Page 78 of Creep

“I like it when useless fuckers like you scream,” I said with a smile, letting go of the fucker’s hair and watching him fall back to the ground.

He shook harder, the strong scent of urine hitting my nose.

I scrunched my face in disgust.

“Really? Are we pissing ourselves?”

He whimpered. “Please, just let me go. I promise I will never do this again. I’ll be good.”

I laughed. The lie was fucking ridiculous. He would do this over and over and over again if given the chance. But that wasn’t what mattered here. The world was filled with fuckers like this. It wasn’t up to me to try to save it. But he fucking touched Lia.

He touched what was mine. He scared her. And who knew if he hurt her or not? I couldn’t tell, not in the fucking dark.

I should have gone out and looked for her when I realized she wasn’t coming home. Fuck, I had been planning on doing just that when I heard the door click open.

It was my fucking mistake, and Lia paid the price. Anger scorched through me. Unlucky for the fucker, he was going to be thethingI worked this anger out on.

I pulled out the knife I had tucked into my boot. The silver gleamed in the moonlight, and the fucker tried to move back when he noticed.

“Please.”

I moved my foot down and stomped on his kneecap. He let out a bloodcurdling scream, his back bowing from the pain.

I pulled him back and did the same with the other knee.

He bent sideways and puked onto the concrete. I shook my head, my nose twitching at the scent.

“What a little bitch. Can’t you take a few hits?”

He cried, no longer able to say anything.

I bent down and slapped the blade on his face. He flinched when he felt the cool metal on his skin.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to make this hurt. Then I’m going to burn your body. I’m sure you won’t be missed.”

He shook his head. “I have kids! Three of them. Please, they need their father.”

I laughed. “No, they don’t.”

Then I got to work.

* * *

It was pushingfour in the morning when I finally returned to Lia’s apartment. I hadn’t slept. Hadn’t rested. I couldn’t. Not until I saw with my own eyes that she wasn’t hurt or injured.

She was asleep in her bed when I got in, her movements restless.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, taking in her warmth.

“Don’t worry, baby,” I whispered. “I made sure it hurt.”

I made sure the fucker knew what it really meant to be tortured just before he took his last breath.

I kicked off my boots and crawled into bed with her.

She startled awake when I pulled her into my body, savoring her warmth.

“Stalker?” she whispered.

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