Deviant

Chapter 17

Elias

Having a bunch of strangers for my mother’s wake, all holed up at my house, is fucking suffocating the air out of my lungs.

I want them gone, every last one of them. However, I have to play nice because that’s what my mother would have wanted.

She died two days ago, and it already feels like I’ve suffered an eternity without her.

Worst of all, I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye.

Alice was watching over her that day since Aidan was off doing the mayor’s daughter again. After receiving an urgent text to come home, I rode my bike like the wind, only to find my mom unresponsive when I arrived.

I knew it was coming… but it was still a shock.

I thought I would at least have until the Harvest Festival with her.

I wanted a proper goodbye and never got it.

“She died peacefully,” Alice had said with guilt written all over her face.

Of course, my mother would find a way to influence someone else to do her bidding. Just like Nora, she was stubborn when she set her mind on something. I should have known that my mother would have a backup plan if I refused to help her. Alice was her plan B.

I couldn’t even find it in my black heart to fault Alice for wanting to give my mother a dignified death on her terms. Like her, I didn’t want my mother to continue to suffer the way that she was. I just couldn’t be the one to do it.

I loved her too much.

I should have thanked Alice for the small mercy she provided, but at the time, I could only focus on my own misery.

My mom was gone. Nothing would be the same after that. And now I have to endure this fucking wake because it was the only way I could think of to honor her memory. I could have done without my asshole of a father attending it, though.

When the bastard showed up at the church, I lost it. I didn’t kick the fucker out on his ass because most of the town decided to attend the service to pay their respects. Even the good ol’ sheriff and mayor sat front and center, acting like they gave a shit about my mom. Where were they when we were living hand to mouth just to keep up with her medical bills, huh? Oh, that’s right—no-fucking-where.

Fuckers, the lot of them.

Still, with so many witnesses at the church, there was no way I could kick out my prick of a father. Though he sure didn’t make it easy on me when he started shedding those crocodile tears of his.

After the service, I stayed back at the cemetery to have a heart-to-heart with my mom and say a proper goodbye, only for Rowen Hawthorne to spoil that, too.

Though I have to admit, the sight of Rowen on her knees did make up for it a little bit.

Just a bit.

I was already in a foul fucking mood when I drove back to the house, only for it to worsen when I saw my father with his pregnant mistress eyeing my mom’s fucking furniture as if they were in a yard sale or something. I marched right up to him and told the fucker to get rid of his sidepiece if he wanted to stay. Luckily, he read the genuine threat in my eyes and told the woman to go right on home and wait for him.

That was over an hour ago.

Ever since his side piece left, he’s been reminiscing about all the crazy shit he and my mom did back in the day, telling the stories to anyone paying him attention. I’m not sure why he feels the need to make a big production of acting like he actually cares that my mom is gone. Honestly, I don’t really care. It will be the last time I’ll have to put up with the fucker.

He’s Aidan’s problem now.

Unable to stand in my living room and hear another empty vow of condolences, I go outside and light up on the porch. Out here, I can at least pretend that my life didn’t do a one-eighty in less than twelve months.

“YOU BITCH!” I hear Aidan shout as a flushed Rowen rushes out the front door.

The fuck?

Aidan is quick on her tail, storming out of the house like the devil set fire to his ass.

“COME BACK HERE!” he screams at her, making my jaw tick.

“Not a chance. I said all I have to say.”

“Are you fucking serious right now?! You’re dumping me on the same day I buried my mother?”

Wow. Talk about cold. But then again, I always suspected she was heartless.

“You didn’t sound so grief-stricken when you were begging to fuck me in the ass just ten seconds ago!” she yells back.

Yep. That tracks. Little shit.

“It was a joke! I’m allowed to make jokes if it helps me process my grief, aren’t I?”

“Process this,” she says, holding up her middle finger before turning toward her car.

But then, my idiot brother grips her forearm to keep Rowen from going anywhere.

You really shouldn’t have done that.

“Let go of me!” Rowen shouts while trying to pull her arm out of his tight hold.

“No! Not until we talk. This was just a misunderstanding, babe. We can work this out.”

“You mean like you screwing Mackenzie Davenport behind my back was a misunderstanding?” she rebukes, still trying to wrestle her arm away.

“This again. I told you that she means nothing to me. But you have been acting so cold lately. A guy needs to feel wanted, babe.”

“Don’t call me babe!” she snarls at him. “I don’t care who you fuck, as long as it isn’t me. We’re fucking over.”

“We’re over when I say we’re over,” the shit-stain retorts with a menacing glower.

“You’re delusional. Let go! You’re hurting me, Aidan.”

“I wouldn’t need to if you just stop acting like a crazy person.”

“I said let go, or I swear to God—”

“What? What will you do?” He laughs.

“I’m not sure what she can do, but I’ll break every bone in your hand if you don’t let go of her this instant,” I say calmly behind the fucker.

Aidan goes green as he turns to face me.

“Go away, E. This is not your problem.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. When it comes to Rowen, everything is my problem. Three.”

