Page 99 of Under the Bed

His hand.

Is.

On.

Hers.

A brief touch that snuffs out my amusement. My teeth bite down on my tongue to take the edge off. I won’t last long.

“You mentioned in your email that you’ve been away for years.” His hand is back in his lap. The urge to chop it off him makes my head throb. “The stalking must bea new escalation, then.”

“No.” I’m bored with hearing him blabber, so I guess what his next question will be and answer it myself. For her. All of this is for her to learn more about me. While we’re playing. “I hired a man. Didn’t have much to offer him in exchange for her pictures, mainly, and her addresses as she moved around the country. A syringe, too. He asked for a favor in return. He’s still waiting for me to cash it in.”

She’s expressive, my stepsister. Her eyebrows shoot up, then her eyes narrow as understanding dawns on her. She opens her mouth. Thinks better of it. Slams it shut.

“I have to ask.” Douchebag’s tone turns concerned. He puts down the pen, crossing one ankle over his knee. “Is your stepsister in any kind of immediate danger now that you’re home? Are you planning to harm her in any way?”

Yes, and yes. She loves it.“No, and no.”

My attention is on Shiloh, only her.

Her arms are folded under her chest, pressing her breasts together. They’re big and hot, and if I took her dress off right now, I’d see my bite marks on them.

My cock is about to tear a hole through my jeans.

“That’s reassuring.”

My eyes snap to him. What kind of psychologist is he? I just told him about acquiring a syringe, and he takes my word that Shiloh’s safe at face value?

Good thing he’s not going to live long. I never believed in therapists, but some people do. He was supposed to teach generations of future psychologists.

Imagine the damage he’s doing.

My response isn’t as elaborate. I hike up a shoulder.

Shiloh slams her hands on the armrests, hissing, “Oh my God.”

Her professor pats her shoulder. Squeezes once.

Every nerve ending in my body centers around my fingers. They twitch and curl around the edge of the armrests.

Soon.

Soon.

I’m here for her. I get off on watching red splotches flare on Shiloh’s cheeks. The rise and fall of her breasts.

A little more of this game. A few more minutes of agony.

Then my fingers will be free to destroy the man who’s touching and harassing what’s mine.

“She won’t be safe for long.” I dip my chin, zooming in on Shiloh’s face. Reveling in her glower. “She’ll be ruined once I get my hands on her. When the time is right, I’ll be there to mess her up. Own her. For fucking ever.”

“Dating her.” The professor turns my words into something they aren’t. “That’s good. That’s a step up from stalking.”

My fucking God. He’s so determined to keep me here that he’s willing to dismiss my threat. All for the sake of science.

Science and morbid curiosity.

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