Page 83 of Savage Seduction

“Maybe you’re right,” I have to admit. “If I were you, I’d have all the hospitals and clinics on alert for someone coming in for injuries. The amount of blood in here is incredible.”

“Agent Wolf,” a uniform cop says as he steps into the apartment. “We’ve found a body.”

“Stay here,” Bretton says to me. “I don’t need you contaminating anything.” He hurries out of the apartment and disappears.

I have no intention of following. I'm exhausted and content to sit on my ass and love on my cat. My hero cat, to be more specific. Lost to time, I zone out for however long, until Bretton comes back.

“Max,” he says. “The body isn’t Viktor’s, but you and I both suspected as much.”

I nod.

“Although, it looks like Viktor claimed another victim; one of his followers from the cult.”

I sit straight up on the sofa. “He killed one of his own guys. Are you sure?”

Bretton pulls out his cell phone and shows me a picture of the body. Carved on the man’s forehead was an ankh. His throat had also been slit, clear to the vertebrae “The anger and savagery that it takes to slice a neck up like this with one stroke…” His voice trails off.

“He’s escalating and preparing for me,” I say. “Isn’t he?”

Bretton nods but offers no words of encouragement. What was there to say? It is what it is, I think. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let him take me out like that.

My chest feels heavy, and I sit back into the sofa, wanting to fight, but struggling to even stay awake.

“I don’t want to live like this anymore,” I say. “I can’t look over my shoulder in sheer terror every time I hear a noise.”

Bretton puts his hand on my knee and squeezes it. “I’ll give you tonight to deal with your feelings, but don’t make me come over here and beat your ass.”

I smile. “Some friend you are.”

“If I wasn’t your friend, I wouldn’t give a shit and I wouldn’t have rushed over here to make sure you were okay before the cops got here.” He meets my eyes. “We are going to get this sonofabitch. Trust me on that.”

I nod and fight back the rising tears. Bretton’s certainty gives me the hope I need to push through. “Thank you,” I say.

“Sure thing,” he slaps his leg and stands. “Are you going to be okay tonight? Do you have a place to stay? You can stay at my place, but you’d have to stay on the couch. I don’t have an extra bed.”

“For sure, I’ll be fine,” I say. “I’ve also got a few people I can stay with if need be.” I look around the apartment. “I’d better figure it out soon… there’s no way in hell I’m staying here until the locks get fixed.”

“Good idea,” he says as he walks to the door. “Be safe.”

“Definitely.”

“Promise me something.”

“Anything,” I say.

“Don’t give up hope.”

I nod and wave as he walks out of the apartment. I look down at Chubs who is content in my arms. “You’re coming with me. Your auntie London will be super excited to see you.”

Chubs moans and swishes his tail. “I know I’m full of shit,” I say and laugh.

I grab the few things I would need for the next couple of days and shove them into a duffle bag and hurryout the door. It’s getting super late, and I don’t want to wake Nana when I ring the doorbell.

It doesn’t take long to reach London’s house, but the lights are already off. I look down at Chubs in the seat next to me. “I don’t have a lot of options, buddy.” I grab him up in my arms and hurry to the front door and ring the bell.

I wait a few minutes until the porch light flicks on above me.

“Max, what are you doing here?” London asks, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “What time is it?”

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