Page 19 of Phantasm

I tear myself away from the door, stomp across the landing to the banister, and bark to the Pawns in charge of making sure my wife doesn’t try to flee the premises. “Grab her if she tries to leave.”

They blink up at me from the bottom floor, no doubt surprised to see me this ruffled. There’s usually not a hair out of place, but now I’m drenched in sweat, and I’m sure my left eye is twitching, too.

When I raise a single brow, they scurry into action, ascending the stairs like they worry I’ll shoot them on the spot.

It’s a possibility.

They salute me, out of breath, and I shoulder past. If my wife thinks she can outsmart me, she’s got another thing coming. No one wins over me. Cecilia will soon learn who holds all the cards in this marriage.

I return minutes later, clutching an axe, and when I barge through the Pawns, they stare at me like I have three heads.

“Last chance to say sorry to your husband, Mrs. Delacroix.”

Something hard hits the door with a loud thud. “Burn in hell!”

The guards shift, uncomfortable, exchanging glances.

“Have I told you how much I love your pillow talk?”

“Have I told you how much I dream about killing you?”

“You’re making me hard, baby. Tell me more.” I swing the axe into the door, and she releases a scream on the other end.

“You’re fucking crazy!”

“What’s that, baby? You want to choke on my cock?” Yanking the axe out of the wood, I slam it back in, lodging the blade deep. “I’ve told you already, good girls get to choke on my dick. My wife, on the other hand…” I pull the blade back out, leaning my shoulder against the door, ignoring the curious guards. “She’s an ungrateful bitch.”

She appears in the splintered gap in the wood, tilting her head and showing me her bared teeth. “Oh, your wife is a bitch, alright. She serviced your guards on her knees when you were at work.”

I swivel my head toward the alarmed Pawns, who back up a step, pale as ghosts, hands raised. “Boss, we never…”

My wife is messing with me to prove that she can slither beneath my skin, but my fury is unleashed, and I turn back around before I decapitate them both. “Nice try, baby. We both know they wouldn’t dare touch what’s mine.”

“Aww,” she drawls, sticking her finger through the hole and poking me in the eye. “You love me.”

“Ouch, fuck!” My eyes are watering. I blink once, twice. “A hernia is more lovable than you.”

Cecilia cries out with fear when I set upon the door with the axe.

This time, I don’t hold back. Whatever monster crawls out from the darkest corners of my soul is an ancient beast. Something born from evil.

Trust my insufferable wife to be the one who finally succeeds in making me lose control.

With a final roar, I kick the door open and block the doorway with my heaving, sweat-soaked body. “Oh, honey, did you miss me?”

I scan the room, the axe resting on my shoulder. Now, where’s my beautiful wife hiding?

“Baby, don’t be angry with Daddy.” My shoes clap on the shiny marble flooring as sunlight pours through the windows to my left, casting streaks of light across the open space.

It’s quiet. Too quiet.

Out of seemingly nowhere, a book comes flying at me, hitting me square in the shoulder, and I stumble back, almost tripping.

Cecilia throws another book, but I’m prepared for her poor aim this time and duck before the hardback can smack me square in the face and ruin my perfect nose.

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

She pops her head out from behind a pillar, a book at the ready, and even I can admit she looks a bit scary.