Page 80 of Anathema Codex

I’ll actually be anticipating his arrival instead of dreading it because Bea will be with him.

I let out a chuckle as a wide smile creeps across my lips. Running a hand over my face, I think about how happy I’ll be once the three of us are together again.

I can’t wait.

I fold my hands behind my neck and let out a breath. I know that putting my faith in Lakyn doing the right thing for once could be seriously misplaced, but he promised, and he always follows through on those. No matter how many times he has to try to get it right.

But that’s the thing about Lakyn Meyer.

He may be a narcissistic psychopath that only cares about getting his rocks off with the closest hole that he can stick his dick into; once he gives you his word, it’s his bond.

I should have asked him how long he thought this would take.

I close my eyes and sigh.

That’s the only downfall of having to wait for something as magical as being reunited with Bea; the not knowing when she’ll walk in the front door.

I turn on my side and reach for the remote control. Maybe flipping mindlessly through some channels will help get my mind off things for a while.

After going through every channel that we have, on the second go, I settle onPsycho.It’s always been a favorite of Lakyn’s, and he even once made me roleplay the shower scene before he violently violated me.

The only reason I agreed to it was because I was hoping he would have slipped and stabbed me to death, but he’s a tricky fellow and knows exactly when to stop before he goes too far.

I roll my eyes as I set the remote control down as Norman Bates checks in Marion then do my best not to fall asleep.

I’ve been so wired all fucking day, and now that I’m feeling a little relaxed, my body wants to recharge.

And I think I’ll let it.

Because when I open my eyes again, Beatrix might be here.

FIFTEEN

Rise of the Jackal pt. 1

AFTYN

Lakyn made us all walk into the room ahead of him. Then he kicked the door closed and tossed Allisandra on the bed like a bag of trash before stretching his arms over his head.

“So, this is where thingsfinallystart to get fun,” he begins as he turns slightly to put the chain in place, then flips the lock. My jaw tenses as I watch him settle down in a chair beside a round table and then tilts his head as he grins at each of us in turn. “You”—he declares when his eyes fall on me again—“are going to prove to me that you are who you claim to be.”

The knife burns a hole in my pocket. Once we got out of the car to shuffle into the room, I knew it would be best if I put it away until the right moment and Lakyn seems to think that this is it.

“And how would you like me to do that, Pops?” I ask through gritted teeth. Another wave of anger crashes over me as Willa’s mangled body enters my mind. How she didn’t even stand a chance because she was blindsided by Daphne, and how I wasn’t even given the opportunity to save her.I should have tried harder.

“Simple,” he says as he sits back in the chair and grins at me. “Show me what you’ve got.”

I furrow my brow in confusion until he turns his eyes toward the bed. When Allisandra notices that now everyone in the room is staring at her, she begins to buck and scream. The problem is that being tied up as tightly as she is won’t allow her to get far. And having a gag shoved almost down her throat muffles the sound of her fear.

“Even you can’t be that fucking sick,” I snap at him. I have no issues when it comes to fucking a fine piece of ass like Allisandra whether she wants it or not—because once I go to work she’ll like it either way—and I don’t care about having an audience, but having my own father watch us is too much for even me to bear.

Lakyn shakes his head as he gets to his feet. I tense up when he walks straight for me, grabs me roughly by the elbow and throws me onto the bed next to our ‘party favor.’

“Tell you what,” he says as he leans down, his fists firmly placed on the mattress, “I’ll give you a choice. You either show me that you’re my kid or I’ll gut you like Red there did to your little pal.”

The mention of what happened to Willa flips something inside of me. It was the same thing I felt when we crept into Mom’s house for the last time. When I knew that everything would be okay again because by the time we left, she would be gone and never able to hurt me again. And even though I’ve been carrying it with me since it happened, it’s hearing fromhimthat brings all of the emotions to a boil inside of me again.

Don’t freak out.

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