by Harley Stone
I hadn’t thought about it like that before, hadn’t considered how I could actually help her. Morse made good points, and I was all in, but I still had questions. “So, what do I do? How do I convince her to stay? She made it perfectly clear she doesn’t want anything to do with me.”
Morse shrugged. “She’s scared, so she ran. Question is, do you care enough to chase her? To fight for her?”
“Yes.” I didn’t even fucking hesitate. “I already told you I do.”
Reaching behind him, Morse scribbled something down on a Post-It and handed it to me. “Tobias’s address. Go see if you can’t bring our girl home.”
20
Mila
SOLITUDE WAS A beautiful thing. At first, I reveled in it, enjoying the fact I couldn’t hear my neighbor banging one of the club whores in the next room. There was no thump of bass coming from the biker party raging downstairs. Nobody cracking jokes in the hall. With nothing to do but enjoy my respite, I sat on the sofa with Daisy on my lap, flicking through channels until I found a comedy that caught my interest.
I needed some humor in my life, and the movie provided it.
After it was over, Daisy started getting restless. We hunted down one of her toys—a ball with catnip in the center—and rolled it around the floor for a while. She was such an adorable little ball of fur, chasing and batting the ball all over the place. I wished my life could be so simple. I’d give anything to be as happy and content as this kitten was with her catnip ball.
Instead, I was a mess of emotions. I’d wanted to be alone, but as the day wore on, alone just felt lonely.
“But who the fuck are you?”
Hound’s question wouldn’t stop harassing me. It nagged me as I watched Daisy chase a dust mite down the hall. It pestered me as I made a snack in the kitchen. It even followed me into the master bathroom to draw myself a bath.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn’t know who I was. Maybe I was no one, or everyone. I’d been a cult child, a victim, a runaway, an ex, desperate and broke, a demimonde, a college graduate, a teacher, a manipulator, and so much more. Yet none of that really described me.
“But who the fuck are you?”
I really had no clue.
Settling into the tub, I used my phone and the wonders of the internet to try to distract myself from the question. Memes and videos only held my attention for so long before I gave into temptation and found Hound’s social media profile. He had a few pictures with an older woman who shared his nose and eyes. This must be the mom he held such animosity toward. I could see why. Her smile was unnatural, her boobs looked fake, and she held herself away from him like he had some contagious disease she was afraid of catching. I loathed her for making his life so difficult.
The pictures with his little sister were better. Annie shared none of her brother’s features, but I could tell who she was by the way he looked at her. I’d seen his face light up like that whenever he talked about her. Seeing them happy and together squeezed the breath from my chest and made my eyes well with tears.
He was such a good guy, and I missed him. Dreadfully. I should have at least said goodbye, but knew a clean break was for the better. Levi was right, Hound was better off without me.
Moving on, I found a few pictures of him from his days in the Navy. I’d always had a thing for men in uniform, but Hound in his dress whites could make a nun sin, and I was no nun. His big brown eyes were intense and focused, staring straight ahead. There were no traces of the pain I always saw in his eyes, just pride and purpose. Seeing him like that made me want to drop to my knees and give those talented lips of his something to smile about.
God, he was amazing.
Just the sight of him had my hand dipping down between my legs. I remembered exactly how his tongue felt on my clit. How his cock felt sliding into me over and over. He was no inexperienced John, looking to be coddled and praised for a half-ass fuck that was always more about his pleasure than mine. No, Hound was all about pleasing me. It was nice. Welcome. I swirled my fingers around my clit and let out a moan. Sex with him had felt… right. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced.
I wondered if he still had that uniform in his closet, because he should definitely wear it for me.
He can’t. I’m not going back.
The realization hit me like a freight train full of emotion. No longer the least bit turned on, I slid my hand up my stomach and out of the water with a disappointed huff. It had only been three days since our fight, but I missed him so much I could hardly breathe.
I should call him.
“He doesn’t need this shit, and I don’t want you to be the reason he falls off the wagon and loses everything all over again.”
Levi’s words resonated in my heart and my head. I’ve heard it said that if you love something, you’re supposed to let it go. I didn’t know about love, but I must have felt something powerful for Hound, because the thought of him using again had me tossing my phone aside so I wouldn’t even be tempted to interfere with his sobriety.
I only brought him pain and suffering. He deserved more than that.
Lowering myself under the bubbles, I imagined myself washing away the past few weeks. I may not know who I was, but I knew who I wasn’t. I refused to be the woman who made Hound use again.
Thursday morning, something startled me awake. I bolted upright and listened, but nothing sounded amiss. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Climbing out of bed, I dressed quickly in my workout clothes and reached for my cell phone to check the time.
The screen was dark.
I remembered plugging the phone in last night, but must not have gotten it completely connected, because the cord was loose. Sometimes my phone could be tricky, and this wasn’t the first time I’d neglected to connect it correctly, so I tried again. This time, I waited for the battery charging icon before setting it back down on the nightstand.
