Haunted(60)

“What do you want? Money?” Roman rumbled in a deep voice.

It was the first time I looked directly at him. His eyes were crazed, shiny. He looked as though he knew this was going to happen. He couldn’t even look at me; maybe he was too scared to look at me.

“Yes, dumbass! I want my f*cking money!”

“You can have it all, everything in my bank account. I swear it, but please don’t hurt her.” He looked directly at Andrew. He thought Andrew was going to finally kill me. Roman was absolutely terrified.

“Oh my God!” Eve exclaimed.

We all looked at her.

“My keys,” she spoke. “You took my keys to Beth’s place.”

Andrew busted out laughing. He enjoyed being cruel to Eve.

“Yes, your keys, you dumb bitch. Why do you think I came on to you in that book store? I needed to get close to Beth. I knew wherever Beth was Roman would soon follow. I’m not into the hearts and flowers bullshit, but I knew Roman was * whipped by Beth down in that basement. He had it bad! When Jason took her, he stayed in a f*cking corner the whole next day crying like a *. I knew he would come back for her, eventually.” He flicked his tongue out, moving it back and forth, referring to oral sex. “Eve, who knew it would be so easy to get into your pants and your house. After you went to sleep and I searched your home, I found a set of keys on your keychain holder labeled Beth’s keys. You had her house and her car keys. I made copies. Then I started living between your house and Beth’s house.

“I have to admit it was fun, putting those dolls around, watching Beth cower in a corner in fear for hours. She had no f*cking idea I was there. When I wasn’t there, I was at your house. By the way, you are a great f*ck, so adventurous in bed. I can tell you and Beth must share tips.” Andrew winked at Roman, trying to rile him up. “I used to watch Roman and Beth f*ck in the basement from the top of the steps. They had no idea. Roman is a kinky bastard, and Beth was right up there with him. Jason watched them a couple of times. I think that was what set him off.”

I didn’t want to hear about my sex life anymore.

“That’s how you got into the back of the CRV,” I asked.

“Yep, at the gas station. Roman, you would have been so proud of her. She was so cautious, looking around, locking doors immediately once getting in. You’re not one of those dumbass victims, are you Beth?” he whispered in my ear and then he stuck his tongue in it.

I looked at Roman and his hands were bawled up in fists.

Please don’t jump up. He is trying to get to you.

“Roman, our Beth has finally started wearing low-cut shirts again. I was worried about that. Weren’t you?” Andrew’s finger lightly trailed over my cleavage. “I like it. What about you, Roman?” He ran his finger into the corset and grazed my nipple. I shuddered, having flashbacks of Jason on me, but I tried to stand there not moving a muscle. “That’s your biggest fear, isn’t it? Beth being raped again and you being helpless to stop it? You must feel like a failure. Too bad you didn’t see what Jason did to her. It was some sick and twisted shit. You know, maybe I should rape her right in front of you like Tate did. I mean, after all, you did try to kill me. And Beth, I bet she would fight me like a little hell cat in the sack. The way she fought me on that dirt road. I got some major wood from her fighting me. Not all women give it their all, but Beth–”

Suddenly, Andrew hit the ground.



Chapter 46 – Roman



I sat paralyzed by the knife at Beth’s neck. He was going to kill her. I had no doubt. I had a flash of my future evaporate before my eyes. I pictured a funeral, Joey crying and not really understanding why I couldn’t have saved her, Joey going to live with Eric because I had no legal rights to him. I was his dad too. I imagined coming home to an empty house; I couldn’t live without her and Joey. They were my family. I couldn’t go on without them. I wouldn’t go back to being empty. I wanted to jump up and kill him with my hands just like I did Jason. Eliminate this one last threat to my family. I was listening to every vile thing coming out of his mouth while he touched my wife’s cleavage.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jensen come in the front door. Beth must have forgotten to manually close the gate. Jensen peaked his head into the room, but Andrew had no idea. Why would he? We were a captive audience to his one-man show. Jensen assessed what was going on. He disappeared into the kitchen for a minute, and when he returned, he held a meat cleaver.

Good choice.

He tiptoed into the den. Andrew was too busy taunting me with the details of the rapes that Beth had to endure. Andrew was never tipped off because everyone’s eyes were on him. I made sure to look at Andrew and absorb every horrible word he said about Beth.

I will kill you.

Then Jensen hit him right on the head with the meat clever. Andrew fell, but I knew that didn’t mean he was dead. I had thought I’d killed him once before. Beth had hit him over and over with a Maglite, and it hadn’t killed him. No way did I think he was out for good.

Beth fell back and Jensen caught her. Everybody started talking at once. I jumped up and ran to Beth. I quickly kissed her and told her I loved her. I looked at Jensen and thanked him. I started giving orders.

“Phoebe call 911. Tell them what happened. Berg and I are going to take Andrew outside and tie him up until the police get here.”