“I’m not much of a tomato person,” he says, eyeing the remaining slices with lust. “But that was splendid.”
I do something I never thought I’d do around Phil, and it scares me. I laugh. Phil stares at me as if he’s never seen me before, with complete awe. Like he wants to take me apart and see what makes me tick. Let my guard down for one second, and the serial killer reappears. He focuses on my hand, and I follow his line of sight. It’s squeezing the hell out of the handle of the knife and shaking. Phil runs a finger along the table as he roundsit, stepping closer and closer to me.
“You want to hurt me?” he asks, rubbing up against my side as he comes to a stop.
His hand covers mine and lifts the knife up between us. He stares at our hands wrapped around it and tilts the blade back and forth. It reminds me of our last meeting. Only then I had more courage than I do now, because I didn’t know what he was really capable of. He brings the point of the knife to his chest pushing slightly, and I grimace.
“Not there?” His brows rise, and he moves the knife to his neck, squeezing my hand harder. My lips pull tightly, trapping in the groan as the bones in my hand grind together. “Ah, this is it.”
Phil pushes the tip against the artery pulsing there. I stare in fascination, wondering if I could actually overpower him and shove the blade in deep. Thinking about his blood gushing onto my hand causes my stomach to swirl. My arm begins to burn from holding it still and begins to twitch, tapping the blade on his throat.
“Better make it count, lover. Because if you don’t kill me, I’ll do the same to you.” My gaze bounces to his, and he smiles. “Eye for an eye…knife in the throat.”
I gulp, and, unexpectedly, he lets go of my hand. No longer supported by his, my aching arm drops to my side. I take a deep breath before he tilts my face up with his finger.
“I knew you couldn’t do it,” he says, slipping theknife from my hand. “Because you’re a good girl. Good girls can’t kill people.”
He walks to the sink, and I glare at his back as he washes the knife. It’s not that I couldn’t kill him. I want to. I just want to make sure when I do it he actually dies. I’ll play the good girl, and when the moment’s right, I’ll do whatever it takes to watch this sick fuck take his last breath.
CHAPTER 14
CASH
THEmeeting between Dustin and Bobby was a bust. They drove around doing drops and stopped for food before he took Bobby back to his car. There’s no way that Joseph could have made a batch this fast. It takes days to get that shit lined out and start the process; which means that Phil is selling from the tainted batch that is making people sick and killing them. Phil wants it addictive. If he is having Joseph recreate the formula to suit his needs, then it could take longer to produce. Even then, it must be tested to ensure it’s safe, which isn’t a guarantee. Anyone taking Snap that they get off him could possibly end their life.
I knew better than to get my hopes up, but with Phil being backed into a corner, I was wishing that he’d bring Bobby in all the way. He didn’t. He’s testing his loyalty first. Probably the first smart thing Phil has done since all this started. Now we play the waiting game to see how long it takes before Dustin takes Bobby to wherever they are hiding, or inadvertently gives up their location. If it’s too long, Joseph andHazel could both die before we get there to save them.
I take a deep breath and run my hands through my hair as I stare at Hazel’s apartment. If only I could go back to when I first started watching her. Tell her to get the fuck out of town until this blows over. Save her from the monster that stole bits of her soul and almost her life. If only. I fear what she’ll be when I find her; if there will be any part of her left to save.
Cady and Erick could have blown the whole thing up in our face before it even started. I noticed them blatantly following behind Dustin’s car. The fact that he didn’t see them was a fucking miracle. Not telling them is going to get us caught, and Hazel and Joseph killed. I grab the travel bag I keep in the truck and make my way up to Hazel’s door. Before I can knock, the door swings open and a pissed off Cady fills the doorway. She may be tiny, but she seems like an enraged giant right now.
“So happy you could finally grace us with your presence,” she spits.
Ignoring her patronizing tone, I pick her up and set her to the side. Stunned, her mouth drops open on a huff, then snaps shut as I enter the apartment and kick the door shut. Erick stands cautiously by the bar with his arms folded over his chest. I like him. He seems to be the most reasonable one out of the two. Cady lashes out, letting her emotions control her. She speaks and acts before she thinks. Erick is the complete opposite. He’ll dwell on that shit until he’s put things together, and by the time he does, he has full control over himself. He needs to grow some balls, though, and help Cadyget a grip.
“When did you get in town?” Erick asks, standing in that spot like a statue.
“Early this morning,” I answer truthfully.
Cady storms across the room and stops in front of me, craning her neck back to look at me. “Did you meet Bobby this morning?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes narrow. “Why?”
I sigh and turn to Erick, who is waiting for the lies to tumble from my lips. “Can you grab us some beers and sit down. It’s going to take a minute to explain everything.”
Erick remains there for a moment, but then turns to get the beer that I so desperately need to get through this conversation. Well, more like a confession. They will either skin me alive afterward or go along with the plan. Hell, they might do both. I’m not so concerned with what Erick will think. It’s Cady that worries me. She might just rip my dick off and feed it to me. Erick wouldn’t stop her, that’s for sure. Maybe Ishouldbe worried about him.
Cady huffs and drops onto the couch. She’s holding back everything she wants to say to me. I sit down next to her, and she scoots over, putting a cushion between us. Erick comes back with beer and sets one for each of us on the coffee table, then takes a seat on the spot Cady deserted.
“You got your beer, now explain.” Cady’s stone-cold voice could chill the air.
I tip my bottle back and chug it down, struggling to find something happy to hang onto. But the gates of Hell loom in front of me, and Cady stands behind them. Setting the empty bottle back on the table, I angle myself to face them.
“Phil has Hazel,” are the first words that fall from my lips.
Cady pulls to the edge of her seat and glares at me. “How do you know?”