“What the fuck are you doing?” he asks, baffled.

“What does it look like? I’m giving you three seconds to let go of her. Two.”

“Elias, this isn’t funny.”

“Does it look like I’m laughing? And look at that, we’re at one already.”

Before the pencil dick has time to think about his next move, I snatch his hand off Rowen’s arm and pull it all the way back over his wrist until the fucker is on his knees, begging for mercy.

“E, don’t you dare,” he squeaks like a goddamn pussy.

“Don’t I dare do what? This?” I say before pulling back his pinkie finger until I hear his bone crack.

Music to my fucking ears.

“ARGH!” Aidan shouts, tears now streaming down his cheeks.

“See, you should have known better than to think that I was bluffing,” I state, breaking his ring finger next and gaining another howl from my brother. “I warned you, but did you listen? No. Like the idiot you are, you thought that Rowen was your property to do with as you pleased.” When his middle finger pops, I smile at the sound the dipshit makes. “She hasn’t been yours for quite some time, little brother. And from this point on, it would be wise not to forget it.” Another loud pop paired with a howling scream ensues when I break his index. I then lean in and whisper in his ear, “And when a woman tells you to let her go, you fucking do as you’re told. You got that, bitch?”

“Yes, yes, I got it,” he cries, snot and tears mingling into one.

“Good. And one more thing,” I smile sinisterly, my mouth still at his ear, “The old rules no longer apply, baby brother. With mom gone, there’s no one to hold me back. No-fucking-one. Remember that the next time you think of pissing me off,” I warn just before breaking his thumb, too.

Aidan falls on the wet grass, cradling his hand while in the fetal position, howling and moaning in pain. I then turn around and realize that everyone is standing outside on the porch to see the whole scene play out.

“Show’s over. Either get back inside or fucking leave!” I shout, cracking my neck from left to right.

Aside from my father, who is now walking toward us, everyone rushes back inside the house.

“You have something to say, old man?” I ask as he reaches us, helping Aidan to his feet.

“Nope. I’m good, Junior. I’m good. Just want to help my boy back inside, that’s all,” he mumbles as he wraps his arm around Aidan, assisting him to walk back toward the house.

“What he needs is a hospital, but hey, you do you, old man.”

“Let the boy continue to pay his respects to his mother. I’ll take him to the emergency room myself after everyone has gone home. Is that okay with you, Junior?”

God, I hate when the bastard calls me that.

“Does it look like I care either way?” I ask, lighting up a cigarette just to blow smoke on his face.

He has the good sense to not respond to the provocation and instead slowly walks a crying Aidan back into the house.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Rowen whispers behind me, reminding me that she’s had a front-row seat to the whole exchange.

“I didn’t do it for you,” I grunt as I turn to face her, the bruises on her arm immediately grabbing my attention.

I run the pad of my fingers ever so lightly over her marked skin, hues of pink and an ugly dark-red tainting what was once creamy porcelain skin.

Fucking Aidan got off easy.

“Then why did you do it?” she insists, pulling her arm away from me to hide the goosebumps my touch evoked on her skin.

I look her dead in the eye with a smile and ask, “Haven’t you figured it out yet? The only one who gets to hurt you is me. I pity the fucker who tries to damage what’s mine.”

“I’m… not… yours,” she stammers, swallowing hard.

“Ah, Roe, I think I just proved that you are.”

Once everyone has left the house, making it finally quiet, my mind becomes my worst enemy.

They’re gone.

First Nora. Now Mom.

The only two people I gave a shit about are gone.

Who does that leave me with?

Aidan? My dad? Fuck both of them.

Fuck.

The only ones who kept my monsters at bay are gone.

What do I do now? Let them out?

Why the fuck not? Who’s to stop me?

I’ll have plenty of opportunities to let the demons dwelling inside me have their fun once I’m chosen for The Scourge.

That’s all I have now.

My vendetta. My revenge. My obsession.

My sweet, doe-eyed Rowen.

I must admit I was a little impressed with how she showed some backbone earlier by mustering the courage to break up with Aidan. The fucker wanted anal as a consolation prize for losing our mom, and Rowen wasn’t having it.

Aidan wasn’t wrong about needing some kind of release today, though. I could do with a good fucking right about now just to release all this anger and rage. Rowen sure looked good enough to eat and spit out in her little black dress.

Hmm. Rowen, Rowen, Rowen. How come all my thoughts always end up on you?

A good fuck is probably out of the question tonight, but that doesn’t mean I can’t fuck with her head a little bit. And I know exactly where I can find her at this late hour.

Without another moment’s thought, I jump on my bike and race to Groves Bridge. I’m sure that’s where she’s going to be since it’s the eve of the Harvest Festival.

My tires screech to a stop when I see her sitting on the ground in the middle of the bridge, hugging her knees to her chest. The sound of my bike startles her to stand, her expression one of disbelief when I march in her direction.

“Elias? What are you doin—” I cut off her words with my hand gripping her slender neck.

