The man’s eyes hardened, rage flaming in them.
Everett, without hesitation, shoved his gun away and walked over to the drawers in the kitchen as Evelyn led the man over to the table and forced his hand out.
He fought against it, but there was really nothing he could do. Lucy had bitten into his arm and leg, he had lost a lot of blood, and I had kicked him in the head. He was weakened. He didn’t have much fight left.
Everett pulled out a hammer from under my sink and tested the weight as he made his way back to the table.
He came to a stop beside the man and found my eyes, his icy blue eyes glowing like a snake in the night. Fierce and unforgiving.
I nodded without hesitation. “No second chances,” I told him. “No mercy.”
And I could have sworn one corner of his lips flicked up before he lifted the hammer up and slammed it down on the man’s wrist, shattering his bone.
4
Olivia
June 22nd, 2022
Igrunted when Everett helped me up, my back and ankle burning painfully.
He didn’t say a word as he led me to the living room where the man was now tied to a chair, mask gone, Evelyn searching the house for an entry point.
He helped me to the couch, Lucy taking her place directly beside my legs, her unblinking eyes trained on the male before us. I was so glad I opted for a house with hardwood floors, although the rug would have to be replaced.
“Back door is unlocked,” Evelyn said, walking in. “It was picked.”
I knew I locked everything up, that asshole.
“He say anything?” she asked as she headed for the kitchen, Everett slowly circling him.
“’Get the damn dog off me’,” I quoted evenly, watching him watch me. “Nothing else.”
His stare was unflinching, his jaw tight, but I had learned from the best, and while my glare might not be as terrifying as Everett, if I could glare at him knowing what he could do to me, I could certainly glare at this man tied down in my living room.
Everett stopped behind him, his eyes finding mine.
I had checked Lucy thoroughly before I allowed him to help me up. She was okay. Some deep bruises, but it didn’t feel like anything was fractured or broken. She would be okay in a day or two. Physically. We would both physically be okay in a day or two.
“This is your one chance,”Everett’s eyes seemed to say.
But I remained where I was. Not because I was too bruised and broken to stand, but because I wanted to see what he did. I wanted to see the truth. This man hurt my fucking dog. He got into my house. Heattacked me. For what? What was the reason? I needed to know. I had to hear it from him. I had to hear him say it.
Evelyn walked back in with a tray filled with different kitchen items. Forks, knives, spoons, the hammer, a pair of pliers, and a bowl. “We’ll replace whatever we use,” she gave me a warm smile and a soft wink.
She set the tray down on my coffee table and picked up the small pair of pliers, meeting the man’s eyes. “These have always been my favorite,” she told him. “We’re not in the business of beating around the bush. You know what I want, so I’m just going to jump right into this. Until you decide to give me something that’s worth enough for me to stop, I will keep having my fun.”
She snapped the pliers together, her smile growing brighter when he didn’t respond. “Great.” Without missing a beat, she grabbed his left hand, still bleeding from the bullet wound,strapped down to the arm of the chair, and grabbed the edge of his index fingernail with the end of the pliers.
It took several seconds for her to tear it up and off his hand, the sound louder than the gunshot to my ears.
I shivered. It was definitely different hearing it than it was writing about it, but it was still no less impressive.
The man snarled, and in response, Lucy snapped, immediately silencing him.
He glared at the dog as Evelyn moved onto the next nail, and the next, dropping them to the ground each time, the sound grating against my ears. Fuck, that was something I’d have to get used to, I guess.
When all ten of his nails were on my floor, Everett was clearly getting irritated. “Get the alcohol,” he told Evelyn. “And a rag.”
