28. CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Dahlia

T yler's support is unparalleled.

He's one hundred percent on board with what I'm doing. With how I am.

Even though Rita isn't technically a bad guy. Even though she doesn't really deserve to die. He supports me.

My man does more than that. He helps by locking the door to the back-back room behind us.

"Thank you." I blow him a kiss with my free hand. The other I use to drag Rita to the chair by the collar of her sweater.

Throughout this entire time, Tyler's gaze doesn't waver. He's focused on me. Mesmerized by me .

It reminds me of the days after my seventeenth birthday. His gaze started trailing from my eyes to my lips more often. My collarbone heated at his attention. On a rare occasion, I'd catch him staring at my chest and breasts before he'd shake his head and look up .

Back then, his eyes were heated when he let them wander. He had swamps for irises. Thick and dangerous and deadly. Then he'd shut it off.

He doesn't shut it off today. There's no need for that.

And the day he dares try…I'll punch him until he looks at me that way again. He's never getting away again.

"You're welcome, beautiful." He comes closer, curling his hand around my throat and kissing the top of my head.

I lean into his touch for a moment before untangling myself from him to arrange Rita on the chair. Once she's seated, I snap two zip ties around her hands, binding her to the chair. Then I squat at her feet, doing the same to her right ankle.

"Let me help." Tyler's shadow casts over me, his body stopping me from moving to the next ankle.

The outline of his hard cock makes me shiver, but when he clears his throat, my eyes snap up. His jaw is set in a set line. He wants to fuck me, but he won't. Not yet.

"Move, Dahl. Let me help."

Fuck, I love it when he's bossy. Pissed off and love it.

"You're not touching her." The dress he bought me is gorgeous. It also makes it difficult to walk while I'm crouching. I do it anyway, nudging him to the side and putting myself between him and her. "Anyone else, I'd have said yes. This one's off-limits."

"You know what you're doing to me, Dahlia?" He has his hand in my hair, hauling me to my knees. My mouth smashes against his groin, and his cock jerks. "When you're being this possessive? This jealous? "

He slips his hand to my nape, forcing my lips to rub on his sheathed cock. Using me for his pleasure.

"What?" I'm not actually saying anything. My lips just part and close and it sounds like Wha .

"So fucking hard, baby." His dark eyes latch onto mine. "I'd never do that to you. Make you jealous on purpose. But tempt me again like this and see what happens."

He's teasing me. Taunting me. Asshole. Hot asshole.

"Okay," I hum against his erection.

"That's my girl."

I'm being released. And I turn away, rushing to snap Rita's second ankle to the other leg of the chair.

When I stand up, I tell him, "Get the liquid nitrogen tank. It's under the table."

Tyler doesn't budge. Crosses his arms over his chest. His body tells me how serious he is before his lips do. "What about the chocolate on the stove?"

"You're curious. And you're eager to get started." Excitement bubbles inside me as if I just ingested a hundred packets of Pop Rocks. "I wasn't sure you would."

He tilts his head. "I told you I have been over the last week."

"This is different."

"How so?"

My teeth scrape my bottom lip. "Honest?"

He nods once.

"She's not a bad person."

"Little savage." His palm is on my cheek, his thumb brushing my heated skin. "A once in a while thing seems fine to me. But you said so yourself. She's not a bad person. I assume her family and friends will be searching for her. We have to play it smart." Tyler kisses my forehead. "As long as we don't make a habit of killing every woman who looks at me, you have my approval."

"She did more than just look." My eyebrows lower when I remember a conversation Tyler obviously doesn't. I should be happy except I see it playing out like a movie. And now I'm furious. "I stalked you over some of my lunch breaks and after work. You went grocery shopping a couple of times and she was right outside the building. Talking to you. Arching her back to push her tits up. Fucking giggling. She hit on you when you were mine. You are mine."

"Swear to G—" Tyler's fingers dig into my flesh. "—Satan. I don't remember any of that. Nothing."

"Doesn't matter. I'm not letting her go," I grit out.

"I'd never ask you to do that. You want this, and that means I want this too. Always." His fury has wetness pooling between my thighs. "We're in this together. I trust you."

"We," I repeat, my voice dreamy.

"Yes, we . Always fucking we." A deep breath and, "Also, no more touching other men's dicks. No flirting. Even if it's for baiting them."

