Conflict

by M. S. Willis

  David had a mischievous look on his face when he responded. “Because it was more fun stealing hers. Drove the crotchety, old broad nuts. I had to find some way to entertain myself while I was locked up in this place.”

  Laughter bellowed out from Daemon and I froze in amazement from the absurdity of this conversation. Eventually my laughter joined Daemon’s and we didn’t stop until we reached the garage parking area.

  I had my David back. My excitement was evident by the shit eating grin I had as we packed ourselves into Daemon’s truck. Finally, we could sit around, drinking coffee, and gossip about the drama in our lives like old times. Talking to David was like therapy for me and I’d missed having my friend all to myself over these past weeks. I also would not miss the antiseptic smell that seemed to permeate the walls of that hospital.

  Once we were on the road, heading in the direction of the apartment, I turned in my seat to look back at David. “Are you going to be okay going back to the apartment to get your things? I haven’t had a chance to clean it up yet, but they did remove the…soiled…parts of the carpets…” My complex was decent enough to have a professional service come in to remove the blood stained portions of the carpet in our apartment. When Daemon and I had returned to gather my things, the stains still dotted the floors. My face must have given away my discomfort with those stains because Daemon immediately called the front office and asked that those areas be removed. I knew David hadn’t returned to the scene of that horrific night since it happened and I imagined he felt as anxious as I did when I was first released from the hospital.

  David waved off my concern. “I’m not worried about it, Paige. Bad things happen all the time and it’s not the fault of the location where those things occur. The only blame that can be placed is on that psychotic fiend. As long as he’s not there, I’m good to go.”

  We rode in comfortable silence as we continued our trek across town. My eyes scanned the people hustling along the sidewalks in their business suits and uncomfortable shoes when David finally broke the silence.

  “So…” I could hear the rustling behind me as he shifted around in the back seat. His head suddenly popped up between our seats as he inched closer to continue his statement.

  “Now that we are all ‘roomies’, I guess we will need to discuss any house rules that need to be established.” I groaned slightly and peeked toward him out of the corner of my eye.

  “The first thing we should discuss is boundaries. Now that you two have progressed past your silly little platonic status, and now that I have Matt, are there any areas off limits for clothing optional encounters, or maybe areas that I should avoid all together?”

  Daemon’s mouth quirked into a sideways grin and the appearance of one of those dimples caused my heart rate to increase.

  “Well, you may want to avoid the kitchen island until I’ve had a chance to clean it. I believe I may have been a little sloppy eating my breakfast this morning.” He shoulders slightly shook from his amusement.

  My jaw dropped at Daemon’s confession and David’s eyes widened in realization of what he had just been told.

  “Paige, you little vixen! Kitchen islands?! Oh sweetie, I’m so happy that you are broadening your horizons.” David flew back to sit properly in his seat and before long I heard the little clickety-clack of the keyboard on his phone.

  I turned in my seat with a questioning look. “Who are you texting, David?”

  David maintained an innocent look as he shrugged his shoulder. “I just remembered I was supposed to text Matt when I got out of the hospital.”

  I turned back in my seat and within seconds, my phone chirped. Digging through my bag, I finally located the small device and pulled it out to check it.

  David: OMG!!!!!!!! They do it in the kitchen!! I might get to witness Man God in action! You should hang around as often as possible. This is going to be epic!

  My brows furrowed as I read the text that apparently was not meant for me. I turned slowly to look back at David and he smiled slightly while I glared. “Did you, perhaps, punch in the wrong number, David? Maybe you should try that again.” My eyebrow arched.

  His mouth formed a little “o” as he snatched up his phone to check his last text. Once he discovered his error he let out a small giggle and placed his phone back in his lap. “Ooops. My mistake.”

  I shot him a pointed look and then turned back around in my seat.

  ~

  We stood at the base of the stairs, glancing up at the three flights of pure torture that we had to climb to reach my apartment. I mused over how unfair it was that Daemon’s building got an elevator while we had to schlep it up on foot. I thought about whether I would consider moving in with Daemon permanently just to have access to the elevator, but quickly dismissed that idea in favor of my freedom. Daemon had a tendency to become forceful in his demands that I be safe and cautious and I enjoyed the idea of eventually having a place where I could go escape his ridiculous anxieties. Just because I was a woman, didn’t mean I couldn’t take care of myself. Sure, Chris gained the upper hand on that last encounter, but I’d be ready if someone tried that again. Plus, I’d had my roommates to worry about. It wasn’t ‘every man for himself’. If it had been, I’m positive the results would have been substantially different.

  We dragged ourselves up the stairs and I unlocked the door while turning back to David. “We had to change the locks. Don’t let me forget to give you a new key when we come back.”

  David nodded and I could see the apprehension in his expression. My poor David was trying to be brave by going back in the apartment, but inside I knew he was tied up in knots. I couldn’t blame him, I had experienced the same feelings when I first had to walk back through this door. My mind flashed to Annie and I was instantly saddened that our other roommate wasn’t able to be here with us. I made a decision to visit Annie as soon as I got the chance.

