Page 4 of The Devil's Redemption

“He paid me seventeen hundred bucks, about a thousand less than what he owed me. Once we began to torture him—burning him, breaking each of his fingers, things of that nature—he finally said that he had something better to offer me. You want to guess what it was?”

I can feel the bile begin to rise again. The pungent taste is already present on the base of my tongue.

“Rather,whoit was?”

The pain in my chest grows stronger until it feels like I’m being torn apart. I refuse to believe that Michael would do this to me purposefully. He’s done some fucked up things before, but this? This is unforgivable.

I keep my eyes trained on the ceiling, working to take back control of my own body.

He releases his hold around my neck once more. Using his now free hand, he presses down on my lower stomach, helping his fingers to find that one spot deep inside that he knows is guaranteed to make me scream.

Moving his hand rapidly now, he brings me higher.

I hate him for it, and I hate Michael for his part in it.

But mostly, I hate myself for not being strong enough to fight off my impending orgasm.

I try my hardest to keep it in. I try to change my moan into screams of fury. But it’s no use. He pushes and shoves, curling his fingers, forever tainting a feeling that once brought me immeasurable bliss.

Whether it be from overexertion, stress, pain, shame—I don’t know—I pass out after that. The last thought that crosses my mind before I’m pulled under is of him.

Blade.

Chapter Two

I never should have left Sasha’s house the other night. I should have done what I’ve been doing this whole time and stood my ground. That fucking Boy Scout got too far under my skin. When she told me to fuck off while she was bent over him, caring for him, it made me furious, and I knew it was best to just go.

I wanted to call her the next morning.

I should have.

I shouldn’t have left when she turned me away last night either. I should have gone in there and fucked her until she forgot why she was mad at me in the first place. I feel like I lost my fucking balls or something.

I was down in the basement grabbing a few parts for her car when she texted me yesterday morning. For a second it, felt like we were moving past it. I apologized. She said she was sorry for snapping at me. But then she told me she felt like things were moving too fast and wanted to slow it down. It’s too fucking late for that, little girl. It felt like we were moving backward. I lost it all over again and flipped the workbench onto its side.

Which is where I am now, cleaning up my fucking mess.

I didn’t hear from her again at all yesterday. I woke up feeling like complete shit after not sleeping beside her for two nights in a row. I texted her a few times today, but she hasn’t responded. I pull up my phone and check our conversation just in case I missed a notification in the last thirty seconds.

Fuck, this girl has me fucking pussy-whipped.

Me: Hey

Me: Are you still pissed?

Me: You realize there’s no going back, right? I told you, we’re no ordinary couple. Things are different with us. There’s no slowing down, there’s no pivot, no stopping what’s been started.

Nothing. Not one peep from her. I should send Kid over there to keep an eye out for me. I should have already sent him, but my mind was overtaken with anger. I wonder what she’s doing. Did she go to work today? Did that Boy Scout spend the night again?

Fuck.

I should have been watching her. I’ve never let my pride win out over my need to watch and protect her before, and this time shouldn’t have been any different. As soon as I’m finished here, I’m going over there and putting an end to this. I’ve given her enough time to get over it.

“Yo, Blade?” I hear Kid call me from the top of the steps.

“Yeah?” I holler back.

“There’s some irate dude in The Lair looking for you.”

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