Page 33 of Repossess My Heart

“I’m sure you can guess why I’m here, Rager. I wantTen. I want you to bring him to me. I know you’re butt buddies, sharing information and girls. I did my research. Don’t lie to me, Rager.”

What?

“I- I would’ve given you that without… this.” The man garbles out, devolving into tears and broken sobs.

Nine pats him on the top of his head, tousling his dark black shaggy hair like you’d do with a kid. “Yeah, I thought about that, but then you touchedherand that I didn’t fucking like.”

My heart thunders in my chest as I lower my hands, clasping them over it instead. A funny… fluttering feeling fills my gut as Nine looks over his shoulder at me, “Breathe sweetling, your heart is racing. We need that in good condition, yeah?”

I nod, letting my tongue dart out to wet my lips. “Can we go soon?”

“Just finishing up.” He coos before turning back to the man. “You heard my girl. She’s tired of this and honestly you’ve been pretty fucking boring. So, I’m going to lift the communication blocker and you are going to message your butt buddy. You’re going to tell him you need a meeting, you have information, a girl I don’t fucking care. Get him to your meeting spot tomorrow night.” Again, I look away from Rager, my eyes zeroing in on where his missing eyelid sits on the floor, already shriveling up like when your skin gets too wet for too long.

“Y-you need our meet up cord-“

“78 Ockling Bend, I hacked into your memory stores the second you opened the door.”

“Nine…” I whisper.

“Do it now!” he snaps, and the man is pulling up his com from shaking wrists. Nine watches him carefully, reading everything he’s doing in a way I can’t understand. Probably with tech I can’t even afford to be in the presence of. Nine makes an appreciative sound in the back of his throat before rolling his neck. The man’s mouth gapes the words coming out in a garble of vowels as Nine smiles down at him. Without warning, he punches, ramming his mechanical fist into Rager’s chest cavity. The sound of crunching bone and ripping flesh fills the room as Nine powers everything back on with a silent command. The light brightens a fraction, warm hues now mixed with the red and the walls no longer look like endless chasms. Again, the room is just a room, unmoved by the visceral it houses.

Unchanged.

Nine shakes his hand, splattering gore on the girls before heading towards me. I take a step back, but it doesn’t matter. My feet carry me away from him half as quickly as he advances, his flesh hand closes on my neck enlisting a strange sound from my throat, “You didn’t like my show?”

“You’re disgusting.” I whisper, his eyes burning as another smile graces his lips. This one is only slightly softer than the others.

“Perhaps.” He leans in, his lips brushing over mine, washing away the little disgust I’d managed to feel, “Did you enjoy the way those men looked at you on the stage? Huh sweetling? Did your little cunt weep for them, too?”

“I was helping you out while you were playing around with the blonde.” I snap, hating how ugly it feels. I glare past him at her breasts, her smooth skin that’s free from nasty scars. Her slim, toned figure.

My breath catches as he turns to look over his shoulder, following my line of sight. “Ah, I see… No worries, I can fix that.”

“Stop.”

“Stop what sweetling, you aren’t jealous are you?”

I scoff, turning away from him, but when his smile widens my heart flutters. Anger building despite it and he turns away too quickly. Turns towardsthem, looking at them in a way that makes my stomach bottom out again.

“I was jealous,” He murmurs, releasing me. Striding across the room to stand in front of one of the Enders, she’s already moaning in anticipation. Pressure builds behind my eyes. “The way you spoke to that bouncer… the way you… let those men watch you. I didn’t like it.”

He reaches out, gripping her face tightly, “Take it out on me mast-“ She doesn’t finish the sentence before he snaps her neck, making me flinch.

My legs move before I meant for them to as he reaches for another. My hands gripping on to him anywhere they can. “Stop Nine. They don’t deserve that!”

“Beg me sweetling. Beg me and apologize for fucking with my head. For making me want you so badly.”

“You’re insane…”

He purses his lips, using his free arm. The one I’m not clinging to grips the jaw of another woman. Her cry is half cut off as he wrenches it upward, snapping her neck just as quickly. He turns back to me, his eyes burning…

Angry.

“Nine for fuck's sake, stop it!”

“Pitching up your voice like that won’t fool me. You don’t feel shit, do you?”

I shake my head. “That’s not true.”

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