Page 101 of Descent

“Left or right, it’s a simple question.”

Lewis narrows his eyes at me before he says, “Left.”

I nod at that, promptly grabbing his right hand, forcing it to lay flat against the arm of the chair he’s in. Lowering my face to his, I smile in a way that I can tell turns his stomach.

“You’re not the stalker; for argument’s sake, let’s say I believe you. Now, tell me something that will interest me, or I’ll breakyour goddamn hand. You have a lot of bones. I can repeat this game as many times as it takes.”

“W-what do you want to know?” he stutters, as I lift the tenderizer and crush it against his hand.

He squeals like a pig, moaning and shouting in pain, as Asher and Ronan hold him in place.

“Left or right?” I ask again.

Lewis is too busy whimpering and crying to listen, so I give him a little reminder to pay attention. My fist drives into his temple, sending his head reeling as he blinks roughly.

“Left or right?” I prompt again.

He blinks hard as he attempts to look at me before he shakes his head. A squeak catches my attention, and I watch as several dozen rats scamper off into a dark corner. An idea springs to mind, and I quickly drop the tenderizer, leaping over to the rats and grabbing one. I hold it by the tail as I gesture towards Asher.

“Tie his arms to the chair. Then grab me the thick gloves, metal bowl and blow torch,” I rattle off.

Asher nods slowly but complies, tying up Lewis before fetching the items. The rat is going crazy in my hand, desperate for an escape. Soon, little guy. I can tell by the squeamish look on Ronan’s face that he knows what my next move is, but like the good little helper he is, he grips Lewis’s shirt, ripping it open to exposed his bare beer belly. Perfect.

I extend a hand for the bowl and Asher hands it to me before I set the rat down onto Lewis’s stomach, trapping it in place with the bowl.

“Ah! Fuck! Get this fucking thing off me!” Lewis snaps.

Shaking my head with that unhinged smile I’ve perfected, I extend one of my hands, keeping the bowl in place with the other, as I gesture for Asher to glove me. He does so wordlessly before doing the other hand as well. Finally, I’m handed the blow torch and I bring it to the bowl before I pause.

“Did you know that rats can chew and dig through almost anything, especially when their life depends on it? Wood, plastic, even steel pipes on occasion.”

Lewis squirms, his breathing labored and panting. My finger clicks the torch on as I slowly bring it to the bowl.

“I’d hate to see what this little guy is capable of chewing through when it gets a little too toasty in here.”

The tip of the flame just grazes the metal when he screeches.

“Ah! Okay, okay. Giselle w-was a good girl until she was betrothed to Parris. Then her and Putnam started spending a lot of time together as well. All three of them were together.”

I yank the flame away, looking at him curiously before I clock the confusion and shock on Ronan and Asher’s faces.

“What do you mean?” I ask with narrowed eyes.

“Like they both fucked her. Putnam wanted her, hated that Parris was promised to her. Even tried to get Luther to switch their brides.”

Ronan frowns at this. “Then what?”

“Then nothing,” Lewis continues. “The wedding eventually came. Giselle married Parris. Isabel married Putnam. That was it until Giselle died. Everyone was devastated when we got the news. Christopher went off the deep end, took off for Europe or something for half a year.”

Understanding passes on Ronan’s face, like a piece of a puzzle clicked into place. Being smart, he keeps his mouth shut as we continue to listen.

“Who else was obsessed with Giselle?” I ask, as my eyes move to Asher and Ronan before back down to Lewis.

“I told you! Everyone. She was fucking perfect. Apparently, her daughter carried on her allure from the looks of it,” he says, as he glances to all of us.

Ronan decks him, and I have to keep pressure on the bowl as he jerks in place.

“C’mon, Lewis. You’re a smart man. Think. Who could be stalking Skyla? Mistaking her for Giselle, obsessing over her all these years later.”

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