Page 82 of F*ckboys

Isteel myself as Claudia steps into the room, her haunted eyes meeting mine. She clutches a worn notebook to her chest, knuckles white, and I know it contains horrors I can scarcely imagine. She's a tall, elegant-looking woman in her forties or potentially early fifties. Soft golden-brown layers frame her face, her angular features giving her a regal appearance.

She takes a deep breath. When she speaks, her voice wavers, but the iron in her spine holds her upright. "You need to know what I've been through."

My hands curl into fists, because I know the basics of her ordeal. I want to wrap her in my arms, tell her she's safe now, that the nightmare is over and that revenge will soon be hers.But she needs to share her story, purge the poison from her soul. I nod, a lump forming in my throat. "I'm here, Claudia. You can tell me anything."

She looks past me, her gaze distant, and begins. "The house he kept me in was both a sanctuary and a prison. We picked the home out together when we first got married. It was my dream home, with gorgeous painted shutters and a bright yellow front door. Every feature I'd wished for in a forever home." She frowns. "What I didn't realize was that once we purchased it, he had soundproof insulation installed. Doors that would lock from the outside. Shutters that couldn't be opened without a special code. And the basement…." She shivers at the room which I read earlier was some kind of depraved sex dungeon filled with implements for torture and unusual rituals. "From the day we moved in, he chose everything—what I ate, what I wore, when I slept." Her lips twist. "A puppet dancing on his strings. He told me I was nothing without him. That the outside world would devour me."

She shudders, rubbing her arms. "The windows were barriers, shutting out everything real and good. Some days, I wondered if anything existed beyond those walls."

My nails bite into my palms and I taste blood as I realize I'm chewing on my bottom lip. How dare he? How fucking dare he?

"In the basement, I found trinkets. Clothing. Souvenirs of other captives." Her eyes meet mine, haunted and bleak. "Apparently he wasn't averse to creating snuff films and distributing them among his friends. As far as kidnapping goes, I wasn't the first. But I was the one who got away."

"Jesus," I breathe. Rage burns through me, hot and swift, but I bank the flames. She needs me steady. Strong. "You're safe now, Claudia. He can't hurt you anymore."

Her lips tremble. She looks small and fragile, but steel glints beneath the surface. "I still feel trapped. The darkness followsme, its fingers around my throat." Her gaze hardens. "I want you to help me stop him. Permanently."

I take Claudia's hands, squeezing tight. "You're strong. You survived hell and came out the other side. Don't ever doubt yourself."

She inhales sharply. "Some days I can almost believe that. But then the panic comes, and I'm back in that house hearing the lock turn, knowing I'll never escape." Her fingers tighten around mine. "You have to promise you'll stop him. I can't live like this, always looking over my shoulder and waiting for him to come after me. He has to pay for what he's done."

"He will." My voice emerges flat and hard. "I swear to you, Claudia, he will suffer for every moment of pain he inflicted. You came to me for justice and I always deliver."

Her eyes shine with tears and fierce purpose. "Thank you. There's no one else I trust to do this. To make him hurt the way I did."

My heart aches for all she's endured. For now, she's safe here with me. No one will ever hurt her again.

"Alright then, Claudia. This part is going to bring up some memories, but it's time to face your demons," I say gently. "Tell me everything about Harvey Maxwell. His habits, his routines, his weaknesses. The more I know, the better I can make him suffer."

Claudia's lips curve into a slow, vicious smile, and I realize I haven't given her enough credit for her strength. "I've been waiting for this." She grips my hands tighter, her knuckles pure white. "Harvey always said I'd never escape. He was wrong." Her eyes gleam with purpose. "Now, it's his turn to face the dark."

I nod, waiting for her to continue.

"I should have killed him when I had the chance," Claudia says bitterly. "He didn't expect me to fight back that night. For once, Isurprised him." A fierce smile lights her face before fading. "But I couldn't do it. As much as I hate him, I'm not a killer."

I give her hands a gentle squeeze. "You don't need to be. That's why you came to me."

She searches my face, equal parts hope and fear in her gaze. "You can do this for me? Make him suffer without..."

"Without taking a life?" I finish softly. "Yes. There are far worse things than death." My smile is slow and vicious, colored by the promise of retribution. "Harvey Maxwell will beg for death before I'm finished with him. I will systematically destroy everything he values, everything that gives his life meaning. And when he has nothing left, when he's broken and hollow, I'll leave him to rot in his own personal hell."

Claudia's eyes light up, the thought of her estranged husband getting his just desserts clearly giving her energy. "You really mean this? It's going to happen?"

My pulse thrums with purpose. "Consider it done." The demon will pay for his sins. Claudia came to me for justice and I aim to deliver. "You're free now, Claudia. And together, we're going to make sure he never hurts anyone again."

A fierce joy lights Claudia's eyes. The shadows of the past retreat, banished by the light of justice. She's no longer a victim. Today, she has reclaimed her power.

"Thank you," she whispers. "For giving me back my life."

"You're welcome. And you're welcome for what's to come."

Vengeance will be swift. And it will be sweet. Harvey Maxwell will pay for his sins. Claudia will have her justice.

And I will relish every moment.

Chapter 46

Fallon

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