Page 76 of The Amendment

“Don’t go to any trouble. Just keep an eye out for him. And talk to your daughter about Internet safety… Lots of freaks out there. You can never be too careful.”

“Thank you, Detective.” I shut the door behind her, watching through the glass as she made her way out to the unmarked car. My heart raced as I waited for her to leave, my breathing erratic and petrified. As the car finallypulled down the driveway and out of sight, I felt my pulse slow.

It was okay.

It was all okay.

At least that meant they were looking for him because someone had turned him in, not because they thought he’d been murdered.

Once again, it seemed we were going to get away with everything.

I turned back toward the kitchen, searching for something to make for dinner while I prepared myself for how I would bring this up to Peter.

It was amazing just how much you could hide behind the mask of a normal, boring life.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

PETER

She looked tired tonight.

She hadn’t been sleeping well, I knew.

“Hello, beautiful,” I said, kissing the top of her head. She glanced up at me, her dark hair falling into her eyes.

“Hey, handsome,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“You sound sleepy.”

“I wish you’d bring me to bed with you,” she cooed.

“I wish I could do that.”

She smiled, wiggling her shoulders playfully. As best she could, anyway. “You could, you know. You could take me inside right now. Have your way with me.” She winked.

“Don’t tempt me.”

“Come here.” She lifted her chin, beckoning me to her.

I stood, crossing the room and touching her chin. She no longer smelled like soap, but only of me. She was dressed in my clothes, her lips had been claimed by me. Her body. Her thoughts.

I was all she wanted.

All she could think of.

I pressed our mouths together, biting her lower lip until she cried out. The metallic tinge of blood rested on my tongue.

“Take me inside, Peter. Let’s go. Let’s be together.”

“You know I can’t, Joanna,” I told her, slipping the sleeve of my shirt from her shoulder. She had purple and green bruises from my last visit, and I placed my mouth in a clear space, biting down once more. When I was finished with her, her body would be a canvas of purples, greens, and yellows.

My little masterpiece.

“When will you let me out?” she whimpered.

Once so full of life, she’d become a shell of herself. It always happened that way. This was how it always went.

This room changed them.

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