Page 9 of Killer Confections

Living in a home with two trained assassins means your house looks normal, but it’s anything but. Out back, a dark shed poses as storage. It’s meant to throw any suspecting authorities off.

There’s a few gardening supplies, some tools, and even a lawnmower. But in the back corner, a hatch is hidden under the floorboards that leads to a dark interrogation room.

Dad moves the floorboards aside before pulling the heavy latch open. He turns to me and I tense before he grips my arm. He pulls me forward with all his strength before pushing me into the opening.

I tumble down the stairs, my head hitting the railing, before I sprawl on the cemented floor. Everything hurts, but I lift myself on to shaky arms as I quickly take in the space.

It’s been cleaned recently, the stench of decay only lightly lingering in the air. I can smell the putrid cleaning products, but it isn’t as bad as last time.

The last time I was thrown in, there was still a body bound to the chair in the center of the room, bloodied and stiff with rigor mortis.

“Your brother will be down to get you in three days.” Dad says before slamming the hatch shut and leaving me in total darkness.

Chapter Three

Atlas

Eleven Years Ago

My stomach gives another painful clench, the hunger becoming unbearable. My eyes droop with exhaustion, the darkness swirling around me. It’s hard to hallucinate when you’re not actively looking at anything.

Rowan has been down a few times to make sure I’m not sleeping for dad’s check-ins. During one of our visits, I asked him to look into Loxley for me and he gave me updates every time he came down.

She’s fifteen and new to Columbus. Her dad is a bank teller and her mom is a lawyer. They moved here over the summer for her mom’s new office she’s opening in downtown.

We share none of the same classes since she’s a grade below me, but I have a few electives I can switch. I convinced Rowan to help me out, and he still has yet to confirm it with me.

Just as I’m about to fall over from exhaustion, the hatch opens. I close my eyes at the harsh bright light, only relaxing when I recognize Rowan’s shoes on the steps.

“Punishments over,” he says casually. “Mom made pork chops.”

I hold a hand out to him and he grasps it, helping me stand on shaky legs. “Did you get to switch my electives?” I ask, licking my dry, cracked lips.

He laughs, “Three days with no food or water and you’restill worried about this girl?” He helps support me as we walk up the steps, keeping a hand centered on my back as I hobble up the stairs.

“Did you do it?” I ask again, ignoring his question. We make it to the top and I stretch out, releasing some of the tension in my limbs. My eyes adjust to the light and the shock to my system makes the hallucinations die down a little.

“Yup.” he pats my shoulder, a wide smile on his face. “I saw her in the hallway the other day. She’s cute. Didn’t think happiness and rainbows would be your type.”

I stop at his words, something nasty crawling in my gut.

Jealousy.

Rowan laughs again, the sound making anger rise as that clawing sensation spreads. “I’m not coming onto her. She’s fucking fifteen, Atlas.”

I nod, but his answer doesn’t seem to settle me. If he was anyone else, I would have beaten the shit out of him.

“Come on,” he wraps an arm around my shoulder, a stupid, smug smirk on his face. “Let’s get some food and sleep in you, then we can go over your new class schedule. You have two classes with your girlfriend now. Just don’t let dad find out.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” I mutter quietly.

My brother raises a brow, his eyes knowing. “Do you want her to be?”

Do I?

I think of seeing her easy smiles and hearing her beautiful laughter every day. I imagine us sitting together at lunch, our sides touching, her bright doe eyes lit up with excitement as we talk casually. I even consider seeing her outside of school and maybe meeting her parents one day…

“Yes,” I answer.