My heart sank, realizing that was when our plan had fallen apart.
“She went to see if she could find you in the area, which apparently she did, but I guess she decided to take matters into her own hands. Of course, she botched the job and left me with the mess of taking care of you by myself.”
“Then you’ve already gotten your revenge. She killed my son.”
“No, that was Gabby’s personal vendetta. Her jealousy of Cami consumed her, obviously to the point of stupidity.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “I still need to take my revenge.”
“Then take it—on me—but let Cami go. This is between you and me. She has nothing to do with it.”
“She has everything to do with it. You took someone special away from me, so now I get to take someone special away from you. You’re going to feel the same trauma my family experienced.”
He was going to kill Cami. I was sure of it. Frantic emotions churned inside me, but I tried to remain calm. “Please, Derek. Come on, man. Don’t hurt her. You’re better than this. Let her go and you and I can figure away to settle this between us.”
He shook his head and sighed. “Reduced to begging already, are you? That doesn’t bode well for what’s to come.”
His back was to me now, attention focused on the pool table. I couldn’t see what he was doing.
“Besides, someone is going to miss us, eventually,” I continued. “They’ll come looking for us.”
“I doubt that. I overheard your buddy Russ at the door talking about the three days of alone time you asked for. That will be more than enough time for me. Russ almost caught me. That would’ve ruined everything. Luckily, I managed to duck behind the hedge against the house, so he didn’t see me.” He glanced over his shoulder. “By the way, he dropped off the arson report on your house. Just wanted to make sure you got the message.” Laughing to himself, he continued working at the table.
Glancing around the room, I tried to find anything that could be used as a weapon on the off chance I could get free. Both of my personal weapons had been destroyed in the house fire and my police issued gun had been taken as evidence in the shooting of Gabby.
Turning around, Derek clapped his hands together, rubbing them vigorously. “Okay! Let’s get started, shall we?” He cast a smile in my direction before going across the room to where Cami was sitting. I could feel my color draining as my panic skyrocketed. “Okay, Cami. The good news is you no longer have to hide over here in the corner.” He grabbed her chair, sliding it across the smooth tile floors. The man cave I’d fallen in love with had become a place I hated. “Let’s get you at center stage. You like plays if I remember right. I want you sitting right across from Dylan, so he can see you.”
Cami’s eyes never left me. They were wide with fear and I was almost certain mine mirrored the same expression. I was terrified and there was nothing I could do to protect her. Continuing to rub the twine that bound my hands on the back of the chair, I didn’t know if I was doing any good; but I was losing hope, fast, that we’d come out of this unscathed.
“So, let me fill you in on the rules of the party real quick.” His gaze bounced between the two of us as if he were getting ready to host a game show or something. “I’m going to have a bit of fun with you, Cami, and Dylan is going to see how still and quietly he can sit through it. But for every sound he makes, you’ll suffer more. Everybody understand?”
“You’re a sick bastard!” I growled, the fear rushing through me was almost more than I could bear.
“No. I’m not. I’m simply allowing you the opportunity to sit by and watch someone you love being destroyed right before your eyes, knowing there’s nothing you can do about it.” He moved over to the pool table, picking up a couple of items– a syringe and rubber tourniquet. I was going to be sick now, and he hadn’t even started. “One time, when you and I were hanging out together getting stoned, you asked me if I could get my hands on some meth for you. Well, I’m making good on my promise to get it for you. I also said it would cost you. And it will, but not money.”
Kneeling beside Cami, he placed the tourniquet around her arm, tightening it. “Aw, you’re shaking already. Don’t worry, hun. This stuff will take you on quite the trip. Have you ever shot up before?” He asked in what appeared to be a caring voice and she shook her head. “Well, I’m just going to find a vein and shoot this in. Meth happens to be one of the most addictive drugs there is. Did you know that?”
“Derek, come on. Stop this nonsense. Cami’s a sweet girl. She doesn’t deserve any of this.” All I had was my words to reach him.