  I huffed out a breath of air and swung the door open. Everything was as we had left it. There was still broken glass spread around the floors and the furniture lay haphazard and destroyed in the living room. Shards of wood were littered in the front entryway from where Daemon and Logan had broken down the door. This place desperately needed to be cleaned and I decided to ask Daemon to bring me back here within the next couple of days so I could do so.

  My feet slowly carried me in and David stayed close behind me. His eyes were wide as he took in his surroundings and I worried that he was remembering the events of that night. He must be in agony recalling what had been done to Annie and I was shamefully thankful I had been spared the full brunt of what he had seen. The burden on my shoulders was already too heavy to carry and I had only witnessed their bodies as they lay helpless throughout the apartment.

  My arm went around David’s shoulder and I held him to me in a sympathetic embrace. Appearing to have regained his resolve, he straightened his shoulders and began walking back towards his bedroom. I followed after him and I was grateful that the door to Annie’s room was closed. We entered David’s bedroom and, luckily, his things were orderly and neat. The fight had never reached this room and everything appeared as David had left it. He immediately crossed the room to throw open his closet doors and retrieve a duffle bag. Ripping clothes from their hangers, he was sloppy as he threw them into his bag. From his lack of care with his clothes, I knew David was bad off emotionally. I felt awkward standing uselessly behind him so I turned to go get some more clothes from my room.

  My door was shut and I reached for the handle to let myself in. I hesitated momentarily due to my sudden recollection of what had happened in this room. Briefly, I pondered over the idea that none of us would ever really get over what happened that night. Even though I hated the idea of being chased out of my home by a monster, I decided it would be wise to seek out a new apartment for us. David and I would have to make the tough decision of whether we should get a two bedroom, or split the cost of Annie’s share for a three bedroom in hopes that she would eventually co
me home.

  I shook myself free of those thoughts and pushed the door open. My head was hung low as I entered the room and when I looked up, my entire body froze. Over a hundred pictures were scattered on my bed and I was stunned speechless to realize someone had been in my room. After freeing myself of my initial shock, I raced over to the bed. My hand shot to my mouth as tears burst from my eyes. A veritable collage of vicious and sadistic acts was laid out like a buffet before me and pure evil now existed where there had once been only sheets and a mattress. Horrifying images of Annie being raped and beaten were laid out carefully; each picture worse than the other. Every detail of what Chris had done to her; every single demented and depraved act was displayed in the photos and I cried as my eyes scanned the images. The cruelty of Chris’ actions were now known to me and I slammed my eyes closed to keep from looking at them.

  Oh god, Annie, I’m so sorry.

  I should have been here that night. I was the target and because I was too busy spying on Daemon, my roommate took the punishment that Chris had envisioned for me. She was an innocent victim in a crime full of evil and malice; used like a whipping-boy and tossed aside when the intended prey finally came traipsing through the front door. Rage started to boil within my veins and I forced my eyes back open to once again look at the images. I stood there and analyzed each one, every little detail. It was obvious that Chris had placed the camera on an automatic timer and set it up somewhere to capture his actions. Intense anger built within me at each new picture I studied and I was drunk off the fire being stoked. I memorized each photo. Chris beating Annie with his fist. Chris violating Annie with his body. Annie positioned, much like I had been, with her face pressed down into the mattress. Annie’s face streaked with tears and blood, one eye already swelling shut from the beating she had taken.

  But those weren’t the worst of it.

  It was when I reached the pictures of her unconscious body being violated by foreign objects, being sliced open with a razor from our bathroom, and Annie being propped up in her bed, posed with her childhood stuffed animals, that I truly felt righteous vengeance build within me. Those were the images that built within me the strength and resolve to finally find that sick fuck and bring him to justice. It wasn’t going to be easy to get around Daemon, but I was going to find Chris. He was nothing more than damaged goods; a warped human shell, still functioning despite having rotted within. He needed to be behind bars; it would fix everything if he were behind bars. I would avenge Annie and I could finally get back to moving on with my life. My decision had been made and I developed renewed energy as a result.

  I didn’t hear Daemon when he came in my room, but the bumps running up my arm were enough to tell me he was near. I spun on my heel to find him looking down at the pictures. A blank expression was written across his face except for the ticking of his jaw. His eyes scanned from left to right and his body grew more rigid with each image he studied.

  His eyes remained trained on the photographs as he spoke. “You need to call Detective Troy, Paige. You need to call her right now.” He never looked at me and his voice was authoritative; almost businesslike in its lack of flexibility. Daemon’s anger was palpable and I swore I could feel a slight charge to the air that surrounded him. He intended for me to do exactly as he said, and expected nothing less.

  “I’ll call the Detective, Daemon. But I’m not waiting around for them to find Chris. It’s been almost five weeks and they haven’t found that bastard. I’ll look for him too. I’m an investigator, I can…”

  “THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY YOU ARE GOING ANYWHERE NEAR THAT PERVERTED MANIAC, PAIGE!!”

  Daemon’s expression was harsh and his eyes burned with undiluted fury. My body stilled at his booming voice and I was slightly angered that he thought he could order me around.

