Page 128 of I Never Stopped Loving You

I don’t answer him. He’s not my target today. Today’s the day I end Rayes. That way I can dispose of him like the rest of them tonight.

“Aww. What’s wrong, Killer? Don’t feel like talking to me anymore?” he sneers. “Tell me again, how long have you been searching.”

Silence stretches between us with only the soft sobs coming from Rayes. He hasn’t spoken, only sitting blindfolded with his head tilted down. His skin is soiled in piss, sweat, and shit. He looks disgusting and smells even worse.

I grab the hose and put it on full blast. The cold water sprays him causing him to scream. I aim the stream into his mouth and watch with amusement as he chokes on the water he inhales.

As he sits there trying to expel the water from his lungs, I aim the ice-cold stream at James. The lightbulb above swings back and forth as the drops spray everywhere from bouncing off his body. He doesn’t scream. He barely fucking flinches. What the fuck?

“We both need to know the truth,” he says as I lower the stream of water before shutting it off.

He knows he’s got my attention. What truth? Is he finally fucking talking after all these years?

“You don’t know the truth about that night. You only heard what the tabloids wanted you to hear. No one knew that she was taking my baby girl away from me. She had the car packed and was going to steal her away in the middle of the night. And then…”

His arms strain. I can still see the veins bulging in his arms as he fights the rage simmering beneath the surface. He truly is a monster.

“That fucking bitch cheated on me. She told me that night that Willow wasn’t even mine.”

That’s what tipped him over the edge? That’s what caused him to kill Willow’s mom?

“Is it true?” I ask.

His head snaps up as he glares at me, and I can feel the anger burning from him.

“I don’t fucking know. She said Willow’s real dad was my own fucking brother,” he shouts.

“Where is he? Would he have Willow?”

“He died. Well, actually, I killed him. It was an accident, but after I found that out, I was glad he was killed in that car wreck.”

The silence that drifts between us is heavy. Does he even regret what he did to her? To her mother? Or is he such a monster that nothing could be said to change his opinion that he did nothing wrong and that they deserved everything?

“If you find her, all I ask is to know the truth. One DNA test is all it would take. You’ve spilled enough of my blood over the years…What’s a few more drops?” he whispers.

“Why does it matter?”

“I killed the only woman I’ve ever loved. I changed my name and have been hiding all of these years. I figured eleven years would’ve been enough time for anyone who would have recognized me to have forgotten…but I was wrong.”

“Didn’t work out so well, did it?” I scoff, and it causes him to laugh.

“Be careful, Killer. You may think all of your kills are justified now, but one day they’ll come back to haunt you.”

“Does Deborah still haunt you? What about your brother?”

He hangs his head in silence for a moment. Rayes has stopped sniffling and is actually remaining silent. If I wasn’t looking at his tied-up ass, I would’ve forgotten he was here.

“Deb haunts my dreams. My nightmares. Ever since you’ve had me down here, it’s gotten worse. I can hear her voice even when I’m not asleep.”

“Good. I hope she fucking haunts you until the day you die,” I say firmly.

He tosses his head back and laughs. It’s hollow and forced, like he’s trying to see the bright side in the fact that he will be dying, hopefully soon.

“And when will that be, Noah?”

“When I find Willow and bring her down here to face you.”

His smug grin drops when I say those words. I can see the corner of his lip twitch in disgust.