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I put shampoo in her hair and rinse it for her. I’ve always been fascinated with her hair. It almost looks like it has glitter in it—the way it shines. She truly is beautiful.
“Okay, I’ve given you ten minutes. That’s enough,” I say, getting out of the tub and wrapping a towel around my waist.
“I appreciate how much effort that it took for you.” She chuckles and I roll my eyes at her whilst going to the bedroom to get changed. I’m in the kitchen, making something to eat, when I see my phone light up with a message from Cyrus.
I think I have a plan for the retrieval. You best come in so we can discuss it. Something needs to be done ASAP. He’s been asking around about Wildcat.
“Everything okay?” she asks, coming out of the bedroom. She’s wearing black jeans that hug every curve and a black form fitting gym top. So casual, yet I want to rip them off her.
I clear my throat and shake my head, trying to rid myself of the thoughts. I’ve just fucked her multiple times, and it’s still not enough. I want more.
“Yes, fine. I just need to go into the office and help Cyrus with something.” Not technically a lie, but not the whole truth either.
“Okay, I need to go home anyway. It’s risky me being here,” she states.
I walk over to her and kiss her lightly on the forehead. I don’t want her to leave, but I know she can’t stay. The quicker I get these drives, the sooner Tom can be eliminated. The sooner we can start having a life together.
“You sure you can’t stay? Can’t you tell him you’re on an undercover operation, and I can cover for you?” The false hope showing in my voice.
“I’m positive. He’ll find out I’m lying. We need to come up with a plan for the drives. I’ll come and see you first thing tomorrow in your office, and we can discuss it,” she announces with utter confidence.
I kiss her gently at first, nipping at her lip, and grazing her teeth with my tongue until she’s moaning.
“Kade…I can’t take much more,” she whines.
“Oh Sweetheart, that was tame compared to what’s coming.” I promise. I nip at her ear, sending shivers down her body.
“Kade…” She moans.
“Okay, okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I chuckle and watch her leave. Her absence is already felt. Like she’s taken everything with her.
I text Cyrus back.
On my way.
I’m sick of this bastard having the upper hand. Enough is enough.
EMILIA
Idon’t want to go back to that apartment. All it holds is horror and pain. Every night I would wake with Tom mounted on me, trying to take from me again. I have no positive link to the apartment at all, no safety and no comfort. I haven’t visited the manor house since I moved out for the exact same reason. The sight of the basement makes me feel sick, envisioning myself curled up on the floor after having just been violated. The same image forces itself into my mind, only it’s my sister in my place.
I reach the front door and release a heavy sigh. I still feel Kade with me, my shadow in every way anchoring me to the present. I will get vengeance; it’s just going to take time. I smile at the thought of Tom on the same basement floor, trembling like a frightened animal.
I saunter inside and quickly scan the room like I always do, setting my bag on the floor. My laptop isn’t on the kitchen counter where I left it. I might have left it at work.
Pain. Earth shattering pain in the back of my head. I can’t hold my own weight and stumble to the floor, landing on my hands and knees. Blood is dripping from the back of my head onto the wooden floor. In a daze, I reach up to touch the source of the pain, and my fingers come away slick with thick, dark-red blood. My vision is blurry, but I’m still conscious. I see the blurry outline of my kitchen counter and couch to the left. The familiar scent of honey coming from the infuser on the window ledge. Movement. I see movement.
A blurry smudge moving in front of me. I smell him. The whiskey and cigarette smoke.
“Well, my pet, did you really think I wouldn’t know what you’ve been up to?” he says right in front of my face, so close, small bits of his saliva hit my face.
I’m going to black out. Darkness is creeping into my vision with small stars dotted around. I try and push myself off the floor but I have no strength. I groan from the pain in my head. The burn excruciating and the pain stabbing. He has something in his hand, it’s long, thin, and slightly curved at the end. I think it’s a crowbar. The bastard struck me from behind with a fucking crowbar.
“Oh, don’t worry, you can shut your eyes if you want. Nobody will come looking for you until tomorrow morning, and I plan to have a lot of fun with you until then, Pet.” He teases; he’s an utter psychopath. Darkness is overcrowding now, it’s going to take me, and I can’t do anything to stop it. I think of Kade and his flirtatious smirk that seems to always put a smile on my own face. I think of his dark-blue eyes that glisten every time he looks at me. I think of the future we will have. I know Tom won’t kill me. I’m too important and valuable to him. When I wake up, he’d better be gone. Not because the unit will know something is wrong, but because he has pissed me off. I’ve reached my breaking point. It’s time to let the darkness reign.
* * *
My head is pounding like someone is inside it with hammers, taking turns to smash them against my skull. I know I have crusted blood in my hair, I can feel it matted at the back of my head. I can’t move my hands or my legs. Thick ropes encase my wrists and ankles against the legs and arms of a kitchen chair. I push against the restraints but they’re too tight. Each pull giving me a toe-curling burn against my skin. The sun has set, it must be the middle of the night. I still have hours to wait until anyone realizes something is wrong.
