He touches my knee and squeezes. “It’s lovely to meet you, Chloe, I’m Christopher. How old are you exactly? I don’t mean to pry. It’s just that you said your boyfriend tried to pressure you into doing…things.” His voice gets raspy as he says the last word, and he looks at my thighs.
Putting on my best coy act, I shift on the seat so my legs part and Christopher can see I’m not wearing any panties. At the same time, the shadow in the hall draws closer. Its energy takes up the entire room, and like a thunderstorm rolling in, I can feel it in my bones.
“I’m old enough to know how much of a creepy bastard you are.”
Taken aback, Christopher lets go of my leg.
The shadow engulfs us both, and I smile at its comforting darkness.
“What are you smiling—” Christopher stops short as I throw the tea in his face.
Before his screams alert the neighbors, the shadow stuffs a cloth into Christopher’s mouth and wraps tape around his head to secure it in place.
Christopher claws at it and ends up scratching the raw, scalded skin on his face, making him cry harder.
A sharp punch from the shadow to the side of Christopher’s head has him falling limply onto the carpet.
Hopping to my feet, I open my arms for my shadow. He comes to me, stepping into my embrace and giving me a proud, wicked smile that makes my stomach flutter.
“Good job, little sinner.”
Chapter 20
Zack
I’m finally here.
The last three years have all been building to this very moment.
In the basement, Christopher is gagged and unconscious, strapped to the bed with the restraints that were already there. Looming over him, I let my hatred seep out of my every pore, my every breath.
His face is blistered from my little sinner’s vicious attack with the tea he intended to knock her out with.
I watched from the hall as he tipped the powder into the cup, a disgusting eager smile on his face as he stirred it in.
Behind me, Chloe is searching the various boxes and shelves with a new wild energy to her. I come up behind her, and grab her waist, resting my chin on the top of her head. “What are you looking for, darlin’?”
“More tapes.” She turns in my arms, a melancholic look in her eyes. “Zack, baby. Christopher knew Father Daniels.”
“I know. I heard the two ofyou talking.”
“Oh. You’ve not said anything about it. Why not?” She sounds hurt.
“You told me you didn’t want to go back there. I’m respecting that. Have you changed your mind? Because if you have, I’ll?—”
She places her hand on my chest. “No. I want to keep moving forward with you. But there must be something here connecting it all. Another tape maybe? There could be someone I recognize on it. We could take it to the police.”
“You think they’ll help?”
“They might if I’m the one to hand it in.”
“No!” I place my hand over her mouth, stopping her from saying anything more. “You’ve killed people, Chloe, you can’t risk getting caught.”
“But, the other girls—” she mumbles through my grip.
“I don’t give a shit about the other girls. All I care about is you. Little sinner, I’m killing Christopher, then I’m giving you my future.”
She nods and leans against me, burying her face into my neck.
