Page 20

Lucy

“ I think you have everything you need. I appreciate you so damn much, Lou,” Billy says.

In the driveway, with my trunk filled to the brim with product, my heart swells when I notice his labelling includes my nickname.

“Of course. You do so much for me. How could I not do this for you?”

He’s so wonderful with people, but I get being scared to be next to your own creation. The way my book is going tells me I’ll be nervous when I finally publish it.

Not feeling good enough has the potential to weigh heavily on anyone’s mind, but especially after a childhood of trauma, it can almost seem impossible to put yourself out there.

“I love you.” He leans down and kisses me gently. His touch drives me crazy and I sigh at his lips. “When you get home, I will worship every fucking inch of you. ”

“You better for all this work I’m doing for you.” I smirk and he slaps my ass. I slide into the car and start driving toward the farmer’s market to meet JoJo.

On the way, plot holes fix themselves in my book, but I have nothing to write it on. Billy told me that the drill bit would work, although I would cause temporal lobe damage if I wanted the person to live. I feel like I’ve been circling the drain with this story—who would even want to read it?

But Billy constantly reassures me. Whether it is the new notebooks with adorable messages inside, or the helpful writing manuals and general feedback, he has helped give me all the tools to enhance my author journey.

By the time I get to the market, I have to think if I actually stopped for any of the red lights or if I was in some sort of dazed thinking fog.

I grab the wagon that JoJo lent me from the backseat and fill it up. After grabbing the final two sacks, I lock the car and head toward the tables.

“Hey. Glad you could make it. I’ve seen people online talking about Lou’s Organic Soap and how excited they are to get some.” JoJo takes the bags from my arms and we set up the table together.

“So I sit all day and interact with customers?”

She gives me a weird look, squinting her eyes. “Never had to work a day in customer service, have you? ”

I shrug and she pats my shoulder.

While I move items around on the table, my nerves twist my stomach. Worry fills me that I won’t be enough to sell anything, because I’ve never done this before.

Soon people surround the booths around mine, and as a lady walks up, her friends follow.

“These’re so cool, and locally made!” She picks up a wallet and digs in her purse before handing me money. “My mother is going to love this. Thank you.”

After she leaves, more people line up and I’m making change as journals, wallets, and bookmarks are sold. The organic soap sells out and soon everything is off the table.

I hand out flyers to anyone who comes along, but with no more product, most people pass me by.

“You can pack up and go. I know it can get boring once everything’s bought, but here’s a blueberry pie. It’s from one of the farmer’s wives. She’s a doll.” Jo hands me a box, and a smile crosses her face.

“JoJo, I can’t thank you enough. This was incredible, and I’m so excited to show Billy how much everyone loved everything.”

While driving home, I can’t help but feel a rush of excitement building inside me. Billy’s dedication and effort make me proud of him.

With the radio turned up, I can feel the bass pulsating through my body as I bounce my head to the music. I miss being Billy’s passenger princess. Car rides are so much more fun with him.

I park in the driveway, holding the warm pie in my hands and inhaling the aroma of fresh-cut grass. It all brings me a sense of tranquillity. It’s that nostalgic scent that transports you to every cherished summer memory.

Heading inside, I place the pie on the counter before making my way upstairs. I trade my clothes for a loose-fitting tank top and casual jean shorts, perfect for the warm weather.

Once dressed, I slide my feet into a comfortable pair of Vans and walk out the door.

When I get outside, I decide to stroll to the barn. It’s not as long as he makes it out to be, but far enough that I never have to see the dead animals or smell anything that I don’t want to.

The front of the outbuilding is overrun with weeds. Grass tickles my shins as I follow the beaten path to the door that is cracked open.

The sound of 90s grunge fills the air from a speaker somewhere nearby.

When I step through the entrance onto the cold cement floor, a pungent smell of copper and urine fills the atmosphere.

I don’t know where he is, so I walk through a hall. The sight of a woman hanging by a chain in one stall causes my stomach to lurch and my knees to go weak .

Her head lolls to the side, and as she looks up, her eyes widen in sheer terror, her grunts barely audible through the tape across her lips.

