Page 55 of Under Her Skin

“And you’re about to be just another dead whore, Hero…sleep now. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you’re awake to feel my knife driving intoyou.”

Hero fought unconsciousness, knowing it was her only chance, but then it overwhelmed her, and she sank beneath it, knowing she might never wake upagain.

Peter pulledup in front of Philipo’s villa, and for a moment, he smiled as he studied Hero’s inert form. “You really are very lovely,” he said, and pushed her T-shirt up, exposing her belly. He splayed his fingers over it, stroking the gentle curve of it, imagining how the skin would split under his knife. “Yes, you are perfect. I understand why he loves you. But for you, his love is a death sentence. A shame…I actually like you verymuch.”

He got out of the car and went around to the passenger side, lifting her out easily. He carried her into the villa, going straight to the kitchen. He laid her on the table in the kitchen. “This will have to suffice as my sacrificial altar,sweetheart.”

He left her, unconscious, and yanked open the door to the basement. In seconds, he was hauling a semi-conscious Arturo up the stairs. “Come on,Turo.”

He dumped Arturo into a chair and watched as his friend, his great love, focused on Hero’s unconscious body. Peter smiled then. “It’s time to say goodbye,Turo.”

And he raised hisknife.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Arturo threw himself towards Peter just as Hero opened her eyes and saw the knife curving down towards her. Her self-preservation instincts kicked in and she rolled her legs up and kicked the knife away, just as Arturo tackledPeter.

Both men tumbled to the floor, grappling with each other. Peter began yelling as Hero rolled off the table. “Don’t fucking move, bitch. This is when youdie.”

“Fuck you, psycho.” Hero scooted around to help Arturo. His beautiful face was soaked in blood from the vicious wound on his head, and for a moment, Hero felt herself freeze withdistress.

“Go! Run!” Her lover screamed at her as he tried to quell Peter’s attempts to get to her but Hero, adrenaline beginning to course through her veins, smiledgrimly.

“Not a fucking chance. This is where it ends for you,Peter.”

Peter laughed at her and then struck Arturo directly on his head wound, knocking him to the ground once more. Arturo couldn’t help releasing his grip as he groaned in agony, and Peter took off after Hero, who ran to the other side of the kitchen, grabbing anything she could get her hands on to fight himwith.

Peter, tall and broad, dwarfed her, easily knocking the pans and weapons from her. Hero kicked out, aiming for his balls but he grabbed her foot and twisted it until she lostbalance.

He grabbed her, hauling her struggling body to where Arturo was trying to get to his feet again. Hero bucked and jerked, kicking backward as Peter kept his grip onher.

“Turo,” he growled, his mouth spraying saliva onto Hero’s face as he held her near. “Time to watch herdie.”

“No!” Arturo clambered to his feet, barely able to stand now as Peter laughed. For a moment, time froze as Hero and Arturo stared at each other in desperation, then Arturo lurched towards them as Peter sunk his knife deep into Hero’s stomach. She didn’t even cry out—the breath from her lungs was pushed out as the blade sunk into her.No. No. This wasn’t going to happen. It didn’t end this way. Arturo’s beautiful, bloodied face was a mask of utterhorror.

Despite her agony, Hero stamped on Peter’s toes as hard as she could muster, and he yelped in surprise, obviously expecting her to be laid low by the stabbing. His grip released slightly, just enough for her to slip from his reach. Then Arturo was on him, knocking Peter down. Hero stamped again, on Peter’s wrist this time, and he released theknife.

She scooped it from the floor, but her body was shutting down from the blood loss. She clutched at the wound with one hand, and lurched towards the fighting men, knife inhand.

As Hero reached them, Peter made the mistake of looking around at her. Arturo slammed his hand under Peter’s jaw, causing him to bite through his own tongue. In an agonized rage, Peter jerked back…and Hero drove the knife into histhroat.

Peter stared at her in shock, blood gushing from his wound. Then one last breath seeped out of him, and he slumped to the floor, eyesstaring.

Arturo kickedhis body out of the way and went to Hero. She was coughing up blood, and he took her in his arms, barely conscioushimself.

“No, please, hold on,cara mia…someone will come…someone willcome…”

Hero gazed up at her husband and smiled. “I love you so much, Arturo Bachi. So, somuch.”

Arturo’s tears were pouring down his cheeks, mixing with the blood. “This isn’t the way thisends.”

“Just…hold me until the end. Please.” Her voice was fading now, and her eyesclosed.

“Hero…Hero….no, wake up, wakeup…”

But she wouldn’t wake up, and Arturo knew it was over. He cradled her in his arms and closed his own eyes, praying that death would come for himsoon.

Darknessfell…