Page 196 of House of Cards

“Not your little rat friends, either.”

I can feel my composure cracking, face hardening. “Leave her out of this.”

Elonzo laughs it up, pointing and slapping like we’re at a carnival and I’m a freak on display. It’s over as quickly as it starts, Elonzo serious as he crouches down in front of Zoey.

“Tell me,mamacita. You love this piece of shit?”

I can see it happen before it does, like a fucking omen.

Zoey’s brittle, “Fuck y—” getting cut off by Elonzo’s backhand.

Still, I’m not prepared.

My vision goes white, and I’m struggling against Miguel’s chokehold before I realize I’ve moved. My throat stings, like I yelled, but fuck knows what I said or if I even spoke.

When Zoey forces her eyes open again, there’s blood on her lip and fury in her gaze.

Elonzo turns to face me, spreading his arms wide. “Our boy Hutch has found himself anotherputato care about.”

My mind scrambles, pulling together a half-baked plan that feels like a fucking lose-lose any way it pans out. But I’ve got no other option.

This isn’t like it was with Michelle. I won’t be the executioner this time.

If I can get Zoey away from here, get her to safety, maybe it’ll offset Michelle’s death, and go some way to making amends for the monster I’ve become.

But the only way I can think to make that happen feels more monstrous than anything I’ve ever done.

Zoey already thinks I’m a sadist. A freak.

Poor little kitten has no fucking clue what I’m capable of.

When I laugh, she and Ricky both flinch in surprise. Elonzo narrows his eyes, but curiosity makes him pause.

It’s all I need.

“Seems I haven’t made myself clear.” My voice drops to an annoyed rumble. “I never gave a shit about your sister. Michelle was a good fuck, but a lousy girlfriend. Too eager, too desperate, too fucking clingy.”

Elonzo’s eyebrows lift. “Nah.” He shakes his head. “I’m not buying it.”

I shrug. “Think you’re the only one who figured out she was working with the DEA? Wasn’t going to give you the satisfaction of taking her out.”

Elonzo truly is a sick cunt, because the side of his mouth twitches up in an approving smirk. “Was it worth the bullet it cost you?”

“You know it was.” I hold his perverted gaze as long as I can bear before letting my eyes drift to Zoey. “Know what else was worth it? Her.”

Her expression instantly switches from confusion to horror. “Wh—” she begins, but I cut her off with a sleazy chuckle.

“She fights me like a fucking virgin every time. Trained her that way. Course, if you’re a pussy, she can do some real damage.” I make a point of looking at Luis. There’s murder in his eyes, but he just spits at the ground, too cowed by Elonzo to do anything about the insult.

Elonzo glances over at Luis and laughs, his gun dipping a few inches. “Marica?1!”

Luis purses his lips like he wants to spit again, but doesn’t.

“I usually gag them when the bitching gets too much,” I carry on, “but this one’s screams only make me harder.”

Elonzo chuckles, shaking his head like we’re swapping war stories. “Michelle told me you were a sick fuck,” he says. Heshakes off his mirth, raising the gun back up. “But enough of your stories?—”

“You ever fuck Michelle after you got her back?”