Page 26

Billy

L ou’s worry-filled face shatters the remnants of my already broken heart.

I’ve spent the day burning parts of the barn, the bodies gone. Every bit of evidence that couldn’t be destroyed was brought back to my shop.

“Yeah, I know.” I blow out a slow breath.

I have to find out more about what happened today. With a forced smile, I nod, unable to speak as the realization of losing everything washes over me.

I grab her hand, pulling her up to stand. We walk into the house with our fingers interlaced.

“What if they find your shop?”

The chill from this morning deepens into my bones. I pull my hat off and set it down on the counter.

“Why would she think to say anything?” I look at Lucy.

“I don’t know. Nerves. ”

I see why, because Cotton-Candy Whore knows who I am and what I do.

“Let me take them away,” I whisper.

I slide my palms over her cheeks, feeling the warmth of her skin. Running my fingers over her, I can’t help but notice the smoothness beneath my calloused hands.

Leaning in, I press my lips against hers, my touch finding its way to her nape.

“Shower?”

Before I can answer, my phone rings. Pulling it out of my pocket, the unknown number looks back at me. “Hello?”

“Mr. Davis?”

“Speaking.” I let go of Lou and point upstairs for her to shower.

“I’m Detective Shaw. Trying to piece together a hell of a puzzle and covering all the bases I can,” he says.

I grip the phone and walk out onto the porch. Lighting another cigarette, I pace. “How can I help you?”

“We’re trying to figure out how your taxidermy shop ties into one of our victims.”

The wooden slats beneath my feet seem to fall away. The air I exhale feels like it’s laced with tiny shards of broken glass, cutting through my throat.

“I’m as intrigued as you. Do you have a hunter there? ”

“We have a young woman clinging on to life with severe injuries and a bloody flyer for your company in her back pocket.”

That’s much more damning evidence than I ever thought possible.

“Not sure, sir. Maybe she picked it up somewhere?”

“Perhaps. We’ll be in touch. Stay in town. You’d have no problem with a search of your shop?”

I grit my teeth and bile crashes around my stomach. “As long as you got a warrant, I’m cool with anything.”

The sigh on the other end of the phone is the last thing I hear before he hangs up.

I know what I will have to do, but for now I’ll live in denial as I walk up the stairs to Lucy, getting out of the shower. Her luscious body greets me, her perfect pink lips smile when her eyes meet mine. “Anything important?”

“Nah, someone enquiring about rates for their deer’s head,” I tell her.

As she sways past me, I wrap my hand around her waist and guide her to the bedroom.

“Billy?”

“Get on your knees,” I whisper. Letting her go, I unsnap my belt and undo my jeans. Her hands force them down my thighs as she kneels before me.

I stroke my dick until it’s hard and tap her lips until she opens wide .

“That’s my girl,” I grit out.

Lucy’s warm wet tongue snakes along the underside, making me roll my head back, and I grip her hair as I fuck her mouth. Thrusting my cock into her throat, her eyes tear up slightly as she gags around the head.

“Perfect fucking cocksucker.” I grin and pull her off my dick, stroking it with her spit. “On the bed, your choice.”

She gets on all fours, her luscious ass in the air and heavy tits hanging down. I’ve never seen such a fucking beautiful sight.

I waste no time kicking my clothes off and advancing on her. I shimmy between her legs and lie flat beneath her, grasping her hips when I pull down.

“Billy?”

“Be my good little cum slut and sit on my face.”

She hesitates, so I give her no choice as I grip my fingers into her flesh and yank her down. Caressing my mouth over her slit, I explore every inch of her.

Lucy grinds against me until she tenses and her sweet squirt covers my face, dripping into my mouth.

“That was amazing,” she breathes.

When she gets off me, I push her down on her back and get between her legs, placing them over my hips while I thrust into her sopping-wet cunt. Leaning forward, I encircle my hand over her throat and wish I could drown in the way she clamps onto my cock.

“Whose pussy is this?” I ask her.

When her eyes open, she says nothing as her fingers graze my chest before aiming for her clit. I catch her wrist and bring it over her head as I grip her throat tighter.

“Who do you belong to?”

“You,” she moans.

I slide my hand up slightly and run my thumb over her bottom lip. She opens her mouth and I spit.

“Only mine,” I grit out as her body tightens under me.

“Always,” she pants.

“Forever,” I growl and slam into her harder. Her cunt clamps down on my cock as she comes again. “Just like that, don’t fucking stop coming over my dick.”

I kneel back on my heels, cherishing the feel of her skin as I press her legs open. I hold on to her knee while I thrust into her. Dragging my fingers over her slit, I rub until she writhes beneath me.

It’s as if the tightly coiled nerves running through her body snap and her muscles stiffen as she screams out my name. Firmly wound, the pleasure courses through every inch of me and I grip her tighter as I fill her.

“You’re such a good girl,” I whisper .