"Okay." Agreeing comes easily to me. I have a hundred other methods to lure and kill people. Dozens of them.

My gaze darts to the woman on the chair. Rita's hair hangs down her back. Her gorgeous breasts stretch the fabric of her copper-colored sweatshirt. She's beautiful. Smart, as well. A lawyer. She probably has her shit together .

"She would've been a good partner." It's a bastard move, to test Tyler. Except the jealousy inside me demands I make sure this woman isn't what he wishes for. "A great wife."

"Maybe. To anyone else." Tyler places a finger below my chin, tipping it up. "I need your crazy. Your fire. Everything that you are, I need it like air. I'll die without it. There's no one else."

"You aced it." I rise on my toes and bite his chin.

Tyler chuckles. He understands me.

"W-where am I?" A confused mumble reaches from behind me. "Tyler? What's going on?"

He cuts his gaze to her, glowering at the other woman. "You upset my girlfriend."

Girlfriend. My cheeks hurt from smiling so wide.

"She decided you deserve a punishment for flirting with me." Tyler looks at me when he says those things. "So that's what you're getting."

"Are you serious?" The same familiar rattling sound. Everyone, without fail, always tests how tight I tie them. Spoiler alert—very tight. "Is this a joke? Some sick trick or treat shit?"

"Afraid not." The tarp swishes when I swirl to face Rita. Tyler's hand slips to my neck, his fingers curling in a possessive grip. "I don't like you. You're going to die."

The color disappears from her cheeks. Rita turns quiet, her eyes bouncing between Ty and me. I catch the moment realization strikes. The instant she understands this isn't some cruel joke. This is the real thing.

Her mouth gapes. Chest expands .

Normally, I'd have marveled at her screams. Would've stood by, soaking in the terror bleeding from her.

As it stands, I can't allow that. There's a hole in the wall. Someone might hear her. Come for her help.

Not gonna happen.

Before a single Ahh! leaves her lips, I round the chair, standing behind her. My hand clamps on her mouth, muffling her scream.

"Oh, hush now." I clench my fingers on her cheeks. Tyler watches, a grin spreading across his beautiful face. "You're going to die here. Resisting us won't help. Screaming won't either. The only screams Tyler gets off on are mine."

She screams anyway.

Tyler narrows his eyes. What's next?

"I don't want you to touch her," I repeat. My fangs peek out when I snarl. "So you're in charge of the duct tape. Go get it."

Tyler circles Rita until he stands at my side. He doesn't have to tip my chin up for me to look at him. His presence commands that I do it. "Go get it…?"

My lips relax, my snarl is gone. His authority softens the harsh parts of me. I have someone to carry the weight of it.

"Please."

More silence.

I blow him a kiss.

He catches it, then kisses his own fist. "Good girl."

The duct tape is on the table next to the stove, and that's where Tyler goes. He rips a piece and offers it to me .

With a song in my heart—the theme song from "Halloween"—I remove my hand from Rita's lips and place the duct tape on it.

"There." I straighten up, punching her mouth. Just to make sure the duct tape's glued properly, of course. "Good to go."

Her eyes bulge. She continues to scream. Who am I to deny a woman in her final moments on this earth?

"I'll get you the liquid nitrogen." Tyler presses his lips to mine in a quick kiss.

"Please, Daddy ." Ty's lips quirk in a brief smirk at that. My entire body bathes in his warmth. This is real. This is really real. "We need to have it close by," I explain. "For later."

I sneak a glance at Rita. She's busy, screaming and shaking her body. A loud crack and her left shoulder looks like it might have popped out of place. It bulges out. Kind of grotesque, if you ask me.

And what does a dislocated shoulder land us? A million more muffled screams.

"The boiling chocolate, please. We'll use that first," I whisper when he puts the nitrogen at my feet. "We'll freeze everything later."

"Gotcha." Ty turns to move to the stove.

"I'll hold her in place." My fingers curl around his bicep. "You pour it in her eyes. Make it slow."

Ty doesn't respond immediately. His eyes have that sexy swamp quality to them again. He grasps my fingers, those that clutch onto him, and tugs my hand off him .

"Little savage." Our hands go lower until we reach his cock. He places my palm on it, letting me feel him throb through his jeans. "I'm not sure I can hold much longer when you talk like that."

