Page 95 of Below The Surface
Thank goodness. I grin and there must be something in my look because Charles’s eyes go wide.
“Oh, the plans we have for you,” I say. “Rest up, because you’re never going to have a moment of peace the second I get started on you.”
33
DALLAS
“What do you think they’re going to do tonight?” Hayden asks.
We’re hauling one of those plastic outdoor heavy duty adjustable chaise lounge chairs. It’s bright pink, per Casey’s request. I have no idea how we lucked out finding one, but my man wanted it, so I got it. The gravel crunches beneath us as we get to the abandoned building and give the signal knock on the boarded-up window. We’re dressed head to toe in black, also Casey’s request. We each have a ski mask stuffed in our back pockets, too. Just in case we need them.
“Dunno, but I know Casey’s been wanting to waterboard someone for a while, so maybe that?”
“Oh! That would be perfect. I still hate that we had dinner with that slimy fucker. I washed my hands like ten times.”
“Yeah, I still feel sick being so close to him. What scares me most, though, is he came across as a genuinely nice guy.” It still gives me an existential crisis when I think about it.
“I know. How the fuck is anyone supposed to pick out the monsters?”
The door creaks open and Casey waves us inside.
“Should we put the masks on?” Hayden asks.
“Not yet.” Casey grabs my collar and pulls me down for a kiss. He’s desperate and clings to me. It’s awkward with how I’m holding my end of the lounger, but I don’t mind. If Casey needs a kiss, he gets a kiss.
“Thanks for going out to get this. Charles is a wiggler, and the chair we have just wasn’t strong enough for him. Plus…” There’s a wicked glint in Casey’s eyes. “This should be perfect for waterboarding.”
“Told you,” I say to Hayden.
Hayden laughs. “If it wouldn’t leave our DNA everywhere, I’d say we should all piss in the bucket you plan to use.”
Casey sighs. “I love the way you think. But alas, we can not.”
I snort. “Alas? Nowyousound like a weird old timey person.”
He sticks his tongue out and leads us out to the room they have Charles. From the back, Charles just looks like a dude sitting in a heavy duty lawn chair. Well, a dude zip tied to a lawn chair. But coming around beside him, Casey and Kendra have already gotten started. There’s a bleeding gash in Charles’s thigh and a nail in his hand.
I cringe, then even out my face. I don’t want Casey to think I’m not strong enough to be here.
“Fuck, man.” Hayden whistles, which catches the attention of Charles.
His eyes go wide. “You! You set me up!”
“Yep. You sick fucker. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” I want to smack his face, but they have the muzzle on him.
Hayden hands Kendra a bag with the one thing she requested. A ball gag.
Casey frowns. “Ilikethe muzzle.”
“I know, but it masks the face more. I want everyone to know it’s Charles. I want them to see his eyes. Plus, it’s an extra precaution to keep him from talking.”
Casey nods and they both walk over to Charles. “I pierced a guy’s tongue and hooked it to the muzzle once,” he tells Charles.
“You’re fucking sick.”
“We have video of it,” Kendra says.
Hayden’s already pulling it up on his phone, and the screams ring out from that show. “It was epic. I mean. Justtrulyamazing.” He turns his phone towards Charles.
