Page 81 of The Predator

Her tears mean nothing to me. After all, mine never meant a fucking thing to her.

"Please," Tanya begs. "Please. I'll do whatever you want. I'll go away. I'll drop the charges and you'll never see or hear from me again. Please. Please. Sebastian. Please."

It's my name on her lips that breaks me. The anger, the fear, the shame bubbling to the surface threaten to take me back down when they recede again.

“Where’s your faithful watchdog now, Tanya?” I ask.

Her sobs hesitate. “Marcus? I got rid of him a long time ago…it was you I wanted, Sebby?—”

I pin her with a cold glare. "You don't get it, Tanya."

"I'll do anything. Whatever you want. Just please, don’t kill me."

I take a menacing step toward her. "You don't get it, Tanya," I repeat. "I never wanted a goddamn thing from you. Not your breath in my face, not your body against mine. Not that worthless cunt you think is worth its weight in gold. I didn’t want any of it.”

She blinks up at me, mascara streaking her cheeks in dark rivers. "What? That's what this is about? I thought you were going to kill me for pressing charges against you.” Her throat bobs. “You're pissed because we had sex?" Something hard enters her tone, and my stomach churns.

"We didn't have sex," I snarl.

I clench my hands into tight fists and try to gain some type of control over my emotions. Looking back at Ely, I see her eyes are clear now, the tears gone.Fuck.If I keep talking to Tanya I'm going to do something that will make Ely hate me. If I can get her out of here, if she doesn't witness what I'm capable of, maybe I’ll still be able to have the happily ever after I deserve.

War rages inside of me. Tanya deserves the worst of the worst, but I don’t know if doing this will set me free or banish me to the dark all over again. If that happens, I’ll never be worthy of Ely’s love. I’ll never be free, even if Tanya is dead.

“Talk to me.” Ely’s soft voice meets my ears.

I stare at her for a long moment, trying to figure out what I want to tell her. I’m weak. So fucking weak. “Tell me not to do it.”

She shakes her head and takes a couple deep breaths. "No. I can’t. Not knowing everything she's done to you, and that’s just what you’ve shared with me. I don’t know everything… .”

"Someday I’ll tell you. Just not right now, not today."

She nods. "I understand. If anyone does, I do, right?"

I nod once, my chest almost bursting with the love and pride I feel for her. "You might not see me the same after you witness this.”

She smiles, and it warms me from the inside out. “I love you, Seb. The good parts, the bad parts, the broken and chipped pieces. All the pieces make you who you are, and I’d never want you to be anything but who you’re meant to be.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m more than sure. Together. ’Til death.”

I smile, my confidence in my ability to face this and end it for good restored by her simple faith in me."Last chance, Little Prey. Do you want to go upstairs and wait for me?"

She shakes her head no. “Do your worst, Sebastian. Show me all your dark, depraved sides, and I'll lead you back to the light.”

I unbutton my shirt sleeves, slowly rolling them up my forearms, and train my gaze on a trembling Tanya. I hold my hand out for the gun, and Aries steps forward slapping it into my hand.

“I’ll lead you back to the light…”

I put all my hope into her words, then I cross the room and crouch down in front of Tanya.

Her expression fills with horror, but there’s no room for and I slip into that dark place in my mind where nothing and no one can touch me. With the muzzle of the gun, I tilt Tanya’s chin up and force her to look at me.

"It’s time for us to have a little chat."

CHAPTER 25

ELYSE