Page 31

Now, we were just...unfinished business.

EIGHT

DORIAN

Idrifteddownthehallway, fingertips dragging along the wallpaper, leaving smudges where the blood hadn’t dried. The severed hand swung loosely in my grip, its fingers still curled as I pressed it against the wallpaper. My laughter bubbled up from somewhere deep inside me, flowing off the narrow walls.

She ran ahead, barefoot, breath hitching. Her eyes were wide when she looked back. The attic door yawned open at the end, her final chance to escape.

“I’m getting closer,” I crooned, my voice lilting like a lullaby. “Closer than ever, little stepsister.”

Her fingers caught the edge of the attic door, pulling it toward her with everything she had left, but my hand slammed against it just before she did. The hard hit against the door scared her even more. I leaned in, grinning. “Boo.”

“Leave me alone!” Her scream cracked, tangled in sobs.

She wasn’t running from me. She was running from the thing she thought she had left behind.

I tilted my head, watching her. “Where exactly do you think you’re going?” My voice dropped, amused. “Out there? In here?” I tapped my temple with a bloodstained finger, chuckling. “No, no… you’re not going anywhere.”

She spun, trying to run for the stairs, but I caught her ankle. The sound she made when she hit the steps was strong like something had broken on the inside. She didn’t even try to fight.

“Please,” she whispered, again and again. “Please.”

I knelt over her. “You’ll forget where you end and I begin. That’s the beautiful part,” I murmured, brushing hair from her face with trembling fingers that weren’t mine. “I’ll haunt every corner of your mind until even your nightmares look like mercy.”

Beside her, I placed the severed hand. Her eyes locked on it, pupils shrinking. I took her chin, gently. Her tears made tiny rivers down her skin that turned pale with fear. I made her look at me, and I smiled.

I laughed, “Cry baby,” I chuckled, pressing my tongue against her cheeks and licking her tears away.

“Please, stop,”She sobbed under me, shaking. I moved my hand to her neck, and I could feel her pulse in her neck when I pressed my fingers there. I could feel my fingers tightening against her.

“Do you feel it?” I whispered, dragging my mouth close to her ear. “That pounding in your throat? That’s not fear, stepsis. That’s need.”

She screamed again, and I moaned at the sound of it. “I could wear your skin like a coat and still not feel close enough,” I whispered.

She kicked, uselessly. I let her. She can’t hurt me. “I’m going to carve myself into you until you forget where you end and I begin.”

“Stop,” she begged, “Please.”

“You are mine,” I growled in her mouth, “MINE.” I tightened my fist against her neck even harder.

“Why are you like this?” she cried out. “Why do you hate me so much?”

“Hate?” I laughed, the sound sharp. “I don’t hate you,” I said, voice low. “I never hated you.”

“Then why?” she begged, desperation cracking her voice. “Please... what did I do to make you treat me like this? Like I’m nothing?”

“You fucking left me.” My eyes widened, the words hissing through my teeth. “Chained by your father, beaten by my mother—and you just chose not to give a fuck.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears spilling as her hand reached toward my face. I pulled away.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” I let out a bitter laugh. “You’re not fucking sorry.”

She didn’t respond.

“You don’t even know what that means,” I said, stepping closer. “If you did, you would’ve stayed. Called. Checked in. Anything.” My voice cracked, and then I screamed, “BUT NO.” My hands stayed tight around her throat as I leaned in. “You had to ruin it. Ruinus.”

“I didn’t,” she choked out, her voice breaking under my grip. “I thought… I don’t know… I can’t remember.”