I'm under his spell. Completely, unequivocally. For eternity.

"We could compromise. Pour it in at a regular speed, then." Another whisper. This time because I can hardly breathe. "I have a speech. I need to say it."

"I'll do my best." He guides my palm up and down his cock once, then walks off.

"Two things I hate about your eyes." I take my spot behind Rita, tugging on her hair until she's gazing at the ceiling. At me. "They were on my man for too long. And your eyelashes. You used them to flirt with him. Rude."

The same eyes I loathe are talking. Begging for forgiveness. For help. Tears stream down her temples, along her hair. They splash on my black tarp.

For a moment, I think I might be coming down with something. A cold, maybe.

I feel…bad?

A-choo!

Nope. Not feeling bad at all. It was just a sneeze.

"Bless you." Tyler materializes at my side. He's holding on to the handles of the silver bowl, tilting it to the side. "Ready to start?"

"Yup."

With my permission, Tyler pours the scalding dark chocolate on Rita's left eye. Her right one rolls to the back of her head, and her muscles strain from the shock. Then come the seizures. Snot drips from her nose. A spot darkens in the center of the duct tape. Puke, or she's foaming at the mouth.

Much like Ben.

Who died pretty fast after that.

Goddammit.

"I could tell she wouldn't last." I shake my head. "Other side, Ty. We have a couple of minutes at best."

"Can I just say—" he starts. A distinct smell permeates the air. Puke, she's definitely puking. "It looks so much better up close. Even with the stench and everything."

When I look at Ty, I find the strong man I remember. He's also awed at what we're doing.

The moment Al became Ian's and my guardian, life turned to shit. Even with the fucker gone, he continued to terrorize us from the grave. He scarred Tyler, Ian, and me both mentally and physically.

But those scars aren't all bad. Those scars bind Tyler and me together. For eternity.

I can't complain. Won't complain. We're fucking magic together.

"It is, isn't it?" I elbow him playfully.

"Yes, Dahl." He leans in to kiss my temple.

I sneak a glance at the bowl he's holding. Though Rita's eyes are covered in chocolate, leftovers remain in the bowl. I did it on purpose. Wanted to use them for later. I don't think I would anymore.

No time .

"The liquid nitrogen." I glide my fingernails from his forearm to his elbow, my voice both seductive and mocking. "Please, Daddy. Sir."

"Brat." He lets out a low, husky laugh.

Tyler's large, able body moves effortlessly in my little space. He puts down the silver bowl, carries the tank, brings it close, and stops next to Rita. He's eyeing me, eyebrows raised.

"Speech, right." I wink at him. Next, I address the woman who's not moving anymore. So still that her heart doesn't beat. But I have things to say, and I will. "Miss Rita. I'm clamping your eyes shut. No more flirting with what's mine."

No more flirting with anyone, period, but why get into semantics in such a poetic moment?

Tyler takes my silence as his cue, tilting the tank on top of her eyes. White vapor cascades out of it, circles Rita's face like a soft summer cloud. There are soft clicking sounds as the liquid chocolate freezes on her closed eyes.

"Would you look at that?" My smile reaches my eyes, no doubt. Tyler's does the same. "She's dead."

"She is," he says, his voice strained. Tyler discards the liquid nitrogen tank. "Enough of her."

"And now we—"

"Shut up, Dahlia, just shut up." He grips either side of my throat. "God. Fuck. I need you, can't you see? Need to be inside you. You're going to shut up and you're going to let me."

His lips maul mine. His tongue is warm and possessive. Tyler's feral groans send jolts of pleasure through my body.

Except —

"I have to skin her, while she's warm." I'm wet and needy and a fucking mess. And dammit, I wish I could give him what he's asking for. I will. Later. "It'll be a bitch to strip it off her when she's cold. It'll take forever."

"No." His hands choke me. Command me. "You've been teasing me since the moment I got in here, D. You don't…" A low curse is nothing but a hiss from his mouth. "You don't understand. I have to have you. Have to shove my dick in—"

I gasp when his hand magically appears at my waist. When he pulls me flush against his cock like he has the right to manhandle me like that.

Oh, wait. He does.

