“Wait here,” I mumble against her hair. It’s probably nothing, maybe a Girl Scout selling cookies, but I’d rather check and be safe—especially when it comes to Keira.
I’m irritated as fuck. My fists are clenched. Fucking people are always ruining shit. Once I look through the small pane of glass and see who it is, my annoyance reaches a newfound height.
Motherfucker. No.
What the fuck is she doing here?
I yank the door so hard, I worry I might break it. I open my mouth to tell her off, but I can’t even get a fucking word in.
“Damon, I’ve been trying to reach you.” Hayley’s high-pitched voice makes my ears start to bleed.
“And the fact that I’ve ignored every one of your calls and texts didn’t make it clear enough for you?” First, she fucks with Keira. Then she shows up on my doorstep and ruins my fucking night. And for what?
“Just...just give me a chance. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll let you fuck me whenever you want.”
Tears swim in her eyes, and I might be a cold, callous asshole, but I don’t care.
“Get the fuck off my property before I have you removed.”
Hayley shakes her head, hiccupping as she takes another step forward. I’m seconds away from slamming the door in her face when she rushes me. Her small frame slams into mine, hardly moving me, but it’s enough for her to gain entry.
It’s not her throwing herself at me that causes me to lose my fucking mind, though; it’s her lips crashing into mine. Disgust and anger fill my veins, and without even thinking, I push her away, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
I’m not one to hit women, but I really, really want to fucking hit Hayley right now.
She steadies herself as if she’s prepared for me to push her, and then I see it—the metal glint of a gun pointing in my direction. I can disarm her in a second, but it takes less than that for a bullet to release from the chamber.
She points the gun at me, and I don’t even flinch.
“It’s because of her, isn’t it?” Hayley screams and looks past me.
I glance over my shoulder looking, following her gaze. When I find Keira standing a few feet behind me, I nearly come unglued.
My heart pounds out of my chest. Fear cripples me when I hear the click of the safety being released and see Hayley pull the trigger.
There’s no way I can stop the bullet—no way—but I still lunge for it. Everything happens impossibly fast, yet I feel like I am moving in slow motion. I’m trying to shield Keira with my body, but I am too slow. I feel the bullet whizzing by my head before I hear the bang. I’m so close to the gun, I can’t hear anything but a ringing in my ear. My head swings back to Keira. She looks scared and shocked, but unharmed. Relief hits me like a wave, but then washes away just as quickly.
Keira is still in danger. I turn back to Hayley. I am right in front of her—fully shielding Keira. The gun is still pointed at me, but Hayley makes no move.
Anger like I’ve never felt runs through me as reality settles in. She shot at Keira. She fired a gun at my soon-to-be wife. All-consuming fury floods my veins, shutting down common sense and reasoning, leaving me to act on pure instinct. My most primal instinct tells me to protect what’s mine.
I close the distance between me and Hayley with two long strides. All the blood drains from her face. Her hand is shaking so fucking hard, she drops the gun.
Her eyes are so wide, they look about to come out of their sockets. I can see her mouthing, “Please,” but I’m too far gone to register her pleas—or even care.
My hands move effortlessly, of their own accord, wrapping around her thin neck. I grab the base of her skull. My fingers dig into her flesh, and with one hard twist, I feel her bone crack as I snap her neck.
I peer down at her face. Her eyes go vacant in an instant, frozen in time, never to blink again. Her body goes limp in my hands. Adrenaline courses through my veins. My heart races furiously.
As soon as I realize she’s dead and I have eliminated the threat, the fog of fury lifts, allowing me to think for the first time in minutes.
Shit. I just killed her in my house…with the front door wide open.Fuck.
My house is fairly secluded—covered by trees and bushes. But there’s still a chance someone could've seen us, and even if they didn't, they certainly could’ve heard the gunshot.
I drag her farther inside and shut the door.
Only then do I let go of her, and the lifeless body falls onto the hardwood floor with a thump. I gaze up at Kiera. She’s still standing in the same spot—her entire body has turned to stone.
