Page 53 of Upon Blooded Lips (Vengeance #1)
TESSA
Willowmen, Illinois
Tessa
Hey Kerry Do you know anywhere I can get a shitload of nonvenomous snakes?
The Duke
Ooh, who’s this for?
Tessa
David
The Duke
The Duke
Exactly how many is a “shitload”?
Tessa
IDK like 50?
The Duke
Give me 5 minutes, I’ll see what I can do.
The Duke
Found someone, but they can’t deliver them until Friday. Does that work?
Tessa
Perfect, thanks. We’re at the warehouse. Can you send them there?
The Duke
No problem. Tell Nate I’ll send him the bill.
The Duke
Oh, and I want all the details.
Tessa
“ S he can do it,” I tell Eric, doing a little happy dance.
A beatific smile lights up his face. “I knew she’d come through. Now come help me get the tank ready. The faster we get the kill room done, the faster we can get rid of your uncle.”
“Yes, sir,” I snap back, giving him a mocking salute and ducking away from him when he reaches for me. “Now, now. You just said we’ve got work to do.”
“Mmm, maybe I’ve changed my mind.”
I shriek and dodge to the left, then the right, laughter bubbling in my throat when it turns into a chase. “Come on, old man. You can run faster than that.” His teasing look turns to one of predatory intent, and my heart leaps into my throat. Shit. I fucked up.
“I’ll show you old man ,” he growls. I manage to stay one step ahead by skidding around one of the temporary walls, but that advantage doesn’t last long. He grabs my wrist, spins me around, and scoops me up, grinning down at me like he won a prize. “Gotcha.”
My heart flutters at the way his face lights up, and I wrap my arm around his neck as he carries me to the apartment. “Don’t forget, we have to record it for Nate.”
Willowmen, Illinois
Wednesday 12:07 p.m.
I raise my arms in the air, rising on my tiptoes to stretch all my muscles.
A yawn threatens to crack my jaw, and I swipe a weary hand over my face before surveying the kill room.
We’ve made some progress, but there’s still more to do before it’s ready for David.
Thirty more minutes, then I’m taking a lunch break.
“Eric? Did we pack the pear of anguish?” I learned about the ancient medieval device sophomore year, and it was one of the birthday presents they presented me with. What does it say about me that I prefer pretty knives and torture devices over makeup and jewelry?
Eric glances over his shoulder from his position above the tank, where he’s installing the snake box. A shudder rolls over my shoulder. I wouldn’t want to be my uncle. “I think it’s in one of the boxes outside the apartment door.”
Ugh. There are about five of them stacked there. Maybe I should just put a bullet through his brain and call it a day.
Don’t you fucking dare. You promised.
Yeah, yeah, I was only joking.
I pull out my knife and slice through the packing tape. The piece of paper on top with my name on it catches my attention, and my entire body freezes, my breath locking in my lungs. I recognize what it is immediately—an anonymous kill order, the kind Nate and Eric get for their business.
Name: Tessa Harrison
Age: 18
Address: Currently unknown. Formerly 1107 Elmwood Avenue, Willowmen, IL
Request: Locate her. Gain her trust, make her fall in love. Once she feels safe and secure, turn on her. Torture her, skin her alive, then finish her off with a knife through the heart.
Timeline: To be completed within six months.
Order Status: Accepted
An icy chill permeates through every cell in my body, freezing me from the inside out. I pick it up, reading it again, and then once more, each word slicing through me as they sear themselves into my brain.
Every slap, every blow, every violation of my body, every hurtful word I’ve suffered through doesn’t come close to what I feel now. Tears sting my eyes, blurring the paper still quivering in my hand. Order status: Accepted. Accepted. Accepted.
A clatter from across the room has my head shooting up. Eric curses under his breath and shifts a box over his head.
I have to get out of here.
Presley’s laughter rings in my mind. See? No one loves you. No one cares. You were a job, nothing else.
SHUT UP!
The room spins, and bile rushes up my throat.
No one could ever love you.
The paper flutters to the floor, and I duck into the apartment, dashing tears from my eyes.
I can’t stay here. I can’t. My gaze catches on the rumpled bed, the scent of sex still perfuming the air.
I hurry into the bathroom and retch over the toilet, bringing up waves of vomit.
When there’s nothing left, I flush and wash my hands, my mind racing.
I don’t need much. A change of clothes, bank card, phone. No, not the phone. They can track that. I dump the books I saved out of the backpack and stuff the few items inside before slipping out of the apartment and creeping along the far wall toward the outer door.
“Tessa, wait!”
No. I can’t listen to his lies, to his honeyed words. They tricked me, and I fell for it. I was so desperate for an ounce of affection I allowed them to spin a web of deceit around me, blinding me to the truth.
Agony rips through me, the pain more than I can bear.
Stupid girl.
“Tessa!”
With tears streaming down my face, I push out of the doors and race toward the elevator.