Page 47 of Look My Way (Bloody Desires #1)

Zavier

Liam wraps his arms around me from behind, humming into the back of my neck while I lift his stone to the window. “It’s perfect, carino. But I didn’t expect anything less.”

“You kept saying how much you liked the bees and flowers on my face, so now you can see them whenever you want,” he says buzzing with pride, and I smile, placing it in my pocket.

“I do, and I’ll carry it with me to work today. I won’t be too long. It’s only a small job. The others are being continued next week.” I lightened my load this week, not only for him but in case the cleanup after killing Daniel becomes too big or if my plans for tonight somehow get interrupted.

He bounces on his feet and kisses my mouth as I turn around. “I’m going to draw something else while you’re gone. You’ll love it, Daddy. I just know you will.”

“I have no doubt, pretty thing.” I kiss his pinkening cheeks and he walks me to my truck, where I’m smothered in more kisses and enveloped in a tight hug before I leave. I wave to him from the open window, and he repeats my action with more enthusiasm.

So fucking adorable. Man, why do I have to keep working in order to make money? I want to be here with him all the damn time. My chest aches as I drive further away from him, but my mood quickly picks up when I check the doc once I’m in front of my only client for the day’s house.

This morning wasn’t enough for him. He needs extra today, and I’m totally okay with that.

Hopping out of my truck, I check to see if the new rope I purchased is still back there.

It is, but I’ll have to make a stop on my way home to get the rest of the supplies I’ll need to help my boy live another fun fantasy of his.

This wasn’t originally a part of the story, and I’ve been waiting with bated breath for the day he would add it.

Now here we are, and my workday can’t end fast enough.

My mind is stuck in the gutter all day, thinking about what he wrote and how he left a lot of how it happens up to me.

He’s giving me the go ahead to do things my way, and he still isn’t asking for safe words.

He has a bit of darkness in him too and just isn’t ready to admit it yet.

I see it. I’m drawn to it the same way I’m drawn to his kindness and innocence. He’s the perfect mixture of everything, and I want to drown in it all, no longer caring if it one day leads to me not coming back up for air.

My stop at home after work doesn’t take long, and I toss my black duffel bag in the back, shoving the rope inside. I check my phone and laugh at my last message from him.

Liam: Taking something to help me sleep. Hopefully I get some good rest.

So eager. Didn’t even let me do the drugging this time.

A match made in heaven is what we are, and man are we going to have fun growing wings together later.

When I reach Liam’s house, I park outside and grab my bag.

His car is in the garage, and it’ll be easier getting his body in the back of it without alarming the neighbors.

The house is silent when I enter through the front door, and I carry the bag back to the garage after adding some bottles of water to it.

Daniel will be using his car right now, but he’s not occupying his apartment.

It’ll have to do. It’s close enough. Settling on the idea, I carry on to the bedroom and check to make sure Liam is sound asleep.

He’s a dead weight when I lift him, eyes not moving and body slack against me.

He’s out alright. I have something in my bag in case he needs to be knocked out again, but we probably won’t need it.

It doesn’t hurt to be prepared, though. Lifting him higher, I tread toward the garage and lower him inside the trunk.

He looks so peaceful and serene. I stroke his cheek and gently tie his limbs together.

The knots are loose in case he gets too uncomfortable.

I don’t want to leave any bad marks. Only enough for him to look back on over the next few days.

Smiling, I shut the trunk and I’m happy to see the keys are in the car.

I get in and hit the garage door button on the visor.

The door shakes open, and as I’m backing out of the garage, bright lights flash from two different cop cars.

Sirens are suddenly blaring and a gun is pointed at me through the window.

Daniel is in uniform, tapping on the top of the car.

“Stop the vehicle and get out with your hands up.”

Blood rushes to my face. “What’s the problem here?”

“Looks to be you’re driving off in a car that doesn’t belong to you. There was a distress call made from this house, and we’re here to do a wellness check.”

“You speak as if you don’t know whose car this is, and you know I’ve been coming in and out of his place lately.” My jaw clenches as I turn the engine off.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I haven’t been over here this past week. My fiancé was supposed to be out of town. I don’t know who you are.” What’s this fucker’s game? He’s the one who hired me, “Now get out of the vehicle before I drag your ass out.”

