A part of me wished we could’ve handed him over to the police, let his victims finally see justice. But there was no real evidence linking him to anything—he would walk free. And in the end, killing him was the best option.
We talked for a little longer, his voice a welcome comfort in the aftermath of everything. He asked what I was doing, and with my cup of coffee in hand, I ran outside to the porch. “Why don’t you check your camera and see for yourself,” I teased, not knowing exactly where he’d hidden it.
The next thing he said sent warmth rushing through me, “You’re beautiful.”
I tried not to blush too hard, but my cheeks betrayed me, heating until they hurt. After chatting for a bit longer, through Jade’s phone since mine was still out of commission from last night, I went back inside.
Katy and Laura were already awake, sitting in the kitchen, looking like they were recovering from a train wreck.
“Hey, girls,” I greeted, cheerfully making my way over to them. Both of them had their hands buried in their hair as if their heads might explode at any moment. Jade was in the living room, focused on fixing my phone, something she’d been obsessed with doing since she was seven—fixing things.
“Jade made hangover soup for you both. Or would you rather have coffee?” I asked, glancing at their dishevelled appearances. The bird’s nest hair on their heads matched perfectly with the confusion in their eyes.
“What happened last night? Who brought us back?” Katy croaked, like even forming words was a painful effort.
Coffee, it is.I turned to start brewing some. “Jade did.”
“How much did I drink?” Laura’s voice was barely audible, her head still in her hands.
I chuckled, though the thought of the night before still lingered in the back of my mind. “How should I know?” I’d been too busy fighting for my life.
After a few minutes, the coffee was ready, and I slid cups across to them.
Katy murmured a quiet thanks, taking a small sip before placing it down with a sigh. “What about you? Did Jade bring you home as well?”
I smiled, shaking my head. “No. Theon did.”
Laura smirked, picking up her cup. “So, you were getting dicked all night. Lucky girl.”
Jade stayed silent, focused on fixing my phone, but I could feel her guilt radiating through the room. She still blamed herself for everything that happened.
“No,” I spoke softly, the room suddenly feeling a bit heavier. “I was kidnapped…Theon saved me.”
For a second, silence blanketed the kitchen. Then, Laura snorted, taking another sip of coffee. “Good one, Ainz. Halloween was yesterday. You’re too late for pranks. Nice try though.”
She stood up, heading for the sugar as if the conversation were a casual joke. Katy, though, hadn’t moved. She was still staring at me, the colour draining from her face.
Laura paused by the sugar, frowning when I didn’t laugh along. “What? Why are you guys so quiet?” Her eyes flicked nervously between me, Katy, and Jade. “It was a joke, right?” She turned to a quiet Jade. “Jade? Say something!”
Jade’s fingers stopped moving over the phone, her eyes focused on her hand as she quietly said, “She’s telling the truth, Laura.”
The room went ice cold.
Katy’s hand shot up to cover her mouth as her gaze zeroed in on the slice mark on my neck, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.
“Oh my God…” she whispered, her voice shaking.
The cup in Laura’s hand slipped from her fingers and hit the floor.
They wouldn’t stop crying.
I knew it was my fault for breaking the news like that. I should have eased them into it, especially after the amount theydrank last night. We sat on the living room floor, forming a small circle as Katy and Laura sobbed, their tears staining their faces.
Six years ago, they were the only ones who believed me when I said I was kidnapped. They never really bought into the part about Theon, though. I didn’t push them to. And now, when I told them it was the same man who’d kidnapped me that night—because I made him lose an eye—their sorrow turned quickly to fury.
“Is he dead?” Laura asked, her voice hard, eyes brimming with tears but full of determination. “I know people, Ainz. We can find him. I want to kill him.”
If that man were standing in front of us right now, I knew without a doubt she’d slit his throat without a second thought.
