Page 169 of Beautifully Reckless

He gulps and nods. “D-Donny warned me to l-look out for blokes like y-you.”

“That so? How’s his nose?” I ask, and Tim’s lower lip starts to wobble even as his hand shifts to his pocket.

The moment he reaches into it, JD grabs Tim’s hand, slapping it to the desk, before smashing his fist onto it, bones cracking under the force.

Tim cries out, but the second I hold my finger to my lips to hush him, his lips snap shut as he sobs quietly.

“Tell me, Tim. Do you know what the meaning of rape is?”

“W-what?”

“You fucking heard him, cunt. Answer him.” JD snarls, gripping a handful of Tim’s hair and jerking his head back.

“S-sex without c-consent,” Tim stutters, and JD shoves his head forward so hard that Tim headbutts his desk.

“Ahhh, fuck!” he cries. “Stop please.”

Fury washes over me at hearing those words, and before I can stop myself, I have Tim by the scruff of his shirt, shoved up against the wall while I practically spit in his face.

“Did Abbey say those words, you sick fuck? Did she scream for you to fucking stop!? Did she beg and say fucking please?!”

Tim stammers, not able to put a coherent word together, so I shake the fucker, slamming his head back against the plaster of the wall so hard that it cracks. “Fucking answer me!”

“Y-yes. She d-did. She b-begged us to s-stop.”

“But you fucking didn’t. Did you?”

“I-I-it was mostly D-Daniel and Donny. I only did it o-once each t-time. I felt s-sorry for h-her.”

“Oh boo,” JD yells in his ear. “You felt fucking sorry for her, but you didn’t do anything to stop it, did you, you weak cunt?!” With his own rage taking over, JD’s fist slams into the side of Tim’s face, his eyes rattling in his head before they roll and close, his body slumping in my grip.

Fuck.

He’s out cold.

28

It’s been a long fucking month since I’ve seen my Angel in the flesh. I never did make it back for Easter, and every day I told her I wasn’t returning home yet, was another day the light in her eyes dimmed.

I fucking hate it, but I can’t leave Fox Pines. Not now with Tim Beck locked away in what used to be a sex dungeon in the old house that burnt down a few years back.

I could’ve killed Tim that first night, but that little fucker was chattier than a four-year-old being offered candy, and he filled in so many blanks about what they did to my Angel… so I kept him alive to make sure he spilled every fucking secret.

He’s worse for wear, but I have fucking plans for him, and the screaming coming from the back of the van right now is part of it.

“Tell Zimora he can put his officers back in place,” I bark to Griffin, who’s on the phone while JD tears through the dark, quiet streets of Fox Pines.

“Will do,” Griffin grunts. “This fucker was a hard one to get to.”

“Sure fucking was,” I mutter, gripping the grab handle as JD takes a sharp corner. “I don’t like having to ask for help. You know that. But I appreciate it.” I relax as JD straightens the van again, breaking the speed limit. “Michael Berry couldn’t hide out at his girlfriend’s place forever, thinking the patrolling cops would keep him safe.”

“I’m kind of jealous I won’t be there to witness their end.”

I grunt, kind of annoyed Griff won’t be there to witness it as well.

“It’ll be slow. Feel free to drop by.”

Griffin chuckles before hanging up.

---