Page 15 of Buried in Blood

She stares at me, confused. It’s only seven at night, but who the fuck cares?

“GO!” I scream. She scurries down the hallway, letting her feet barely touch the floor as she runs.

I smile. This is more like it.

* **

The house is silent. I installed locks on the outside of Brooke’s door and windows. She can’t fucking run even if she tried, but that’s the weird part. She hasn’t even tried. It’s been two days, and she hasn’t tried one fucking time.

She is probably coming up with her own plan, but it will never work. I’m smarter.

Harmony has gotten her hair to look better and has her in clean clothes. She doesn’t smell like piss anymore, but I still think she looks like shit.

She doesn’t even know what she is. Who she is, for that matter. But I do. She is going to be used as a fucking weapon. And I can’t fucking wait.

I step into my room, taking a seat in the chair I have in the corner. It’s just after midnight, and my queen sleeps silently in the bed. She is perfect—sometimes. But I am perfect all the time. That’s why I am fucking Midas.

I sit in the chair, watching her. Her chest rises and falls slowly. Her leg is thrown over the comforter. Her shirt has risen up slightly, exposing the soft olive skin on her stomach. Fuck.

I shift in my chair, debating on waking her up. I never got to finish what I started the other night. Before Reese rudely interrupted.No. Don’t. You need her to be mad at you. Don’t let her win.

I don’t wake her up. Instead, I walk over to the bed and flip it over. She topples to the floor, screaming in response.

“What the fuck!” She screams as she stumbles to her feet.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you,” I whisper.

I push the mattress against the wall and walk the fuck out.

Fuck her. Fuck sleep.

I don’t need anyone but myself.

* **

It’s been seven hours since I flipped Harmony off of her bed, and she hasn’t come out of the room yet. I watch her on the cameras. She sits on the bed, legs curled into her chest as she stares at the door. She is waiting for me to come in again.

I won’t give her the satisfaction.

I sent Reese a text last night telling him not to show up today. I’m still pissed he thought he could openly talk about what’s been going on after knowing we may have been bugged. I don’t know when they installed the cameras, but they did.

I let my guard down for one second, and the enemy is already trying to take my ground. I ended up firing all the people working for me once I discovered the truth.

I’ll start completely over if I have to. I can do whatever the fuck I want.

No one can fucking stop me.

I keep watching Harmony, unmoving.

I think I’ll just watch her all day. That way, she can’t do anything I don’t know about. I wonder if it was her who told them where The Orchard was. At that stupid fucking engagement party. The one she wasn’t supposed to go to.

Fury rises inside of me, threatening to make me explode. I clench my fist, trying to calm down.

She will be of no use if she is dead, I remind myself.

8

Harmony