“I know what you did. I fucking know, Rowen.” Instead of the expected struggle to get away from my grip, she cradles my hand around her throat, her entire body relaxing. “Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?” Her hazel eyes sparkle as if laughing at me. “Say something?!” I curse in annoyance, adding more pressure to her throat.

She can’t talk if you crush her windpipe, now can she?

I ease my grip on her, her eyes dimming the minute the threat becomes less imminent.

“Talk,” I bark in her face, my nostrils flaring angrily.

“There’s nothing to say. You already know everything,” she announces without a speck of decency to sound apologetic.

Then again, all her apologies are only good for the dead, not the living.

“You killed her. You admit it. You really killed her,” I state, perplexed by her indifference to what I may do now with such an admission.

“I did.”

My rage increases inside me just like my grip on her throat. She gasps in delight, the color of her eyes becoming even brighter when I lean her body halfway over the bridge’s rail.

“I could kill you right here and now. I could fucking throw you over, and no one would care.”

She nods, her entire body becoming complacent with my threat. Any other person fearing for their life would be in a panic, but Rowen is the epitome of cool, her breathing even and tranquil.

She really isn’t scared of dying. She wants it. Yearns for it.

“Nah. I’ve got bigger plans for you. You won’t get off that easy,” I announce, pulling her body back upright while still keeping my hold on her throat.

Anyone else with half a brain would do something, anything, to free themselves from me. But not Rowen. She wants this. More than she wants anything else in this world. And fuck do I want to give it to her.

Fuck. My cock strains in my pants at the sight of her dilated pupils and rosy cheeks. My chest is pressed so hard against her that I can feel her nipples, hard as diamonds, poking through her top.

Not only isn’t she afraid for her life, she’s getting off on this.

And considering that my cock is as hard as steel, so am I.

If threatening to throw her off a bridge is our brand of foreplay, then it’s safe to say that we are clearly—and totally—fucked in the head.

“Fuck. I didn’t take you for a masochist. Are you wet right now? Knowing that I have your life at my fingertips?” Her flushed cheeks are a dead giveaway. “Maybe I should check and see?” I threaten, wondering how far she would let me go with this game of ours.

“I dare you to try,” she spits out, but it comes out too breathless to take her threat seriously.

“Dare, huh? I don’t do dares. I do punishments.” Her eyes light up again as if I just uttered the magic word. “For a girl who wants to die so bad, you sure look like you want to get fucked even more.” I know I hit a mark when her eyes turn more green than brown. “I guess that’s expected. My brother probably couldn’t keep up with this pussy if he tried,” I say, running my free hand over her mound.

To her shame, a low moaning sound escapes her, revealing that she has never been touched like a woman should.

I always knew Aidan was a selfish prick, but to fuck his girlfriend without getting her off is all sorts of wrong. Though, I’m not surprised. I heard them fuck more times than I can count from my bedroom, and not once did I hear Rowen come.

Not like she came on my lap just dry-humping me.

“Tell me… I’m curious. At our mother’s wake, did you break up with my brother because he wanted to fuck you in the ass or because you knew he’d be fucking terrible at it?”

“Do you honestly care if it was one or the other?” she pants, her eyes fixed on my mouth. “Or are you more concerned that Aidan is no longer anything to me now?”

“I couldn’t give a rat’s ass that you broke up with him, if that’s what you’re inferring.”

“Then why bring it up? Especially when I’ve done far worse to your family?”

“Are you baiting me right now, Roe?”

Her hazel eyes turn cold when I call her by the nickname my sister gave her when they were younger.

“I told you not to call me that,” she demands, more spirited.

Ah, this I can work with.

“Why not? Nora called you that all the time. I bet she called out that name when you were killing her, too. Didn’t she?”

She turns her face away from mine, her lust evaporating to give way to her sadness and guilt.

“You’re not Nora.”

I grip her throat, pulling her to face me again, and reply, “You’re right. I’m not. And never forget it. You won’t be able to manipulate me as easily as you manipulated her. Trust me. I’ve got you pegged.”

“You do, do you?” She laughs maniacally. “Then please feel free to share because I have no idea who I am anymore. Not without Nora.”

My forehead bunches at her remark.

I release my grip from her throat so fast that she almost loses her footing, stumbling to the ground for the second time today.

“I know exactly who you are, Rowen. A killer. A liar. And a fucking traitorous bitch. My sister loved you. She put her trust in you. And you failed her. You fucking betrayed her. For that, you will suffer. I promise you.”

“When?” she asks, far too eagerly. “When will I suffer?”

You already are.

“You’ll see soon enough. Like I said. I have big plans for you, Rowen. Big fucking plans.” And with that, I turn my back on her and walk away, knowing those big plans will be revealed tomorrow.

She’ll get her death by my hand just as she craves. She’ll get that and a whole lot more.

My mind is made up—before I extinguish the very light from her eyes, I’m going to abuse her body, wreck her mind, and destroy what little soul she has left inside her wretched being. After I’m done with her, she will be so far gone that she won’t even plead for death anymore—just mercy.