"—here. Deep inside your pretty little cunt. Feel you come all over me." His eyebrows furl. Ty concentrates. It's an effort for him to get the words out. That's how much he needs me. "Be a good girl, little savage. Turn around and bend over the table. You're either going to let me fuck you or I'm going to take it. There's no other option."

"Please, Tyler." He's the one who doesn't understand. "I don't want to stay here all night."

I might be whining. I don't care. Even with Tyler's help, skinning a cold corpse would take an eternity.

"All night?" Behind his cruel, darkening eyes, there's the old Tyler. "Are you sure?"

The man who's staring at me is the one who wants to coddle me. Who puts me first before his throbbing dick. Before the orgasms he promises.

Is it bad that I crave both of them? That I like how he orders me around? Maybe .

So?

"Last year, on October 29 th , I was exhausted. I finished killing this dude who snapped pictures of my younger customers. As in much younger." I swing my body left and right, trying to wrench myself from Tyler's possessive grip. Failing. "The pedo was huge, and it'd been twenty-nine days of no sleep and hard labor. My body gave up on me and I fell asleep here. Napped for an hour. I regretted closing my eyes the moment I started skinning him. Never again."

"That's why you weren't home that night."

"You remembered." It's part question, part statement.

"I remember every single detail about you. Fine, listen." There's a plan being devised inside Tyler's clever brain. Despite his need and how he can't stop grinding his cock on me, he has a plan. "I'm willing to make a compromise."

Tonight is full of those, I guess.

"I like compromises." Sand trickles down the metaphorical hourglass. Rita's corpse is getting colder by the second. "I like quick compromises even better."

"That mouth." Tyler walks forward, meaning I walk back. We do that until the crease between my ass and thighs bumps into the table. "You want quick?"

"Yes."

"I'll give you quick." He's wicked. Terribly wicked as he hoists me up on the table and crumples my dress up to my waist.

His fist grips the crotch area of my tights.

It's obvious what Tyler had in mind for me. I still pout and ask, "Another ruined set? "

I don't mean to stall. But poking my bear lands me another sexy glare.

"Little savage, you make such a pretty liar." He tugs at the fabric, using my scissors to cut right in the middle in a circle. My panties, those he just tears off with one hand. "Pretending to care about your tights."

"Please," I beg to be touched. "Please."

"Pleading and"—he shoves two thick fingers into my pussy. Groans—"soaked." Tyler's hand on my throat is a collar. He chokes me and brings my lips to his. Talks while finger- fucking me. "So this is how it's going to go down."

"Yes?" I hold on to his shoulder and rock my ass on the table. It's vulgar. It's us.

"You know what? I'm not going to tell you how." Tyler tears himself from me. Puts some distance between us by stepping back. He shakes his head and flashes me a plotting, sinful smirk. "This will be my surprise to you ."

"Ty." My sneakers hit the black tarp fast and I rush to him. He's given me what I want, except this doesn't feel like a compromise. It feels like he's letting go. "Are you going to watch me again?"

"Start skinning her." He whips his hoodie off his body, tosses it on top of the oven. I guess my disappointment and abandonment issues show on my face, because he adds, "I'm not going to watch and I'm not leaving. Stop being a brat and skin her."

"This better be worth it." I grab the same scissors Ty used to slice through my tights. Turn around and cut off the zip ties I had around Rita's wrists and ankles .

"You're pushing it."

"I mean it." My back is turned to him. It's probably why I'm being bold and taunting. Not the wisest when I have a predator unbuckling his belt behind me. "This better be worth it, or next year I'm adding you to my list."

A stinging, searing sensation sparks in my right ass cheek, traveling higher. Reaching my throat. His belt. He cracked his belt on my ass.

"Asshole," I growl.

"Keep it up."

Another strike, same place. It hurts through my clothes. The third one hurts worse because Tyler's lifting the skirt of my dress. Black tights separate my ass and his belt, and fuck, it hurts.

"I love it when you talk back." Fourth strike. "Love punishing you."

The pain morphs into pleasure. Slowly, carefully. Me, on the other hand, I'm neither slow nor careful when I throw Rita's body to the floor. Her skull cracks, I think.

"Don't stop," Tyler demands, walking toward me. I hear his footsteps. "Don't look back, either."

