Page 56 of My Demon Mate

“You were in town when Mitch was killed.” I sit back, swallowing roughly. Raven and I didn’t talk about that murder. With the news saying they didn’t have any leads, I thought we were in the clear.

I shake my head. “I didn’t kill Mitch.”

“But you had reason to. From what I hear, you got loud with him, quitting on the spot when he asked you to do your job. A witness said you didn’t like that and quit, causing a scene.”

“No. None of that happened.” He has to be lying. It was Mitch that caused a scene, getting loud and spitting on the door before I locked up. Drake is probably switching it around on purpose to get me to lose my temper and confess. That won’t work. “I quit, but I didn’t make a scene. Anyone there will tell you that.”

Sheriff Drake grunts, not caring what I have to say. He already has his mind made up about me, even if he has no proof.

“So,” he says, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands over his large belly, “you killed Mitch, and you killed your father.”

“I did not,” I whisper.

He continues talking as if I didn’t say anything. “Not only were you a shitty employee, not doing anything right for Mitch, you were a shitty son.”

“No,” I mutter, teeth clenched.

“You didn’t check on your dad after you roughed him up in the restaurant. Then you killed him.”

“No!” I stand up from the chair, breathing heavily. My balance is off with the cuffs on, but I maintain my footing. “I was a good employee, taking Mitch’s bullshit and abuse. And I was a great fucking son! I cleaned my father up when he threw up everywhere, I got him out of lock up when he got arrested for being drunk in public, and I was there for him even after he beat the shit out of me! He didn’t deserve my loyalty, but he got it! You will not stare in my face and tell me I was a bad son. He was a bad father. He terrorized me for years!”

I seethe. How dare Sheriff Drake talk to me this way when he saw the cuts and bruises I walked around with?

“You were a shitty fucking sheriff!” I’m not done with my tirade. Drake looks shocked that I’m standing up to him, but I don’t give a fuck. He needs to hear this, even if he doesn’t give a fuck. I need to get it out.

“Watch yourself, boy,” he grunts, leaning forward, getting in my face.

“Fuck you! You let him beat me. You saw what I was going through, and you didn’t do your job! You did nothing! You should hand over your badge. You don’t deserve it.”

A hard hand comes down on my face, and I stagger back and fall to the floor, my cuffed hands taking the brunt of the fall.

Sheriff Drake towers over me, face beet red with anger, his hand still raised. “Don’t you fucking talk to me like that! You should feel lucky you’re allowed around us regular folk with your perversion.”

I sit up, leaning against the wall. My face feels hot, throbbing in time with my heartbeat. I still don’t back down. “Fuck you,” I repeat, spitting at his feet. “You should be glad I didn’t file a fucking report against you. You’re the worst thing that happened to this town.”

Sheriff Drake pushes the table away, stalking over to me. I can’t put my arms up to block any blows since they’re cuffed behind my back. His foot comes down on my face, cracking across my cheek. I cry out, trying to roll away. The wall at my back prevents me from doing anything but taking the blows.

Another kick lands in my ribs, and I feel a crack. A strangled cry leaves my lips, and I curl in on myself “Fuck me? No, fuck you, boy!” Sheriff Drake roars. He bends down and grips the front of my shirt and punches me in the face. “Your daddy should have done more than slap you around a little.” He punches me again and my nose breaks, blood leaking down my face. I sob, hot tears leaking from my eyes. “Ain’t tough now, are ya? You’re just like a good little bitch, shutting your fucking mouth when you get a firm hand on you.”

The sheriff picks me up by my collar and tosses me across the room. I land heavily on my shoulder, feeling something tear. I wail, the pain unbearable. I push myself into the corner, trying to get away from Drake, who stomps over to me.

He presses his foot to my face, smashing my cheek into the floor. I can barely move, tears dripping and whimpers leaving my mouth. Before I can beg him to stop and let me go, the door flies open and his foot disappears in a flash.

“Jesus Christ, Sheriff! What the fuck did you do?” Officer Shade shouts. He pushes the sheriff back before coming over to me, his face drawn. He bends down, tipping my head up to check my injuries. “You’re okay, Everest. You’re good. Nothing happened, right? You came in here like this, right?” He tells me with his eyes to say yes, to agree so I can leave without more bruises.

I have no fight left in me. If I say no, that I’ll sue their asses, they may not let me out of this room alive. They could cover it up. No one knows I’m here, and no one is waiting for me at home.

Officer Shade is giving me an out, so I take it with both hands. “Nothing happened,” I mutter through swollen lips. “I came in like this.”

“Good,” Officer Shade mutters. He makes quick work of my cuffs, and I shout when my arm drops in front of me, pulling at my sore shoulder. “Get on out of here. I can only keep the sheriff off you for so long.”

As quickly as I can, I get to my feet. I look back at Sheriff Drake, who is shooting daggers at me, promising to finish the job. I’m lucky he doesn’t know where I live now. He would probably come put a bullet in my brain before Raven can get back.

Raven. He’s going to be pissed.

I smile, knowing that Raven will fuck Sheriff Drake up for this. We already planned to kill him, but it’ll be much worse when he gets a good look at me.

Stepping out of the police station, I shuffle onto the sidewalk, looking behind me to make sure I’m not being followed. When no one comes after me, I slide into an alley and take a shortcut to the library. That’s the only safe space I know of until I can find a way home. At least I can clean myself up before I order an Uber.

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