Page 126 of Three for a Girl

He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly before opening his eyes and lowering his hands from his ear. Romeo’s eyes were wide, and his mouth hung limp at Marc’s revelation, but Chad turned his attention to Carter who lounged in his seat with a big grin on his face.

“That’s two killers that have messed with you and I’m the third. Together we’ve broken every part of you.”

“I’ve got numbers sliced into my flesh and an invisible one burned over my heart. I’ve been hurt, used, and shamed, and have been picked apart. None of you broke me, I was already broken.” Chad craned his neck and pulled his face into a snarl. “But I broke all of you. You all underestimated me. Romeo didn’t expect me to set that barn alight. Marc didn’t expect me to attack him in the bedroom, and you … you’ve underestimated the danger you’re in right now.”

“Danger … you’re no danger to me.” He shoved the hammer and laughed.

“No. I’m not, but he is.”

Chad looked to Romeo and Carter’s eyes followed. He sprung up from his chair, and it clattered on the ground.

“What the fuck…” he whipped his head back to Chad. “What the hell is going on?”

“That’s my boyfriend. The one who got a bit heavy handed with me, but what do you expect when he’s got a compulsion—an addiction, and he’s unable to satisfy it.”

“He’s dead—your dead.”

Romeo grunted, stepping forward. “I’m feeling pretty fucking alive right now. Furious, but alive.”

“What is it you want?” Carter said, backing away.

“Want?” Chad sighed. “I just want to be happy, and I can’t be unless my boyfriend is, too … all of him.”

Romeo approached, blocking Carter’s exit. He flicked his eyes at Chad, who nodded, giving him a weak smile. The pain to his chest had settled into pins and needles, and the hot tears escaping from his eyes were no longer from despair, but relief.

Romeo set his sights on Carter. “Why was the killer doctor so angry?”

Carter’s mouth bobbed open and closed. He looked at Chad, then at Romeo again.

“I—what’s happening here?”

Romeo scrunched up his face and tutted. “That’s not how jokes work…”

“I don’t know.” Chad said. His voice wavered, but when he looked at Romeo his strength returned. “Why was the killer doctor so angry?”

“Because he ran out of patients.”

When he got close enough, Chad noticed the moisture in his eyes, the sadness tugging at his brow. He hesitated by the desk twitching his fingers, half beckoning Chad to him, but Chad shook his head. This wasn’t time for Romeo and Chad, it was time for the detective and the monster.

“I’m okay,” he said. “But I’ll feel even better once he’s dead.”

Carter squeaked, pressing against the wall of the outhouse. “You want money?”

“We’ve got money.” Chad said.

“Anything you need, I’ll get it for you.”

“What we need is vermin to kill and you fit that perfectly.”

“No.” Carter spluttered, waving his hands in front of himself. “You don’t have to do this.”

“I know.” Chad snorted. “But I want him to.”

Romeo tilted his head towards Chad. “You gonna let me?”

“I’m letting you.”

“I want to hear you say it.”

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