Page 118 of Aftershock
I would’ve shuddered at the sight of his vicious techniques if I didn’t know him.
I do, though. His intentions are good. He uses his power only against violent sickos.
There’s nothing scary about such a pure soul.
When the man’s eyes roll back, Alaric moves into action. I watch him with awe as he performs a forceful maneuver that makes his captive jolt, then breathe again.
Alaric is as casual as ever as he taps on the table, then walks over to scribble in his notebook.
“This is your last warning,” he says once he returns to the man. “Next time you try to escape, I’ll fuck you up so bad you’ll be begging me to kill you.”
The man whimpers. Alaric frowns, then lowers his gaze over his prisoner’s body until he reaches his crotch, where a dark spot has appeared.
He wet himself.
“Jesus Christ.” As soon as Alaric begins to undo the ropes around his ankles, I take it as my cue to run off before I get caught. “Didn’t realize you were such a coward.”
I smile to myself as I slap duct tape over the peephole, then hurry out of his building.
One day, Alaric and I will do this together.
One day.
25
ALARIC
Me:Little devil, if you’re just waking up, I wanted this to be the first thing you see. It’s no replacement for holding you, but I’ll fix that soon when I pick you up for work.
The sky is still dark when I text Lilith. Knowing she’s still asleep, I pocket my phone and pack up.
Wallet. Water. My keys and the ones to Fraser’s car. His phone.
Everything goes into my backpack and pockets as I get ready for the trip upstate. I only make those trips when a VIA—very important abuser—ends up in my storage unit.
Since they’re the kind of assholes people start looking for right away, I have to play it extra safe.
That’s why, yesterday morning, after I brought him here, I emailed his assistant from his phone and told her to clear his schedule because he’d had too much to drink the night before. It’s why, today, I’m taking his car, turning hisphone back on once I’m somewhere remote, and walking to the nearest train to head home.
All to make sure nothing leads back to me.
As I cross my living room and head to the front door, a nagging concern pulses at the back of my head. One that’s never been there before.
What if I get pulled over?
They’ll charge me with carjacking first. Once they start looking for the owner, it won’t be long before they put two and two together and lock me up for good.
Being taken away from Lilith would be worse than anything I’ve ever been through. Worse than opening up about my fucked-up childhood over dinner last night.
The memories themselves don’t touch me anymore. It’s the idea of being perceived as weak when I’m supposed to be Lilith’s protector.
But Lilith proved I had nothing to worry about.
Her eyes, her voice, the warmth of her embrace held no pity. She kept looking at me like I was her hero. Like I was the same solid man she could lean on.
As if surviving my parents made me stronger in her eyes.
My angel.
