“I've been watching you. Playing house with your sister's kids, and this asshole here. I wasn't the only one spying on you it seems.”
“Why?” I stand up and stumble over to Rock. He holds me as I confront the man who owns my nightmares.
“Because you are mine!” he growls.
I lift my hand and slap him hard across the face. “I am not yours. And I never will be again. You're a fucking monster. You tortured me for years.”
He laughs, licking his bottom lip where I split it. “I didn't torture you. I saved you. You're evil, Shina. A demon who escaped from Hell. I was just trying to tame you. Save your soul.”
He's fucking insane. “I had loved you since I was fifteen! I did everything you asked of me, and all I got in return was abuse and isolation.”
Rock walks away and returns with the blade Patrick planned to use on me.
“You were going to kill me?” I ask, but really I'm just thinking out loud. I shouldn’t be surprised he’s escalated to this. The last time I saw him was after waking up from a coma.
He grits his bloody teeth and smiles. “If I can't have you, then no one can. Don't worry, baby, I'll make it fast and then you can join Lexi in Hell. But don't worry, those kids won't be orphans. They will join you soon.”
I don't know what happened next. I think I went into a blind rage. But when I come to Patrick's chest is covered in stab wounds, and his unseen eyes are gazing at me. His mouth is frozen in a soundless scream.
“Shina, hey, hey, it's okay, baby girl. Hand me the blade.”
I look down at my shaking hand, clutching the weapon.
“Oh my God. I killed him. Fuck! Rock, what am I gonna do? I can't go to jail… The kids. Leena needs me the most and the twins and… and Alec.”
I'm starting to spiral. “I think I may pass out. Catch me.”
Rock steps forward not caring about the blood coating me. Patrick's blood. He wraps his arms around me and holds me as my world spins.
“It's okay. Everything will be okay. I will take care of it. I just need to call my brother.”
Chapter Eight
Rock
“Your brother?” Shina gasps as she’s still trying to control her breathing. She looks up at me, her hair tinted red and her hazel eyes wild.
She’s magnificent. The way she handled that blade and made her abuser beg for mercy as he died… I am so turned on right now.
But her emotional state is fragile, and I don't need her thinking I am more of a freak than she already does.
“Yes, he will take care of all of this. Do you trust me?” I look her straight in the eye and I'm surprised that she says, “yes”, without any hesitation.
I take her hand and lead her to the shower stall in the corner, and strip us bare. She stares at the wall as I wash her clean and scrub her hair.
She starts to relax as I dig my fingers into her shoulders. “It's going to be okay, baby girl. I won't let anything happen to you,” I reassure her, and she begins to cry.
“He killed my sister. He was going to hurt the kids… I had to. He deserved it,” she chokes out and trembles.
“It's okay, Shina, let it out. The shock is wearing off.”
I quickly rinse her off, then grab one of the heated black robes out of the cupboard, and wrap her up tight.
I place her on the bed and search for my phone. It's still in the pocket of my jeans.
It takes him a few minutes to answer.
“What happened?”
