I tried to force my thoughts away, to make them retreat as his hand moved to my sweatpants and pulled them down. I tried to visualize Silas, to convince myself it was him touching me. I did everything in my power to prepare myself as his hands moved up and down my legs.
Just as I thought he was done talking, he spoke again. This time, his voice was full of anger and resentment. “I haven’t even truly feltyouyet. Did you know that?”
The sound of shoes being kicked off and a belt buckle rang in my ears. “I was too busy learning about what you like,” he said quietly as my legs were aggressively pulled apart, “and how to make your chai lattes.” I felt weight on me then, just as hot breath fanned over my neck. “How to drug them just right so I could play,” he whispered, kissing behind my ear.
I was so completely and entirely numb inside and out.
There was no other way to explain how I felt.
“I tasted you. I took pictures. I recorded the way you look when you're nice and plump.”
Instead of listening to him, I forced myself into the best place I could find in my mind, somewhere I could stay until this was over.
“Now I get to finally fucking feel it,” he muttered into my ear as one hand started stroking my hair. The moment he kissed my cheek and pushed my legs up, I disassociated completely.
35
Silas
Swerving into the driveway, I barely put the car in park before I was out of it. There was no time for anything besides getting to Ember. They had come home,together, and too much time had already passed.
Every second was another deep stab into my chest, and I knew the pain wouldn't subside until I saw her and made sure she was okay. With one kick, I slammed my foot into the front door, forcing it to crack off its hinges. The sound instantly rippled through the house like thunder, and I hoped that he heard it. That sound wasn’t just a warning—it was his death call.
I ran straight down the hallway and into her room, where the door was already open. As I entered, a savage growl ripped from my chest at the scene in front of me. He was on top of her naked body, lining himself up to her opening. She was clearly limp underneath, completely unresponsive.
This would be the last fucking time he touched her.
Everything in my line of sight went haywire as I launched forward, tackling Bodhi off her. We crashed to the floor, and I pinned him down, each of my movements turning absolutely lethal. There was no choice in the matter. He didn’t get to walk away from this. He was going to die bymyhands. That single thought was on repeat as my fist made contact with his face, the crack not nearly as satisfying as I thought it would be. In a defensive move, he brought his elbow up, trying and create room to protect himself. I fought through it, getting two more solid hits in before he landed one on me. I was knocked off, giving him time to grab his pants.
It didn’t matter what he was wearing. By the time I was done with him, he wouldn’t be able to use anything,ever again.
We continued to wrestle, crashing into the furniture and ultimately knocking over her vanity. “You think you will have the ability to change anything. She's already ruined.” Bodhi sneered up at me, spitting blood in my face.
Absolutely the fuck not, was he allowed to talk about her like that.
The air in my lungs froze as the thought of murder invaded my whole body. It was no longer just a thought in my mind. It was now a challenge I needed to complete as fast as possible.
“I’m going to fucking kill you.”
Bodhi focused in as my words cut through the room like a blade. A new type of rage flared in his eyes as they narrowed. Lunging at me, his hands went straight for my throat. I dodged, but he guessed at the direction, digging his fingers into my flesh. For a moment, his grip tightened and stars threatened my vision. Moving quickly, I slipped my knee up and knocked him off balance.
With as much brutal force as I could muster, I slammedmyself down on him. My fists moved like clockwork, pounding again and again against his face.
One.
Two.
Three.
I lost count once blood started to splatter on me. The warmth hit my face as Bodhi tried to do what he could to stop me. There was no chance of that happening, not now that he was in my grasp. The sound of his pained grunts mixed with the thud of flesh on flesh, and soon, there was only silence.
At some point, I realized Bodhi was no longer fighting back, but I kept going. I hit him for every photo there was, and then for every video Ember would have to watch. Drowning myself in her rage, I couldn’t stop.
By the time I pulled away, his face had been completely pulverized and there was not one recognizable thing about him. The blood covering me was proof that I’d accomplished my goal, that Ember was now completely safe from him.
An unfamiliar scream pulled me away from my thoughts. I turned, moving off of Bodhi’s corpse.
Kinsley stood in the doorway, her face etched in a mask of horror. As her eyes tracked over what was left of Bodhi, mine moved to Ember, who was still on the bed. Kinsley didn’t even acknowledge her naked body. Her whole focus was on the man on the floor behind me. When I moved out of the way, she jolted forward and dropped to her knees beside him. Her voice was a mixture of utter shock and suppressed wails.