I'm on my knees, cutting Rita's sweater from the hem to the collar. Right down the middle.

Before I take my scissors to her bra, I pause.

"What's this?" Tyler places my carving knife next to Rita's head where I can see it. "I thought I told you not to stop."

"She'll be naked." I frown, not looking up at him. "What if you like her tits? Or her pussy? "

"Fuck, Dahlia." He exhales, long and slow. His hand grips the back of my neck, and his thumb strokes my heated skin. "I told you what your jealousy does to me."

"What?" My scissors are right there. All it'd take is one snap , and her bra is gone.

"One of these days, you're going to kill me." His boots and his shadow move somewhere behind me. His hands on my ass means he's dropped to his knees. "Do you have any idea how much restraint I have"—the skirt of my dress is being torn in half, my tights are shoved down my thighs—"to breathe in this fucking moment without fucking you?"

There's no time or air for me to say another damn thing. Tyler's hands spread my ass. His tongue circles the rim of my tight hole. Flicking on top of it.

"I'll stay right here," he groans at my exposed skin.

My thighs quiver at the way he's teasing me. Gentle and cruel.

"Won't look at her. I'll fuck you, little savage. But you have to trust me that I won't look anywhere else but you. Your ass,"— lick —"your cunt." He dives lower, licking my sex. "The mess you'll make of my cock. You'll come so hard when I'm inside you. When I'll fuck you like I hate you."

His reassurance gives me the confidence to snap Rita's bra off. He rewards me with his fingers in my ass and his mouth on my pussy.

"You don't hate me," I cry out between moaning. He pushes another finger in, eating me out like he's starving. "You don't. "

"I could never." He twists his face, biting my inner thigh. "But after today, your cunt will beg me to."

The rest of Rita's clothes disappear in the blink of an eye. Torn and tattered, copper against the black tarp.

This entire time, Tyler licks my pussy, fingers my ass. He doesn't look at her.

He's focused only on me. Tilts my hips up and sucks my clit. My moans are loud, which isn't a problem. No one can peek through the hole in the wall. No one will call the cops to complain about people fucking.

My hand trembles as I discard the scissors and reach for the knife.

She's naked, and I hate to admit it, beautiful.

"My little savage is shaking." Tyler pushes his fingers deeper into my ass. Bites my inner lips. "You need to come so bad, little one. Let go and come on my mouth."

His words are a command. An order. The tightly wound wire in my stomach snaps and I cry and beg and fuck Tyler's face like it's the last thing I'll do. My head is bowed, my long, blonde hair falls on Rita's tits and I ride out my orgasm.

I ride it out until the shivering is no more.

Until Tyler's zipper rolls down and he lines his cock to my pussy.

"Do it." His voice sounds strained. Desperate. "Don't let me—" He pushes all the way in and we both let out a relieved breath. " Fuck . Keep you."

He's right. Of course, he's right. I should continue. I should go on, despite the beating my pussy takes and how I want to surrender to Tyler. I should .

Can't.

"Tyler."

"I'm looking at your asshole, Dahlia. Your pink, clenching asshole." He doesn't slow his thrusts. He leans over me, his voice fluttering over my back and settling into my heart. It does more than soothe me. It encourages me. "Jesus fuck, my cock is soaked. You're not just wet, little savage. You're drenched. And I'm so hard for you. You feel that? How much I want you?"

"I do." My fingers curl around the handle of the knife. I crawl forward, and Tyler joins me, his legs straddling Rita's. "I want you more."

"Impossible." Tyler's thrusts are relentless.

I hold on to the side of Rita's pretty face and press the knife to the top of her forehead.

"It's impossible to want anything more than I want you. My goddamn bones have been starving for you. Can't"— smack and my ass goes on fucking fire—"you"—Ty grabs my hips with one hand, leans on the other and pounds deeper, more rough—"see?"

I can. I can also see how beautifully Rita's face leaves her body. Despite Ty's pounding and having him steal my breath away, I manage to stay somewhat stable. I'm able to carve off her face.

When I reach her mouth and remove her lips and duct tape, all hell breaks loose.

As I suspected, she threw up.

Ignore. That's what I do. Tyler's groaning and hitting my G-spot every time and that makes me even less impressed by her puke .

