Page 127 of Voracious

Thankfully, he lets me go and walks over to one of the laptops, opens it to reveal another screensaver of my face and inputs my date of birth. “When I infiltrated Bernadette’s database, I managed to pull everything, even the codes to all the CCTV she has set up. But I made sure to cover my tracks in certain areas, so she doesn’t know how much access I actually have.”

“She’s going to kill you.”

“Nah, she just wants what I’ve got, because it would put her away for life if it got into the right hands. She’ll take the deal, or I’ll send everything out for the public to see.”

I cross my arms. “Then she’d kill you.” Not that I’d give a shit. Chris dying would make my life easier. “Why not just release it all?”

Chris shrugs nonchalantly. “She’d retaliate by releasing what she has on me, and I can’t be with you if I’m locked up.”

I don’t give him a response as my eyes fly back to screen twelve, where the girl lies in bed, Kade now nowhere to be seen.

I check the other screens and see him walk into the room Bernadette is currently fucking Base in. Archie tips a glass of whisky to him, but he blanks the older man and angrily points at Base and Bernadette.

He’s saying something to them which makes her throw her head back in annoyance and climb off Base. I can tell they’re raising their voices, but all Base does is lounge back in the bed and pull the duvet over himself. Completely unbothered as Kade pulls a gun out and points it at Archie.

I’ve no idea what’s being said, and I ignore Chris typing on the laptop while they all shout – until Kade closes the distance between him and Archie and smacks his forehead into his face. The tall, skinny man grabs his bleeding nose. I still don’t know what’s being said, but Bernadette grabs her husband’s arm and pulls him out the room.

As soon as the door is shut, Kade stands frozen for a second, making sure they’re gone, before rushing over to Base and slapping his face hurriedly. He shakes him, and it’s now I realise that Bernadette must’ve drugged him as he starts to vomit.

My eyes stay on the screen as Kade rolls Base onto his side and shoves his fingers down his throat.

“Where is this?”

“Don’t sound so panicked – he’ll be fine. They’re in Bernadette’s manor,” he replies, not looking up. “They arrived three days ago. His little friend there seems to be a huge part of her control over Kade. She tortures him to make your ever-loving ex do shit. I even witnessed him sucking Kade’s dick once.” He fake shivers. “It was uncomfortable to watch.”

I think all of the blood has drained from my face.

“She’s disgusting. Why can’t you send all of this to the police?”

“Because it’ll go nowhere,” he replies, closing his laptop. He nudges me with his shoulder and grins. “If you think that’s bad, you have no idea what world your little lover boy is in.”

“You think this is funny?”

He shrugs as he watches Kade dragging his friend to the bathroom, and once the door closes, we can no longer see what they’re doing. “It’s a bit entertaining, don’t you think? We can sit here every night and watch them.”

“You know what? I hope she gets you, and then Kade deals with whatever’s left of your pathetic body.”

His eyes light up. “If she gets me, then she gets you. I wonder what she’ll make us do together?”

37

STACEY

Rain falls around the little shack in the middle of the woodland, and as much as I’d like to bash Chris over the head with something hard and heavy, grab a phone and run for it, I’d probably just end up lost in the woods. But since he stole my shoes and has CCTV everywhere, I wouldn’t get very far.

The consequences aren’t worth it.

He swaggers in and messes around in the kitchen, speaking then answering himself, then he comes in and asks why I look so grumpy.

He won’t leave me in peace.

I huff and get up from the sofa, wrapping myself with a blanket as I go outside and sit on the back porch, in front of the fire pit.

“Stacey?”

“No,” I snap. “Do not speak to me.”

He mutters something under his breath about me being moody, and I prepare for the grab of my hair or smash of his clenched fist I’ve become accustomed to, but strangely, I walk freely into the autumn chill. Unscathed. Unharmed.

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