At the least, it was manipulative, and in my book manipulative people were not good people—therefore, I was not good people. That was why I was still with Hunter. I couldn’t do that to him. I couldn’t make him another Jamie, another Thomas… another victim.
The aunts said if the tether was still connected, those under my spell would dream of being with me. They might’ve been able to move on enough to get married and love someone else, but ultimately it would be me they saw when they closed their eyes.
Hunter was the last one. I meant it this time.
We got along pretty well, so that was nice. Especially since he’d moved in with me the day after I cursed him. Which in another selfish way… was great because I needed all the help I could get.
Yule was coming up, and my entire family invited themselves over, and unfortunately Derek made me pinky swear that I wouldn’t put a barrel in my mouth. Because if wishing I was dead wasn’t already high on my list, it sure as hell would be by the time they left.
“God, Maggie, your tits are so fucking soft. I’m gonna lose it, fuck—yes—don’t move—” Derek’s voice ripped me out of the pity party in my head just as his control frayed, a groan tearing out of him as his cum painted my tongue and mouth.
“An—d cut!” Hunter watched the replay on his handheld camera, not even looking up at us. “Pretty thing, you’re perfect. Derek, maybe next time, you could try fisting her hair a bit more, maybe bottom out so she gags a wee bit, aye, mate?”
Derek ripped off the red horned Ghostface mask, gave him anI don’t think solook, and collapsed winded onto the papasan. “Ya know what, man, I think I’m good. Besides, I nearly passed out from lack of oxygen.”
“We can get you a new mask… one with better ventilation,” Hunter offered before heading to the study to edit and upload the video.
“Still don’t like him, huh?” I asked, throwing my hair into a messy bun and tossing Derek his underwear.
“I don’t know. I just don’t see you happy with him. Not like?—”
“Hey, I’m fine.” I scooped my clothes up before making my way upstairs. “Maybe this is all the happiness I get.”
Derek trailed behind me.
“I’m just saying, maybe you should be open to finding someone else. Chester can’t even stand to be around him. Doesn’t that mean something?”
“Chester is just going to have to learn to tolerate him.”
We stopped at the top of the stairs, both of us naked, disheveled, and slightly perturbed.
“Maggie, he hasn’t been home in a week.” Derek gestured with his underwear in one hand. “Katie can’t keep him forever.”
“Well, she might have to. Hunter ends up with shiv marks on his face and piss stainsinhis shoes every time they're in the same room.”
“Okay. But maybe Chester’s not the one that should leave…”
“Ugh!” I threw my head back. “Don’t use all the hot water!” I slammed the bedroom door behind me and crashed in a heap on my bed.
Derek wasn’t wrong. What type of cat mom was I? Sending my baby away because he didn’t like the man I cursed into fucking me?
Like I said… horrible person!
chapter 2
THE KILLER KNOWS HER FACE
Graham
I should have knownthat Silas was going to be a problem as soon as he scared the shit out of me on the trip back to Colorado Springs. Bastard materialized in the passenger's seat, spouting some shit about how I was"rude"for leaving him in the pocket mirror wedged between the truck seats. I didn't even know he was there. Ever since then, I’d fought with the urge to ship him back to Port Grey. It would have been so easy to throw him in a box and slap a stamp on him. But that would’ve been wrong. Easy—but wrong. I could have avoided reopening the wound I’d given Maggie.
Ever since I’d found out she started making porn, I realized the wound I’d given myself was never going to heal if I kept seeing her like that. She’d taken the username xXPrettyGirl47 on Velvet & Vice. Most of her videos were of her solo—my favorite—but as any good pornstar should… she had men and women joining her. Katie included. That alone was a shock, but I had to slam the laptop shut when I recognized the bat tattoo on the middle finger of a masked man fucking her on the porch swing. Seeing Derek’s dick in my girl was the last thing I expected—or wanted.
I still couldn’t get the sound of his grunts out of my head if I thought about it too long. I won’t even be able to look him in the eye when I get back.
Who was I kidding, though? I gave her up—she wasn’t mine—not really, anyway. And I was an asshole for leading her on like I did. At least he’d come through for her like he did me. If she did end up with someone else, I’d sleep better at night knowing it was him.
The plan was to leave in a few days after I got the house listed, but with the constant interruptions from Silas and my inability to forget her, I couldn’t stay away. I called Rebecca’s mother, Holly, to help tie up the loose ends with the house.