"Little slut." The man slash beast behind me rises. Spits on my asshole. Shoves two fingers inside. "Your pussy is milking me. Begging me to fuck babies into you."

"Yes." I peel the skin off Rita's throat. There's blood everywhere. Not as much as it would if her heart was pounding and sending it there. Just the right amount. Just enough to please me.

"Fuck." Tyler slows his thrusts, only because we're moving down Rita's body. "I'm going to give my beautiful cum whore what she wants. I'll give you so much of it."

I slice the skin on her collarbone down to her chest. Throw the square slab to the side. The splotching sound is delicious. I like it better tonight than ever before, when Tyler's cock stretches me as I do it.

"You know what I'm going to do when my cum drips down your thighs?" I'm done with her breasts when he's at my ear, pulling on my hair. "Do you?"

His eyes must be closed, though I wouldn't care if they were open. No more tits for Rita. No more pretty pink nipples.

"What?" I slice the skin off one arm, peeling it off. It looks like I'm shoving a sleeve down her arm.

"Daddy's going to push it back in. Use my fucking fist so I wouldn't miss a drop." His teeth tear through the fabric of my dress. I moan as another slab of Rita's skin flies in the air and lands fuck knows where. "Going to shove so much of my cum in you, you'll have triplets, little savage."

With a strangled cry, I come for him. I'll come a million times for this man. The force of it causes the knife to slide sideways on Rita's second arm. In my haze, I try to succeed at fixing it while calling out Tyler's name.

"Eyes. Closed," I grit out. It's time to remove the skin off her pussy and, fuck, I'm jealous. "Don't look."

"I would never." Tyler's warmth disappears, no longer heating my back.

He drags both of us back so I can cut off Rita's cunt and remove the perfect, smooth triangle. I'm not jealous. I can totally appreciate a pretty pussy when I see one.

It won't be for long.

"I'll never look at another woman for as long as I live." His palm connects with my ass five times. He's aggressive and sexy as fuck, and I don't care that my knife delves into Rita's flesh instead of sliding beneath her skin. "I'm definitely not looking at Rita's. My eyes are closed."

"Yes." I move faster, careless, as I discard pieces of Rita's legs and feet to the side. I'll put them in the dog's bowl later. "Please."

The skin over her last toe is removed. Tyler's hand finds my hair and tugs. His other hand slides to the front of my throat, choking me while he slams into me from behind.

"Such a good girl." His teeth sink into my shoulder. Sucking on it as we're at the feet of a very red Rita. "Good fucking girl, Dahlia."

His heat shoots through me as he comes and comes. So much seed. So much of Tyler. I feel it in my womb. I feel it leaking down my thighs.

"Again," Tyler demands .

He stays in place, allowing me to flip Rita's body. We repeat what we've done to her front, skinning her back while I come twice. Tyler does a second time when I'm finished, his groan loud and feral and so incredibly him.

"Come here." With his cock still inside me, Tyler drags me back, away from Rita's body. To a dry spot on the tarp.

I'm boneless, a ragged doll that Tyler handles and spins whichever way he likes until I'm lying on my back.

"I remember promising you something."

I remember nothing other than my sore pussy and ass. "What?"

My big, able man reaches beneath the table. Grabs a brand-new flour bag.

"Ass up."

He waits until I do, sliding it beneath my ass and hips, then spreading my legs wide.

"Such a beautiful pussy. Red and swollen and fucking dripping with me." He bends to kiss my clit. He sits up, gazing down at me. Shaking his head. "It's a problem. Having my cum dripping out when it needs to be deep inside you."

Oh. Ohhh .

Tyler gathers his cum from my inner thighs.

He said—

My back arches and a desperate mewl bursts past my lips. I'm being speared by three fingers at once. Thick ones. Ones that stretch and push every drop of Tyler's cum inside me.

"You can take another one." Tyler flattens a hand on my stomach. "A fourth. "

His eyes rake over my trembling body, to where his fingers drive in and out of my pussy. He spins his wrist, spits on his hand, and a fourth finger is inside.

"Fuck, yes, Tyler." Although everything hurts and I'm dying, I thrust my hips forward. "Please. I want your babies. Need your babies."

Possessiveness flashes on his face. His eyebrows are low on his forehead, eyes narrowed. Lips pressed into a thin line. A splotch of blood stains his left cheek—Rita's. His throat works again before he spits on my pussy, then again on his thumb.