We situate and soon Lou’s lying on my chest, my arm wrapped around her. The cupcake conditioner fills my nose and I feel like a royal cunt for what I’m going to have to do.

“Goodnight, Billy,” she whispers.

“It’s not nighttime,” I say.

“I’m tired, so I love you.”

I should have fed her before taking her to bed. With everything spinning inside my head, I didn’t even think of it.

“Love you, Lou.”

Days pass, and although Leah seems to stay in the coma, my time is limited. After a quick trip to my apartment and filling my trunk with some clothes and old sentimental shit, I grab everything I need in my shop.

On my way out, my fears are confirmed by the cruisers I see heading down the road as I depart from the back.

Once I pull into Lucy’s driveway, I scan the area but see nothing of concern. Moving my way through the house, I remove almost all the security cameras. It kills me to know I won’t be able to watch her.

When I’m done, I head up the stairs and pass by her office as she types away.

“Hey, you okay?” she calls out. I only grunt in response. I can never give her what she deserves.

I grab my duffel bag and start filling it with clothes, tucking in the only printed picture of the two of us together.

Dropping it outside her office, I lean against the doorjamb. I run my hand through my hair, my gaze remaining fixed on her. Sporting a bun, she scribbles notes while toggling between various windows. I should have changed for her, or at least taken better precautions.

The darkness that engulfs my mind, my heart, and seeps into my soul will never provide her with the life she deserves.

“What’s going on, Billy?” Her voice is quiet.

“Lou, I love you so fucking much. I wanted nobody more than you.” I bow my head before looking back at her.

Nothing good ever lasts forever.

She gets out of her chair and stalks across the room to stand in front of me. “Billy, don’t do this. We can get through this together.”

“That’s just the thing, darlin’. We can’t. ”

Lucy’s lip trembles, her fingers clutching the fabric of my shirt. My thumb grazes her jaw as I cradle her face in my hand, savouring the softness of her skin.

“Why?” Her voice is so small, and it breaks my heart.

“They’ve found the shop. They’re gonna put the puzzle together. No matter what I do, they’ll figure out who I really am.”

I lower my forehead to hers, and we stand connected in silence for a fraction of what I’d like.

“How could they link your business to Leah?” Lou doesn’t break eye-contact.

Throughout her entire existence, my sole intention was to avoid causing any pain. I have done everything possible to make the breaks in life a bit easier, but this isn’t something I can fix.

“She took a flyer from the barn. I don’t know how she did any of this. When I felt her neck, she had no pulse. How she climbed out, grabbed a flyer, and left without leaving a bloody trail is beyond me.”

I wrap my arm around her back, every touch trying to memorize like a prod in my brain.

“So we’ll run together. I’ll follow you anywhere. You can’t leave me, not like this. Not with our lives ahead of us. We’re planning. I have you in my life. I finally get to have the love I’ve spent my entire life looking for. ”

“Lou, we can’t do that. I won’t drag you into the depths of the depravity that I’ve caused.”

As she tightens her grip on my shirt, I can feel the warmth of her touch seeping through the fabric. Tears spill from the eyes that have brought me so much love.

“Billy, I’ve loved you for so fucking long. We’re supposed to be forever and always.”

Whatever black heart beats in my chest shatters. A tear runs down my cheek as I stare at her.

“I’ve gotta go, Lou. I’ll always love you,” I whisper.

“You said we’d make it through anything.”

“I was mistaken. You possess all of me. You own every single fibre of my being. I’ll never forget everything we’ve said and done, but I can’t be here anymore.”

“What will I do without you?”

I do everything in my power to smile, but it’s futile. “Become a bestselling author, live a life full of light and sunshine. You’ll do it all and be amazing at it. I’m too dark. I’ll never be able to give you the future you deserve.”

“I don’t get a say?” she asks.

“Wanna be a prison wife to the guy who psychologically tortured families across the country?”

Her gaze doesn’t meet mine, and the sheer thought of our future is nothing I wish for her.

“No, you don’t get a say, Lou. ”

“Why does everyone leave me? What’s wrong with me that everyone fucking leaves?” Her eyes are red and I stroke away the tears from her cheeks.

“Nothing, darlin’. You’re perfect. Don’t ever fucking let anyone make you feel different.”

I pull away from her, stepping into the hall. I grab my bag and choke back my emotions, unsure of how to handle this unfamiliar feeling.

Sensing the warmth of her body against mine, I draw her in, her arms encircling my waist. If I could become someone else for her, I would, but it’s not in the cards for me.

“I love you, Lou, forever.” I pull her hands away from my shirt and back away toward the stairs.

Tears roll down her face, and mine struggle to stay in.

“Love you always, and fuck you,” she screams at me, and as much as I want to comfort her, I know it’s my time to go.

As I make my way to the front door, her heartbreaking sobs serve as a haunting farewell.

I reach the Cruze and feel the weight of her shattered heart pressing down on me.