I wonder if maintenance would bring up some rat poison so I could put it in his pasta,I thought.
Someone knocked on the apartment door then and I froze.
Maddy burst from the back room where she’d been getting ready for dinner. “Got it!” she said, a big smile on her face.
Silas leapt up from the couch and threw out his hand, forcing her to stop midstride and bow her head. “I have it,” Silas amended.
I hated him. I hated everything about him. Sometimes the anger was too much for me to bear and my wolf started to come to the surface. This was one of those times. I didn’t care if he controlled me, but when he did that to Maddy I saw red.
Fur rippled up my arms, and without even glancing at me, Maddy knew what I was doing.
“Don’t,” she said, unable to look as Silas pulled the door open a few inches.
“Delivery, sir,” a male voice said.
Silas took it, paid the guy, and then stepped back inside, locking the door.
Delivery? I just cooked dinner. Silas rarely let us order anything and if we wanted to he had to do it for us as we weren’t allowed a phone or computer. We were modern day prisoners.
When he turned back around, I saw the pink sprinkles cupcake box in his hands, and my eyes lined with tears.
“Happy birthday!” Maddy bounced on her toes and then hugged me. I squeezed her back, knowing how huge this was, knowing she’d have had to ask Silas for the permission and the money to get the cupcakes.
“Thank you,” I told her. “Thank you, Silas,” I added, knowing if I didn’t there would be hell to pay.
He nodded and then haphazardly threw them on the dining table and sat down.
I felt his power wrap around me, then I was walking to the kitchen against my will. That was Silas’ way of telling me he wanted his food now. He was a master of control and manipulation. Any psychologist would have a field day observing him, and then they’d commit him or jail him, because he shouldn’t be a free man.
Breathe.
As I made him a plate, I fingered the necklace at my throat. If I grabbed the knife and ripped off the necklace to reveal the ten percent of my power, would I be strong enough to kill him? Maddy and I did kickboxing every day for an hour while Silas sat on the couch and watched us like a perv. We ran in the park together each night, all three of us for forty-five minutes. I was in the best shape of my life.
“You know, I wonder…” Silas said, and I startled, quickly making his plate and rushing over to serve him. “What’s it look like when she dies?” he asked Maddy, and a deep sadness crept over me. I’d come to terms with the fact that I might die today but I wasn’treallyready, not like this. Not with him. Not when I hadn’t seen my mom or Leah for eight months. Not when I hadn’t had a chance to properly say goodbye to Brayden.
Silas grinned, knowing he’d struck a nerve.
“Will she grab her chest and scream, or just slump into her pasta?” He turned to Maddy to indicate that she answer the question.
Bastard.
Maddy’s nostrils flared, the anger was apparent on her face. “You’re a dick. Don’t ask me that.”
“I’m awhat?” He shot up from his seat and ran for her like a maniac. I knew he was going to hit her. Maddy always took the brunt of his anger for some reason. She was the one he hit, or yanked her hair, or forced to kneel. I was the one he made passes at, but he was nicer to me.
It was now or never. I couldn’t see him strike her, not one more time, not if I could stop it. I reached up and yanked the necklace from my throat, snapping the chain in two, and I grabbed the large, sharp steak knife.
His hand connected with her cheek and I exploded into action. A barely visible shockwave of power rippled out from me and froze him in place. His hand was inches from Maddy’s cheek as she stared at me in shock.
I lurched forward, using what little advantage I had, and without hesitation slammed Silas in the back with the kitchen knife, pushing past the resistance as it went in all the way up to the hilt.
“Averly, no!” Maddy cried.
Silas’ yelp of pain broke whatever hold I had over him and he stumbled forward. I didn’t care anymore if he died and the curse killed me. I just didn’t care, especially if I was about to die anyway.
Standing quickly, he faced me with an open mouth full of shock. “You bitch!” he snarled, reaching into his pocket.
There was a glint of shiny gold and he threw something at my feet.