"You're going to have them."

He rubs my clit in circles with his thumb, making me come despite everything. I'm a moaning and weeping mess. Tyler is a committed, unhinged beast. He pushes a fifth finger inside.

His thumb is in.

"That's it," he praises. "Good girl, just like that. Look at you, stretched for me. My slut. My woman."

"More." I'm delirious. I'm desperate. It stings and burns, to be taken like this, but I can't stop myself from begging, "More, Tyler. Please."

"That's how I love seeing you. How I love having you. Begging." His eyes—the color of a crow's feathers—roam over my pussy. His gaze rakes up to my covered navel, my covered breasts. Tyler's lips twist in a snarl. "Too many layers."

Two things happen at once. Tyler leans forward to grab something near my head, which in turn makes his fingers go deeper in my pussy. A part of his palm goes inside me.

I bite my lips to bury my scream deep down my throat. My head flings back, yet I don't take my eyes off Tyler's face. My pain and the way he fills me almost to his wrist has him smirking.

It's like dark light slashes across his features. Like he wishes he could cause me that much pain for an eternity.

I'd let him.

I'd let him do anything .

"Stay still for me, little savage." Those are my scissors in his free hand. A vicious glint reflected off the blades. Just like it does from Ty's eyes. "I'm going to do some damage with those."

My chest barely rises and falls as Tyler demolishes the beautiful goth dress he bought me.

I'm a statue. A doll for him. He strips me bare, pushes the shredded dress away from my breasts and to the floor. As he moves, another fraction of fist is being shoved inside of me.

"Oh, fuck ," I groan, not caring about my clothes. There's a change of clothes somewhere here. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Who cares anyway?

Straight spine, broad shoulders, dark shadows beneath his cheekbones. Tyler's a god between my thighs.

"We're going to have such beautiful babies, you and I." He spins his fist inside me, stretching me beyond what I thought was possible. "I'll keep them safe, Dahlia. I'll keep them and you safe. Until my dying breath. From beyond the grave. Nothing will happen to any of you, you hear? "

If I'm the angel of death, then he's the angel of wrath and vengeance. Adamant, furious. A man who'd leave scorched earth behind him. For me. For us.

"I hear you."

My thighs relax, letting him in deeper.

"That's my girl." The scissors hit the tarp. Tyler's fist is finally being sucked into my pussy. "Fuck, Dahlia." Ty twists his wrist. Tearing my insides. Pushing his cum as far as it'll go. "You take my fist so fucking well. Such a good whore for me. I can come just from looking at this. At—" He bites his bottom lip, growling like a starved animal. "Come for me. Come for me, beautiful."

"It hurts," I finally admit. "I want to, but it hurts."

"Daddy's here." His affirmation isn't meant to comfort me. It's meant to send a chill up my spine. "I'll make it better. I'll make you come so hard with my fist buried deep inside you."

Tyler strokes me with his fist. He spits on my clit, the contact sparking a million fireworks behind my eyes. When he pinches my clit, every sensation is multiplied, rubbing and pinching and rubbing and—

"Fuck," I hiss, swallowing down a scream. If I let it out, people would definitely think someone's slaughtering me here.

"Good girl. Keep going." Tyler's fingers brush my clit, gentler. "You'll be pregnant by the morning if you aren't already. With my baby."

"Ours. Our babies."

"Ours," Ty agrees, slowly slipping out of me.

The world returns to me little by little. The scent of blood and vomit. My responsibilities. My man .

"Let me take care of you." He climbs over my body, caging me between his arms. His lips brush the tattoo on my breast, his teeth bite the one of the snake.

"How?" I cup his cheeks.

"Could you be a good girl for me for a little while longer?" Tyler grips my chin, pressing my lips together before he kisses me hard. "Lie here and let me do everything for you?"

"Hmm. Okay." I never in a million years imagined I'd say that. I do today. I relinquish control and lie there while he butchers Rita's body and cleans the place up.

I'm not afraid of having a meltdown anymore. I'm done with imagining Al and his terrorizing grin everywhere.

Tyler will be here when I cry and scream. For when my lungs stop working. For when everything hurts so bad.

I'm not alone.

Daddy's here. And he's never leaving.