The Land Where Sinners Atone

by Mason, V. F.

  “Did you see anything personal there besides the clothes? Pictures, diaries, photo albums?” By the way Ella words her question, I guess they’ve already searched the apartment and found nothing of the sort.

  “Oh, God.” Phoenix exhales a heavy breath, lacing her fingers in her hair until she palms her head. “Oh, God.”

  “Phoenix,” I say, pressing her to my side even closer, hoping that at least an ounce of my strength can be transferred to her so she won’t crumble under the horrific realization the serial killer played with her once again. With no care for her wishes or desires, he trapped her in this guilt-ridden emotion when he planned all this shit with Brady.

  Any prey is irresistible to the hunter; the scent of it kicks in the survival instinct and they can’t wait to sink their teeth and claws into that prey, feeding on its flesh until the next time.

  You chase and you eat, which means you live and you win.

  But a scared prey, or even worse… the one who has gone insane—the direction the unsub is slowly pushing Phoenix with all his diabolical plans?

  Oh, I bet it’s the fucking temptation none of them can resist.

  She raises her eyes to me, sliding her hands from her neck until she rests them on her lap and takes a deep breath. “Is it weird that I’m relieved more than anything?” A single tear slides down her cheek, making her brown eyes glisten. “I don’t care that Brady was part of some kind of plan, although I do feel sorry for him.” Ah, my perfect girl who probably has already built a portrait of Brady’s character in her head and justified his deceit with the abusive household mentioned earlier. “I’m happy to know Sara’s brother is okay.”

  I wipe away the tear, rubbing her cheek with my thumb before cupping her chin and tilting her head back. “No, it’s okay. But even if it was him, it wouldn’t have been your fault.” Our gazes clash for a second, mine confident and hers unsure, but she finally nods, and a loud clearing of a throat once again snaps my attention back to Noah.

  He smiles at Phoenix and takes a handkerchief from the inside of his jacket, extending it to Phoenix. She snatches it as he reassures her, “Don’t worry. Rafe is completely okay, and this whole thing truly was paid in full. So no one harmed him, but for the sake of the investigation, we moved him to a safe location for the time being.” His gaze shifts to me. “The unsub knows them, and we don’t want to take any chances with their safety.”

  “You think he will retaliate right now?”

  “Well, after the internet blowing up with your engagement, it was inevitable the unsub would snap,” Ella says. “We believe he always planned to get rid of him.”

  Phoenix straightens up, finally shrugging off my arm, and bends forward, giving the pictures one last look before she focuses her attention back on the agents. “The unsub is a woman, isn’t she?”

  “Brady must have loved her. That’s why he listened to her.” I follow her trail of thoughts and curse inwardly that her suspicion came true.

  After what I’ve done to Phoenix, I vowed to never harm a woman again, but fuck if fate is tempting me to go back on my word, destroying this soulless creature piece by piece.

  Phoenix rolls her eyes. “With your logic, he could be a man too. It’s the way the unsub killed Rafe, without much suffering or blood. Even though he is raging right now, the crime is not violent.”

  “At this point, gender is really irrelevant.” Noah rests his elbows on his knees and rolls back his shoulders. “However, he is losing control, and we can’t be sure about his next course of action.”

  My brows furrow. “Meaning?”

  “Since he is losing control, he might not behave in his usual manner. So his patterns might change, which is dangerous, because it makes it more difficult to catch him,” Phoenix says to me while rubbing her forehead, a small line appearing between her brows from the concentration. “Do you have a plan?”

  The corner of Noah’s mouth lifts up. “Well, we figured we’d follow yours.” Phoenix’s cheeks heat up, and she groans into her hands while he continues, “I think it’s a good idea, and we need to flaunt this fact in his face. Preferably soon and where we can be there for it.”

  “As in you’ll catch him in the act?”

  “We wouldn’t be the one to do the catching, but yes. We’re profilers. We don’t run around chasing criminals. We help to create a profile that helps the police do it. We just wanted to talk to you first, because we’d already established contact earlier.” Ella shares this information before grabbing the bottle of water on the table, flicking it open, and taking a sip.

  I address Noah, “What do you have in mind?”

  “The unsub went above and beyond for Phoenix, even sent in Brady to catch her in time before the press arrived. Yet she comes to you and lives with you.”

  I raise my hand to stop him, not in the mood to hear all that psychological crap again. Two fucking people in the span of twenty-four hours was enough, thank you very much. “We already figured all this shit out. There is no need—”

  Noah, though, continues, “Toxic parents have such mentality.” I frown at this while Phoenix leans into me but doesn’t argue with Noah, so she must understand the term. “They think children should be grateful for what they have done for them and be forever in their debt.”

  “To a point where a child doesn’t have his or her life but, instead, lives under the ruling thumb of the parents. In most cases, they don’t form their own families, because usually no one is good enough for the parent or they are too emotionally scarred to try it.” Phoenix mutters, removing hair from her face, and then glances at me. “In this case, the unsub considers me an ungrateful child who has to be punished.”

  “So that’s it, then. Let’s have the biggest party and find the fucker,” I say while Phoenix tenses, sitting up quickly and half turning to face me fully. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s the only way.”