After feeding Daisy, I stretched, did a twenty-minute bodyweight workout, and laced up my runners. It felt like ages since I’d gone for a jog, and since I’d be heading home soon, I was ready to get back into my old groove. Yes, there was still a killer out there somewhere, but I doubted he was lurking in the bushes of this residential Seattle district, waiting to snatch me up as I ran by.
It was a nice, sunny morning, with enough of a breeze to chase away the heat. Toby’s neighborhood was beautiful, full of greenery and nice homes. Dogs and kids were playing in the park I passed. My jog was both uneventful and invigorating. By the time I returned to the house, I was feeling better than I had in a while. I stretched again and took another luxurious bubble bath, enjoying the hell out of my selfcare time.
When I got out of the tub, I went to moisturize my body like I always did, but my lotion was missing. Knowing I’d used it last night after my bath, I searched everywhere but couldn’t find it. It had to be there, but it wasn’t. Feeling like I was going out of my mind, I searched through Toby’s cabinets until I found some hand lotion that I made do with. Then, I dressed in shorts and a tank top and wandered into the kitchen to scrounge up some breakfast.
Lunch, really, since it was already past noon.
I whipped myself up a bowl of oatmeal with nuts and fruit, and carried everything to the sofa. Turning on the television, I flipped through channels, settling on a bizarre documentary about some wildcat breeder in Oklahoma. It was like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from, and before I knew it, most of the day had passed, and all my braincells felt like they’d been devoured by the self-proclaimed gay, gun-toting cowboy with a mullet. Disgusted with myself for wasting so much time on it, I turned off the program and looked to Daisy for suggestions.
“Well, what should we do now?”
She didn’t respond, so I considered checking Hound’s social media again, just in case he’d added new photos. Doubtful since last night I couldn’t help but notice there’d been no activity on his page in months. I couldn’t even tell if he use
d the account anymore, and was kind of appalled that I’d spent so much time wondering about his social media habits. But there I was, thinking about cyberstalking him, because I had some sick need to see anything he might have put out into the world.
Levi’s right, I need help.
Having talked myself into it, I scurried into my temporary bedroom, plucked the phone off the nightstand, and watched as the cord fell free like it hadn’t been fully connected. Knowing I’d seen the battery charging icon, I tried to power it on, but the damn thing was dead.
The creepy unease I’d woken up to this morning returned. The charger kept coming out of my phone, and I never did find my lotion. These weren’t major issues, but they bugged me and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Carrying my phone and charger into the living room where I could keep an eye on them, I plugged it back into the wall, made damn sure it was charging, and sat my ass back down on the sofa.
As soon as that sucker charged up, I planned to call Toby and ask if he had a house ghost he’d neglected to warn me about.
21
Hound
SEATTLE’S RUSH HOUR traffic sucked ass. Especially on a bike with the hot summer sun bouncing off the asphalt and making me feel like I was in the seventh circle of hell. It didn’t help that I was more than a little concerned that Mila wasn’t answering her phone.
What if something happened?
What if the killer found her?
Dark thoughts had me scanning the area, checking for police cruisers. It was illegal to split the lanes in Washington—and it came with a hefty fine—but I was worried enough to take the risk. Keeping an eye open for Seattle’s finest, I worked my way through traffic, taking the exit that would lead me to Tobias’s home. Scanning addresses, I came to a stop in front of the one I’d been searching for. Turning off my engine, I put down my kickstand, climbed off the bike, and retrieved my phone to double check the address.
I had three missed calls and a text from Morse. The text said to call him ASAP. Hitting the phone icon, I followed orders.
“Hound. Thank fuck you called. Are you at the house yet?”
He sounded stressed as hell. Wondering what had spooked him, I replied, “Yeah. I’m lookin’ at it, brother. What’s goin’ on?”
“Tap finally heard back from his friend at the CIA. He was able to get us Tobias’s flight records. The bastard was in Ontario when both Polly and Rishi were murdered.”
“Are you shittin’ me right now?”
“No. And there’s more.”
I couldn’t deal with more. What he’d told me was already bad enough. “Son-of-a-bitch.” Needing to confirm that Mila was okay, I headed for the front door.
“He was scheduled to fly to Florida, but he never got on the flight. He’s still in Seattle, Hound.”
All the blood in my veins froze. I stared at the front door, suddenly fearing what I’d find behind it. She’d been here since yesterday. He could have done anything to her. I needed to move, to reassure myself that she was okay, but I couldn’t seem to put one foot in front of the other. All I could think about was Mila, stoned to death. “If this motherfucker has touched one hair on her head, I’ll make him regret the day he was born.”
“You have backup on the way,” Morse said in my ear. “Havoc, Rabbit, and Zombie will be there as soon as possible. Just make sure she’s okay, will ya?”
I understood his desperation. I felt it down to my fucking toes. “Of course. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.” Needing to get in there and see what the hell was going on, I disconnected the call and picked up my pace.
Mila
The roar of a motorcycle brought me to my feet. I rushed to the window to see a biker dismount. He tugged the helmet from his head, and my heart almost leaped out of my chest.
Hound.
I’d been determined to leave him alone, but now that he was here, I felt so relieved I could cry. I expected him to head for the house, but instead he appeared to be making a call. Intending to go out and greet him, I practically floated toward the front door.
