Page 72 of Unforgettable Billionaire (The Hardcore Novels: Special Editions #3)

Then the lights flicker, and a song cues up.

The opening music and single guitar strum are loud.

Panic strikes us both. The lights go off, the music dies, and we are in silent darkness.

Every fiber of my being is listening and realizing I'm out of position.

The next sound makes the hair on my head stand straight up.

It's the sound of the door shutting and the lock setting.

It echoes across the room. The light over the bed flickers, and I know it's time for me to hide!

In the darkness, I sprint the short distance to it.

Darkness descends. Blankness!

I pull up sharp before I ram it. Reach out and feel it. I hide behind the headboard and look back.

Needing to know what's happening.

The spotlight pops on, then off.

The dude is pointing my gun at the door.

The music blasts us. It's deafening!

Alice Cooper's "Welcome To My Nightmare!"

The spotlight illuminates the door.

The sight scares the shit out of even me.

The Bastard Son of Thor!

Maximus Aurelius Moore!

Butt ass naked!

With a big ass knife in his hand.

But the scary shit?

Is his face.

The intensity of his eyes!

His evil, sick, menacing grin!

That is the face of a killer!

The blood drains from my face.

My hand's tingle.

The lights go off.

The music cranks up!

It's deafening.

Fire erupts!

A gunshot!

I drop to my knees, sprawl on the floor, and pray to the only God I know. "Sweet Zeus! Father of the Gods! Protect The Bastard Son."

* * *

Aurei

* * *

The fucking motherfucker!

My blood runs cold, listening to him talk to Siri. It's all I can do to wait for her to get here. Standing in the media room with Brutus, I pace.

He tells me. "Calm down. It isn't anyone's fault, but the bastard who has her."

"You and I both know I shouldn't have let her go alone." I snap at him.

He snaps back. "Don't you dare ever say that again.

" He bows up and takes a step at me. I stare him down, unafraid, daring him to challenge me.

His body is trembling, and his voice, full of emotion, tears into me.

"You don't know what I know about her. She has lived the last two and half years in almost complete isolation from her family and friends.

When Piper left her, she was all alone. Bart found her, and thank God he did because his platform allowed her to become the diva she is.

But she is a workaholic, and although in the beginning, she tried to have somewhat of a normal life, she gave up and threw herself into her work.

Going home to Alabama was the best thing that could have happened to her.

It showed her; she needs a life apart from dancing.

She bought that car to be independent. Don't you dare make her feel guilty or weak because this happened.

If you do, she'll lose a part of her confidence that she will never get back! "

I stand there stunned by the speech and hang my head. "You're right. I know you are, but it's damn hard knowing she is in danger."

"I've trained her to take care of herself, and she's handling it. She's going to be fine. Get ready. They are pulling up to the gate."

I see her car sitting in the entrance and watch her gorgeous face appear as the window goes down. She is so stunningly beautiful to me. My heart throbs so hard in my chest it hurts. If anything happens to her....

Brutus mans the mic and tells Alfred what to say.

We can't risk her knowing that he is here too.

She needs to be as unaware as the motherfucker is.

Watching her handle him, I know without a doubt that Brutus is right.

When this nightmare is over, we have to be careful not to blame her and not to blame each other.

She is being strong and holding a level of confidence that is vital if she is to be independent after this. She's truly a remarkable woman.

They enter the east wing, and I turn to Brutus. I stick my hand out and tell him. "If anything happens to me, promise me you will keep her safe."

He grasps mine and pumps it. "I promise. Now, go make him rue the day, he kidnapped our bae."

I smile at that, give him a head nod, and right before I walk out, I tell him, "Hooah!"

I shut the door and circle around behind Siri. I'm standing outside the foyer when she tries the locked door. I'm prepared to charge in, but I don't want to risk him shooting her. I hold the phone up to my ear.

Come on, Smart Thang. Play this part right.

She says, "Oh, I forgot, I'm nervous. I need my phone to quickly scan the lock... Thanks."

Atta girl! I grin, and Stella connects us. I smile at my Brave Thang and silently tell her. "Good girl."

Relief fills her eyes and makes my heart harden even harder than it already is.

Stella sends the silent text to her phone.

I watch her read it, take a deep breath, square her shoulders and wait for the door to unlock.

When it does, she turns the handle and boldly walks through.

The motherfucker follows her blindly in, and I ease into the foyer behind them.

Quickly, I strip down naked, take my knife in my hand then sneak in behind them unnoticed.

With my back against the wall, I stand quietly, watching her cross the room.

My foot is wedged in the doorway, waiting until she is out of danger to lock us in. Trapping him.

She opens her arms and twirls.

My heart stops beating.

If she sees me, she'll give me away.

"Fucking awesome, isn't it?" She tells him.

He stops and looks around. "It's dope!"

Brutus kills the lights.

Darkness. Good.

A calmness settles over me.

The lights flicker at the bed.

He hits the song.

Perfect!

The lights go off.

Concealment.

Silence.

I pull my foot out, and the door shuts, then locks.

CLICK!

The light over the bed flickers.

Run like the wind, Wild Thang!

The lights flicker again at the bed.

I watch her disappear behind the safety of the 12" solid hickory wood and know she is protected from a bullet.

The spotlight pops my target.

The gun is aimed at me.

Alice Cooper's demons enter the playroom.

Let the mind game begin.

The spotlight shows him

his worse nightmare.

Meet The Bastard Son of Thor

I grin at the sickness.

I will have my revenge.

The lights go off.

The music takes us to hell.

You are mine, motherfucker!

I lunge, drop, and roll.

BANG!

He shoots the door.

One.

I bitch slap him as I run by.

He spins.

BANG!

Two.

I slice his arm.

He screams.

BANG!

Numero tre!

I stab his leg.

He howls.

BANG! BANG!

Glass shatters on the wall.

That's four and five.

The spotlight strobes.

I stand and confront him.

Eyeball to eyeball.

Bastard to bastard.

The music ends.

I laugh.

He screams.

Echoes roam.

Illumination.

The gun touches my chest.

Fear turns to wickedness in his eyes.

Death smiles back at him.

Venom in my voice.

"Do it, Motherfucker!"

He pulls the trigger.