  “It will be dangerous for everyone there.”

  A humorless chuckle escapes me. “So is everything else right now. Do you have a better plan?” Her jaw clenches while her eyes flash in annoyance and fear, which she tries so hard to mask from me yet fails.

  Palming her head so she won’t be able to avoid my gaze, I hold her stare and say with confidence in my voice that she needs to hear to calm down, “We’ll have an engagement party. We’ll have the police and private security covering our backs.”

  “They will be undercover, of course. Although you have to speak with the detective about it.”

  Both of us ignore Noah, only having eyes on each other, as I’m still not done washing away that fucking fear from her orbs.

  “Emmaline will be at home, guarded with Patience and everyone else.” For my child, I’ll call in all the favors in the world in order to secure her well-being. Maybe even ask Lachlan to send one of his current students. “And I’ll be by your side. You know this unsub better than even me. He or fucking she doesn’t have the capacity to do something that will affect other people, only us. Okay? Sound good?” I see worry settling on her features and how her skin pales a little at the prospect of finally meeting the unsub. “It’s the only way.” At least in the current situation, since I pulled the trigger on the whole engagement thing.

  Only I thought I had time to convince everyone of this romance before any official gatherings, but with the unsub escalating, we have no choice.

  My mind starts to swirl with all the things needed for the upcoming preparations; however, one is more prominent than the others.

  How to protect both my girls from a person who made it his or her life’s mission to destroy mine for sins I never committed.

  Unsub

  Stepping onto the balcony of my penthouse apartment, which opens onto this magnificent city panorama, I place my mug with steaming coffee on the small table. Two white chairs are on either side of it, facing the view.

  I stretch my arms wide, welcoming the sunlight streaming on me from above and the breeze tickling my cheeks. A laugh echoes in th
e space while joy spreads through my every bone in anticipation of a new day.

  Today, finally, everything will come back to normal and on track with Phoenix doing what she does best.

  Run away from her executioner while hate travels through her veins, panic enveloping her mind, and once again she loses herself in this battle.

  That’s the destiny of the victims, always losing and trying to get away from the abuser as fast as possible. Because they always catch you again, trapping you in hell with no way of escape while hurting you over and over again.

  If Daddy dearest taught me one thing, it’s that.

  Brady’s death was always inevitable; the fool has been in love with me so long he wouldn’t have survived without me. However, I always thought I’d keep him till the very end. It’s always good to have people around ready to sacrifice their life for you. Opens up a lot of possibilities for various grand schemes. But Phoenix’s little infatuation with Zachary ruined all my plans.

  I never thought she’d be stupid enough to take a predator’s kindness as nothing else but a strategy he uses to catch his prey. Although maybe I should have never underestimated Zachary’s charms in the first place. Even if she is a woman scorned… Phoenix is still a woman who apparently cannot resist Zach.

  Brady came in handy here. His death will be what breaks the camel’s back, so to speak. The guilt will eat her alive so she won’t be able to work with Zach, and in this, my original plan will be back to normal.

  I’m the rescuer of all the victims, freeing them from the clutches of the monsters with whom they live and can’t escape. They might not say it anywhere, but this kind of desperation I can read in their eyes.

  No wonder all these men remind me of Daddy, same hair and posture.

  The most distinctive feature though?

  Is the way they say this phrase, the phrase that I’ve caught at various functions, and it drove me so insane I could barely stand not to smash their heads with bottles or stab them with a knife, screaming for them to shut up.

  Thankfully, each time, I’ve managed to rein in my emotions until I could rush to my apartment and plan the strategy to punish everyone involved.

  I’ve done all this for those hopeless souls whose cries of pain die in the infinity’s echo that no one ever hears because they don’t even ask.

  Through life, I’ve had so many trips to the hospitals, and not once, not one single time did they doubt Daddy’s words or call social services.

  A bitter chuckle slips past my lips, when I think of how everyone preaches that justice helps cases like mine.

  They fucking don’t, because the pain is always ignored if it serves all those people occupying comfy cushions, who don’t need one more case on their head.

  Wrapping my hands around the mug, I sit on the chair and inhale the rich smell of coffee, calming down a bit and blocking away the thoughts of the past, as they have no place here right now.

  My phone chooses this moment to ring, and I see a name flashing on the screen. My brows furrow, since she mostly never calls me—not that I cry myself to sleep because of that.

  “Hello,” I answer, taking my first sip and groaning loudly, the taste hitting my tongue with such strength I regret not bringing my chocolate out here with me.

  “Hey!” she shouts right back, and I hear loud music blasting through the phone before she turns it off, breathing heavily. “Oh my God, sorry about that.”

  “It’s okay,” I reply, used to her idiotic music that surrounds her wherever she goes. Why no one told me she is a talentless idiot is fucking beyond me.

  This whole mentality of sparing everyone’s feelings by lying to them really grates on my nerves. No one can handle the truth these days, and isn’t that ironic?

  Truth is what can save countless victims, but people prefer to shield their feelings, as it’s too hard to think about. “So what do you want?” I bend forward to snatch a strawberry from the bowl and munch on it. “There must be a reason you called me.”

