34. Chapter 34
Chapter 34
The Huntress
I stare, gaping at the dead realtor laying on the couch. Her blonde hair is covering her face, but her once-white blouse is now drenched in crimson stains. I’ve seen plenty of dead people, don’t get me wrong, but this...
I know what this means, though I have no idea how it happened.
“I’ve been waiting for you, little girl,” a deep, wretched fucking voice says from behind me, not even giving me a chance to process what’s happening. I turn slowly, Cash’s growl growing in volume as he faces the man I’m not ready to.
Don’t let him get to you. You’re not broken anymore.
My eyes start at the floor, but with a grasp at courage, I lift them to his face. “How nice of you to invite me over.” Surprisingly, my voice doesn’t shake. It comes out strong and wicked. “I was hoping we could meet up.”
“You ran with your tail between your legs last time.” His dark eyes rake over my body, and then drift to a snarling Cash. “I wish you’d have left your pet at home though. You know how I feel about animals, Cher.”
“I hate to say I’m glad I didn’t,” I reason, white knuckling the leash. I know I could drop it, and Cash would attack but... I want answers. “Why are you stalking me after all these years? I thought you were finished with me once I graduated. I outgrew your attraction, remember?”
Dr. Nile, a tall, six-foot-something man, stands a few feet away from me, his hair now salt and peppered, and his face filled with aged lines. He’s not handsome at all. He never fucking was to me, even though he thought he was. His elongated nose reminds me of a bird, and his lean figure makes him appear breakable.
And that makes me feel better.
“I’ve never been able to replace you,” he replies, his face softening to a sickeningly sad smile. “You’re it for me, Cher. You’ll always be my little girl. Your little cunt is where I belong.”
My stomach clenches with nausea, but I push it away. “Must be nice to have me here again then,” I play into it, knowing that if I don’t want to end up like the lady on the couch, I better just go along. For now.
He narrows. “You let someone else touch you though, didn’t you? How many others, hmm? How many have taken what’s mine?” He takes a threatening step forward, and Cash resounds with a warning bark.
“Put your dog outside in the backyard,” Dr. Nile glares at me, his eyes boring into mine.
I shake my head, defiance fueled by courage. “He doesn’t like the desert heat.” And he’s the only thing standing between us right now.
“If you want your brother to live, you better do as I say,” he snaps at me, his eyes darkening. “I’d hate to have to break my little girl’s heart...”
I freeze, connecting the dots between the phone and his ability to get in touch with me—and also... didn’t my brother have a meeting with the realtor? Could Nile have caught him off guard? My hesitancy is a mistake.
Nile laughs. “He’s upstairs. Currently alive...But I can change that before that dog can get me. Trust me.” I swallow hard, hung in the moment—and trying to imagine how fucking confused my brother must be. He grins savagely. “He knows now, little girl. He knows how dirty you really are—and how you’d moan for me to put my cum inside of you over and over. You always wanted me so much.”
Gaslighting me. He’s gaslighting me. I purse my lips. “I never asked for that.”
“Oh,” he gives me a sympathetic look, like I’m a pitiful child. “I think you’ve just forgotten how much you love me. Put your dog outside, sweetie, then come back here and let me touch you. I’ve already scheduled appointments to get that dirty ink off your skin.”
Something in me begins to quake with fury, and I almost just drop the leash. However, as I think about my brother, finally knowing—and thinking he failed me, I can’t let him die. I have to find a way to see him. I have to tell him that it wasn’t his fault. I guide Cash to the backdoor, and slide it open, forcing him out and shutting it. My Doberman loses his mind then, barking and throwing himself at the glass.
But I ignore it, turning to the monster. “I need to see my brother now.”
“By all means,” Nile gestures for me to step in front of him. “And you’ll have to mind the mess there on the couch. She just got in the way. But she did her job.”
“How did you get my number?” I ask, eyeing him as I approach. I keep the coffee table between us as I head for the stairs. He reaches out, licking his lips, but I avoid his touch by mere inches—and then break into a sprint.
He sighs from behind me. “Well, your brother was here, and he was stupid enough to give it to the realtor. He wanted to surprise you, but I’m the one who owns the house now, little girl. I can’t wait to make this home ours. The things we can do...”
I hate the image but force myself to stay quiet as I thunder up the stairs. I feel Nile behind me, like a wolf hunting its prey.
I’m not the prey though.
I’m the huntress.
But my thoughts feel weak as I reach the hallway, and then stop to listen. There’s nothing but silence. I swallow hard, wondering what that means for Henry. I spin around to face Nile.
“Where is he?” I demand, my heart exploding in my temple. I feel... duped. But how else would he have gotten my number?
