That’s when I realized I was no longer alone in the house. Toby stood by the dining room table with a very distraught looking Daisy in his hands.
Confused, I looked from him to the struggling kitten as my brain tried to process what the hell was going on. “You’re… you’re back?”
He snorted. “Never left.” He pulled out a chair. “Come. Have a seat.”
His face was pinched in anger and his eyes were wild. This was a side of Toby I’d never seen before. It made me want to be anywhere but seated on the chair he’d pulled out for me. Backpedaling, I glanced at the window, wondering when Hound would be coming in.
“Amelia.” The ice in Toby’s tone made my entire body shiver. He had one hand around Daisy’s neck, in what looked a lot like a threat. Daisy didn’t appreciate it one little bit. She struggled to get free, but he squeezed tighter. “Come and sit.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off what he was doing to the kitten. “You… You’re hurting her.”
“Want me to stop? Do what I said.”
In shock, and still unable to believe he’d actually hurt an innocent little kitten, I crept to the chair and sat. He dropped Daisy. Hissing, she sprinted away, hopefully to hide somewhere safe. I had no clue what was going on with Toby, but wasn’t about to stick around and find out. I moved to stand, and his hands landed on my shoulders with just enough pressure to sit me back down and hold me there.
“Stay,” he growled.
Thoughts tumbled through my mind. He’d never left. He was here the entire time. Had he messed with my phone? Did he take my lotion? Why did he ask me to kitten sit in the first place if his ass was home?
There was a knock at the door.
“Tell him to come in,” Toby whispered, his voice practically dripping in menace.
I shuddered against the feel of his hot breath on my neck. Had Toby always had this kind of menace inside him? Had he been as good at hiding his true self as I was? It was hard to believe, but he’d just threatened a sweet kitten with death by strangulation. Now, I couldn’t put anything past him. I didn’t want to invite Hound in and put his life in danger, too.
Another knock sounded on the door, this time, louder. “Mila, it’s me,” Hound shouted.
Toby’s hands crept up to my neck and squeezed. It hurt. I couldn’t breathe. I tugged at his hands, trying to rip them free, but he held firm. I couldn’t believe he was doing this to me. We’d chased frogs and climbed trees together, and now he was trying to strangle the life out of me. I bucked in my seat but couldn’t get free. Just as my vision started darkening, he loosened his grip.
I sucked down a deep breath, filling my lungs.
“Now,” he whispered, dropping his hands back to my shoulders to hold me in place and remind me what he was capable of.
My throat still burned. With a shaky, scratchy voice, I called out, “Come in.”
The door slowly opened. “Mila?”
“She’s in here,” Toby replied.
Hound appeared around the door. He took one look at us and stepped into the house. His back was rigid, and his jaw was tight. His gaze darted to me. “Are you okay?”
No, I was absolutely not okay, but before I could say as much, Toby’s hands once again closed in around my neck, but this time, he didn’t squeeze. It was just a warning.
“Close the door.”
Watching us, Hound did as he was told.
“Good. I wouldn’t want to have to snap Amelia’s neck, so I’m gonna need you to move slowly and keep your hands where I can see them.”
Hound’s hands crept up into the air.
“Good. Now, slowly take a seat at the end of the table.”
Again, Hound did as he was told, keeping his eyes locked on Toby in a glare that promised to bury the bastard, and his hands visible.
“I’m very disappointed with our sweet little Amelia here,” Toby said, sounding disgusted. “I thought I could scare her straight. Figured if I reminded her of the fate God has for sinners, she’d stop being such a slut, but I was wrong. You’re still a slut, aren’t you, Amelia?”
Hound tensed, and anger flooded his eyes. “Morse… Levi has a friend who pulled your flight records. They know you were in Canada when Mila’s friend and client were murdered. It’s only a matter of time before we piece together the rest of the evidence and finger you for the murders. We’ve already called the cops. If you leave now, you have a chance of getting away before they arrive.”
