Page 92 of The Huntress and Her Hound

He narrows. “You let someone else touch you though, didn’t you? How many others, hmm? How many have taken what’s mine?” He takes a threatening step forward, and Cash resounds with a warning bark.

“Put your dog outside in the backyard,” Dr. Nile glares at me, his eyes boring into mine.

I shake my head, defiance fueled by courage. “He doesn’t like the desert heat.” And he’s the only thing standing between us right now.

“If you want your brother to live, you better do as I say,” he snaps at me, his eyes darkening. “I’d hate to have to break my little girl’s heart...”

I freeze, connecting the dots between the phone and his ability to get in touch with me—and also... didn’t my brother have a meeting with the realtor? Could Nile have caught him off guard? My hesitancy is a mistake.

Nile laughs. “He’s upstairs. Currently alive...But I can change that before that dog can get me. Trust me.” I swallow hard, hung in the moment—and trying to imagine how fucking confused my brother must be. He grins savagely. “He knows now, little girl. He knows how dirty you really are—and how you’d moan for me to put my cum inside of you over and over. You always wanted me so much.”

Gaslighting me. He’s gaslighting me. I purse my lips. “I never asked for that.”

“Oh,” he gives me a sympathetic look, like I’m a pitiful child. “I think you’ve just forgotten how much you love me. Put your dog outside, sweetie, then come back here and let me touch you. I’ve already scheduled appointments to get that dirty ink off your skin.”

Something in me begins to quake with fury, and I almost just drop the leash. However, as I think about my brother, finally knowing—and thinking he failed me, I can’t let him die. I have to find a way to see him. I have to tell him that it wasn’t his fault. I guide Cash to the backdoor, and slide it open, forcing him out and shutting it. My Doberman loses his mind then, barking and throwing himself at the glass.

But I ignore it, turning to the monster. “I need to see my brother now.”

“By all means,” Nile gestures for me to step in front of him. “And you’ll have to mind the mess there on the couch. She just got in the way. But she did her job.”

“How did you get my number?” I ask, eyeing him as I approach. I keep the coffee table between us as I head for the stairs. He reaches out, licking his lips, but I avoid his touch by mere inches—and then break into a sprint.

He sighs from behind me. “Well, your brother was here, and he was stupid enough to give it to the realtor. He wanted to surprise you, but I’m the one who owns the house now, little girl. I can’t wait to make this home ours. The things we can do...”

I hate the image but force myself to stay quiet as I thunder up the stairs. I feel Nile behind me, like a wolf hunting its prey.

I’m not the prey though.

I’m the huntress.

But my thoughts feel weak as I reach the hallway, and then stop to listen. There’s nothing but silence. I swallow hard, wondering what that means for Henry. I spin around to face Nile.

“Where is he?” I demand, my heart exploding in my temple. I feel...duped. But how else would he have gotten my number?

“Maybe you should just look?” he taunts me, showing his pearly whites. “I love a good game of hide ‘n seek. Remember when we used to play? Oh fuck.” He groans, and then pulls his dick from his pants, beginning to stroke it.

A sick feeling washes over me but I ignore him, rushing to the first door, and pushing it open to the office. The room is empty. That leaves the master bedroom and bathroom—the same place Jude sat me on his fucking face. A strong longing for him washes over me, even amidst the panic. However, as I enter the empty master bedroom, and peer into the empty bathroom and closet, I realize just how big of a mistake I made. I shut my eyes.

My brother isn’t here. He just outwitted me.

“Gotcha,” Nile cackles, slamming the master bedroom and clicking the lock into place. “You’re so gullible, little girl. You always have been.”

“Fuck off,” I spin around, anger and fear mixing together to make me nauseous. “You’re an asshole.”

He continues his eerie laughter. “What did you think? You think I would do that? It would break your little heart if I hurt him. I’d never do that to you, baby girl. I’d never break that precious heart of yours.” He takes a step toward me, and I take a step back.

“You’re a sick bastard,” I spit at him. “I’m going to have fun shooting your fucking nuts off.” I unzip my purse to go for my gun, not even bothering with the taser. But as my hand lands on the cool metal of my .380, Nile’s hand is on my wrist.

I scream, his touch ice to my skin. “Get the fuck off me.”

“Easy, little girl,” his voice is so fucking soft, and my skin crawls, like a thousand spiders have been dumped on my body. “Be a good girl for me. Remember all the beautiful videos we made? I sent them to your boyfriend.” His eyes lock onto mine, and I feel pulled in, my memories threatening to drag me straight to hell. “I can send them to your brother, too? Do you want that?”

My heart stumbles, and the trick that he used to control me for all that span doesn’t work this time. It does nothing.

Cash’s bark permeates the silence settling between us, and it works as a nudge. I struggle against Nile, fumbling the gun out of my purse.

He growls at me. “You don’t want to make that mistake. You might be a cowardice killer, but you’re not brave enough to take me. I’m your daddy, your lover, and your master,” he coos, his body weight throwing us both to the floor. I kick my feet, and he grunts.

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