“My brother was undeserving, as well.” Cami flinched when he poked her in the arm. “Oh, that’s a good flash in that vein. Here goes!” He pushed in the contents of the syringe, then pulled the needle out and stood, looking at me. “I hope I mixed it right and it doesn’t kill her right off the bat.” He chuckled. “What fun would that be?” He tossed the syringe over to the table.
I couldn’t take it. “I swear I’ll kill you if you touch her again!”
“Oh, dear. Was that an outburst?” Turning back to Cami, he cocked his arm back and punched her hard in the face, snapping her head backward. Her scream came muffled from the duct tape on her face.
“No!” I hollered frantically. “Don’t, please! I swear on my life! I’ll do anything you want, just please don’t hurt her!”
He shook his head at me. “You aren’t following the rules of the game, Dylan. That was another outburst.” He punched her hard again, this time causing blood to flow from her nose. She gagged, blood spraying in droplets as she tried to force the air in and out of her compromised airway.
I opened my mouth, intending to beg him to remove the tape at her mouth, but I stopped, afraid he’d hit her again. But I couldn’t manage to hold back the anguish sob that escaped my chest as I shuddered with helpless rage.
Derek grinned at me. “Another sound.” He cranked his arm back to beat her again.
Chapter Thirty-One
Cami-
The bugs were crawling all over me. Somehow they’d gotten under my skin and I could feel them scurrying around as they ate the flesh inside me, painfully chewing my nerves to raw stumps.
“Get them out! Get them out!” I screamed at Dylan, trying to watch him through my swollen eyes, but he just sat there and did nothing. Quickly, I quieted my screams, glancing around furtively as I looked for the bad guys. They were everywhere now, hiding around every corner and they were coming to get me. I was pretty sure the skeleton in the corner was evil, too. He never took his eyes off me.
Someone loomed in front of me and I yelped. “Please don’t hurt me, please,” I begged. “I didn’t mean to do whatever it was. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” It was so cold. I shivered and tried to reach out to grab the man, but my arms wouldn’t move. Nothing was working right.
“Was that another sound, Dylan?” he asked.
I shrieked in pain as the punch landed, this time, on my very sore stomach. Hanging my head, I stared at where I’d been hit, sobbing. Amazed, I watched as my incision came apart and one of the bad guys crawled out of it. They were inside me!
“Dylan! Help me!” I yelled; the sound reverberating off the walls. Yet, he sat in front of me, unmoving and unspeaking.
Glancing back at the bad guy, I stared at him, suddenly wondering if he had bugs under his skin, too.
“What’re you looking at?” he asked gruffly.
“Nothing.” I continued to watch him, trying to ignore the bugs that were feasting on me. “Are you going to kill me?” I asked, wondering.
“Yes, I am.”
“Oh. Okay.” Turning back, I watched Dylan. Tilting my head, I tried to make sense of what I could see. He looked like he had blue rivers running out of his eyes. The water was coming fast and if he didn’t stop it, it was going to fill the room and drown us all. “Dylan.” My words were slurred. “Turn off the water.” Glancing around furtively, I saw the shadows of the other bad guys moving around us,
again. They were getting closer.
“Hold still,” I whispered to him. “They’re everywhere. They keep trying to kill me.” I could hear them, too; the tile floors were creaking each time they took a step. “Dylan!” I shrieked suddenly. “They’re going to kill me! Help me! Help me! I need you!”
His chest heaved, but he didn’t move from his chair, simply staring at me with his runny eyes.
“You don’t love me, do you?” I asked, my heart hurting. “That’s why you won’t help, isn’t it?” I knew I was right when he didn’t answer me.
“Going to play tough guy, are you?” the bad guy said. “Let’s see if I can help you out with that.” The bad guy grabbed a knife that looked almost as big as he was. Raising it high over Dylan’s head, he brought it down swiftly, cutting Dylan’s arm completely off, the severed part falling to the floor and flopping around like a fish out of water.
“Ahhhhh!” Dylan cried out, as blood sprayed from him like a machine gun around the room.
