Page 185 of Bad for Me

A head of black curls lowers over the top of the screen, and two gray eyes blink at me upside down. A startled laugh pulls from me as I tilt my head to the side. “Hi, Eric.”

The screen spins again, making me dizzy, and Eric’s full face appears—the right way up this time. “Why would you even bother asking Trey when I’m the best?” he teases.

“Fuck off, you little asshole,” a deep voice shouts.

Eric carries us into the kitchen and plops the laptop on the counter. Trey, an older Black man with short hair and a trimmed beard, comes into view. He raises a coffee cup in my direction in lieu of a hello.

He doesn’t talk much, unless it’s to Rebecca.

“What can we do for you?” Eric asks.

“There’s this man?—”

Eric places his chin on his palm and waggles his brows. “A man, huh? Go on, tell me more.” A large hand appears out of nowhere and slaps the back of his head. “Ow. Don’t be jealous, Nate. You know I love you.”

I suck my lips into my mouth to keep from laughing. Nate is Eric’s husband and Tessa’s other husband. They’ve got a ménage thing going on. They bicker for a moment, and a familiar pang hits my chest. I rub it absently, feeling tendrils of jealousy rising.

They all had horrific childhoods like mine. Tessa and Rebecca suffered from repeated sexual abuse. They understand what it’s like to cower in fear and have a deep familiarity with terror. Yet the three of them have successful relationships. All three are married to men who adore them, who would kill for them or lay down their lives for them in a heartbeat. They’ve found happiness and love in a world filled with cruelty.

What would that be like? To find your perfect match, one who would burn the world for you? A lump forms in my throat as Nate ruffles Eric’s hair before moving away from the screen. Could I ever trust a man enough to give myself to them?

I force the sheen of tears to dissipate and clear my throat. Eric drops the goofy smile and straightens his shoulders. The one thing I love about all of them is that they have never looked at me with pity—even when they found me in the home, dressed in rags and covered in lice.

“So, this man,” Eric says. “Tell us about him.” He and Trey listen as I repeat the little I know about Sinister. While Eric’s face remains impassive, the more I go on, the more Trey scowls.

“He sounds dangerous,” Trey says after I’ve finished. “Why involve yourself in his affairs?”

“I just—” I sigh and run a hand through my hair. “I came back here after you guys rescued me because I need justice. Not just for me, but for my family too. For all the children caught up in their corrupted system. I have to do something; I can’t just stand back and let it continue.”

“But this Sinister guy sounds a bit like us,” Eric replies. “If the rumors are true about him, that is. It’s possible he’s simply a hitman for that O’Brien guy you mentioned, but it sounds like he might be on his own mission.”

“That’s what I want to find out. If he’s a serial killer with a torture kink?—”

“I resent that implication!” Tessa calls out from the living room, making me chuckle.

“I need to know,” I continue. “On the other hand, if he’s like me, it would be nice to know I have a possible ally if I needed one. Not sure how I’d make his acquaintance, but stranger things have happened. Like getting rescued by you guys.”

Eric sits back and folds his arms over his chest. “Alright. Trey and I will look into him. If he’s as secretive as you suggest, it might take us a couple of days.”

I offer him a smile. “Thank you both. I appreciate it.” Glancing again at the bright windows in the background, I ask, “Where are you, anyway?” They’re based in New York City, so it should be as dark there as it is here.

“Australia. We’re hunting down a large trafficking ring.”

“Don’t fuck with the kangaroos. I hear they have a nasty kick.”

Eric chuckles. “Cruz already had an encounter with one. Kangaroo: one, Cruz: zero.” I laugh, picturing Dutch’s husband fighting the marsupial. After we say our goodbyes, I shut down the encrypted connection and lean back against the scratched metal wall posing as a headboard.

Why did that body have to turn up so close to my warehouse? I’ve managed to ignore the whispers I’ve heard about The Carver for two whole years. Now, he’s all I can think about, especially after Eric’s comment about him “being like us.”

My stomach rumbles, reminding me I have eaten nothing since the small basket of fries at the bar. I slide off the mattress and check I have some money left in my pocket. I’ll get something to eat and maybe scout out the docklands. Perhaps I’ll find some information on Sinister on my own while I wait for Eric or Trey to get back to me.

5

SINISTER

I stridethrough Aidan O’Brien’s compound, sweeping my gaze over the marble floors and along the art-covered walls. People scramble out of my way when they notice the heavy scowl on my face, the terror in their eyes doing little to placate my inner monster. It’s the anniversary of Wren’s death, and every year, I go into the woods to remember her and search for her remains. She deserves a proper burial, even though I know the possibility of finding any trace of her after all this time is unlikely.

Having it interrupted by an urgent message from the IT department has turned my already sour mood into a homicidal one.

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