Page 77 of Hide Me Darling

Makai walks over, grinning. “How’d it go?”

“Pretty good,” I say, feeling exhausted but satisfied. “Thanks for the push, both of you.”

“Anytime,” Makai replies. “You did great.”

Telvin nods in agreement, stepping further away now that the training is over. “Keep coming to the sessions. You’ve got potential,” he says before turning to walk away.

As I gather my keys and phone, Eli walks over, giving me an approving nod. “Nice work out there,” he says. “You’ve got a good punch.”

“Thanks,” I reply, still catching my breath.

Eli looks around the gym, then back at me. “It’s late. Want me to walk you home?”

I appreciate the offer, but I shake my head. “Thanks, Eli, but I’ll be fine. I could use the walk to clear my head.”

He nods, though I can see a hint of concern in his eyes. “Alright, but be careful.”

I wave goodbye to Eli and the others as I walk out. The cool night air is a refreshing change from the heat of the gym, and I take a deep breath, savoring the freshness. The sky is dark, with only a few stars visible, and the street is quiet, adding a sense of calm to the night.

Starting the walk back to the house, my mind can’t help but replay the training session, feeling good about all of my work. Telvin’s words about control echo in my head.

I'm almost back to the house when something catches my attention.

Frowning, I look toward the house I'm passing. The blinds are open slightly, just enough to see inside. My heart skips a beat as I notice what looks like someone tied to a table, blood running in rivulets down pale skin. A knife is held above the bare chest, glinting in the dim light.

Adrenaline shoots through me, my heart racing inside my chest.

Sneaking quickly toward the window, I try to get a better look at what’s going on inside, but the angle is wrong, and I can’t see much more detail. I start creeping further around the house, trying to find a better vantage point. Just as I'm passing a door, a piercing scream shatters the silence. I decide not to wait for more detail and throw the door open, rushing forward.

I’m going to catch the killer red handed this time.

But the next sound has me stumbling over my own feet as the scene in front of me unfolds. It’s not the killer in action at all, unless you consider what the man is doing to that woman's pussy murder as she screams in ecstasy. A deep moan echoes around me and my mouth drops open.

Lily, the woman who serves me seafood lunches and ice cold lemonade, is strapped to a St Andrews cross, legs spread, and shallow cuts adorn her chest. Kneeling between said legs is the perfect face of the chef at the cafe where she works. I see the moment his tongue sticks out, pushing into her and her body arches in ecstasy.

I’m so caught up with what I’m witnessing that I don’t even realize there are more people in the room.

Another sound comes from behind me, drawing my attention in that direction. I regret it immediately, my hands coming up to cover my eyes when they connect with a sweet old man who is watching Lily and her chef as he pounds into none other than the woman I buy my groceries from.

Oh my god, I’m never going to be able to look at old lady Gladys the same. And like fuck am I waving at that old man ever again.

Something touches my arm and I startle almost violently, my hand striking out on instinct. The person side steps me, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. His muscular and tattooed bare chest is on display and his jeans are partially open, giving a clear view of the trail of hair leading down into them.

His light brown hair is disheveled and falling slightly into his green eyes. The smile he flashes is nothing but white teeth and charm. “How about we step out and give them some privacy?” he suggests, motioning toward the door I just barged through.

I turn in a daze and walk straight back out of the house as he follows, closing the door behind him. I take a moment, trying to process what I just witnessed. The scene was startling and entirely unexpected to say the least. It seems that Cain and Abel aren't the only ones with knife and blood kinks in this town.

As I turn, frowning, I meet his emerald green gaze again.

"I guess I should formally introduce myself. I'm Lachlan Hughes. Nice to finally meet you, Taylor," he says, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Didn't expect you to barge in like that. I take it you weren’t expecting the scene you walked in on?"

I finally find my voice, still reeling from what I saw. "No, I... I definitely wasn't." My words come out in a rush, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I thought... I thought I was interrupting something much worse."

Lachlan chuckles softly, his green eyes studying me. "Well, I suppose that depends on your perspective. I can see why you might have thought something bad was happening, but I can assure you everything in there is consensual."

I shake my head, trying to clear the image from my mind. There is no doubt in my mind that they were all consenting adults. "I should have just kept walking. I... I didn't mean to intrude like that."

He shrugs casually. "Don't worry about it. These things happen. I have an open door policy if you ever get curious." There's a casualness to his demeanor that contrasts sharply with my own embarrassment.

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