Struggling against his restraints, he thrashes in a fit of panic as the pain pummels him. But I don’t let him have a reprieve. If he was the one who drugged my sister, then he’s responsible for the state she was in that led to her assault that night. But it also means that he was also likely the one responsible for drugging Olivia.
I wasn’t planning on going to the party that night. I went because Olivia was going and I wanted to seeher. Not more than an hour later, I found her close to fading in the bathroom and I decided to take her home. I knew she didn’t drink much but then, I had just chalked it up to her getting sick. But now, looking back, I remember something. I had watched as Seren passed Olivia her red solo cup, and Olivia drank from it. Something so innocent. And now it makes sense.
After finding Seren’s journal and learning about what happened to her, I started to feel guilty for leaving with Olivia that night instead of staying. But how could I have known that she would have been taken advantage of? And now, now I feel like an impossible place of feeling like I failed my sister while carrying that guilt and feeling somewhat vindicated. If I hadn’t gotten Olivia out of there, could she have been in the same place Seren was in?
I stalk inward, crowding his space and getting right up to his ear. I let my voice drop as he starts to hyperventilate.
“Give me their names.”
“I don’t- It was-”
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I know exactly who it is—or ratherwhatit is. But I pull it out anyway to see that motion has been detected on the camera inside Olivia’s cabin.
“Terrible fucking timing, flower,” I say out loud before shoving my phone back into my pocket.
Broden looks up at me in horrified confusion. I know I should stay and get the names out of him. But I also can’t let Olivia down.
Besides, whether he gives me names or not, he’s not going anywhere. Not while I have a say. And honestly, as much as I’d enjoy a little bloodshed, I know thatmaking him suffer a little longer will only add to the appeal of him telling me the whole truth.
I put my gun away, trading it for my knife once more.
“On second thought, I feel like sparing you a little bit of time right now.” I take a step back, seeing Broden relax just a bit, blood dried in a trail from his nose down to his chin but his head is still actively bleeding.
Though, I hardly think it’s enough.
I point the blade downward and swing it into his thigh, piercing his skin and immediately producing a stream of viscid liquid to puddle and pour.
“AHH FUCK!” Broden’s scream is like a symphony to my ears.
He violently swings himself around in the chair, lifting it up off the ground and slamming it back down. He lets out a frustrated groan when he realizes that nothing is going to budge; he’ll remain right where I want him until I say he can leave. He folds over and swings his head back and forth in fear and pain as tears fall from his face, mixing with the trail of blood.
“I’ll be back later to finish our talk,” I tell him as I turn to walk away, leaving the knife in his leg.
“What? No!” he groans. “You have to le- let me go.”
“That’s funny,” I start as I approach the door to the stairs that lead up to the main floor. “I seem to believe that I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.”
He continues to cry out in agony as I start my ascent upward, leaving him to bitch and moan in a puddle of his own blood. I know he won’t bleed out. He’ll probably pass out though from blood loss. But he’ll be fine in the end.
And though I am so fucking close to getting the answers I want, it’ll have to wait. I know that I’ll havejustice for Seren no matter what. But right now, I have to get to Olivia.
The forest is eerily quiet. So much so that I can practically hear the soft snow falling like a light powder gently brushing against the pines.
I unlock the door to Olivia’s cabin with the spare key I pocketed, careful not to make a sound. I sneak inside, already alert to the anguished groans coming from her bed before quietly closing the door behind me. Before heading her way though, I have to make sure the boys have done their job by keeping Alli away.
Once the cost is clear, I silently head to Olivia’s room. She’s moved since I checked on her; rolled over to her side. As I stalk closer, I can make out the faint squint of her eyes as the flicker of the candle she recklessly left lit glows against her perfect fucking skin.
I’ve noticed that most nights, she lights a candle before bed but she usually forgets to blow it out before sleep, often burning down the wick to nothing before she wakes. I never really understood why she does it and why she’s so careless to not put it out before closing her eyes. Thankfully, she has me. But I don’t blow this candle out like I’ve done to countless others before. Instead, I let the amber glow be my guide as I kneel on her bed and watch as she starts to struggle a little more.
I hate watching her have these nightmares. Mainly because it’s a pain I can’t control. And I know she can’t control it either. I can only assume that she’s been having them for years but I know for certain at least for as long as I’ve been watching her, I know not to go too far in case she needs me to help her get out of them, because I’m the only one who knows how. I hate that I’m not always there, but tonight I am and she won’t have to suffer inside her own head for long.
Olivia whimpers, her body swiftly twisting to the other side, her head thrashing along with her. I wonder what she dreams about, what haunts her in her sleep. I’m sure I have a feeling. The only thing that I can think of that would cause her to be so tormented in her head while she sleeps. But whatever it is, I know she doesn’t deserve it.
I lean in a little, careful not to make any sudden movements so as not to wake her. I can see sweat percolate along her brows and her body seems rather tense. I delicately peel the comforter from over her, pushing it down to her feet. I need to cool her off so that she can open up for me a little more; releasing the heat that caresses her and welcoming a cool breeze to counteract the tension she’s holding. I can already tell that it’s working just a little bit, just as it does time and time before, and once the blanket is pulled down her feet, I freeze.
Fuck, she is beautiful. A fucking devil hard at work to ruin any man. And though I’ve been in this position with her more times than I can count, it somehow feels different. Maybe because she’s now aware that I’m back and that I’m coming for her. But she doesn’t know how close I’ve always fucking been.
She’s clad in blue cotton pajamas; a button up top and shorts that show off her perfect fucking thighs. I dip my head in remembrance of having them wrapped around me just hours ago, how fucking nice it felt to have her in my arms. How dangerous it was to find out just how much she liked being scared of me. An exhilaration that has buried itself deep into my bones along with the look that was laced in her eyes as my mask reflected back into them.
