Page 24 of The Tycoon (The Douglas Brothers #1)

sutton

It’s done. It’s finished.

I have no recollection of the last three hours. The beast inside me has consumed every second of my memory. I am both thankful and disturbed by this act of mercy. I’m not entirely sure why I was given this gift. It’s not like the beast to be so altruistic.

I have truly done a number on this poor woman.

Staring into her open, empty eyes I let out a low whistle.

Her expression is frozen in permanent terror, forever locked in the fear bestowed upon her.

Her nose is broken; sticky blood has pooled in her opened mouth.

If I didn’t know any better, I would swear she bit completely through her tongue.

My handprints are seared into her neck, changing the color of her spray tan from muddy brown to deep shades of blue and purple.

Every single one of her scarlet acrylic nails are broken, she clearly put up some sort of fight before I handcuffed her to the bed.

I immediately check my arms to see if I have any scratches, thankfully I have none.

I suppose I could have broken them on purpose, I can be a little sadistic sometimes.

Especially if she said or did something that triggered me in some way.

Although torn, her whorish dress is still on her body.

She wasn’t wearing a bra to begin with, but her panties are still intact.

This leads me to believe that there was no sex between us, and that I didn’t assault her.

I am beyond grateful that I wasn’t inside her when the act happened, as I normally am.

I don’t think I could have handled it if I had cheated on my love. Especially with this unworthy slut

Physically pulling her eyelids down with my fingertips, I notice that her body is still warm.

I have no idea what we have been doing for the two and a half hours prior to her death, I doubt that we were having any sort of philosophical discussion.

I suppose it doesn’t really matter; I have done what I came here to do.

Murphy’s niece will get her fucking liver, my family will keep their standing and influence, and my sweet Dolly will get her dream home.

I should be elated by my triumph, my systems should be firing right now with the heat and pleasure of my adrenaline. But to my shock and surprise, I feel nothing but abject disgust.

I’m not growing a conscience, mind you. There will be no redemption for me, that’s not my ultimate fate.

I am disgusted and beyond pissed because I was forced to do this.

It’s one thing to kill for the thrill of it, but to be bullied and threatened into submission?

Oh. This will never fucking happen ever again.

Standing from the hotel bed, I reach into my pocket for my cell. Yanking it out, I take a look at the messages and voicemails I have missed. I frown as I read Dolly’s goodnight text. I am feeling too guilty to listen to her voicemail. Her written words make me feel equally as terrible.

I make note of the time of her text, she only sent it an hour and a half ago.

I want to call her right now and listen to her sweet voice, but I don’t want to risk waking her.

I’m afraid she will feel that something is amiss, she knows my soul all too well.

I’m not quite ready to have my conversation with her about all of this.

I know I eventually have to come clean, but that’s another worry for another day.

Sighing loudly, I swipe my open palm over my eyes to reset myself.

I know time is ticking too quickly, I need to call Mama and have her alert Harrison.

Organs are only fresh for so long, the team needs to dissect her as soon as possible.

Murphy’s niece better be being prepped right fucking now for surgery.

Pulling up my Mama in my contacts, I press the ‘call’ button. Bringing the cell to my ear, I only have to wait for it to ring twice before I hear her anxious voice.

“Well?” she asks.

“It’s done,” I reply, my voice curt and cold.

“Thank God. Alright. I’ll let Harrison know. You know the drill, son.”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’ll wait five minutes for the surveillance feeds to be cut and then I’ll slip out. Is the plane ready?” I ask.

There’s a pause before she answers, my expression hardens as I wait.

“Head to the airport, they will let you board early, but take-off isn’t until six-thirty. I’m sorry Sutton, I really tried to get them to get you home sooner. They weren’t able to secure an earlier pilot.”

Hissing an expletive under my breath, I stew from her words. I knew Murphy would find a way to twist the knife just a little bit. I told the whole lot that I wanted to go back home as soon as the deed was done.

“Fine. I’ll rent a car and drive home,” I growl.

“No, you won’t, Son! We can’t have any unnecessary paperwork to clean up. I know you seem to think everything can be wiped oh so easily…but it’s a pain.”

“What’s the big deal? I’ll use my fake driver’s license and credit card.”

“Oh, the same one you used at the restaurant? Yes, son, that’s so smart!

Lead a trail back to your condo,” she replies sarcastically, huffing a laugh before she continues.

“Quit being an impatient lovesick fool. Dolly is just fine! I’m sure she’s sleeping peacefully.

Just wait a few hours. Have a drink or two.

You’ll see her soon. Your Papa cancelled all the meetings on Monday as a gift to you for a job well done.

Take Dolly out and go furniture shopping or something. Better yet, go ring shopping.”

Gritting my teeth, I lift my hand and rake my fingers through my hair.

Nodding my head, I bite back my annoyance.

She’s right, there’s no need for me to make any rash decisions.

Dolly isn’t even expecting me home until ten.

Even with traffic, I should be back at the condo by eight at the latest. She will be so surprised, I can’t wait to see her face light up when I show up with that lollipop ring.

“You’re right, Mama,” I reply.

“Of course I am. I always am! Now. Give me five minutes and then get your butt to the airport.”

“Yes, Mama.”

Gathering my few belongings, I look around the ransacked room. It’s only now that I realize how much of a fight this woman put up. I am shocked that I’m not showing any physical signs of her attempt at survival.

“Oh, and Sutton?”

“Yes, Mama?” I ask, righting an overturned armchair.

“I am so very proud of you, Son. You have turned into an amazing man. You know you’re my favorite, right?”

Her words make me pause. I can’t help but smile, her praise fills me with a radiant warmth that calms every worry I’m harboring in the depths of my mind.

“Thank you, Mama…and I know,” I say, my voice almost a whisper.

“That’s my good boy. Alright, bring Dolly home for dinner. I want to start doing family dinners every Saturday. Like we used to before your brothers all moved away.”

I hum softly, loving the idea of rekindling this Douglas tradition. I only hope that one day my brothers will return home, and we can be the family we once were. Only this time, with our own wives and children in tow. Really flesh out our chaos. Rule the southern sector like we were all born to do.

“Yes, Mama. We will be there at six sharp. Just like old times.”

We both sigh and hang up almost in unison, neither of us needing to say another word.

Smiling softly to myself, I put my cell back in my pocket.

My mind wanders back to happier times with my brothers.

Before we all were lured away in different directions by our own sadistic beasts.

As much as I try to deny it, I really do miss them.

I hope that we can do some sort of family reunion someday.

I’m dying for them to meet Dolly, though I know I will have to watch Griffin.

He’s on the rebound after his girlfriend fucked him over and is not in the best place mentally.

I wouldn’t put it past him to make a move on her, especially with a few drinks under his belt.

Blinking back to reality, I remind myself that I don’t have time to dottle.

I grab my wallet from the dresser, closing two open drawers as I move.

Flipping it open to make sure that nothing is missing, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror hung directly above.

It’s then that I realize that the bitch did do some damage.

Fully pulling my attention to my reflection my mouth falls open when I see deep, bloody claw marks along the side of my cheek.

I suppose I wasn’t the one who purposefully broke her nails off, after all.

Spitting a dark curse, my skin starts to burn. It’s always a bitch when your brain registers a wound. I’ll never understand why you’re perfectly fine until you physically see it.

“Oh, fuck,” I say to my mirrored image, my voice hard and cold as ice. “How the hell are you going to explain this?”