AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I wave my finger. “No, tourists are treated a little differently. We can’t go around killing them, but they are still punished for their crimes and never return to Vegas again.”
Shelby moves from the cabinet to the chair. “This is where they sit when you torture them.”
“Where we teach them a lesson for their crimes, Shelby.” I sit in the chair and place my hand on one of the arms. “Do you want to teach me?”
She shakes her head quickly to say no, and I’m slightly relieved, even though I would have let her. Not take a finger or anything but make a cut or two.
“Do Max and Lena do this as well?” Shelby questions, standing in front of me.
She looks out of place in this room, wearing her designer dress, heels, and diamond choker. Only the blood red of the dress would be something seen in here.
“Max is my second in command. He does whatever’s needed. Lena has only been in this room once and that was for something very personal to her.”
Shelby looks at me with suspicion, and then I can see from her expression when the truth dawns on her.
“She tortured her father in here?” Shelby questions, but she already knows the answer.
“Yes. The abuse she suffered was beyond anything I’m willing to describe to you. She needed to make him suffer and then kill him to get closure and move on.”
Shelby smiles. “I can understand that. I don’t blame her.” She looks back at the cabinet. “I hope she made it painful and bloody.”
“It was interesting. She’s got a strong stomach.”
Shelby rubs her hands over her head.
“Do you know how many people you’ve killed?”
“Less than fifty. My first kill was when I was fifteen. A rite of passage from my father.”
“I expected more than that, looking at this room.” Shelby gives a wry laugh.
“I’ve tortured more. I’ve lost count of that number.” I push myself out of the chair and approach Shelby. “Tell me what you’re thinking in there?” I tap her forehead.
“I don’t know if you want to hear my thoughts. You don’t seem to like it when I use swear words.”
“I think we’re past that. Swear away.”
Shelby leans in closer to me, and I wrap my arms around her waist.
“Fuck!!! I’ve never been under the illusion you were a saint. You turned up unannounced at my trailer and told me I was yours. You’ve got more money and power than I can ever imagine. You snap your fingers, and people come running. It takes a certain someone to have that much control over those around them. I see it in you, and I see something similar in your father. But there’s a big difference between the two of you. Your father does it for the power it gives him. You do it to make the world a better place for those around you—me, Max, Lena, the staff in your casino, even Vegas itself. I knew you weren’t a saint the first moment I met you. I’ve never been under that illusion. But also I’ve always known you won’t ever hurt me. It’s why I agreed to come with you.”
Shelby leans into me and kisses me. She instigates and deepens it, our tongues twisting together before she pulls away.
“No more secrets?” she asks.
“No, I’m an open book to you now.”
“No more skeletons in the closet?”
“None that I know of.” I step back from her and wave my hands down my body. “What you see is what you get from now on. I’m a bossy, demanding bastard who’ll expect you to toe-the-line, but I will care for you forever, despite the fact I was brought up to hate the flesh you came from. Seeing you in this room makes me realize how innocent you are of your father’s actions. This place is where the darkness lurks and this is where it needs to stay. We’ve suffered enough because of past mistakes. It’s time we started looking to the future.”
She steps forward and kisses me again. “When I first saw you watching me at the diner, I felt a connection. I think I knew even then that you’d be the one to care for me.” Shelby motions for me to take her hand. “Did you say you had rooms here? I think I’d like to get out of this creepy-as-fuck torture room now.”
25
SHELBY
Idon’t let go of Eaton’s hand as we make our way back through the hotel to his rooms. Most people would have run, knowing the person they are with is a killer, but like I said to Eaton, I’ve known all along. I just didn’t want to admit it.