My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth, suddenly drier than the desert. While scanning my surroundings, I tread lightly back the way I came, convinced that freedom is within reach.

My attention then fixates on an open stall showcasing a wooden table. I can’t tear my eyes away from the woman strapped down. Like a halo, her blonde curls spill around her head, framing her face. The table is a macabre display of her dismembered body parts.

Billy’s voice rings in my ears, and I want to cry when I realize he’s not who I thought he was.

“Riggs, what a name. My girl needed to know something for her book. You and Sunny are the perfect ones for the role. It’s nothing personal. Everyone serves their purpose and then, well, they die.”

I dare to peek and watch as his tattooed hand holds a sharp spoon and carves something from her body.

The metallic scent of blood fills the air as it streams down her muscles, leaving a trail of red on the table.

“I’d do anything for my girl, the way you proved you’d do whatever it takes for Sunny. Dedication—it’s important.”

I slowly back out of the barn, the rough texture of the wooden walls against my fingertips. My back then touches the edge of the door. It makes a creaking noise, causing Billy to whirl around.

He’s wearing a silver mask. It is a hauntingly beautiful sight, and when he tilts his head, I feel a rush of desire. As his dark eyes bore into mine, my hand reaches for the door handle, ready to whip it open.

“If you run, I’ll catch you,” is all he says before I burst out of the barn.

I glance at the house, but know he’ll reach me before I get close enough, so I turn and run behind the barn. I look around, my gaze falling on some old barrels. The lingering smell of barbeque tickles my nose.

There are stacks of ashes next to a metal wheelbarrow streaked with what seems to be blood.

“LOU!” His voice carries through the wind.

I tear my eyes away from the back of the barn and sprint over the hill, only to be greeted by a bunch of trees.

I race towards the forest’s edge. Glancing down, to discover a ravine with sharp, jagged rocks below. There’s no way I can make it across in these shoes.

Crouching behind a cluster of branches, I struggle to catch my breath and gather my scattered thoughts .

Billy obviously has a hidden side, but despite that, he has never caused me harm, even when given ample opportunities. It’s disturbing to realize that someone who finds pleasure in hurting others is also the person who has shown me the most love.

My stomach turns at the memory in that barn. Writing it is one thing, but witnessing it makes my lunch lurch into my throat.

“Lucy,” he sings my name. I know he’s going to catch me.

My options are to climb into the ravine or try to outrun him. I glance out over the water again and decide it’s the only way. I crawl across the forest, the sharp twigs pricking my knees and palms, but I persevere, determined to remain silent.

Once I reach the edge, I make an effort to find my footing with my shoe. My heart races as my sneaker glides over the algae on a rock and I almost lose my grip.

I gear up to give it another shot, but powerful hands hoist me up by my underarms. I kick out, but it feels like I’m kicking into thin air.

“Darlin’, I was pretty clear that I’d catch you.” His rough voice climbs down my spine as he moves his arm to pull me closer.

We tumble onto the ground, and when I attempt to turn my head, he holds my neck in place.

“Listen, I never actually wanted you to find out. It’s only a small part of who I am,” he whispers .

I clench my thighs together. The sensation of his grip on my neck sends electric waves of desire pulsing through my body. Within my thoughts fear, and lust collide like a chaotic tornado.

“Are you going to kill me?” I whisper.

“No, never.”

“But I know your secret.”

My mind flashes to the killer they talk about at work and I realize it’s him, the one who makes crafts from the bodies and sends them to the families.

I try to jerk away from his hands, but he’s too strong for me. I swallow the lump in my throat.

“Don’t care, unless you don’t want me anymore.”

He shuffles behind me and lets go. Billy kneels on his heels, his jeans, and shirt covered in dark stains. The silver mask sits atop his head, his eyes darkening.

“Do you sleep with them?”

“Never. What the fuck, Lou? I told you I’d never touch someone else like that.”

It almost makes the situation tolerable.

I want to bury my head in the sand and block out this side of Billy, pretend that he’s only the man who brings me joy and affection, ignore the fact he is the notorious serial killer they’ve been looking for.

He moves toward me, his hands reaching out to pull me down onto the damp forest floor.

