Page 16 of A Perfect World
I shifted uncomfortably. It wasn’t my business. Anything could’ve upset her. Most of the time she looked a little sad, but this was different. Stoner-brain had my mouth opening to ask her what happened when her hair slid forward, brushing my arm and drawing my focus to her shoulder.
Small, half-moon cuts surrounded by angry red and purple bruises.
Mom sobbing, clutching her arm where he'd gripped her until she bruised. "Don't interfere, woman!" He snarled and rounded on me again. Big hands latched around a skillet. My eyes burned, tingled- "Don't do it you abomination!”
My fists clenched so tight my knuckles cracked as a primal roar built in my chest. Every muscle twitched, every nerve sang a chant of violence, pounding to the tune of my heart.
“Didhedo this?” I asked, grazing my knuckle across her shoulder. Her lower lip quivered, eyes shifting towards the door. “Blink once for no and twice for yes.”
She pursed her lips and blinked twice.
“Is he here now?”
Twice.
A deadly calm settled over me as I rose from my seat.
“He’ll never touch you again.”
I turned-
A small hand grabbed mine. Over my shoulder, I looked down at her, eyes swimming with fresh tears. “You don’t have to-” She choked. “I can deal with him.”
“Let me,” I murmured, slowly releasing her fingers. The line between her brows softened, lips parting on a soft exhale. I stalked out of the auditorium, threw the door open and spotted the asshole pacing the hall.
“Does it get you hard?”
He jerked to a halt, brow lowered. “Excuseme?”
“You heard me. Do you get off when you hurt her?” I growled, advancing on him. He shuffled back a step, the heels of his boat shoes hitting the wall.
“You think you know my relationship?” He spat. “I won’t be intimidated by your pathetic scare tactics.”
An entirely different kind of high overtook me- one that was equally intoxicating, but exponentially more dangerous.
“You’re a fool if you think I’ve even begun to scare you,” I said, tilting my head. “Do you know what a real monster looks like?”
He sniffed as if catching a whiff of something foul, mouth shut in defiance.
That’s right, underestimate me, fuckface.
Needles vibrated across my irises. I locked on his throat, pinning him to the wall with my power.
“I asked you a question.”
He coughed and sputtered, clawing at his neck to find nothing there. The whites of his eyes popped in contrast to the blood vessels spider-webbing across them.
“What was that? You don’t?”
He let out a strangled whine. I traded my power for my forearm, crushing his Adam’s apple and shifting my eyes to his. The tunnel exploded into his panicked mind.
Now you do.
His gurgled shriek drew a demonic grin from me. Rummaging around in his head, I picked apart the scene- her tears, red handprints on her arms, his voice berating her, threatening her, sweet-talking when threats failed, segueing into fists pounding the door.
Self-preservation came second. I didn’t care if he remembered me wreaking havoc in his pathetic brain. I shut down his ability to fight or speak, looping atrocious music on full blast as I took a hack-saw to the information he crammed for a test. By the time I finished the mediocre mind-fuck and made a few adjustments, he had a wet stain on his crotch and tears in his eyes. He crumbled to the floor when I released him.
Crouching to his level, I patted his cheek.
