The Promise (Wolfe Creek Duet #2)

56

THEA

I press my knee into Cole’s groin, increasing the pressure slowly, savoring each new level of pain. He cries out and begs me to stop. He tells me he’ll do anything. Too bad his words mean nothing.

“Do you think this hurts as much as those times you were rough?” I press down harder. Cole shrieks and my hand slaps over his mouth. I lean in close to his ear. “What? You don’t like being silenced when someone gets a little rough with you?” My knee digs in more until I feel his hot breath coming hard and fast against my palm.

There’s a sick satisfaction growing inside of me the more I hurt him. Distantly, I know that I shouldn’t like this, but it’s rooted deep—gnarled and twisted into the depths of my soul. I want Cole to suffer.

Finally, I ease up. I take my knee away and then my hand. His head falls forward as he pants and gasps pathetically. I circle the chair until I’m standing behind him. Glancing down, I ensure he hasn’t loosened the restraints with all of his struggling.

Then, something catches my eye.

The faint glint of two red eyes sends a wave of anger through me. He’s still wearing that damn ring like he’s a part of this family. A thought slithers into my head. Can I do it? I don’t have time to ponder the question. My brain shuts off and it’s like I just know what to do. Like it’s been in me all along.

I exit the shower and wad up the washcloth. “Open up,” I order Cole. He recoils and his jaw tightens in protest. Fucking pussy. My knee lands hard on his dick, making his mouth open involuntarily. I shove the washcloth deep inside.

Grabbing the knife off the shower floor, I come around to the back of him again. Kneeling down, I take his ringed finger in my hand. I could easily slide it off, but he needs to know that his ties with us are severed—permanently.

Gripping him tightly, I press the blade of the knife to his skin. It’s new. Never been used. It slices so easily through the first layers. The blood pouring from his wound doesn’t shock me. Quite the opposite, it has me in a trance. It’s so vibrant against his skin and even more so against the stark white tile.

Vaguely, I hear Cole’s cries. Then, I shut them out and continue.

My knife hits some resistance. Must be the bone. I work the blade back and forth, like a saw, pushing down as hard as I can. Then, I’m through. I hold up the appendage, adorned with the wolf ring. This feels unbelievably significant, as if this truly removes him from our family.

Bringing my attention back to Cole, I notice that he’s whimpering now and his body is trembling. Good. I stand and come back around to face him. His eyes have fallen closed, but they’re winced in pain, so I know he’s still conscious. My palm finds his cheek, hard and loud. That seems to bring his attention back to me. I pull the washcloth from his mouth.

Holding up his finger, I enjoy the horror in his gaze. “You never deserved to wear this.” I toss it to the floor. I think he actually believes that I could kill him now, it’s something about the way the energy’s shifted, like I can smell his fear.

“Jus—Just do it already,” he sputters. “Kill me.”

A cackle escapes. “Ready to give up so easily? Or is this a test to see if I’ll actually do it?” I eye him carefully, then decide that I don’t care why he’s telling me to end it. “We aren’t done yet, Cole. You’ve done so much damage. A finger barely scratches the surface.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but I don’t let him. I walk around him, then tip his chair backwards, slowly lowering him to the tile floor. I make my way to the other side and turn on the shower. I don’t care that it’s freezing cold.

The water doesn’t run clear for long—it becomes tinged pink as it mixes with the blood I’ve spilled. For a moment, it mesmerizes me. Then I bring myself back to the task at hand.

I grab the detachable showerhead with one hand, with the other I place the wash cloth over Cole’s face. This is payback for trying to fucking drown me. I position the showerhead over his nose and mouth.

It takes him a minute to register what’s happening, then he violently tries to escape my torture. His whole body flops as muffled gargles and chokes come from beneath the cloth. After a minute, I let up. I give time to catch his breath, but never uncover him.

He was moving too much for my liking before. This time, I stand over his face, placing his head between my ankles and gripping him tightly. Then I waterboard him again until he’s gagging violently. I grant another minute to compose himself. Then, I do it again. I’m as brutal and cruel as he’s been to me.

Finally, I think he’s had enough and I might get exactly what I need from him now that he knows I’m serious. I turn off the shower and take the washcloth from his face.

Cole’s bright red and coughing, his chest heaves as water sputters from his mouth. He looks so damn helpless. It’s disgusting.

Crouching low, I look him in his glassy, bloodshot eyes. “If you want me to stop, you’re going to give your confession. You’re going to own up to taking Gavin. Do you understand?”

He thinks about it. “No,” he croaks out. Fucking idiot.

I grab the gun, switch off the safety, and hold it to his cock. “This doesn’t have to be quick. I’ll put holes in places that will make this last for hours. Just tell me what I want to know.”

“Fine. Fine,” he insists. I smile at my win.

Walking over to the counter, I grab my phone and hit the record button. I hold it up to his mouth and wait for him to spill the details. He hesitates, but when I press the gun hard to his crotch, he starts speaking.

Cole confesses to taking Gavin and holding him hostage. He admits that we’ll find everything we need at the storage unit in Tennessee, the one Damian’s at. He doesn’t go into great detail, just the basics and gives his full name. I hope it’ll be enough. It has to be.

I turn the recorder off, then tuck my phone into my pocket and the gun into my waistband before lifting the chair back up into its upright position.

I watch as his head falls forward, then lifts slowly. He looks defeated. I’m glad. This is how I’ve felt for months. Now, for the finale.

Pulling the gun from my waistband, I position it in the middle of his forehead. “Are you ready for it to be over, love?”

Cole doesn’t answer—he just looks at me, waiting for me to make a move. I hear Damian’s words in my head. “Focus on your task.” I fix my gaze on where the weapon meets his skin. “Finger on the trigger.” My finger slides over it. I take a deep breath and then exhale, ready to end it.

This has been a long time coming.