I walk toward the Jeep with pride and wanderlust coursing through my veins. I can already picture the trips I’m going to take, and the experiences I’ll have traveling the world. Everywhere a new name—incognito, just like in the movies.
My real life has become an acting job, and I refuse to look back. It’s way too sunny up ahead.
I feel like dancing, but instead, I run toward the Jeep as the door opens from the inside.
His lopsided smile, his chiseled, scruffy face, his tousled black hair and piercings make my heart flutter. And at the sound of his voice, I might have died and gone to heaven.
“Let’s go, Princess.”
“Phoenix, you came,” I say.
“Of course, I did.” He winks. “You didn’t think I’d leave you to rot in that hospital, did you? Besides, your parents would probably kill you if they found out what we’re doing.”
“I’d kill them first if they tried anything,” I say, hopping into the car.
“You sure you don’t want to go and kill them now?” he asks.
I actually have to think about that for a second. “Nah.”
I laugh and so does he, and I buckle up and close the door. In the rearview mirror, I see my own neck again, which has been a long time. The moment I touch it I feel so naked, damn … I never thought I’d miss something like that.
The hospital staff took it off when I was still in bed, but I have no clue how they did it.
“Look what souvenir I found in the trash,” Phoenix says.
I turn my head and a smile appears on my face the moment I see the collar. “I can’t believe you found it.”
“Well, it’s mine, and I’m not letting them throw it away,” he says, holding it up above my neck as we both look in the rearview mirror. “You know, I still think it looks good on you. What do you think?”
I blush. “I liked it more because it meant I was yours.”
He grins when he looks my way. “What do you say we get a new one then? Just for the fun of it?”
“What? You mean as a collar? For me?”
“Yeah,” he says, licking his lips. “Once my pet, always my pet. And I don’t just say that because I’m a kinky bastard. I just like it when you’re mine.”
I bite my lip. “Ah … hmmm … Maybe.” I’m seriously a bad liar now because I can’t seem to hide my enthusiasm, nor can he hide his. It’s written all over his face.
He presses a kiss to my cheek. “I know you love it when I say you’re mine.”
His comment makes me grin like a twelve-year-old. God, I feel young again when I’m around him.
“So, where’d you get this car?” I ask.
“Stole it.”
The way he says it, without any remorse whatsoever, makes me smile. He just doesn’t give a damn, and neither do I.
I’m already glad we both made a full recovery, and not just one of us. I don’t know how he succeeded in escaping the hospital before me, considering there were heavy guards on duty near his door, but I don’t think I want to know either.
“You didn’t kill them, did you?” I ask.
He turns his head toward me. “Who?”
“Anyone. I don’t care.”
He smirks. “Would you really mind?”
“Well, if they’re innocent.”
He shakes his head, laughing. “Do you really want me to say it?”
“Yes,” I say, putting on some shades I find on the dashboard.
“Fine, no innocents were killed in the grand escape of Phoenix Sullivan. Happy?”
My smile turns into a grin as he turns on the rumbling engine. “Couldn’t be happier.”
“Although, I can’t promise you that I didn’t knock them out to free myself.”
“Phoenix!” I gasp.
“What?” He shrugs. “You know me. Once a bad guy, always a bad guy.” He leans closer as he drives toward the hospital exit. “And you wouldn’t want it any other way.”
I smash my lips together to hide my upcoming smile, but I can’t because he’s too damn up in my face. “Fine, you’re right. I like it when you’re bad.”
“We’re one bad couple,” he muses, grinning. “But we’re so good when we’re bad together.”
“Can I stay bad forever?” I say, licking my lips.
He leans in while driving up the ramp. “I’d say the world hasn’t seen our worst yet. Let’s go cause some trouble.”
And then he presses a kiss to my lips, one that burns what’s left of the goodness of my heart, making me embrace my blackened soul. This is who we are; two people who destroyed each other and picked up the pieces by hand. He’s all mine, and I’m completely his. Our wretched love unites us, brings us closer together, and there’s nothing in the world that could make me feel the same way that Phoenix does.
For his love, I could die.
For my love, he would kill.
We’re bad, in the worst kind of way, but sometimes you need a little bad in your life … So bad, you realize life isn’t worth living without someone to be evil with.
###
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***
Have you read KILLER, the prequel to STALKER?
Click here to read it now!
***
COMING SOON
Twenty-One (21)
21 years
On her 21st birthday she’s taken. Collected by a rich family as an unpaid debt. Her body sold. Her mind his.
21 weeks
For 21 weeks she carried a burden no girl should ever have to carry. Now she loses her freedom to a man born to destroy her.
21 days
His name: Angel DeLuca. His mission: to break her in 21 days before she sees through his lies. But she won’t give up without a fight.
21 minutes
It takes only 21 minutes for their lives to be forever entwined.
21 seconds
21 seconds to spill. Time is running out.
Secrets ruin them … but not all truths are worth the price.
This is a STANDALONE Dark Romance novel. WARNING: contains explicit situations, dubious consent, graphic violence, drug abuse, and other disturbing content.
Click here for Twenty-One (21)
***
EXCERPT OF MR. X
“Punishment is justice for the unjust.” - Saint Augustine
Prologue
Thursday, August 15 th , 2013. 10:30 p.m.
Life is not continuous. Every path we take ends it or prolongs it. Millions upon millions of paths lie in front of us and we choose only one. Each step we take means cutting off a possible path. One by one they all disappear. The choice can’t be changed. Accepting the consequences is a must, but impossible for most, including me.
Life is a string of events, each leading to another. One man. One choice. One deadly weapon. It all adds up to this one moment. The gun this man is pointing at my head. The gun that could end my life in a flash.
This man wants to kill me, and I don’t know why.
In order to survive I must pass this test. I have to find out what story hides behind his scar. I believe it’s my only way out. My life could end any second, but I won’t allow it. I’ll fight until the very end. Whichever path I choose, I will survive.
***
Tuesday, August 13 th , 2013. 2:00 a.m.
He was innocent. Or so he said.
The scratch marks on his face tell a completely different story. Not only is he a scumbag, he’s a lying scumbag too. Luckily, I know just the thing to do with liars.
Twirling the knife in my hand, I step forward. Sweat drops trickle down his face, making his hair stick to his forehead. He whimpers against the soaked cloth in his mouth, choking on his words. My eye slowly takes him in from top to bottom as I twist the sharp point of the knife softly against my finger, creating a bead of blood. His Adam’s apple moves up and down in his throat as he visibly strains his muscles at the sight of my toy.