Chapter Two #2
“You have nothing to be ashamed of,” I told her as I scanned the back side of her, finding blood stains on the white sheets. “Are you on your menstrual cycle?” I asked, tone even. When she didn’t answer, I softly added, “Or is that blood from another injury.”
She shook her head, shame-laced words coming from her. “I’m on my period. He didn’t…he didn’t care to give me anything.”
I bit down, grinding my teeth together, trying not to lose every ounce of sanity I had left. By the time I managed to get a lock on my temper, my voice was ragged. “Do I have permission to touch you? To free you?”
The woman turned her head, and the sight of fresh tears in her eyes was almost enough to bring me to my knees. Her split bottom lip trembled as she rasped, “You can’t. He’ll kill you, just like he did me.”
“I can’t leave you here, sweetheart,” I returned, stepping over the bucket. “Let me free you. Let me give you what you need, and I will deal with that bastard later.”
“He’s my husband.” She paused, her brow furrowing as she tried to formulate words. “We were married a few days ago….”
For the first time, my gut had been wrong. Not a kidnapping. Just another DV case that needed to be investigated and closed. Quickly.
Her words faded, but I didn’t bother asking any more. I would get the answers I needed when she was safe and under Red Snake’s protection. Then we would come after this fucker with everything we had.
“He has the key,” she said, dropping her head back against the headboard, hopelessness taking root.
“Don’t need a key,” I replied, stepping on top of the nightstand and reaching over to grab the ends of the chain. I held them in the air and looked down at her. “Your muscles are going to give out, sweetheart. This is going to hurt,” I warned her as her honey eyes tipped back, finding me.
She gave me a rapid nod.
Once her arms were dropped, she let out a jagged cry.
She quickly stifled it with a whimper as she pressed her lips together.
In reaction to the new position, her arms began to shake as if she were shivering.
I gently laid the chains on the bed, knowing I wouldn’t be able to get those off until I had her at Red Snake.
The keyhole was unique, which made me assume that these had been custom made—for her.
Relief overwhelmed her and she fell over onto the clean side of the bed, crying into the pillows and stretching out her long legs.
I averted my eyes, giving her a moment of private grace, and nabbed the bucket.
I put it in the en suite across from the bed, setting it in the tub.
I came back into the room, ready to leave, ready to get her far away from here. “I know you might hate this, and fuck, I don’t blame you, but I need to carry you out of here.”
The woman sat up, now in the center of the bed. “I can’t—I can’t let you take me.”
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I promised.
In fact, if I had anything to say about it, no one would ever hurt her again.
My head snapped toward the window at the sight of headlights.
Fuck. He was home. When I looked back to her, to the other half of my soul, I sprang into action.
“You can hate me and yell at me for this later,” I said, leaning over and scooping her into my arms.
She didn’t protest. In fact, her eyes had drifted over the wall, staring into nothing.
She was dissociating, a reaction to his return.
It was a way for her brain to protect her psyche.
And, fuck me, I couldn’t blame her. “Everything is going to be okay now,” I whispered, staring down at her.
“I’ve got you. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”
Present Day.
My eyes shot open as my body jerked me awake. The small burner phone beside me was vibrating next to my head.
I flipped it open and put it to my ear. “Doss.”
“Good morning, princess,” a deep voice greeted. “Just calling to see if you need backup.”
“No,” I clipped, sitting up and rubbing my hand down my face. “Your hands need to stay clean.”
“I don’t mind a little dirt. If you wait, I can be there in an hour. Got a guy down at the docks who will give me a lift.”
“No.”
My old friend laughed. “Right. Well, until we meet again.”
Outside, the air was humid. Sunlight pierced every inch of this land, cursing it with heat I’d only had the displeasure of experiencing one other time in my life.
Sweat clung to me, soaking my skin and the sheets beneath me.
Beside me on a cheap table, a fan creaked, its blades about to give out from the high speed I’d set it on last night.
I rolled my neck, inhaling a deep breath.
The morning had come all too quickly. I felt like I’d only slept for twenty minutes, but that was the reality of the path I’d chosen over five hundred days ago.
The path of revenge.
I sat up, rolling my neck, and eyed the array of weapons on the table across from my bed.
The palm trees were swaying outside the small window of the motel room—a view I’d paid an extra fifty bucks for.
Though my eyes were never interested in the water; only the five-star resort that sat just in front of it.
The place where Alan Benson thought he would be safe from me.
Every one of his associates was dead. My hands were covered in blood, every life I’d taken in honor of her was a stain on my soul.
For the last year and a half, he’d been living in fear, going crazy as I took out everyone he knew, everyone he loved.
All his assets and connections had been destroyed. I’d enjoyed every minute of it.
Everything connected to her pain would soon be eradicated from this earth.
Today, I would have my pound of flesh.
Today, Angel would receive justice.