That’s when I realized I was no longer alone in the house. Toby stood by the dining room table with a very distraught looking Daisy in his hands.
Confused, I looked from him to the struggling kitten as my brain tried to process what the hell was going on. “You’re… you’re back?”
He snorted. “Never left.” He pulled out a chair. “Come. Have a seat.”
His face was pinched in anger and his eyes were wild. This was a side of Toby I’d never seen before. It made me want to be anywhere but seated on the chair he’d pulled out for me. Backpedaling, I glanced at the window, wondering when Hound would be coming in.
“Amelia.” The ice in Toby’s tone made my entire body shiver. He had one hand around Daisy’s neck, in what looked a lot like a threat. Daisy didn’t appreciate it one little bit. She struggled to get free, but he squeezed tighter. “Come and sit.”
I couldn’t take my eyes off what he was doing to the kitten. “You… You’re hurting her.”
“Want me to stop? Do what I said.”
In shock, and still unable to believe he’d actually hurt an innocent little kitten, I crept to the chair and sat. He dropped Daisy. Hissing, she sprinted away, hopefully to hide somewhere safe. I had no clue what was going on with Toby, but wasn’t about to stick around and find out. I moved to stand, and his hands landed on my shoulders with just enough pressure to sit me back down and hold me there.
“Stay,” he growled.
Thoughts tumbled through my mind. He’d never left. He was here the entire time. Had he messed with my phone? Did he take my lotion? Why did he ask me to kitten sit in the first place if his ass was home?
There was a knock at the door.
“Tell him to come in,” Toby whispered, his voice practically dripping in menace.
I shuddered against the feel of his hot breath on my neck. Had Toby always had this kind of menace inside him? Had he been as good at hiding his true self as I was? It was hard to believe, but he’d just threatened a sweet kitten with death by strangulation. Now, I couldn’t put anything past him. I didn’t want to invite Hound in and put his life in danger, too.
Another knock sounded on the door, this time, louder. “Mila, it’s me,” Hound shouted.
Toby’s hands crept up to my neck and squeezed. It hurt. I couldn’t breathe. I tugged at his hands, trying to rip them free, but he held firm. I couldn’t believe he was doing this to me. We’d chased frogs and climbed trees together, and now he was trying to strangle the life out of me. I bucked in my seat but couldn’t get free. Just as my vision started darkening, he loosened his grip.
I sucked down a deep breath, filling my lungs.
“Now,” he whispered, dropping his hands back to my shoulders to hold me in place and remind me what he was capable of.
My throat still burned. With a shaky, scratchy voice, I called out, “Come in.”
The door slowly opened. “Mila?”
“She’s in here,” Toby replied.
Hound appeared around the door. He took one look at us and stepped into the house. His back was rigid, and his jaw was tight. His gaze darted to me. “Are you okay?”
No, I was absolutely not okay, but before I could say as much, Toby’s hands once again closed in around my neck, but this time, he didn’t squeeze. It was just a warning.
“Close the door.”
Watching us, Hound did as he was told.
“Good. I wouldn’t want to have to snap Amelia’s neck, so I’m gonna need you to move slowly and keep your hands where I can see them.”
Hound’s hands crept up into the air.
“Good. Now, slowly take a seat at the end of the table.”
Again, Hound did as he was told, keeping his eyes locked on Toby in a glare that promised to bury the bastard, and his hands visible.
“I’m very disappointed with our sweet little Amelia here,” Toby said, sounding disgusted. “I thought I could sca
re her straight. Figured if I reminded her of the fate God has for sinners, she’d stop being such a slut, but I was wrong. You’re still a slut, aren’t you, Amelia?”
Hound tensed, and anger flooded his eyes. “Morse… Levi has a friend who pulled your flight records. They know you were in Canada when Mila’s friend and client were murdered. It’s only a matter of time before we piece together the rest of the evidence and finger you for the murders. We’ve already called the cops. If you leave now, you have a chance of getting away before they arrive.”
I felt my pulse quicken. “Is that true, Toby? You killed Polly and Rishi?”
“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them,” he replied, quoting another fucking Bible verse and confirming my worst fear.
“Reprove?” I shouted as anger shot through me. “You murdered them in cold blood! That’s a bit more extreme than reproving them.”
“For you!” He shouted back. “Can’t you see that? I did it to save your soul. And how do you repay me? You come into my home and pleasure yourself to his pictures in my bathtub!”
Hound’s eyebrows rose. If I hadn’t been so afraid for my life, I would have been embarrassed.
“How could you possibly know that?” I asked. “Were you spying on me?”
“I monitor what happens inside my house. Speaking of which, I can’t believe that filth you were watching this afternoon. You have no shame whatsoever, do you? I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Apparently nobody knew who I was. “Why are you doing this? Why couldn’t you just leave me alone to live my life?”
“Because you’re my key. The way to get back in. ‘Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.’ Don’t you see? The reverend sent me to retrieve you so we can rejoin the flock together. But you didn’t hold up your end of the bargain. ‘Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.’’ You embraced evil, Amelia.”