Page 31 of Sardonic Burn

Hudson is silent as a red line forms on his cheek. Two seconds pass, and blood starts dripping. It’s not a major injury, but it’s bound to leave a scar. I aimed the sharpest part of the glass and made sure it would cut him deeply.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Noelle. Not now.”

His calm demeanor and flat voice are enough to have my heart nearly jump out of my chest. Goosebumps scratch my skinas I suck in a deep breath. His murderous intent is directed toward me, and, in this situation, I have no chance of winning.

I jump off the high stool and start running.

The sharpest objects are in my bedroom. He might’ve gotten rid of the knives and bullets, but there are quite a few things I can use. I only need to reach them.

His footsteps are close behind me, and dread fills me as I reach the stairs.

“There is no point in running, Noelle,” he chants.

Why can’t he be angry and scream at me? It’s less terrifying than this. Blood freezes in my veins, and I can feel my bones chilling. My entire body temperature drops low and as I grab the railing and put my right foot on the stair, I’m yanked back.

Within a second, my back collides with the harsh, wooden floor.

Pain explodes through my body, and my eyes snap shut. I start counting backward from ten, trying to ease the pain, but to no avail. If my back isn’t broken, it will be bruised for the next two years.

Hudson gets on top of me, and that’s the first thing I see when I open my eyes.

He grabs my hands and pins them above my head, holding me caged. I don’t have enough strength to shake him off myself, and the pain in my back only tells me to remain as I am until it stops.

But the pain doesn’t stop. In fact, it intensifies as time goes by.

I’m in the presence of the devil himself.

A sadistic grin tugs on the corner of Hudson’s mouth. His eyes are wide, pupils dilated to the point I can barely see the green of his irises. He brings his face an inch away from me, and I’m terrified.

The insanity, the pure need to see my blood, wins. The man in front of me is someone I don’t know.

“You really bring out the sadist in me, Noelle.” He laughs darkly. It’s deep, rich, and threatening. A little vow that promises he won’t stop until I’m broken entirely and at his mercy.

A shiny object flashes in the light. It’s dawn, and some rays of sunshine sneak their way through the thick, black curtains. It’s a pocketknife but not from my collection. It’s Hudson’s.

“What are you doing?” I breathe out, my teeth clattering together.

“Are you afraid?” He traces the tip of the knife along my jaw. He keeps the pressure hard enough to lightly scratch me but not to wound me. It’s nothing compared to the wound I inflicted on him.

By now, the blood has stopped dripping, and it’s nearly dry.

“Should I be afraid?”

“Yes, Noelle. You should be petrified. You woke the devil, and you should be prepared to deal with the consequences.”

I can’t breathe.

My throat closes, and I can’t force myself to swallow the knot that forms. Instead, my lips part, and I’m unable to move. All I can do is pray that he takes his revenge and makes it quick.

But the look of pure insanity tells me it will be anything but quick.

The blade reaches my cheek, mirroring the part of his face where the scar will be.

Hudson applies pressure, cutting into my flesh.

I can feel everything about the cold, sharp, metal tip of the pocketknife probing into my skin as he drags it to the side.It stings beyond my imagination, but I don’t allow myself to scream in pain.

I bite my bottom lip until I draw blood, tasting the metal in my mouth. My entire lip is covered in blood, and I don’t expect what happens next, not even in my wildest dreams.

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