“Maybe you should just look?” he taunts me, showing his pearly whites. “I love a good game of hide ‘n seek. Remember when we used to play? Oh fuck .” He groans, and then pulls his dick from his pants, beginning to stroke it.
A sick feeling washes over me but I ignore him, rushing to the first door, and pushing it open to the office. The room is empty. That leaves the master bedroom and bathroom—the same place Jude sat me on his fucking face. A strong longing for him washes over me, even amidst the panic. However, as I enter the empty master bedroom, and peer into the empty bathroom and closet, I realize just how big of a mistake I made. I shut my eyes.
My brother isn’t here. He just outwitted me.
“Gotcha,” Nile cackles, slamming the master bedroom and clicking the lock into place. “You’re so gullible, little girl. You always have been.”
“Fuck off,” I spin around, anger and fear mixing together to make me nauseous. “You’re an asshole.”
He continues his eerie laughter. “What did you think? You think I would do that? It would break your little heart if I hurt him. I’d never do that to you, baby girl. I’d never break that precious heart of yours.” He takes a step toward me, and I take a step back.
“You’re a sick bastard,” I spit at him. “I’m going to have fun shooting your fucking nuts off.” I unzip my purse to go for my gun, not even bothering with the taser. But as my hand lands on the cool metal of my .380, Nile’s hand is on my wrist.
I scream, his touch ice to my skin. “Get the fuck off me.”
“Easy, little girl,” his voice is so fucking soft, and my skin crawls, like a thousand spiders have been dumped on my body. “Be a good girl for me. Remember all the beautiful videos we made? I sent them to your boyfriend.” His eyes lock onto mine, and I feel pulled in, my memories threatening to drag me straight to hell. “I can send them to your brother, too? Do you want that?”
My heart stumbles, and the trick that he used to control me for all that span doesn’t work this time. It does nothing.
Cash’s bark permeates the silence settling between us, and it works as a nudge. I struggle against Nile, fumbling the gun out of my purse.
He growls at me. “You don’t want to make that mistake. You might be a cowardice killer, but you’re not brave enough to take me. I’m your daddy, your lover, and your master,” he coos, his body weight throwing us both to the floor. I kick my feet, and he grunts.
However, his clammy hands manage to grip the barrel of the gun. I pull the trigger...
But the safety is on.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Nile pouts as I my eyes widen. “You’re being so bad. I’m so disappointed in you.”
I spit in his face, but it’s a mistake as he elbows me in the side of the head. My vision blurs, and he knocks the gun across the room.
‘He’s got you.’ The voice is back. ‘ Just let him have what’s his again.’
My hands begin to tremble beneath him. “Get away from me.”
He leans in, his hot, acidic breath against my skin as his hands wrap around my wrist, his erection grinding into me. “I’ll never go away, little girl. I wish I’d brought your juice. I didn’t think you’d be so silly.”
My chest starts to hurt again, and my mind shatters at his movements against me. Internally, I’m searching for the vicious woman inside of me. But I can’t fucking find her. Where are you?
“That’s it,” he presses me down, fumbling my wrists to one hand as he begins to undo my shorts. Venom seeps into my veins, and I burn with hate. I kick a knee up, striking him in the balls.
But he doesn’t stop. He cackles.
“I’ve been waiting so long to have you again. You’re just a mess without me,” he runs his tongue along my jaw. “You were never meant to be a lawyer. You were meant to be my little girl.”
My teeth give way, chattering violently as he grinds into me. I struggle to break free from his grip, but he continues, moaning as he rolls his hips.
“I hate that chattering habit you have,” he murmurs into my neck. “I wish I could help you ease those precious nerves.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as the tears build up behind my lids. My body begins to freeze up, just like always—but something clicks behind us. “ Jude. ”
He stills, his face reddening. “What did you say?”
My eyes open as a tear rolls down my cheek, and I see the shadow coming for us. “I said, Jude. ”
“Right here, baby.” The god of a man grabs Nile by his hair, straightening his body with a blade to his throat. Sweat pours down my fucking hero’s face, and I’m in fucking awe of him.
Nile’s eyes go stark wide, and he releases my hands. “What the h-h-hell?”
I slide out from under him as Jude breaks the skin, blood oozing from the cut. I look up at Jude, warmth spreading through my body. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I’m just sorry I got here so late,” Jude breathes out, giving me a remorseful look. “Are you okay?”
“She’s only okay with me—”
“No one fucking asked you,” Jude snarls, digging the knife into Nile’s throat. “You’re the biggest fucking creep, I’ve ever seen.”
