Page 150 of Waiting to Lose
HE LEANED UP against the door as the pain of his own betrayal seared through him like a knife, slashing him in two. He hated having to hurt her. He hoped he did a good enough job of convincing her he was telling the truth.
Jake’s eyes shot up as he heard his slow, calculated clapping round the corner.
“Very good, Jake. You almost convincedmeyou didn’t love her.”
“Fuck you, Peter,” Jake seethed through his teeth.
“Get away from the door,” Peter said as he waved his gun at Jake.
When Jake had arrived home, he’d dashed through the door, yelling her name. He’d run past the family room without even looking toward the kitchen. He’d heard the shot before he’d seen him. Greg had slumped to the ground, gripping his side, as Peter Markum stood in front of him with a smoking gun.
“Pull him in,” he ordered.
Jake berated himself for not paying closer attention to his surroundings as he leaned over Greg. Greg moaned as Jake tried to move him as gently as possible through the door and over to the kitchen. He grabbed a towel and placed it over the wound, pressing against it.
“I’m so sorry, Greg. Please hold on.”
Peter placed the chain on the door and turned the lock. “Get away from him!” Peter shouted, waving his gun.
Jake backed away with his hands in the air as Peter took Greg’s gun out of his ankle holster and removed the gun from his back as well.
“Welcome home,” Peter laughed sinisterly as he waved Jake toward the couch. “Where’s that pretty little girlfriend of yours? Is she the one who left your window open? I don’t know what it is about people and fresh air.”
Jake lunged toward him and Peter cocked the gun. “You want to make this happen faster than I planned? Keep coming at me. Nothing would make me happier than to watch you die.”
“Just leave her out of this. She’s not here. This is between you and me.” Jake was suddenly relieved Madi had taken off the way she had. Her running off might have saved her life.
Just as he held his hands up to Peter, he heard her key turning in the door. Peter darted to the kitchen, pushing Jake along with him.
“Get rid of her, or I’ll make this a two for one,” he whispered into his ear as he cackled.
The door opened and he heard her voice. He couldn’t risk her life. He’d have to hurt her. He needed to get her as far away from him as possible.
Jake remembered every word he’d said to her as Peter tied his hands to a chair in his bedroom.
“This is good quality rope. Got it at a really good price.”
Jake flinched as he tightened the knot around his hands from behind. He glanced down at the rope and realized it looked familiar.
Peter laughed. “You’re figuring it out, aren’t you? Guess it wasn’t your pathetic manager, after all?”
The anger inside of Jake burned to the surface. He struggled to get loose from the ties that bound him to the chair.
“I’m an expert at all kinds of knots. Especially the kinds that go around pretty little necks.”
“You fucking bastard!” Jake shouted as he wriggled in his chair.
Peter laughed as he sat on the edge of the bed. He reached in his coat pocket and produced a small red apple. He took a bite of it as he watched Jake struggle.
“You’re not getting out of those,” he said, pointing. “The harder you struggle, the tighter they become.”
“If you’re going to kill me, then just do it and get it over with!” Jake shouted.
“All in good time. I need to make sure you suffer. You’ve caused a lot of pain to a lot of people. Poor little Allison. Too bad she needed to pay for her sins, too.”
“What are you talking about?” Jake asked.
“Aww, I might as well tell you. You’re going to be dead soon. You should hear the whole truth and nothing but,” he snickered.
