Page 68 of Hard Game

It doesn’t take long to duct tape Alastor’s mouth shut, although he does lose another tooth for spitting in my face. Filthy bastard. It’s clear Alastor isn’t going to give me what I want: information, and I feel like I owe it to those women and my younger self, to Tassa, Lauren, and everyone who suffered at this bastard’s hands. I can’t have him making a sound, though, not with all the cops crawling around.

“You finally get your wish,” I say, taking the sleek knife from my backpack and letting it glint beneath the moonlight. Let Alastor become accustomed to his death blade. “You get to die, and I get to kill you.”

Alastor, despite begging for death, finally allows fear into his eyes. His pupils widen as I yank his pants down, recoiling as his flabby belly rolls over his flaccid cock.

“That’s it?” I chuckle and stare at it, my lip curling with amusement and disgust. “Wanna see mine?” I grin as I loosen my pants, pulling my dick out. I fist it, knowing full well it’s larger than his.

“But it only gets hard for my woman. Not you. You? You’re only good enough for this.” I hold my cock and aim at his face, letting my piss stream all over him. I groan, enjoying his muffled screams as my piss soaks his face. I tuck it away, reaching for my knife and slicing it into his cheek, carving a delightful Z. “ That’s for Zia.”

Alastor’s tears mix with the piss and blood, and I move the blade to his right cheek, taking my time with the next letter. “It’s tricky carving an S, but I’ll get there. Never was much good at art.”

His muffled screams are too loud for our surroundings, so I stab his voice box with one swift move, enjoying watching his eyes bulge from their sockets.

“This is nothing compared to what you did to all those women,” I tell him, trailing my knife down his stomach, hovering over his belly button. He goes to lift his hands, but I tilt my head, shaking my finger to warn him not to. “I think it’s only fair that I take your dick and choke you with it, don’t you?”

This time, there is no sound from him, only raspy air and more tears.

“Yes. That’s what we’ll do.” I nod my decision and drag the knife down, wincing as the blade slices through the root of his cock, blood spurting everywhere as his eyes roll in his head. I hold his pathetic dick, used as a weapon to inflict pain on so many women, up in the air between us and rip the duct tape from his lips. I grip his cheeks and ram his cock into his mouth, moving it back and forth until he’s retching, spit bubbling in the corners of his mouth. “Oh, come on, Alastor, it’s only small. Take it.” I croon.

When he can’t take much more, I ram it into his throat and squeeze his mouth shut, watching as he chokes on his own dick.

“Good boy,” I hiss, determined to see the light die from his eyes. “Swallow it.”

He shakes his head, his hands clawing at mine as I grin.

“All of it, Alastor.”

His face turns puce, and his eyes pop, and I watch with amusement, wishing I’d have recorded this for Tassa.

“How the mighty have fallen,” I whisper as his eyes roll in his head. “Choking on your own cock.”

When his body stiffens, I release him, watching as his bloated face hits the dirt. I rise, clean my blade on his shirt, and pack my things away. I use a rag from my bag to clean myself up—I don’t need the police stopping me on the way out. I stare at him for a beat before leaving, making sure I’m not seen as I make my way back to my truck. I should feel better, but I don’t. So what if Alastor is dead? I’ve just killed one more bad guy, and many more will take his place. My thoughts move to the detective, and as I drive slowly from the scene, I vow that I’ll destroy anyone who has hurt her.

My phone rings, and I shake my head at the glorious timing. “Hello?” I swipe at my phone, not bothering to connect it to Bluetooth.

“I’ve found it!” Tassa breathes into the phone, her voice trembling. “I’ll send you the location, but you need to go now—they’ve called an emergency meeting.”

“Got it.”

Tassa hangs up, and I pull over, waiting for the location to come through. My hands tremble as I punch the location into my phone. This is it—the moment Tassa and I have been waiting for for years. The location of the next meeting. Where all the depraved meet and discuss their next moves. The elite think they’re untouchable, but not with me on their tail.

“You’re a fucking genius Tassa.” I breathe as the City Hall comes up on my screen, making me shake my head. Lockwood City Hall—the bastards are meeting right under everyone’s noses. I wonder what they’ve disguised it as I speed towards it, my anger barely containable. What makes these people think they’re above others? That they can abuse and kill women for their pleasure? Mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, lovers.

All these women meant something to someone; they had a life. For those who died, I can’t ever get them justice. For those that survived, what sort of survival will they have? Haunted by memories and nightmares, flashbacks that years of therapy may not ease?

And why?

For someone else’s sick perversions and desires.

But it stops today.

Today, they’re all going to die.

37

LAUREN

Iwoke up in the hospital feeling groggy and pissed off. I rub my eyes and sit up, and immediately want to throw up. “Urgh, fuck.” I inhale through my nose and squint around my room, almost jumping out of my skin when a nurse looms over me.

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