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Screw that. One punch, and Beau could break the guy’s nose. His jaw. He could leave him in a puddle of blood on the floor. I can make you scream. Just like you made those women scream.
Avalon pulled in a slow breath. “He caught me in my bedroom. Grabbed me in a painful hold and told me that I was going to burn. I’d burn while I was alive.”
Everett licked his lips. “He hurt you. I bet—I bet he hurt you?—”
She leaned toward him.
Beau snapped his teeth together. Do not get touching close. If that prick touches you, sweetheart, all bets are off. My fist will be in his face two seconds after he touches your skin.
“I shoved my taser against his skin.” Avalon paused barely a beat. “He pissed himself in front of me.”
Everett jerked. His face scrunched in disgust.
Aw, was that not part of the story he’d wanted to hear?
“Then Beau appeared.” A soft laugh slid from Avalon. “He had the guy begging for mercy one minute later.”
Everett backed up against his seat. Fear flickered in his gaze. All traces of delight had vanished.
“The intruder—he was just a punk kid. But one who somehow had my alarm code. He got in, but we got him. And he was talking plenty by the time we were done with him. Telling us all about how he’d been hired to break in and scare me. That he was following orders.”
Everett’s breath rasped out.
Beau advanced a slow, deliberate step. He was so close to the table now.
Everett’s gaze immediately snapped to him. “Get back! I-I don’t like you so close!”
Why? Because I’m not some woman who is about seventy pounds lighter than you? Because you can’t hurt me? Beau stared down at his prey and didn’t back up so much as an inch. “You enjoy hurting women, don’t you, Slasher?”
Everett pressed his lips together. But his eyes said…yes.
“Fire isn’t your way, though. You like to slice your victims with your knives. Penetrate their bodies with the blades.”
Avalon fired a quick glance his way, then snapped her head back toward Everett.
“That’s why I know this meeting is a fucking waste of time,” Beau added with a growl of disgust. “Because if you’d wanted to get at Avalon, you wouldn’t have got some kid to use fire as a way to scare her. You would have wanted her skin sliced open.” Another slow step forward. Now he was right at the table and towering over Everett. “You would have wanted a knife plunging into her again and again.” His hands fisted.
He hated saying this shit. But Avalon had given him a script before this little meet and greet from hell. She’d seemed so certain of the way things needed to play out. Avalon had been absolutely convinced they could break through Everett’s control if they both just said and did certain things…but I hate what I’m saying. And all I want to do is rip that bastard apart.
“Told you already,” Avalon grabbed her papers and shoved them into her briefcase. A few papers had been scattered on top of the table. Purely for show. Avalon setting her scene. “He doesn’t have the power or reach to do something like that. Everett is helpless in here. He can’t possibly be tied to any attack on me?—”
“I know what happened to you, Avalon.”
She stopped shoving in the papers. Her head lifted and she stared across the table at Everett. Her lower lip trembled. “Wh-what?”
The stutter was a good touch, Beau would give her that. Or is it real? Is she scared?
“Lost little girl…” A taunt from Everett. “Were you scared when the fire came and you couldn’t get out?”
Beau started to raise his right fist.
Avalon gave a small, barely perceptible shake of her head.
“I bet you were terrified.” Everett laughed. “Did you piss yourself back then? Trapped alone in that bedroom and just not strong enough to get out?” Once more, delight filled his stare. “What were you, fourteen? Fifteen? My first victim was around that age. So much fear when you’re so young. She screamed. I bet you screamed, too.”
Help me! Avalon had screamed.
“But you got out when you shouldn’t have. The trap had been set. The fire lit. You were waiting to die. But a hero came to save the day. One who should have just stayed busy with his fucking Jag.” Everett’s neck inched forward, like a turtle’s head coming from its shell. “There won’t be anyone to save you this time.”
