Page 65 of What I've Tasted of Desire

No.

NO.

Lying in the center of the table was a pink dog collar with splotches of red blood across the band and a scuffed-up silver tag that readRoxy.

“That was Tom!” I screamed, heedless of the noise. “Tom killed the dog. I was with Alex all night! I was there, curled up around him! I wouldn’t do that! Never!I was with Alex all fucking night.”

Were you?

The voice in my head left the sentence hanging deliberately. I sucked a ragged breath, feeling like I was paralyzed. Every plan I had made. Every move I needed to put in place. It had all flown out of my head. I was stuck in the moment, alone with my evil thoughts.

It’s time to go,the voice insisted.

“No!” I collapsed to my knees as I began to sob. I buried my face in my hands and wailed as jagged flashes of coaxing the dog out of the neighbor's backyard danced across my fractured memory.

“I didn’t mean to do that. I can’t do this anymore.”

We did what had to be done to protect Alex. It’s time to finish the job. Now, Gabe. Right now.

***

It was a one-hour drive from my house to the Camdens. I’d left Alex nearly 45 minutes ago, and my anxiety grew with every second I was away from him. I was going to head straight for Tom’s and get in there and get his girlfriend under control. Once he bonded out, he’d come home to her and I’d overpower him when he came through the door.

He’s going to go straight to Alex, not the pregnant beard,my head whispered.

“Fuck!”

I cut across two lanes of traffic and held my middle finger up as some asshole honked their horn. No one was coming, so I ran the red and continued barrelling towards Westing House as thoughts of Tom sneaking into the house while Alex was passed out consumed me.

What will Tom do to Alex while he’s asleep? You drugged him, and now he can’t defend himself!

I pushed down harder on the gas pedal and the engine roared as the needle on the dash passed 80.

He’s probably already there, running his disgusting mouth all over Alex’s skin! He’ll take him away! He’ll take him away from you…

My tires squealed as I slammed on my brakes and then swerved to avoid a slow-moving sedan to catch the light. Six more blocks…

“I’m coming, Alex!”

I tilted my head to the side and wiped the sweat pooling on my brow onto the sleeve of my jacket.

My tires slid to a stop, throwing chunks of dirt and gravel into the air as I sped over the front lawn and slammed to a stop just before the bumper collided with the stoop.

I jumped out of the car, grunted as my shoulder collided with the locked front door. I mumbled a curse under my breath, pulled Alex’s keys out of my pocket, and unlocked the bolt. Walking into the foyer, everything was quiet, so I bolted up the staircase two-by-two and flung Alex’s bedroom door open.

I sighed in relief and said a silentthank youto the heavens as the sight of Alex’s sleeping body filled my vision.

“Oh my god, I was so worried.”

I took a slow seat at the edge of the bed and peeled one of my leather gloves off to brush my fingers through his hair.

“I’m gonna make everything better for us, sweetheart. You’ll see. I just have to finish up a few more things and then we’re off on ourHappily Ever After.”

I leaned over and kissed his slack lips, grateful the sedative was doing its job and giving him some good rest.

I ran my hand down the side of his face, brushed my fingertips across the prickly stubble on his chin, and frowned. “Oh, no!”

Alex liked to keep his face clean-shaven. He liked to keep most of himself clean-shaven, but especially his face. He didn’t like having even the shadow of a whisker on his face. Probably some kind of sensory dysregulation. He’d been so distraught these last two days, and waking up stubbly would upset him even more. I couldn’t have that. Not when we were so close to purging his demons for good. I got up from the bed and walked out of the room, returning a moment later with Alex’s razor, a can of shaving gel, and a warm, damp towel.

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