Page 187 of I Never Stopped Loving You

“Know what?” I snap, letting my fingers dig into his carotid artery just to make him feel some form of fear, but it doesn’t work. If anything, that grin only widens.

“That you’re a killer?”

My lip curls, and the muscle at the corner of my eye twitches in irritation.

“Not yet.”

“Will you tell her the truth?”

“Yes. I plan on telling her everything,” I say, but as the words leave my lips, hesitation creeps into my stomach and he can see it.

“Are you sure about that, Killer? It could ruin everything.”

“It won't. She wants you dead, so that’s a start.”

I release his throat, shoving him slightly backwards allowing the chair to sway. I quickly step on the front rung and pull the front two legs back to the floor.

“Sure, wanting me dead is normal after what I did to her mother.”

“And to her!” I snap. “Or did you forget the fact that you used to beat her too?”

He shrugs.

He. Fucking. Shrugs.

“Some kids need to be beaten. Builds character. Your daddy beat you, too, didn’t he? Tell me I’m wrong. I know for a fact that boyfriend of yours you sent down here was definitely beaten as a kid. I could see the hatred and disgust flowing off him when he came down here without a mask. He looked at me like I was the ghost of his past coming to haunt him now. So I’ll ask you again, am I wrong?”

“It doesn’t matter…”

“Oh, but it does, Killer. It truly fucking does. If your daddy beat your ass as a child, it would explain everything that is wrong with you. Otherwise, you’re just a soulless killer with no real reason for killing.”

“She is my reason. She didn’t deserve to grow up away from the people who truly loved her. She didn’t deserve to have her mother ripped away from her at such a young age. She doesn’t deserve to still have to watch over her shoulder, waiting to see if the fucking nightmare that you are is still haunting her. I did it for her and every other victim out there who doesn’t have a voice, or even fucking life anymore because of pieces of shit like you.”

“You think that’s a reason? Some vigilante justice? Fucking pathetic. No, Noah. I want the real reason you’ve killed all these years. Don’t try to make yourself look like the hero here. I heard you after that fucker Rayes died. You screamed in agony. Why? Was it because you didn’t get the rush from the chase? Didn’t get to spill enough of his blood to satisfy that inner craving? You’re a killer, Noah. A fucking monster. And you know what? I think you like it. You like ending their lives. You like watching the light fade from their eyes as they stare into the dark, soulless abyss. You may kill me, boy, or she might do it, but mark my words, I will haunt you for the rest of your fucking life until you take your last breath. I will still be the nightmare that lives in her mind. But I’ll be right next to you, forever. She won’t be able to accept you, Killer. She won’t ever be able to love the monster inside of you.”

“Shut up!” I scream.

My jaw ticks, releasing the tension from how hard I was grinding my teeth together. I need to snap out of it. I need to focus. I can’t let him get under my skin.

Four years.

Four. Fucking. Years.

It’ll all be over tomorrow.

It’ll all have been worth it.

It’ll all…

His slow, deep laughter suddenly snaps me back to reality. He’s looking at me and laughing…no…he’s looking past me. That grin is now a maniacal, twisted grimace on his face.

I can hear the soft pad of footsteps slowly sinking into the darkness. I can feel her presence now, and my stomach drops. He looks at me, and before I can even turn around to see her, he speaks.

“Hello, daughter.”

CHAPTER 82

WILLOW