Page 68 of Hollow

Then Dimitri raised his leg and dropped it onto Gordon’s chest. Again and again, Dimitri stomped on the old man’s corpse, breaking bones and turning flesh into a mucky mess.

Dimitri shouted, raging as he smashed every piece of Gordon into chunks of bloody slop. After he’d had his fill, Dimitri took a moment for himself, staring at what he’d done. Jack stayed silent, allowing Dimitri time to process everything.

“We can leave now.”

“Great idea, but we might want to clean up first,” Jack suggested.

“I am quite the mess.” Dimitri chuckled, holding up his bloody hands.

Jack grinned at how Dimitri also wiggled his bloody toes.

“Yes, there’s that, too, but I meant more the mess in this manor,” Jack elaborated. “The bodies are mostly gone, but we’ll have to clean up the blood otherwise someone’s going to ask questions.”

“Easy.” Dimitri shrugged. “Burn this place down.”

“Not a terrible idea,” Jack said with a small laugh. “A lot quicker, that’s for certain. Plus, whoever’s renting it out isn’t exactly hurting for cash.”

“It is probably a newly acquired property of the Hearst assets,” Dimitri retorted. “It is not the first time Gordon has bought an estate simply to prove the reach of his wealth.”

“Well, a lot of good that fortune will do him now.” Jack stared at the bits of skull scattered across the floor.

“He is not the worst of the family,” Dimitri said, lowering his gaze. “In time, they will surely retaliate. I fear they may continue coming forever.”

“Or at least until we kill the last of them.”

“I worry my problems have now become your problems,” Dimitri said with a soft sadness in his voice. “I am glad to have slain Gordon. I am glad this chapter of my life is over. But I believe more is to come.”

“And we’ll face it together,” Jack said, extending his hand and interlocking his fingers with Dimitri’s. “You think I’m worried about these monsters? I’m the baddest monster on the fucking planet.”

“I do not wish to burden you.”

“Nothing you do is a burden.” Jack tightened his grip, squeezing Dimitri’s fingers. “I would do anything to protect you, to make you happy. I love you, Dimitri.”

Dimitri leaned closer, pressing his forehead against Jack’s pumpkin head.

“I love you, too.” Dimitri’s eyes watered. “I have never loved anyone with my entire being. It is terrifying to feel such devotion and fear that I am failing you with my past.”

“And the only thing I fear is losing you. Losing you to these hunters and losing you to the doubt you carry.” Jack cupped his free hand over Jack’s face, caressing his cheek. “I am at your side always.”

“Thank you.” Dimitri exhaled, seeming to breathe out the heavy burden he carried inside him this whole time.

Dimitri wanted to be happy, that much Jack could tell. But Dimitri feared his happiness might be at the expense of Jack’s safety. Jack needed Dimitri to know that he’d never feel safe without Dimitri in his life. His heart couldn’t handle it; his mind would wander aimlessly without Dimitri bringing him comfort.

The pair hugged, remaining in the room for a long, silent embrace, and Jack wanted nothing more in this world than Dimitri’s happiness.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

It’d taken a few weeks, but life settled back into normal. Well, as normal as things could get between two monstrous boys who just slaughtered a billionaire and two dozen of his best hunters. Jack had done his part to cover up the horrors. The bodies were dumped somewhere far away, thanks to the shadows, and the fire burned down most of the manor Gordon Hearst had occupied.

Dimitri didn’t dwell on the looming fears of future threats. He couldn’t control if or when the Hearst family sought him out again. Part of him considered tracking them down himself, seeking out each member of the family and killing them before the idea of retaliation even crossed their minds.

But Dimitri wouldn’t know where to begin. In theory, it sounded like a bold strategy. In reality, Dimitri still relied on the maps feature of his cellular device to navigate his way through Sleepy Hollow. Hell, he often got lost on the three-block walk from his favorite tea shop to the local indie bookstore.

Eventually, Dimitri accepted the things he couldn’t control and took a page from his boyfriend’s book. Dimitri relaxed and prioritized his joy, ready to face what came next, if or when it ever did. Hopefully, the Hearst family would see the loss of their patriarch as a sign not to fuck with monsters. If not, Dimitri could at least enjoy the sight of Jack unleashing his wrath once again. He proved to be quite the formidable force.

“Well, that’s some fucking bullshit,” Jack said with a frown.

He scrolled through his phone as the couple sat on the couch. Dimitri rarely had the energy to review comments from followers, so he often waited until Jack insisted. It usually involved dragging him over to the couch and turning it into an impromptu cuddle session as Jack read off his favorites.