.

“Thank you,” I whisper. He stands, and I join him. “I’m still mad at the tigers.”

“Are you mad that they have been following you or that they told me?” he asks.

I glare. “Both.”

“Be angry at me. I’m the one who asked them to do it.”

“That’s not fair,” I groan. “You know I can’t stay mad at you long.”

“Then don’t.” He grins.

“Fine.” I cross my arms. “What are you going to do with him?”

“End it and get rid of the body.” He studies Bobbie. “Did anyone see you with him?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll have to ask Micah to change some memories,” he murmurs.

“I wasn’t thinking.” I’ve been going on adrenaline since I decided to confront him. Micah is a six-hundred-year-old vampire. He can influence humans and shifters to do whatever he wants.

“We’ll fix it,” he says, cupping my shoulder. “All that matters is your safety. Nothing will blow back on you. I’ll message the vampire. Where did you find him?” He moves away and circles the chair.

“At a bar.”

“Text me the name of it.” He glares at Bobbie. “Anywhere else?”

“No. I’ve been keeping track of his movements.

He has a routine and loves picking up women at the same spot.

I followed him several times after he chose someone.

He has an apartment that he uses. I couldn’t reveal myself, so I came up with some very creative ways to get the women to leave,” I say slyly, and he stares at me, his eyes widening.

“I called in a bomb threat once. Another time, I had his car towed and paid a guy to pound on his door. He ran out of the building with his shirt unbuttoned, yelling like crazy. I asked a friend to pretend he was the woman's husband. I almost peed myself watching.” I laugh while picturing the scene. “Both of them denied it, but my friend was in character and wouldn’t back off. It was the best. Trent is a budding actor. He did it for free.”

“Rylee,” Heath chuckles.

“What?”

“You claim you didn’t succeed in torturing him, yet you followed him for weeks.” He glances at Bobbie’s bloody face and body. “Fucked up his life, in several different ways, and brought him to the edge of death.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” I hum, tapping my lip. “Am I ready to join your team of renegades?”

Heath has several people who work for him and dispense justice in one way or another. Saphira is a dragon shifter. She kills abusive men, and Heath has given her the names of men who need to be punished.

“Shit, team of renegades,” he mumbles, shaking his head. “Don’t let them hear you call them that.” He sobers and walks around Bobbie. “You saved those women.” I tense and swallow harshly. “You were afraid he would abuse them.”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“He can’t hurt anyone again.” He stops in front of me. “You did well. I want you to go home. Leave everything to me.”

“I am tired. A long bath and a steamy book would be a good end to the night.” I nod shakily, and Heath cups my cheek. I freeze. Heath doesn’t share affection often, especially since he found his mate Juliana. He has expressed his love for me, and every day his actions show me how much he cares.

“Can you move on now?” he asks softly.

“I thought I did, but after the past week, I may have more work to do,” I confess.

“I’m here for you. Remember, you did this.

” He points over his shoulder. “He’s a memory now.

You still have a life to live, and I want you to be happy.

Don’t let all of those assholes have any more power over you.

They mean nothing. Look at everything you have done despite their abuse.

I can’t pretend to know how you felt, yet I’m fucking proud of the woman you are.

” He drops his arm and steps back. “Text me the name of the bar and let me know you get home safely.”

“I will.” I exhale harshly and move toward the door. I pause, my hand on the knob. “Heath?” I shift so I can see him.

“Yeah?” He frowns.

“Thanks.” I smile and open the door. “I love you.”

“You too,” he grumbles.

As I leave the building, I decide to take his advice and change my thoughts. I did a fucking great job of torturing.