The gun isn’t huge and doesn’t have a silencer and I don’t want anyone to come back here if they hear gunshots, so I grab the knife from him. I wrap my hand around the knife handle tightly and my chest feels like it’s going to cave in as I look down at the unconscious man.
I have absolutely no idea what to do.
“Come on, kid,” Hollis encourages. “We’ve got other things to do.”
Yeah, me too.
“How do I do it?” I ask them, bringing my eyes up again.
“However you want,” Elijah tells me, and I lift the knife to look at it again, noticing how perfect it looks in my hand.
It’s sharp as hell and thick and I just want to get this fucking over with. I don’t want to draw it out so I lean down, grab the dirty tangled hair at the back of the man’s head, and press hard against his throat before swiping the blade quickly.
Blood sprays me, but most of it just leaks to the floor below him as he gasps and gurgles his last breath. I let go of his hair and his head flops back hitting the ground. I stand up just watching the blood leak toward my feet.
I step back again, not wanting to be here anymore. They’re both watching me when I bring my eyes up again and they almost look proud. “I’m going home.”
I grip the knife tightly, just in case I have to fight them, but I know I still don’t stand a chance against their guns. They surprise me, though.
“It’s probably best,” Elijah says. Hollis nods.
I back all the way out of the building and once I’m back in the trees I look around trying to remember what direction we came from. My heart is pounding in my ears and I can’t fucking believe I just killed someone.
I look down at my hand where I’m still gripping the knife I used to kill someone, and I tell myself I’m not going to freak out but as I see the man’s blood on the knife and my hands my throat tightens as I realize I not only almost just died myself, I killed someone and nothing I can ever do will change the fact. He’s dead.
Chapter Seven
HOLLIS—PRESENT
I watch her slowly pick apart one of the Rice Krispies I set in front of her a few minutes ago and I can’t understand why she won’t just bite the damn thing. I picked up on her food sensitivity before so I don’t bring it up, but I want to just shove the damn thing in her mouth so she can be done.
“You have any more questions?”
She looks over at me quickly and I chuckle because it’s the first time all night she’s allowed me to see how surprised she is.
“What’s your favorite part of the day?” She grins at me, not missing a beat and probably already guessing the answer in her head.
“I’ll answer if you tell me what you think my answer will be. You look confident in your assumption,” I tell her, and her cheeks turned rosy, but she doesn’t let my poke at her deter her from answering.
“I think you like the night the best, now tell me.”
“You’re kind of right, this time of the day, after the clubs are shut down, the work of the night is over, and I’m able to shower and kick back. Even get something to eat,” I explain to her, looking down at the still mostly just picked over treat in front of her.
“Makes sense, you must not sleep much,” she says, sounding like less of a question and more of an observation.
“I get enough,” I assure her, but I know I’m being fully truthful. If I could have time off, I’d probably do nothing but sleep, but I don’t get breaks. None of us do and I have to keep fighting for everything I have, or it will wash right down the drain.
She smiles at me. “For some reason, I just don’t believe you.”
“It probably wouldn't be considered enough for the average person, but it works.”
“How many hours have you slept in the last twenty-four?” Her big eyes scream how worried she is, and it doesn't seem to bother me as much coming from her as it does when Elijah starts digging around. She has this way about her and it makes me want to talk and I can see now getting away from this girl is not going to be easy.
She’ll make sure of it and at this point I’m not convinced I want to get away from her at all.
She takes my silence as the answer and nods as she stands, leaving the Rice Krispy treat on the bar. “See? You probably haven't slept a wink.”
“Is sleep even important? My body doesn't seem to want much of it.” I pop the last of my sandwich into my mouth when I finish talking and wait for her answer.
“Hollis, you're probably one of the smartest people I've ever spoken to,” she says, putting her hands on her hips, “You and I both know how important sleeping is.”
“Okay, I’ll try to sleep but you have to answer the only question I have for you.”
She smiles and her hands drop from her hips and she looks so triumphant over her win. “Okay, shoot.”
“Why aren’t you scared of me?”
She doesn't hesitate at all when she looks back up at me and answers my question with a question of her own, “Are you going to hurt me?”
I frown but answer her anyway. “I have no reason to hurt you.”
“Then I have no reason to be scared of you. Now come on.”
The shock isn't as deep this time, and when she takes my hand in hers I let her pull me from the barstool and follow behind her willingly. I let her lead me almost all the way to the couch before lightly tugging on her hand and pulling her towards the bedroom.
“The couch is too small for me to lay on,” I tell her truthfully. Being as tall as I am has its perks but not being able to sit on most couches comfortably isn't one of them.
She stops, letting go of my hand before glancing back toward the dimly lit couch and even in the low light I know she can tell we won’t both fit comfortably leaving her only one decision. She turns back and follows me, again with no hesitation, and I am beginning to wonder if anything makes her nervous at all.
When we get into the bedroom I turn on the lamp on the bedside table and watch as Ruby kicks her shoes off and looks up at me. “So, I’m going to help you get to sleep and I need you to keep an open mind. No laughing, okay?”
“I’m not much of a laugher,” I tell her, still watching her move so effortlessly to remove the boots that were so tight on her legs just moments before.
“Good, to get relaxed you have to release all of the stuff keeping you distracted from falling asleep.”
I nod at her words as she walks closer to me. When she stops in front of me I keep staring down at her, waiting for her next words.
“Are you going to sleep in your shoes?”
I look down at my shoes and so does she, laughing as she does.
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I tell her. I sit onto the edge of the bed and untie my shoes before pushing them off and nudging them under the bed.
When I sit back up I look at her and she slowly lowers herself down to kneel in front of me. She reaches for the waistband of my jeans but backs up a little as I stand, allowing her to pull them down to my ankles. I step out of them and my dick presses hard against my underwear, begging to be released.
She wastes no time and pulls my boxers down and takes my dick into her mouth. She knows exactly what to do with her tongue and as I push deep into her throat she takes it all. This is not what I expected her to do at all, but I am absolutely not complaining. She’s sucking my dick like a lollipop and when she pulls back and swirls her tongue over the tip I shudder.