“Thank you for finding me,” I say, buttoning my shorts back, unphased now that he’s here.
“I’ll always find you, doll,” he grins as Nile stays stiff, paralyzed by his own fear. “But now,” he clears his throat. “What do you want to do with him, Black Widow? ”
My lips part. “So you know then?”
He rolls his eyes as the knife digs even deeper into Nile’s flesh, more blood spurting. “Of course, I did. But seriously, decide what you want to do before I cut his fucking head clean off.”
“Don’t do this, little girl,” Nile chokes out.
‘Let him go,’ the voice screeches in my head.
My hands fly to my ears, my heart thrumming.
“They’re not real,” Jude’s voice says evenly. “You’re stronger than your demons, Cher. Don’t let them win. Let’s silence them once and for all. I’ve got him. You do what you need to now.”
My eyes flicker up to his, the static dissipating. “Okay.”
“Little gir—”
Jude cuts Nile off. “What do you want to do, baby? I can shut him up forever if you want me to.”
I shake my head, digging into my purse. I pull out the vile of liquid, the same drug he used. I stare at it, and then throw it to the floor. That would be too merciful. “I want the knife,” I tell Jude, a bolt of courage shooting through me as Nile’s expression flashes with fear.
Jude nods, jerking Nile back by his hair and holding out the knife. Blood gushes from the wound on Nile’s neck, soaking his white dress shirt.
And it’s a fucking beautiful sight.
I smile as he wails and thrashes, grabbing for the wound. Jude easily tosses him forward, and then grabs his arms, hauling him up on his knees.
“He’s all yours,” Jude shoots me a wink that makes my stomach flutter. “You call the shots now.” My cheeks flush with heat and then Nile suddenly laughs.
“Stupid girl. He’s as psychotic as you.”
I tilt my head, furrowing my brow. “I know, and he’s the only man who will ever tell me what to do.” I plunge the knife into Nile's stomach, twisting it so deep, my hand is covered with warm, gooey, crimson liquid.
He screams out.
And now, I’m the one laughing.
“You’re such a little bitch,” I chide him, giving into the darkness fueling my rage. I look up at Jude. “Stand him to his feet.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He pulls a sobbing, gurgling Nile to his feet.
I spin the handle of the blade in my hand, mulling over a weakening Nile, blood spilling from the deep gash in his gut. I’m certain he’s going to bleed out soon. My eyes shift upward to Jude’s.
“It’s your turn.”
His brows shoot up. “My turn?”
I nod. “Castrate him. Fix him. I don’t want to send him to hell with his dick intact.”
Jude bursts into treacherous laughter, and it sends a shrill of excitement through my body. “My pleasure.”
Nile continues to cry for his perverted life, but I don’t even see him anymore. I only focus on Jude, now switching places with me. My hands are sticky as they wrap around Nile’s wrists, and the gratification of being the one in control for the first time, pulling a move that he did so often to me, is powerful.
Jude rips Nile’s jeans down, a downright maliciously evil glare on his face. Without ever even touching him, Jude cuts the entire appendage off, blood now splattering all over Jude’s gray T-shirt. Nile screams bloody murder, and I release him forward, letting him fall on his face.
“How long until he’s dead?” I ask as Jude steps back, wiping his forehead, smearing crimson across it.
“I give him less than five minutes. He’s already unconscious now.”
“Hmm,” I mutter, and then eye the gun on the floor. “I don’t want him to see what’s coming next.” I pick up my .380, and in one swift move, unload one round into the back of his head. Nile’s body jerks violently.
And then it stills. Forever.
“Feel better now?” Jude asks me, wiping his hands on his jeans as he smirks at me.
I shrug. “Yeah, I think so.”
“Good,” Jude rasps as he lifts his shirt over his head. “Now get over here, because seeing you like this has me so fucking horny.”
I glance down at my soaked T-shirt, and pull it off, realizing the blood has soaked through. I unhook my bra and smear it across my chest. “Like this?”
Jude steps over the dead body, his hands on my bare skin in one swift motion. His lips lock with mine, and I fall into a passion fueled kiss. Our sweaty, sticky, blood-covered bodies melt into one, and he undoes my shorts, ripping them and my underwear down to expose me. I don’t even recall that Nile tried to take what belonged to Jude.
Because he didn’t take. And he never will.
“Holy fuck, I want you so bad,” Jude growls, trailing his mouth down my jaw to my neck. He undoes his jeans, and then sweeps me up. I curl around his hips, and he plunges his cock deep inside of me.
I crash around him in a quick orgasm, already on a high from murdering someone together. “ I love you, ” I cry out as I pulse around him.