Page 59 of His Reward
She’s watching me.
She’s watching me strangle someone to death and she’s horrified by it.
I look down at Tyler, my grip slackening around his throat.Blood runs from his nose and busted lip, bruises already forming all over his beaten face.
One can say this is justice being served, but it’s notlegaljustice.It’s not honourable either.Because of blind vengeance, I just broke several rules of the code I followed for years.
Fuck.As much as I want to, I can’t kill him.All I can do now is tie him up and call—
“June, stand up the chair,” I order, an idea forming in my head.
She silently obeys while I check Tyler’s pockets for other weapons.I only find his keys and extra zip-ties.I haul him up from the floor and flop him down onto the upright seat, then quickly secure one of his wrists to the side of the chair.
“Is he...dead?”June whispers.
I glance up at her while I shift around the chair and tie Tyler’s other wrist to it.
“No.He’s just passed out.”
I stand after tying his feet to the chair legs as well.Fucking finally.I turn to June and pull her into a hug.
She wraps her arms around me, melting into my embrace in shared relief.I hold her tighter.
Thank fuck.
She’s alive and safe in my arms.Everything feels right in the world again.
“You were so strong, sweetheart.”I press a kiss to her temple.“So brave.”
Although I wanted to be her protector, I couldn’t be more proud of her that she protected herself.
“I wouldn’t have known what to do if it weren’t for you,” she says softly, looking up at me with gratitude.
I slip my finger under her chin and tilt her face to claim her lips.She curls her fingers into my shirt as she briefly returns my kiss, then she breaks it and looks over her shoulder at Tyler.
“We should call the police now, right?”
“Not yet.I need to take care of a few things first.”
I release her and stride to the dresser.She joins me, watching as I grab a shirt from her laundry basket and pick up the gun.I eject the magazine, then rack the slide.That fucker.It’s empty.All along, this thing was all bark, no bite.
“I’ll be back in a few seconds.”
The gun is useless without bullets, but I quickly hide it on the highest shelf in the linen closet anyway.
I head to the bathroom to wash Tyler’s DNA from my hands, the warm water stinging and soothing my knuckles.When I return to the bedroom, I toe off my shoes, then go over to Tyler and pat his face.
“Rise and shine, sleeping beauty.”
Tyler groans and winces as he comes to, swearing under his breath.He must have a raging headache, along with the soreness all over his face, body, and between his legs.Good.He deserves the pain and more.
“What the fuck,” he hisses, looking down at his restraints.
He yanks on his binds and wiggles in his seat.He doesn’t move an inch.When he raises a baleful look at me, I turn and beckon to June.
“Come here, sweetheart.”
June abandons her spot by the dresser, approaching cautiously.I pull her into a sideways embrace, caressing her hip as I face Tyler with a smile.
