18. DEAN

My stomach”s twisted into knots and I wonder if there’s a pain hidden underneath the feeling that I’m unaware of. Would it be the equivalent to a headache or a blade tearing through flesh?

Not knowing exactly what this sensation is supposed to feel like makes my anguish worse.

When I came home today, I thought something bad had happened to Willow and I cursed myself for not being there to protect her but it was just a simple interaction with a person delivering a goddamn package.

They were supposed to be delivered only when I was home and the guy will pay for his fuck up and for scaring my Willow.

The panic in her eyes when she saw me still makes my heart feel strange. She was scared of what I’d do to her but still she clung to me like I was her salvation. That’s exactly what I’ll be. Her savior in every way possible.

Still, I can’t shake the feeling she might have lied to me. Usually, the signs are right there on her face and I know when she is but she was so worked up when I found her, I can’t be sure if she gave me the whole truth or not. I should trust her, she’s been willing to trust me so it’s only right I do the same for her. But the darkness inside of me can’t risk losing her. She is mine. If she said anything to the guy then the cops could be knocking my door down to find her.

It’s late into the night, hours have passed since she said he was here. Long enough for one of the deadbeat cops in this city to at least come asking questions but they haven’t.

She’s safe here with me. I’m not going to lose her tonight and I’m going to make sure there’s absolutely no chance of that ever happening.

I wait for her steady breathing to turn into soft snores as she falls asleep next to me in bed. The last thing I want to do is leave her but I can’t risk leaving a loose end.

After pulling some clothes on, I head to my office and load into my emails on the computer. Thankfully, the delivery company have made my work easier by giving me the name of the courier in the email. Sean.

All it takes is a quick search of his and the company’s name to bring up his full name and his social media. Then everything I need is at my fingertips.

Lucky for me, Sean Romero, is someone that likes to share his every move to his friends online and tonight he’s in a bar across town with some acquaintances.

I wait impatiently for Sean to leave the bar, watching from my car, until I see him break off from the few other guys he’s with and start walking towards a bus stop. There’s an alley just before it and that’s where I can drag his sorry ass to. I’ve planned it all to the exact detail of how I want him to die.

Unfortunately, the area’s too public for me to hear his screams but I can at least watch the fear in his eyes as he comes to the realization that he’s about to die.

I want him to feel all of the fear he put Willow through. I know it’s not his fault, how was he supposed to know that one of the residents of the house was an unwilling captive. Well, more willing now.

I’m in the mood to spill some blood so it might as well be his.

Slipping out of my car, I dart across the street and follow a few paces behind Sean. He’s had a few too many drinks and I wonder if he’ll even remember his actions today.

Keeping my head down, I wait for the street to empty of the two remaining stragglers then I rush up to Sean’s side and put an arm over his shoulder so it looks like we’re good friends and he’s not being forced down a dark alley with a stranger intent on making him suffer.

“Whoa, what are you doing?” he slurs.

“Just need a little chat with you,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Do I know you?” I ignore his question and guide him to the middle of the alley behind a large dumpster, he doesn’t even seem to register what’s happening until it’s too late.

There are no cameras here and anyone walking past is unlikely to see us.

“Seriously, dude, what the hell are you doing? I’m not going to suck your dick!” He shoves at me but I grab his arms and twist them behind his back as I shove him face first into the wall. There’s a loud crack as his skull connects with the concrete and his nose breaks. He starts to cry and I twist his arms tighter.

“Make a sound and I’ll break your arms. Nod if you understand.” He quickly nods but doesn’t stop sniveling as blood pours from his nose.

“Did you speak to a girl today through an intercom? Nod if you did.”

It takes a minute for my words to get through his skull but then he nods again.

“Good. Now you’re going to tell me exactly what she said.”

“I—I don’t remember!” he quickly stammers. “I speak to loads of people, it’s part of the job.”

“That’s disappointing,” I sigh. “Lucky for you though I have something that will help you to remember.” I spin him around and brace him against the wall with my forearm whilst I pull my knife out with the other. Tonight’s weapon of choice is a hunting knife with a serrated blade.

Sean’s eyes widen as he stares at the knife then I smell the acrid aroma of piss. “Disgusting.” I step back so it doesn’t get on my shoes and he tries to make a run for it but I grab him by the shoulder and shove him face first into the wall. He screams out in pain and I cover his mouth with my hand.

“I’ll give you ten seconds to tell me what she said. If you still don’t remember then, I’ll start cutting pieces off you until you do.”

Slowly, I count out loud to ten and watch his eyes dart around as he scrambles to remember and also keep an eye out for any help that might be coming his way. I’ve not had enough time to thoroughly scope the place out so I can’t be sure no one will come down here.

The last time that happened was when my little kitten found me. My cock swells from the memory and I know I won’t be able to resist fucking her with this bloodlust in my veins when I get home.

When I make it to one he finally starts to talk, it’s muffled behind my hand so I take it away and he says, “I remember, she wouldn’t let me in, she made me leave the package outside the gate but it needed to be signed for and it’s policy to not leave anything out like that. I know most people don’t care about that stuff but I’ve not had this job long, I can’t mess it up. I need it, I’ve got two—,”

“Little sisters and an addict mother, I know. I also know that any money you make isn’t going towards helping them, it’s going straight into your own drinking problem. How much did you waste tonight? Enough to buy the girls something nice, I bet.”

“Please, I have some money left in my wallet just take it!”

“Don’t worry, I will. But first I need to know if she said anything else. Anything at all?”

A spark of hope flares in his eyes like he thinks he might actually get out of this alive and he says, “no she just said the gate wasn’t working and it was getting fixed or something then she ignored me. She sounded kinda bitchy about the whole thing.”

Bitchy? That’s the last word I”d use to describe Willow.

“So you just left?”

“Y-yeah! I left and forgot about the whole thing until just now.”

I nod and a weight lifts off my chest. My smile comes back and I feel better than ever. His story matches up with hers. So my little kitten really was telling the truth. Now that definitely deserves a reward.

I clap Sean on the shoulder and lean in to say, “you did the right thing.” He lets out a shaky exhale of relief but before he can say anything I stab him in the spine.

“Unfortunately, you scared my girl.”

His body collapses immediately but he’s not dead yet just paralyzed. He struggles for breath and he can’t even scream, the pain must be that unbearable.

“What does it feel like?” I nudge him with my boot but he doesn’t say anything, just whines like an animal slowly dying. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve got someone at home who loves to tell me how it feels, she’s so perfect she even gets off on it herself. She still won’t admit it though. I’m doing the right thing for once and giving her the time she needs to come to terms with it herself. Eventually she’ll trust me. After all, it’s not like she has anyone else to turn to.”

He stares at me, his mouth gaping like a dying fish as he tries to string a sentence together and I roll my eyes as I bring the knife down into his chest over and over until blood spurts from his mouth and he chokes his final breath on it.

I wipe my knife off on his shirt then empty his pockets so it looks like a brutal mugging. Then I head back to my car.

My cock’s solid and tight against my jeans. I’m sure it should be painful but all I feel is fucking fantastic.