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“I just didn’t want to fall and embarrass you. I can try to keep up, but maybe at a slower pace?” He smiled, wrapping his arms around my waist as he eased me into him. “The only way you’d hit the ground is if I put you there. I’d never let you fall.”
“Let’s get this over with. I want you. I want to bathe you like before.” My lids blinked slowly, the dread all too real. “If it pleases you.” “It would please me, immensely.”
Not here. When you break down barriers and make death public, you ignite a beast in every man. Animals don’t get along very well when you introduce them to a feast of food and sins. It will never be enough. They’ll want more—more blood, more torture, more punishments. You’ll make hunters of us all.
Now, you set the monsters free from their luxurious little cells. I hope you’re ready for the repercussions that will follow.”
You offer a massacre to these men. The buzzards will be seen from miles away at the amount of blood they’ll soon spill. Better take that into account, Master Harper.”
“This is to be expected of your status,” he said softly. “You will not cower to death. You will not stir or cringe at the sight of blood or gore. Skinning and gutting your friend will be good for you. Attachments to anyone or anything is useless. Let this be a lesson, wife.”
It was pleasing me to see her squirm. To see her so afraid. “That’s my girl. Shhh. Do it. Stand tall, turn, and obey Master Kunken.”
“I once told you not to forget your friends. I am your friend, West. But don’t you dare threaten me again. You forget the bait that treads the water is usually the hook that kills the prey. Remember that.”
It was the sickness. But I couldn’t push away my own fear of someone truly trying to take her away. I may have treated her badly at times, but she was still mine. She had a part of me, whether I wanted to admit how big that part was or not.
“You’re going to give me a weapon?” “Yes. I’m going to put my trust in you. I think it’s time. Prove to me I’m not making a mistake. But a warning…if you ever pull it out on me, so help me, it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”
“I hate you for what you’ve done. I hate you,” she hissed, lowering more onto my chest. “There are no words for how much I want to hurt you. I look at you, and I want to claw your face off. To beat you until I can’t even recognize you anymore. You make me sick.” My smile was automatic. “And despite all of that, you’re falling for me, and you can’t stand it.”
“Are you not getting your revenge by making me fall in love with you? You’re destroying the monster you hate, piece by piece. You have to get solace in that.”
“I never said I had feelings for you.” “You didn’t have to. I see it. I feel it. What are you wet for, my cock or the thought of hurting me?”
“Do you love me now?” “Never.” “Not even a little?” “Never.”
pulling me down to crush my lips into hers. The pain was excruciating, and I felt every ounce as I thrust my tongue into her mouth. Blood and happiness. They went hand in hand with some of the best moments of my life. This one wasn’t any different.
stare cut over to the side. “You’ve hurt me so much.” “And I’ll hurt you again. That’s a guarantee but look at us right now. Look at how we’ve been since the lashing…God, doing that to you. I’ve never loved anything more.”
“It’s because you gave it to me. I didn’t have to threaten you. You knew what was coming, and you didn’t back down. Even after the first three, you gave me more. You didn’t try to escape or beg me to stop. You’re mine, just as much as I’m yours.
I shouldn’t care, but I do. I think I lost myself to you, and maybe I’m a fool for telling you, but I know
you feel something for me. Admit it.”
One of my hands left her head while I moved it around to trace over the still welted lashes. “You’ll always be mine now. This says so right here. These scars, you’ll carry me with you forever. And I’ll never forget it.”
He smiled bigger, bringing my hand up to his lips. “Not like that. I allowed her to release her frustrations after I lashed her. You can say she didn’t enjoy getting the scars as much as I did the beating. But that’s okay. Hers on my face will fade. My marks never will. Everleigh is mine now, as much as she can ever be.”
“I can’t believe we did it. Son of a bitch, I can’t fucking believe it.” “It’s not over yet,” I said, shaking my head. “Hit me. And do it hard.”
I grabbed my knife, taking three fast steps forward before plunging it into his back. Once. Twice. Three times. Just like with the man I loved, Eli fell to his knees, hitting hard. “Your sister will never be safe if you’re in the picture. They won’t even know about the relation. I won’t put her in danger because of you or anyone else. But this,” I said, twisting the knife as he cried out in pain, “is for Bram and Lyle.”
“It’s okay,” he said, lifting me. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you. I won’t let anyone take you away.” “You promise?” He kissed my cheek, and I immediately lowered my head to rest in the crook of his neck. “You better believe it.”
“Let’s see if you make good on your threats. Let’s see who rips the other apart first.”
“I do believe you’re bleeding again, wife. Does it hurt horribly? Do you still love me? God, I love you. I swear I do.”
“God, you feel so good. I think it’s been too long. We’re really going to have to do this more often. Do you want to know what I also miss?”
Insanity had never been far away. It had always existed within me, lurking in the depths of my mind. Waiting for the right time to strike. It wasn’t about being strong enough to resist the urge to go mad but being strong enough to come back after the craziness took over.
When I walked around and lowered to face my attacker—my rapist—I couldn’t stop staring into his enraged eyes. I hated him so much. I was sure hate wasn’t even the emotion I harbored. He had done this to me. He turned me into what I had become. A monster. A sick, deranged thing that dreamed of blood and torture.
“You’re sick. Fucking sick. God, why didn’t I see it before? You need help.” “And I’m about to get it by hurting you. By skinning you, like you made me do to Julie.”
Do you think I’m afraid of death? Death and I are secret lovers. We take turns fucking each other every chance we get. Today, it’s my turn to be on top.”
“Fuck! God. God!” “There’s no God in Whitlock. Only the devil, and this one is of your creation.
“I’m not dead, I whisper.
