Page 244 of Inferno

I have to kill time.

“Please don’t kill me,” I whisper.

He leans in closer, and I wince.

“Louder.”

“Please, Vlad. Let me live. I don’t want to die,” I say louder.

“Keep going.”

He runs the blade down my throat and shivers run down my spine.

“I.”

I can’t say it. It’s not true in my heart. It never was.

“You, what?” he pushes.

“I belong to you.”

The words are acid on my tongue, choking me. But it works, he removes the knife and grips my cheeks, making my lips pout.

“That’s my good little wife.”

He presses his lips against mine, almost suffocating me.

“I can’t wait to taste the rest of you, one last time,” he whispers against my lips, and I want to scream.

I want to lodge that blade through his heart.

Chapter 94

DECLAN

Song- Empty Bench, David Kushner

Ifeel her big blue eyes staring at me from across the table. My heart melts looking at her, she even frowns just like her mom.

“You finished drawing?” I ask her.

I’m way out of my depth here.

She taps the pen against her cheek and pouts.

“I have. When’s Mommy coming home?”

I rub my chest.

“Soon. I promise. I’m going to get her now.”

She nods, her brain processing.

“The bad man has her.” That frown appears again.

I take a seat next to her and look at the stick people scribbles.

I point at the smallest drawing.

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