Daddy looks torn, then nods. "As long as you're okay with it."
"I am." I beam because I already have other plans tonight. "Make sure you rest, Ezrah."
Before he can respond, I return to the bar, waiting impatiently for him to leave.
The second he's out the door, I change and slip away too.
Ethan messages me the guy's name and address (because of course, he would know I want them). This will be easy. And oh, so pleasurable.
The hum of excitement floods me. The wildness. The hunt. Nothing compares to this. Nothing else gives me this thrill. This twisted rush where death sits in my hands and I become the death bringer.
It's so sweet.
I love it.
It takes me half an hour to reach his house. My best friend already fed me the security codes. The man is alone tonight. His wife is on vacation, no doubt escaping the beatings he's been giving her. She'll come back to a surprise gift.
But first, I need to prepare a present for my Daddy.
It's always all for my Daddy.
The familiar coldness washes through me. I become someone else. Something else.
Darker. Sinister. Twisted.
I park a few streets away and walk the rest. With my small frame, black clothes, and hat low, I blend with the night.
I slip in through the back, like I own the place.
I take my time inside. I like to know what kind of life my victims leave behind. The photos tell me stories of their life. The books whisper titles that will never be finished. I also enjoy exploring the souvenirs from places they'll never visit again.
It's all part of the sweetest moments.
When I'm satisfied, I hunt him down. It doesn't take me long to find him. He's sprawled on his bed, snoring, and reeking of alcohol. Pathetic.
I grab the water glass by his bed and dump it over his head. He sputters awake, cursing. I don't let him curse for long. My fist cracks against his jaw, the same way he hit my Daddy.
Most people underestimate me because I'm small. That's their mistake.
Once I start, I don't stop. Blow after blow, his face caves, and the image of him striking my Daddy fuels every strike.
No one touches my Daddy.
No one.
The man screams, thrashes, but he can't escape. Once I've chosen a target, they never escape.
"Tell me." I pause, watching him bleed. "Do you know why I'm doing this?"
"I have money! Take it all!"
"Wrong answer, honey." My fist drives into his gut. "Try again."
"Was it my wife? Did she send you? I'll kill her. I'll pay you double what she-"
"Wrong again." I deliver another punch. "One more chance. Three for luck."
"I don't know! I don't fucking know!"