“There’s that sound I was looking for.” The bad guy turned to me, all dressed up in his baseball uniform, now. Lifting his bat, he did a couple of test swings. However, it was too late by the time I realized my head was the ball.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Dylan-
I was killing my wife. With every little hiccup, sniff, or sob I couldn’t manage to keep in, I watched her move closer and closer to death. And I couldn’t do anything, but watch. Any begging or pleading on my part only brought her nearer to her demise. This was hell—pure agony. Derek had delivered his message very effectively, but I didn’t think he planned on stopping any time soon.
“Well, damn,” he said, stepping backward as he observed Cami’s drooping body in the chair. “Looks like I got a little too aggressive that time. I knocked her out.”
I was glad, even feeling a moment of relief pass through me. I didn’t want her to feel anymore. In fact, I almost wished she would die, just so her suffering would be done. Watching this was eating me alive—I could only imagine what it was doing to her.
“How’s that cut on your arm?” Derek asked, bending to check it with a concerned look. He poked and prodded around it, causing me to grit my teeth. “Ah, it’s not too deep. That’s good. I can’t have you bleeding out too early. There’s still the second act to get through.” He patted me on the shoulder. “Why don’t you take a breather for a moment? All of this aggression has made me hungry. I think I’ll go check out the food you bought. Would you like something?”
I’d like to cut your head off and rip your spine out of your neck, I mused, glaring at him. If he thought he was going to get me to say something that easily, then he was stupid.
Laughing heartily when I didn’t fall for his trap, he started whistling a little ditty as he made his way upstairs. As soon as I could hear him banging around in the kitchen, I let the emotion lose I’d been trying so desperately to hold back, shuddering violently as I sucked in a breath.
Cami was a mess, beaten terribly. He’d removed the duct tape, thankfully; but the only way I’d even recognize her right now, would be because of her red hair. Some of it was plastered against her scalp, and I noticed a steady stream of blood coming from a cut on her forehead. It ran down a strand of her hair, slowly dripping into her lap. Her face was mottled and swollen, and bruises were evident on her midsection. It appeared that a few of her stitches had popped, as well, and I kept imagining it opening completely and her intestines falling out. I wanted so badly to scoop her up and take her out of here, get her to safety, but I knew that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. If only there were some way I could redirect his attention, so he’d take his aggression out on me instead of her. I racked my brain for a plan, coming up empty repeatedly. Anything I said or did would be taken out on her. I couldn’t risk that.
Derek reappeared, holding a big sandwich, a bag of chips, and the movies I’d rented. He glanced around the house with a nod. “I’ve got to say—the two of you have some pretty nice digs. Do you mind if I eat in the theater room?” He was baiting me and I refused to give in. “No? Okay. See you in a bit.” Disappearing into the next room, I could hear him rumbling around, trying to get things set up. “You really are whipped, aren’t you, Wilder? Wilcock . . . whatever your damn name is! Seriously, romance movies are all you’ve got? I thought a guy like you would like some action!”
Seeing him standing in the doorway, I tensed up, again. He folded his arms and stared at me. “What shall we do now?” he asked. “Any suggestions?”
The ringing of the doorbell echoed through the house, causing both of us to look toward the stairs. Instantly, he had his gun out of his pants, pointing at Cami’s head.
“Make one sound, or call for help, and your girl is dead right now.” He threatened, even though he didn’t need to. I wouldn’t risk her any more. I had no idea who could be here though, since we’d asked the family to stay away. Whoever it was, I wished them gone, not wanting anyone else to get dragged into this mess. It was only mere seconds later that I heard Russ’ voice echo through the house.
“Dylan?” he called. “Cami? I’m not trying to break into the ‘alone time’. I just needed to give you another paper that fell out of the folder I brought by earlier.” Silently, I was screaming for him to run, hoping he would get out of here; but my hope was short lived when I heard his footsteps on the stairs. I shook my head as he appeared, trying to warn him off, but he just came closer, a puzzled expression crossing his face.
“Hey man, what’s going . . . ?” Eyes landing on Derek, he took a step backward. “Shit.”
“See that chair over there?” Derek said to him, gesturing to another chair at the table in the corner near the bar. “Get it and bring it over here by Cami.”