Fists clenching around the wheel, my heart hammers and I look behind me. Fuck, if they see what’s in the bag after checking the trunk, this could go sideways real fast. We have the document as proof, don’t we? And when Liam wakes up he can explain everything. That’s if Daniel allows him to.

This was his plan all along. He was waiting for the right moment and somehow found it. Slamming a hand on the door, I step out and lift my hands. Daniel slams me into the car, frisking me, and motions to the other two guys to check the car. They look in the back and then open the trunk.

I let out a deep sigh, eyes closing as I mutter to myself.

“What was that?” Daniel says, words pounding in my ears.

“Oh fuck. You’re going to want to see this, Dan. This sick son of a bitch.”

Daniel nudges his gun against my head. “Don’t do anything stupid or I won’t hesitate to shoot your ass.”

“I got him,” another voice says, grabbing my wrists and slamming me harder into the car.

He tells me my rights and how I’m under arrest for kidnapping. My ears burn, blocking out most of what he says because it’s complete bullshit. Waiting until later tonight to take down Daniel was a mistake. I should have killed him weeks ago and then we wouldn’t be having this problem.

Daniel lifts Liam from the trunk, shooting daggers at me. “Looks like we got here just in time. Liam meets the description of all the guys who are missing and showing up dead too.”

“Wait . . . you think?” The guy behind me curses.

“It seems to look that way.” I don’t have to turn around to know that’s Jared.

His voice shakes when he says it too. And he keeps pushing how it has to be me and how my apartment needs to be checked.

They won’t find anything, unless . . . unless Daniel’s put something there.

I think about the box in his apartment. A light bulb goes off in my head.

He had a collection like me. It’s him. He and Jared are the ones kidnapping young men.

He’s been right under my nose all along.

I grit my teeth. I don’t know how, but I need to get myself out of this situation somehow.

I need Liam to wake up, not only to clear my name and take Daniel down, but because I can’t picture a world without him now that I’ve had him.

“Come on. You’re coming with us, asshole.” Cuffs are put around my wrists and Liam is carried inside, Daniel looking back at me with an almost smile. Oh, he’s better than I gave him credit for. “I’m going to stay here and see if I need to take Liam to the hospital. He needs me right now.”

“Of course, man. Do what you need to do. We got this.” The guy behind me shoves me into the back of the vehicle, and I climb in, sliding closer to the middle. The door slams shut and my escape plan is looking dimmer the longer this goes on.

Two cops get in the front, and one says something into a walkie-talkie while the other one says something to me that I’m only half listening to.

Something about guys like me and scum of the earth.

No, he has it all wrong. The real scum is inside the house we’re quickly driving away from.

Liam was safe before and now he’s far from it.

I slam my head back and the chain of my necklace tugs on my neck. Right. I’m still wearing the key from when I locked Liam in Daniel’s handcuff earlier this morning. I never took it off from around my neck, so it was convenient in case I needed to use it again with him later.

Wiggling in my seat, I look out the window, and the guys in front are so wrapped up in their conversation about something else, they’re no longer focused on me. One messes with the radio and sighs. “We have to make a quick stop. There’s been an accident reported on the way to the station.”

“Shouldn’t we take him in first?” The guy in the passenger seat asks, pointing back at me.

“Nah. The detective meeting us there to question him is running behind. We have time. This asshole isn’t going anywhere.”

“Yeah, alright. This shouldn’t take long anyway if it’s just a fender bender.”

The car speeds up before slowing down and pulling over to the side of the highway. One cop looks back at me with a cold expression. “Hang tight. Don’t try fighting your way out of there, because all you’ll do is wear yourself out and piss me off further.”

The driver laughs, stepping out of the car, and his partner follows suit, slamming the door so hard the car rattles.

Once they’re far enough away from the car, I turn my body and lie on my back.

I look out the window as I fold my body to bring the cuffs forward.

It takes several tries before I finally get them over my feet.

Breathing hard and breaking a sweat, I lift them up in front of me, while my eyes stay on the two pigs talking to a couple of pedestrians as they describe what happened.