Page 30 of Peep

I knew this question was coming, and I’m prepared.

“It’s best if I show you…”

Chapter 14

Anders

Despite my clammy skin, I somehow slip back into my work clothes. Walking down the corridor to Jahmar’s apartment feels like heading to the gallows. What on earth could he have to show me? It better not be mutilated body parts; that’s a real boner killer.

He walks in front, sporting slutty swimming shorts and nothing else. Perfectly formed droplets of sweat trickle down his spine and over the planes of his broad back. I should probably be terrified for my life, instead I’m fantasising about lickingup every bead of sweat on his body. We’re probably made for each other. Pair of psychotic, perverted monsters—but he’smymonster.

I shake my head, hoping it will knock some sense into me. He’s not my anything until I know how truly twisted he is.

Jahmar lets us inside, and I awkwardly stand in the living room. He goes to the bedroom, returning with a towel and dabbing his moist skin before casually flopping onto the sofa like he’s not about to turn my world upside down.

I cautiously watch him, checking for any weapons he may be hiding. Just because we’ve had a fumble, and I’ve watched him get off more times than I can count, doesn’t mean he’s incapable of slicing me up.

Jahmar fumbles under the sofa, and my fists clench. I release a whoosh of air when he pulls out a laptop; that’s an odd place to put it, but not any stranger than everything else this man does.

“You can sit down, you know, I’m not gonna bite…well, unless you want me to.” He winks and shows me that sinister smile. A shiver hits me like a ghost walking through me. Probably one of his victims.

My throat suddenly feels dry. I move my tongue around my mouth, trying to form saliva. Sauna and fear are not a good combination if you’re trying to avoid dehydration.

“Sit,” he commands, tapping the space next to him. I stay glued to the spot, close enough to the door to make a dash for it if I need to.

He fires up the laptop, quickly punching at the keys so hard it’s the only sound reverberating through the apartment. After several minutes, he looks up. Without my knowledge, somehow, my feet have shuffled closer to him; I couldn’t stay away if I tried.

“Please, Anders,” Jahmar pleads, eyebrows drawn together like it pains him that I don’t trust him. How can I, though? Withall the cryptic lines he drops and the games he plays. My resolve finally snaps, and I find myself sitting next to him seconds later.

“Thank you.” He twists his head to smile at me, and it seems genuine, although a little uncertain.

He twists the laptop so I can see the screen and wiggles the mouse, making it light up. There’s an ominous landing page for a website calledRequital Clinic.Underneath the title is a slogan,serving justice with a slice.

Blood rushes in my ears, and my heart hammers against my chest. Releasing a shaky breath, my mind works overtime as I try to make sense of what he’s showing me. Jahmar’s eyes burn a hole into the side of my face.

I clear my throat, desperately trying to find my voice. It only comes out as a whisper. “Jahmar, what is this? Is this the dark web?”

Jahmar moves the mouse, clicking on the tab that says ‘requests’. He opens it and scrolls down a page or two, then clicks on one of the messages.

He stands up and goes to hand the laptop to me, but stops just shy of my hand. “What I’m about to show you isn’t going to be nice, but it’s some people’s reality. Maybe after you’ve read this, you’ll understand why I do what I do.”

I nod, making a barely audible hum.

“I’m going to my bedroom; when you’ve read through a couple of the requests, come find me. If you can’t handle this, I understand. You can just leave. I won’t force you to stay and accept the things I have to do. I’ll even remove that damn camera, and you can be done with me. Ok?”

“Ok,” I murmur, swallowing the lump in my throat.

Jahmar hands me the laptop and walks to the bedroom. Before he passes through the door, he looks over his shoulder at me with pleading eyes. “Anders?”

“Yes…”

“I really hope you stay.” His words claw at the pounding muscle in my chest.

My hand dances over the mouse for several moments, and then I drag it to a random request, clicking quickly before I change my mind.

I frantically scan the words once, twice, three times until they eventually sink in.

A brutal story from a young woman called Abby details the horrific sexual assault she endured at the hands of her older cousin. Her story is a violent one. He left her with a broken arm and internal injuries. When Abby told her parents she wanted to report it, they convinced her not to because of the shame it would bring the family. They told her they’d disown her if she reported it, so she kept quiet. Abby confesses she tried to kill herself because she couldn’t live with the trauma of the assault and the betrayal of her family. She was seventeen when the assault happened. She’s twenty-five now and left home, cutting ties with her family. However, her younger sister came to her recently, admitting that her cousin had tried the same thing with her, but she managed to escape.

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