The sight of it turns my stomach. But not with regret. Never.
I draw in a deep breath and release it slowly before picking up the weapon and wiping it off. There’s another cutting knife taped under my bed frame, but it’s not as long or as sharp. I brought the other one with me from the previous home I stayed in. No, that’s not right. It was a house, not ahome.
I’ve never had one of those.
The closest I’ve gotten was finding Ben and the girls, but I know deep down that’s not the true definition. A home is where you feel lovedandsafe.
I creep back toward the stairwell with my items, the hilt of the worn blade fitting comfortably in my palm. My forehead wrinkles with concentration as I carefully count the stairs and place the doll bed on the sixth one from the top, far left when facing the stairwell.
Task complete, I climb back up to the landing and drop to the floor into a sitting position with my back against the wall. I’ve appointed myself as my found-family’s guardian for tonight. And every night.
If Frank comes up to the second floor, he’ll regret it.
Chapter 3
DELILAH
The seconds crawl by, slowly turning into minutes that become hours. My muscles relax, but not enough for me to fall into a deep sleep. Years of vigilance have sharpened my senses to the point I wonder if I’ll ever sleep peacefully again.
I guess I’ll rest when I’m dead.
As if conjured by my thoughts, a dark energy permeates the atmosphere like a cold wind, making my skin prickle and my eyes fly open. I shift into a crouch while my heart gallops in my chest, urging me to run with every beat. I grip my knife more tightly instead.
If it’s flight or fight, I choose violence.
Cloaked in darkness, the intruder makes their way up the stairs, coming closer with every second. Their movement carries an air of stealth and purpose that’s too focused and refined to be Frank. It’s not that I can hear or see this person clearly from my position. I canfeelthem.
Their presence is confirmed the instant their shadow slides up the wall and when they step on the stair with the toy. Aloud creak breaks the silence like a mirror being struck with a hammer. The noise is my signal to act.
Hesitation could get me killed.
My instincts have me lunging forward with my knife raised. The blade sinks into flesh before my eyes fully take in the figure directly in front of me. A masculine grunt sweeps past my ears as I jerk back my arm, ready to strike again.
The assailant moves with lightning speed. He blocks my attack by grabbing my wrist, the sudden jolt sending a tremor through my body. Before I can regroup, he squeezes my wrist, his fingers digging into my skin with a merciless pressure. The knife falls from my hand to hit the carpet with a thud. It’s the clang foretelling my impending death.
The tenor of his voice eclipses all other sound—low, smooth, and tinged with a quiet amusement that confuses me.
“Not bad,” he says, jutting his chin at the stab wound in his shoulder, “but not good enough.”
My wrist tingles under his punishing grip, but it’s nothing compared to the hold he has on my senses. I peer up at him, struggling to make out his features still concealed by the black hood covering his head.
Whoever he is, he’s not a squatter or junkie like I first assumed. This man’s speech pattern is articulate, full of decorum and education. I’d bet my left tit this guy comes from money. So, what in the hell brings him to this side of town?
“Who are you?” I ask.
His response is to shove me back, sending me crashing into the wall behind me. The impact steals my breath, and I stare at him, our gazes level. He remains on the stairs, and I stay on the landing. He has to be over six feet tall; very intimidating to my five-foot-five self.
I straighten my upper body, keeping my knees bent in preparation to fight. “Who the hell are you?”
“You first, little raptor.”
“I’m not a fucking dinosaur.”
“No, but you are a clever girl. You put that toy on the stair so I’d step around it and the wood would creak, letting you know someone was coming. Right?”
I nod while wondering at the asinine turn the conversation has taken. “Listen, if you don’t get out of here, I’m going to scream.”
“Ah, ah,” he says, clicking his tongue in admonishment. “Benjamin is still recovering from getting his ass beaten, so he can’t help you. Besides, you wouldn’t want to wake up the girls, would you?”