  My arms crossed over my chest and I caught his eyes with my own. “What the fuck ever, Daemon. You seem to have forgotten, I’m not actually yours to order around. I’m staying with you because my apartment isn’t safe, but that does NOT give you the right to tell me what to do. I will make my own decisions when it comes to this situation.”

  His face turned a slight shade of red as I continued, “You said you would make suggestions, but the final decision is mine. Well, I’m calling this one, Daemon, regardless of you being against my decision.”

  We silently stared each other down like two western gunman at high noon. Imaginary tumbleweed blew through the room as an odd little trill sounded in my head. Daemon stood in an offensive stance and I matched his posture in return. His eyes searched mine for what felt like hours before he finally spoke. “That’s fine, Paige. You can make whatever decision you wish.” He angled his head and he slowly stalked toward me. “However, I also get to make a decision.” His voice was stoic, yet menacing, and the deep timbre added a lethal edge to his words. “No matter what you fucking decide…I will lock you away and keep you from doing anything stupid. I will stop at nothing to keep you safe and to keep you alive. That, Paige, is MY decision.”

  My heart felt like it was about to come through my chest.

  He wouldn’t lock me away; he couldn’t. I tried to convince myself that Daemon had no intention of actually following through with that threat, but still, there was something about him that told me he wasn’t joking. I decided to challenge his statement. “You wouldn’t actually lock me away, Daemon. The word for that is ‘kidnapping’.”

  Daemon’s voice still had that menacing edge when he responded, “Wouldn’t I?”

  We were at a stalemate. My mind raced with the idea that Daemon would do whatever it took to keep me from going after Chris. Unfortunately for him, I had no choice but to hunt that sick bastard down. I couldn’t continue to wait around for someone else to solve this problem for me. My present position was between a rock and a hard Daemon and I had to come up with some way to assert my autonomy while not stepping on the toes of the man who wanted nothing more but to keep me safe. I wanted to be angry, to stubbornly demand my bike and my freedom; but I couldn’t. How can you be angry with someone who cares enough to commit a felony just to make sure you don’t get hurt? I had no doubts that Daemon would follow through with his threat. That left me with only one option; I had to find a way to go after Chris without letting Daemon know what I was doing. This argument between Daemon and I could not continue because there would be no way that he would let me out of his sight if it did. I had to make him believe I was agreeing to his demands. If I let it blow over long enough, he would drop his guard, and I would find a way to follow through with my intentions. Fortunately for me, being stubborn is not my only talent. I also had a healthy dose of sneaky and underhanded and I determined that those attributes were just what I needed to fix this situation.

  I let out a sigh and my voice was resigned when I finally spoke again. “You’re right. I’m calling Detective Troy.”

  Daemon’s eyebrow arched at my quick admission of defeat. He knew me better than that and he had been prepared for the fight I was about to put up. It would take time to finally pull this mission off, but considering I was presently restricted from everything in my life, time was all I had.

  Grasping my phone in my hand I headed in the direction of my bathroom to make the call. Once again I was stopped in my tracks when I saw what Chris had left me in there. A message was written in lipstick on the bathroom mirror.

  Miss me whore? You can’t hide forever…

  My rage boiled through me again for two reasons. Number one, Chris obviously thought he had the upper hand and number two, he ruined my favorite tube of lipstick.

  Daemon followed me into the bathroom and his body tensed when he saw the writing on the mirror. His anger was obvious; but it had turned to a cold anger. His was the calculated type of anger, rife with determination of an end result, but not driven by superfluous emotion. Daemon was dangerous at this moment and even I would be nervous to piss him off.

  My phone came to my ear. “Detective Troy? This is Paige Stone.
We have a problem.”

  Chapter Seven

  The police showed up within fifteen minutes of my call, followed by a forensics team and my favorite little she-demon, Detective Troy. As usual, she was dressed prim and professional in a slate grey pantsuit with a demure blue top. Her hair was well managed and she wore just a hint of makeup. From the moment she walked into the apartment, she took control of the scene and I enjoyed watching everyone run when she gave the instructions. Even Daemon was a bit tamer in her presence and I observed closely at how she commanded the room.

  While Daemon and I had been in the bathroom, David had walked into my room in search of me. We found him standing by the bed looking at the photos of Annie. Tears stained his face and his shoulders were slumped over as if he held the weight of the world upon them. I immediately took him by the arms when I found him and I led him out of my room into his. He remained there as the police documented and cataloged the evidence spread throughout my bedroom. A search was made of Annie’s room as well, but it appeared that nothing had been moved since the cleaning crews had cleared it.

  Once Detective Troy was satisfied that every man had his duty, she turned to me. “Good evening, Ms. Stone. I hate that we have to meet once again under these circumstances.” Her expression remained businesslike and sedate. It was impressive how well she was able to control her tone, expressions and body language given the present circumstances. I’m not sure I could do her job without losing it.

  She turned to Daemon to exchange a greeting with him and then immediately back to me. “Ms. Stone, how long have you and your friends been away from the apartment? Have you returned since gathering your things?”

  I shook my head in response and she continued. “Given that you were released approximately four weeks ago, Mr. Baxter has had plenty of time to set up his little…display. Has a method of entry been discovered?”