Romeo got to watch his prey over the course of a few hours. He watched him smile, and tip back his head as he laughed.He noted how Dean poked his tongue out of the corner of his mouth when he concentrated and kept glancing back to the clock on the wall.
Dean was obviously well liked, smiling welcomingly at all who came to his section of the bar.There was a tips jar chained to a pillar beside him, and notes were shoved inside of it, some even sticking out of the slit at the top.
Romeo had watched Chad talk to Dean inside The Desperado, and the jealousy that had reared up had rooted him to the floor.He’d wanted to kill Dean just for speaking to him, for smiling at him.Chad had tried to tell him Dean was looking out for him, he was a nice guy, but that only made Romeo hate him more.
Romeo despised nice guys, particularly those that made it look so effortless.
Chad deserved a nice guy, and maybe if Romeo walked away, left the nightclub, Chad would somehow find his way into Dean’s arms.
Romeo crushed the plastic cup in his grip.Beer shot up, soaking the sleeve of his jacket.
Dean gestured to someone at the other end of the bar.The woman nodded in reply, then hurried towards him, taking over Dean’s section as he squeezed behind his colleagues to exit the bar.
He stepped out, making his way across the crowded room, smiling brightly, accepting arms around his neck, and high fives as he made his way towards the toilets.
Romeo pushed off from the wall and pursued.
He’d noticed the cameras when he’d first come inside.One covered the entrance, one the dance floor, and the third covered the back door.No camera covered the corridor to the toilets, and there were enough bodies jumping and swaying, Romeo managed to avoid the one pointed at the dance floor.
Dean pushed open the Zeus door then disappeared inside.Romeo followed.His palms itched, and his fingers tingled.If his monster had a face it would’ve been frothing at the mouth.
The toilets were not empty like he’d hoped, but two men were using the urinals.
Dean pushed into a cubicle and locked the door.
A third urinal was unoccupied between the two men, but Romeo didn’t take it.The guy closest to Romeo finished first.He washed his hands, and Romeo stepped aside to allow him to leave.The second man, bigger, burlier, raised a questioning eyebrow at Romeo still standing by the doorway.
Romeo shook his head.
The man washed his hands and stepped out.Romeo followed him back into the corridor and grabbed onto his bicep.“A hundred pounds in cash if you stop anyone coming in for the next five minutes.”
“W...what?”
“You heard me,” Romeo said, reaching into his jacket.He pulled out a few notes, not bothering to count them.He pushed them at the man until he took them.“Half now, half when I come out.”
Romeo didn’t wait for a response; he went back into the toilets just in time to see Dean leaving the cubicle.
Dean froze.
“You...”Dean said.
His brow furrowed.
“Me.”Romeo replied.
Then he was across the room, monster snarling so loud he thought Dean might be able to hear it too.
Some people struggled and fought, Romeo never felt their blows, the adrenaline rush was too intense, and others were so shocked by what was happening, they didn’t react, they immediately went into a helpless state.
Dean was the latter.
He froze, wide-eyed, as Romeo closed his hand around his throat and squeezed.
It felt good, so good, Romeo’s lashes fluttered and his blood burned.
He didn’t need to use two hands—he’d perfected strangling the life out of someone with one.He had enough strength he could lift Dean off the floor.It put strain on his whole body.Chad thought Romeo held their victims like that to show off his strength, and it was partly true, but he liked the stretch, and the burn rushing up his arm into his chest.His heart had to double its efforts at the same moment someone else’s was stuttering to a stop.
Dean spluttered.