Hating that I couldn’t speak, I watched as he did what Derek told him. “Listen, Derek,” Russ said. “I’m not real sure what’s going on here, but I know we all used to be friends in high school. Can we go back to that place for a minute and try to sort things out?”
“Grab the rope on that table, sit down, and shut up,” Derek ordered. Russ did as he was told, and I felt sick that he’d been dragged into this. “Now start tying your legs to the chair—nice and tight. I’m watching, too, so make sure you do it right. If you don’t, I’ll shoot Cami.”
Russ locked eyes with me and I could see the sympathy in them. “Dude, Dylan, I’m sorry. Chief overbooked the shift and I got off early. I realized one of those papers fell out of the file I brought earlier. So I came back.”
“Shut up!” Derek said, pressing his gun against Cami’s temple roughly. Russ quit speaking and finished tying his legs to the chair. “Now, hand me your walkie-talkie, nice and easy.” Removing it from the belt clip, Russ held it out. Derek turned it off, tossing it into the corner where it shattered into several pieces. My hopes shattered with it. “Clasp your hands behind you,” Derek ordered and Russ complied. Derek moved quickly, tying them up, as well.
Finishing with Russ, he stepped beside me, smiling. “Well, isn’t this cozy? Now you have your wife and your best friend here to keep you company. Isn’t that great?”
I said nothing.
Dropping his gaze down to me, he folded his arms, frowning slightly. “You know it’s rude not to speak when spoken to,” he added. “For every time you don’t answer me, I’m going to beat Russ over here. And every time you do make a sound, I’ll beat Cami. Ready? Let’s play.” He chuckled; clearly enjoying his devious scheme, knowing there was no way for me to win.
My heart caught in my chest at the change of the game plan, knowing no matter what I did now, someone was going to get hurt. This was so sick—beyond sick. He was completely deranged.
“Don’t you dare speak,” Russ said to me, nodding his head in the direction of Cami. “She doesn’t look like she can take much more.” Tears fell, as I realized my friend was prepared to sacrifice himself for her. I knew he was right, but I hated doing this.
“Who’s it going to be?” Derek a
sked. I said nothing, knowing I was resigning Russ to a horrible fate. “Okay, Russ it is.”
Jumping as each punch landed, I watched Russ’s head being knocked all over the place, as Derek turned loose on him. I wanted to remind him that he’d only asked me one question, but I was sure that was what he wanted. Then he’d beat on Cami—even though she was unconscious. Trying to keep up with the rules of his supposed game was killing me. I hated being the reason harm was being inflicted on two of the people I loved most in the world.
After what seemed like an hour, Derek paused, taking a step back and catching his breath. Turning, he headed over to the wet bar and got a drink of water, guzzling it.
Russ’s head was hanging, blood falling from his split lip. I could already see the swelling and bruising and I wondered what Derek’s hands looked like. He had to be pretty bloody knuckled, himself. Cami and Russ both had the appearance of having been in a bad cage match gone horribly wrong.
“Got any whiskey in this bar?” Derek asked. Again I was afraid to answer, or not to.
“The whiskey is reserved for assholes. Sorry, but you’re way lower than that,” Russ said, licking at some of the blood on his lip.
“Do you really want to start getting smart with me, Weston?” Derek said, glaring at him. “I hardly think now is the time to piss me off.”
“Ooooh!” Russ replied in an underwhelmed tone. “What’re you gonna do . . . beat me?”
Despite how horrible everything was, it was extremely difficult for me to not give a snort of amusement.
“How about I beat Dylan for every smart-mouthed comment you make?”
“Go ahead.” Russ held his gaze eye for eye, despite the rapid swelling there. “But if you beat him, then who’s going to be conscious to watch you inflict the rest of your damage? I mean that is what this is all about, isn’t it? You trying to show off and teach us what a bad ass you are? Well, I hate to break it to you, but my five-year-old nephew could tie me to a chair and beat me up, too. It’s not that difficult. But I understand if you’re a little chicken. I wouldn’t want to face Dylan man-to-man, either. Have you seen his arms? Hell, no.”