Billy’s fingers caress my bare shoulders before forcefully removing the fabric over my head. Lowering his head, he releases my breasts from the confines of my bra.

“Billy,” I whisper as my stomach tightens with arousal.

The mask holds my focus as it sits on top of his head. Its grotesque appearance serves as a disturbing metaphor.

His lips cause so much pleasure and his other face stares at me through the empty holes.

He doesn’t stop as his kisses trail down over my tummy, over every stretch mark and scar that covers my skin.

He undoes my shorts and I arch my hips for him to rip them off of me.

“Such a good girl,” he mutters before he spreads my legs. Billy’s tongue dips between my folds. I’m already wet and can’t hide how turned on I am.

My body quivers with need as his fingers enter me, intensifying the pleasure of his tongue on my clit. He fucks me until I’m on the edge of orgasm. The mask captivates me, igniting a wave of desire that spreads like wildfire, tingling across my entire body.

“Roll over. I need to fuck you.” I don’t move as his head lifts from between my knees, and he arches an eyebrow.

“Do you fuck me after you kill? ”

“Not every time. It’s actually pretty rare. It’s not whatever you think, okay, Lou? I get this turned on because of you. Every fucking inch of your body drives me mental. Your mind makes my dick hard, for fuck’s sakes.”

With me on all fours, he presses against the side of my thigh, causing me to raise my leg and place his shirt underneath both knees. I am aware of the sweet gesture, and it warms my heart. His hands grip my hips as he slides up and down my slit, my wetness coating him.

He slams into me and I arch my back, tilting my head to the sky as I scream out from being filled.

“Just like that. Milk my cock, my dirty little slut,” he whispers.

Billy’s hands grasp my shoulders. Each thrust sends a jolt of pleasure through my body. We’re so close together.

Every part of my brain is consumed by a primal desire, causing me to shut my eyes and savour the sensation of him filling me.

I float near the edge, digging my nails into the dirt. He pulls away from me and slows his pounding. Only the head of his cock is in me, and I whimper.

“Please don’t stop,” I beg.

“Darlin’, we’re just starting.”

I turn to look over my shoulder .

As he smirks, his eyes take on a wild, feral glint, and he licks his lips. From his pocket, he produces a small knife and runs it along the inside of his arm.

Red liquid drips from his skin and I furrow my brow. I try to move, but the stronghold of his other hand grips my flesh tight, anchoring me in place.

As the crimson liquid trickles down his arm, he takes his fingers to explore my pussy. Using my wetness and the blood, he glides over my backside, dropping the knife. He spreads me open while spitting against me.

He leans back, his touch lingering on my skin, before retrieving something from his pocket. It takes a moment for me to register that it’s a severed female hand.

Jutting out from the flesh, the bone is visible beneath a network of veins. I turn my head to avoid the sight.

“Look at me when I fuck you,” he growls.

I glance back at him, putting the fingers into my ass. He is gentle as he fucks me with the dead flesh. It’s clear I’m out of my mind because when he slides his cock in and fucks me with the fingers, I let out a pleasurable moan.

I push back against him, meeting his thrusts. I reach beneath and my fingertips explore, intensifying the pleasure building toward my climax.

Billy’s grip on me tightens as his strokes become frantic, causing my body to tense up like a taut string about to break. In a moment, ecstasy engulfs me, and I explode around him. Breathing hard, my vision blurs with swirling black dots.

With a roar, he fills me and pulls the hand away, tossing it away. I collapse forward, my body crumpling like a marionette with its strings cut.

He falls with me, curling his arms around my middle.

“Well, uh…” I mumble.

What the fuck do you say in a situation like this? Hey, thanks for fucking me with a severed hand ? It blew my mind and gave me the best orgasm of my entire life. I’m in love with a serial killer. Jesus Christ.

“You gonna run Lou? This too much for you?” The fear in his voice pierces my heart.

I swallow. My thoughts become a chaotic blend of our shared memories and the confusion surrounding his true nature.

Sticks and leaves cling to my sweaty skin, creating an uncomfortable sensation.

“Can we clean up and talk about it?”