Page 46 of Slaughter

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“Good evening, sir.” Marvin greets me when I enter the front door to my mansion along with my brother.

“Evening, where is Bunny?” I cut to the chase, not caring to pull up the surveillance.

“Up in her room, sir. Been up there since she had her breakfast.” Nice to know she finally ate something.

I nod and place my hands in the pockets of my slacks.

“I’ll wait for you in your study,” Tristan announces.

I start climbing the stairs to the upper level. I kept watching her tracker on my phone, thinking she was gonna run. But she didn’t even try to get out of the house. Which was smart on her part because I had the alarm set. If any exterior door or window opens, my men and I would know that very second. But it also ate at me. Why wasn’t she trying to run? She fought my men too much the other day to just give up today. It didn’t make sense.

I enter her bedroom without knocking because I own this fucking house and she doesn’t need to allow me in. But don’t see her anywhere.

“Bunny?” I call out.

Nothing. My irritation of being ignored rises. When I call for her, I demand her presence.

I turn to see the bathroom door shut. I shove it open without a knock as well. I see her lying in the bathtub, facing away from me. Her neck resting on the edge, her head falling back and her long dark hair spilling onto the tiled floor.

Knowing she’s naked and not caring about her modesty, I walk over to her.

But my irritation quickly turns to fear when I see her hands lying on her thighs, palms up. Blood covers her arms, legs, chest, and stomach.

What the fuck?

“Bunny?” I demand, dropping to my knees beside the tub. I finally look at her face and see her eyes are closed, lips parted.

“Bunny?” I feel for a pulse on her neck; it’s rapid but weak.

Where is it all this blood coming from?

“Bunny! Goddammit!” I cup her cheek, and her blue eyes flutter open. Her pupils are dilated, and she looks around as if confused. “Bunny, what did you do?” I ask, unable to keep the fear out of my voice.

She opens her mouth to speak but nothing comes out. “Come on, Presleigh. Talk to me,” I demand, needing to know.

Her head falls to the side, and she closes her eyes.

Fuck!

I start calling out for Marvin. For anyone in the house to hear me. To help. I stand and place my arms underneath her, picking her up from the tub. She weighs nothing. Her body is cold and clammy. My chest tightens. I place her on the tiled floor just as Marvin comes running in, gasping at the scene before him.

“What the fuck ...?” Kayn barks, following him.

“Call Lance. Get him here. Now!” I snap. “What did you do, Bunny?”

She can’t die on me.

That’s not the plan.

I took her to protect her. Not kill her.

Eighteen years old

I sit in my parents’ game room, lounging in the same chair I always lie in. I have a beer in my right hand while my left runs through Bunny’s hair while she lies between my legs. Guys all around us talk as “Needles” by Seether blares through the speakers in the room. It’s well past three in the morning, and my eyes are starting to get heavy from the beers and the blunt I just finished.

“Avery? Wanna play another round of darts?” asks my friend Derek from over in the corner, yanking the darts from the dart board hanging on the wall.

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