Page 38 of Under the Bed

It lasts for ten seconds before her body gives up. The exact time it takes Mr. Davis to snap out of his shock.

He has one foot out the door.

Flop.The slab of meat that was once Mrs. Davis bounces on the bed.

“I don’t want to die, please,” he mumbles, his voice as weak as he is. “Help. Help. Somebody, help me.”

Me.

Me, me, me.

As if the death of this woman he was fucking means nothing to him.

For me, Shiloh always came first. Since day one.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” I never raised my voice. Hardly ever spoke.

But when Shiloh’s dad would charge into her room to let off steam by slapping her, you bet I fucking shouted.

“I’ll discipline my daughter however I please, freak—err, Kaleb.”

He knew disrespecting me was a hard line for my mother. She was grateful for what I’d done before we moved here. It hadn’t been for her. It saved her useless ass, regardless.

And since Shiloh’s dad had a thing for fucking my mom or parading the beautiful woman like a showhorse, he tried to be civil around me. When she was within earshot, that is.

“No, you won’t.”

He looked at my mask the same as the rest of them did. Everyone other than Shiloh. “I won’t have to put up with you forever.”

He’d put up with me.

It was me who wouldn’t put up with him. No one got to hurt my little sister. No one.

“Kaleb.” A small, shaking hand rested on my elbow. “It’s okay. You can leave. I’m fine.”

Leave her here? With our unfinished puzzle? With him?

To hear his hand cracking on her cheek from the other room?

“Fuck no.”

He would usually storm out after he saw I wasn’t backing down. Once the door closed, I’d order her to keep doing what she was doing, then spend the night on the floor.

By her bed.

Her personal bodyguard.

Unlike Mr. Davis.

“Is it money you’re after?” His body shakes harder the closer I get. “Take my wallet. Take my credit cards. They’re on the counter. Please.”

Six feet separate us.

“Sex? Y-you can rape me. Fine. I won’t put up a fight. But let me live.”

There’s only one person I want to fuck and it sure as hell isn’t him.

“D-don’t come any closer.”

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