Page 20 of Behind the Shadows
And there he was, the bastard on top of her, his weight pinning her down onto the ground.
“Did you think you could hide from me forever, you little bitch? You think changing your name to Holland would throw me off your trail?” His dark chuckle filled the air.
What? Had I been right this whole time, and she really was the girl I knew as Samantha?
“Draco, please,” she begged.
Draco, huh? That name meant nothing to me—but the man had set off every alarm I had the moment he walked into Velvet Vortex. Guess my instincts still worked.
This man was a walking nightmare, but eliminating Michael at the warehouse a few days ago had summoned the savage beast inside me. My body hummed with an electrifying energy as I eagerly awaited the opportunity to confront this fucker and unleash my fury upon him.
Draco’s attention was fixated on Holland, oblivious to me creeping up behind him. In a swift and calculated move, I snatched her purse strap and expertly wrapped it around his neck. With a merciless yank, I pulled him off her and tightened my grip, relishing the sight of his hands clawing at the fabric cutting off his air supply. I applied more pressure, tipping his head back. It rested against my upper thigh as his mouth opened wide with terror and he gasped, helpless against my vengeful wrath.
“Are you okay?” As I gazed at Holland, I couldn’t help but wonder if she would remember me from our childhood. But as her expression remained blank, it dawned on me that she might not have recognized me at all. Our encounter had been brief … but intense.
I was losing my fucking mind. No way could it really be Samantha. Not after I had … This woman was probably a relative, and I owed her for what I’d done. Clearing my thoughts, I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the present moment with Holland.
I held out my hand, not expecting her to take it. People like me didn’t offer help, and people like her shouldn’t trust it. But she did. Tentatively. That small, scraped hand slipped into mine,and something twisted in my gut. I told myself it was nothing. Just control. Just leverage. But it lingered.
Her focus flitted in my direction before it locked on Draco, panic shadowing her features. “He’s evil,” she warned, her tone a mixture of fear and urgency. “Whatever you do, don't cross him.”
I chuckled softly, unable to resist the irony. Little did she know she was giving information to the devil himself. If she understood, she might have reconsidered her choice of words.
“I’ve got this. Get to your car and lock the doors. I’ll bring your purse to you when I’m finished here.”
She nodded, apparently unwilling to argue with me. As she scurried away, I gave the leather strap another tug, then loosened it enough to allow him to breathe.
Once Holland was out of earshot, I said, “I heard what you said about her using a different name. What’s her real name?” I might as well make good use of my time while I had the son of a bitch at a disadvantage.
“Fuck you,” he snarled.
I leaned down closer to his ear. “Let me make this perfectly clear. If I catch you near my bar or associating with that woman again, I’ll flay you to the bone, then toss you to the ravenous coyotes, all while laughing hysterically at your bad luck. I’m a sick motherfucker, and if you don’t believe me, then I look forward to showing you exactly who I am.”
A gentle breeze coasted through the leaves, and I waited for him to acknowledge what I’d said.
“Are you going to leave, or do I need to start the fun?” With my free hand, I reached for the cross around my neck. I slid it over my head, then tugged on the edge of the blade with my teeth.
An evil sneer tugged at the corners of my mouth as I gave in to the fierce desire to inflict pain on him. The tip of the bladegrazed his cheek and down the side of his neck. “I always show up prepared for a good time.”
I furrowed my brows, pretending to ponder as the grating sound of Draco's incessant whining drilled into my skull. The urge to scream and slam my fist against his head reared up inside me, but I maintained a cool facade.
I chuckled. “I’ll give you one last chance to leave, but you’re not going toward the parking lot. You’re going to run deeper into the woods. If you even glance back at me, you can say goodbye to your eyeballs.”
I removed the purse strap from around his neck and shoved him. Draco lurched forward, face-planting into the ground.
“Get up and run, you piece of shit. You’ve got to the count of ten.” I bared my teeth and began to count, my grin curled like a serpent as I watched him scramble to his feet, panic etched on his features. With a desperate gasp, he bolted into the dark woods, the shadows swallowing him whole as the branches clawed at his fleeing form.
I had no doubt that he would foolishly try to sneak up on me, but I knew every inch of these woods.
The moon vanished behind a thick curtain of clouds, consuming every inch of the trees in darkness.All the muscles in my body tensed as my predatory instincts surged, eagerly anticipating his next move. First, I had to return to Holland and ensure he didn’t show up for her again.
As soon as he was out of sight, I sprinted back to the parking lot and Holland’s car.
“Open up,” I demanded.
The lock clicked, and I opened the driver’s side and gave Holland her purse. “Scoot over. I’m driving.”
Holland scrambled over the console and into the passenger seat while I slid in behind the wheel.