  “Have you seen the news?”

  Biting off the strawberry top and spitting it on the floor, I ask, “What news?”

  “Oh my God, you haven’t! Zachary proposed to Phoenix. Can you imagine that?” I still, the strawberry stuck in my throat as I can’t even move a muscle to fucking swallow. “I thought maybe it was a joke, but the engagement party is tomorrow.” She sighs dreamily. “It must have been love at first sight.”

  Snapping out of my shock, I finally swallow the strawberry and rasp, “What?”

  “What else can it be? You know Zach. I never expected him to marry after Angelica.” Her voice turns wishful. “I’m happy.”

  Of course she is fucking happy. For her, anyone in love makes her happy!

  My hand grips the chair painfully, my nails digging into the wood and hurting me as they scratch against the surface, continuing to listen to her happy chatter. “So that’s how it happened. At least according to my little source.” Only then do I realize I haven’t heard a fucking word she said through the loud ringing in my ears, and an angry roar is stilled between my lips. “Anyhow, just wanted to check in with you. You should get your invite for the party tomorrow. I’ll see you there, darling!” And with this, she hangs up when someone calls her in the distance regarding some stupid contract she needs to sign.

  I clench my hand so hard it’s a wonder the phone doesn’t break in it and with a shout throw it on the floor where it lands with a loud clatter, the screen cracking, but I don’t give a fuck.

  Anger fills every bone, the fire of hate burning me from the inside out demanding an outlet and not finding any in sight. I rush inside the apartment, going to the kitchen and shattering plates one by one, harder and harder, not caring if I step on the ceramic and it cuts into my skin. I continue until I have no strength left, and with loud sobs, I fall on my knees, tears streaming down my cheeks while the awful voice whispers in my ear, still having the power to wrap around my neck like a leash that draws tighter and tighter on me with each breath.

  See, you little piece of shit? You are completely useless, and if there is a choice between you and the others? Everyone chooses the others.

  Only I’m stuck with you, you good-for-nothing pile of shit.

  “How could you do this to me, Phoenix?” I whisper, leaning my head on the counter. “How could you have done this to me of all people?” Several more sobs shake my body before I wipe away my tears. “You love Zachary, huh? So much that you have forgotten everything I’ve done for you. Well, you won’t be happy with your choice for long.”

  I’m the savior, and if Phoenix doesn’t want to go with me willingly, I will take away what she loves the most.

  Laughing all the way, just like Daddy used to do.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “Love is a rare gift not everyone is granted in this life.

  Nevertheless, everyone craves it fiercely.

  When did we become so afraid of it?”

  Phoenix

  Phoenix

  Slipping into my high heels, I take a deep breath before spinning around to face the huge, vertical mirror inside the walk-in closet. The light shines brightly on me from the ceiling, not leaving any detail unnoticed.

  For a second, air sticks in my lungs and my eyes widen in shock when I see a woman reflected back at me, reminding me nothing of the pathetic creature I’ve looked at for the last four years.

  After the agents left, Zachary started working on the strategy for the engagement party, calling in the best planners who had to prepare what seems to be the celebration of the decade in twenty-four hours while I had to sit on my ass and wait. I was too stunned with all the information dumped on me, the whole Brady thing, to even be bothered with the speed of everything.

  However, Zachary didn’t let me wallow in self-misery for long. Within the hour, a perky woman named Vanessa showed up and claimed that we have so many appointments booked before the big day.

  Never mind the big day is a scheme to lure the serial
killer out, and no one listened to my protests when she dragged me outside to the waiting car with James ready to drive off in any direction. The only thing stopping me was Patience and Emmaline, who for some reason Zach sent with me along with two security guards.

  I thought such security measures were extreme; nothing showed that the serial killer would attack us in the open during the day. Still, though, during the whole ride, I pressed myself to Emmaline despite her sitting in the car seat. I watched her carefully, wanting to be prepared in case the storm hit us out of nowhere, figuratively speaking of course.

  We ended up in some luxurious salon, and I think Patience almost passed out from happiness when they took her and Emmaline to the pool area and gave them a change of clothes, several good drinks, and a coach who watched over the baby girl while she enjoyed the water.

  In short, this whole trip excited them to no end, and I thought it wasn’t so bad myself, longing to swim after such a long break, but instead Vanessa signed me up for every procedure possible, claiming that the bride has to be radiant and the most beautiful woman at the party.

  This made me listen to her and go through all the facials, massages, and waxing, because this engagement might not be real, but those people are. And I had no desire to look like shit among high society who will judge every breath I take.

  Finally, after everything was done, we went back home with Vanessa promising to bring me a dress and a makeup artist the next day. I was so beat I fell asleep the minute my face touched the pillow.

  I expected Zachary to come to me or even meet me the next morning, but Patience said he was busy.

  And then the makeup artist came, and here I am, watching myself in the mirror in awe of his talent. For how is it possible that with a brush of powder and whatever else he used, he wiped away the sorrow from my face and replaced it with cold beauty that has the power to stop people in their tracks.