If he shows up, my traitorous brain provided.
He will. He fucking will.
Fifty minutes into the movie, the urge to use the bathroom began. I hadn’t pissed in about five hours, at least, but I hadn’t expected to be kidnapped by my uncle, either.
“Get me another bottle of Captain. In the top cupboard, you know where.” He waved his hand impatiently toward the kitchen, and I rose. “And don’t you fucking think about sneaking off to the bathroom. I’ll cut off your dick, you hear me? Or better yet, I’ll visit that little boyfriend of yours and put a bullet in his head. Fucking bitches, all of you.”
I shot him a glare and moved toward the kitchen. I found his rum where he’d always had it, in the cupboard above the sink. I opened the bottle exactly the way I knew he’d want me to. Everything became a habit with Gary, and the longer I stayed here, the more I realized how scared he’d had me before I’d left. He needed a gun to control me today, but back then, when I was terrified and alone, he’d used his influence and his words. I’d changed, but he hadn’t.
I wasn’t that scared teenager anymore.
The thought was eye-opening. I had no doubt Sam was coming for me, but I wasn’t waiting around. I needed to finish this once and for all. Show Sam I could take care of myself andbe at his side when he took down the evil in this world. Gary was the first step to forever.
I spotted Christmas lights sitting on the table, perfectly positioned into a circle that made me think it was Mom who did it before she left for work—or so I could only assume. Gary wasn’t the type of dude to be this neat and Mom always tried around Christmas, especially with the lights.
I grabbed them and stared. They were heavy in my hands, the multicolored bulbs a reminder of all the times Gary forced me onto a ladder even when I was scared. He didn’t care about my fear, he lived off it. Maybe it was time for a taste of his own medicine. The lights, a reminder of my terror, were the same thing that was going to end that feeling for me, and give it to him.
Anger like I’d never felt before thrummed in my chest, a fury that pounded so hard in my ears that I thought there was a drum in them. I moved before I knew what I was doing. I grabbed the string of lights and snuck back into the living room, stretching the lights between two fists. I swung the string around Gary’s neck and pressed my foot into the back of the couch, pulling the lights against his neck as hard as I could. I was already in a manic state, the need tokill,kill,killhim surging inside me as I wrenched the lights roughly, the sounds of him choking filling the air.
He attempted to grab the string, dropping the empty bottle of rum in his hand so it rolled across the carpet. His gun fell onto the couch as he grappled at the lights, but they were pressed too tightly against his neck.
Adrenaline pumped through me, filling me with an urgency and a newfound strength I didn’t know I had. I kept my foot planted on the back of the couch and listened as his choking grew louder and louder until it all fell silent and he went boneless where he sat. I waited, afraid that he was acting, butwhen nothing came after another minute, a breath of relief left me and I released the lights. I walked around the couch to get a better look at him, taking in his wide, frightened eyes with glee. The scent of urine hit my nostrils and I shot a look at his crotch. He’d pissed himself.
I laughed loudly.
I glanced up atHome Away From Home 2on the screen and smiled as one of the most popular one-liners from the movie came, and I said it at the same time as the character. “Merry Christmas and a Happy fucking New Year, you asshole.” I kicked Gary’s lifeless body as the words left my lips.
The front door crashed open, and I froze, panic surging inside me again. This was it. I’d never see Sam again. The cops would take me and I’d end up in a small cell with no privacy to piss or shit. I’d deal with bullies like Gary for the rest of my life.
Sam and Bee came running through the door into the living room, both halting at the sight of me and Gary.
Relief poured through me and I rushed over into Sam’s open arms, burying my face into his chest. “Sam, I did it. I ended it. He threatened you and Eleanor and fuck him. I wasn’t going to let him control my life anymore.”
Sam smiled, eyes watering as he dotted kisses on my forehead.
Bee whistled. “Shit, Ez. You sure got him. And it’s kind of...flawless. No blood. We could work with this. Get rid of the body. We’d need to drive the car into the garage and carry the body out to put it in the trunk. Then?—”
Sam whistled to catch her attention and she looked at us. I felt him shake his head as I clenched my eyes shut.
“I’ll handle this. You get him home,” she said.
“No.” I pushed away from Sam and squared my shoulders, eyes open and a newfound adrenaline pumping through me. “Ikilled him. I’ll help with the cleanup. I’m here to stay and that means getting my hands dirty. Tell me what to do.”
Bee grinned. “Let’s get to work.”
15
SAM
“Okay?” I mouthed while staring at Ezra, concern eating at me. We sat on the couch in the living room inourhome, and despite taking the matter into his own hands and dealing with the person who’d tortured him during his teenage years, he was shaking. He’d helped me and Bee get Gary into the trunk of the car and Bee had taken the body to Dalton’s while I’d given Ezra the rundown on cleaning up the evidence. There wasn’t as much because of no blood complications, but we didn’t want to leave behind any proof that Ezra had been there, either. From what he’d told us, his mom didn’t know.
“No,” he signed back, a small smile curving at his pink lips. “I will be.”
“You’re brave,” I signed.
He laughed quietly and pressed himself against my chest. His arm wrapped around my waist. “Am I? I wanted to prove to you that I could be at your side when you do your extracurricular activities.” He laid his chin on my pec as he stared up at me. “Because I won’t let you down, Sam. I promise.”
“I know.” I hooked a finger under his chin and slanted my mouth over his, giving him a gentle kiss that had him humming. He tasted sweet like honey and I couldn’t get enough. Before him, sex wasn’t great. It was just something that happened with one woman. Now that he was in my life, I understood the excitement around the connection. It was more than a physical sensation, it was a bond I wanted to share with him. Ezra made everything more exciting.
