Page 10 of The Villain

“Yeah?” I impatiently push.

“This is top secret Shade. Can I trust you?”

That’s code for I’m about to hear something fucked up. Considering how many secrets I’ve trusted her with you would think she wouldn’t have to ask.

“Of course,” I scoff. I’m pissed that this woman’s secrets are so hard core mine don’t rate.

“She would have killed them all.”

She says it seriously and quietly like she doesn’t want anyone else to hear.

“Really.” I deadpan back. I can’t see that woman killing anyone. Unless glares count. I wonder what color her eyes are.

“Yeah, really.” She stays serious and I struggle not to laugh. She has to be joking. “I have her on bans for a reason, Shade.”

“Bans?” My voice wavers as the struggle continues.

“No killing. No breaking bones. No kidnapping. No hitting.”

“If she’s obeying these idiotic bans, why were you worried?” I mock her with a roll of my eyes. She’s so god damn dramatic and I love it.

“Because my influence over her only goes so far. That would have surpassed her limits big time. I’m hers and she won’t tolerate anyone hurting me. Nothing would have stopped her. Jail time is a threat to her because it would upset me if she got arrested. If you ever approach her don’t bring any of this up, or my disappearing act. I explained what happened without names so she wouldn’t fixate but she’s still upset with me over it.”

My brow furrows, my humor wiping away. Tera has a few screws loose, I’ll admit. But it isn’t like her to go this far off the deep end with it. What she’s describing is a psychopath that she’s been handling for years.

What am I thinking? She handles me daily. A psycho wouldn’t be a stretch.

“Is she an assassin?” I make the words flippant but Tera will know what I mean.

“Oh, gosh no. I couldn’t let her do that! She has to be as normal as I can get her. No jail time.”

“I’m not normal?” I grit out. I tell the woman some of my darkest secrets, things that could get me killed if she spills it, and she acts like I’m a burger flipper at a dive bar.

“I love you just as you are,” Tera says firmly. “You chose this life, and it’s no big deal. South, well. She became this and there’s no going back for her.”

“How did she become this mysterious monster,” I scoff.

I became one through watching my mother suffer at the hands of two men hell bent on forcing themselves on her. While I got thrown into a wall and knocked unconscious. I woke up to tragedy and it warped me forever. I never told Tera the details but she got the gist of it.

When Tera gets quiet I feel a shiver of unease roll down my spine. For fuck’s sake the woman wouldn’t weigh a hundred fifty soaking wet, no matter how tall she is. And her following skills are abysmal. She looks way too fragile.

I know what turns people into monsters. Picturing something like that happening to her makes my gut hurt.

“Don’t ever ask me that again.”

Tera’s flat tone surprises me and I blink at the beeps signaling she hung up on me.

Shit. What I’m picturing might not be far from the truth.

I stare straight ahead, trying not to let my imagination take over. I’ve seen enough that I can picture too many details for my sanity to stay on an even keel.

04. Feel the Same

South

The game continues.

I wonder what I need to do to win this? If he breaks the no contact ban I’m in the clear. He hasn’t made any move to do so.

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