Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 127(@200wpm)___ 101(@250wpm)___ 85(@300wpm)
Maybe she hadn’t seen me?
Maybe it was all in her head?
Maybe she was just overwrought and needed sleep?
She would head to her tiny kitchen and pour herself a glass of wine. As the minutes ticked by, her tense muscles would loosen. Her nerves would relax. She would convince herself that it had all been in her imagination. Maybe she’d tell herself she was just a one-night stand for a man like me, a piece of ass easily obtained and forgotten.
She’d be wrong.
Jekyll thought he was in love with her. What a stupid, insipid emotion. Typical of him.
I wasn’t in love with Catherine. I was obsessed with her. I needed to feel her skin against mine like I needed my next breath. She was the force that pulled me from the depths of Jekyll’s consciousness into being. Without her, without the emotions she inspired, I was nothing. She was the key to my very existence.
I checked my watch, or more specifically, Jekyll’s watch. A cheap functional thing. I hadn’t changed into one of my suits for one reason only. Fortunately, Jekyll had chosen to wear a thick leather belt with his denim trousers today. I knew it would come in handy for my plans for Catherine later.
I waited another twenty agonizing minutes before making my way to her apartment door. The lights on the lower level were out. I could see a single white light through the lace curtains of an upstairs room. Her bedroom. I approached her front door and tried the handle. Locked. I smirked. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out Jekyll’s wallet and removed a credit card. It took only a moment to break in.
I swung open the door and quietly shut it.
I stopped and listened.
Silence.
Grasping the chain of the handcuffs more firmly so it wouldn’t rattle, I kicked off my boots and shrugged out of the atrocious tweed vest Jekyll favored. I then unbuttoned his shirt and pulled it over my head. I knew Catherine was likely to struggle and I didn’t want to lose my grasp on her while undressing. All I wanted to do the moment I saw her was unzip my trousers. Plus, it wouldn’t do for her to recognize Jekyll’s clothes on me.
I made my way up the ancient wooden staircase. Halfway up, a floorboard squeaked. I paused and waited. My lips twisted in a ruthless smile. I knew Catherine had likely heard my footfall on her stairs. She would know I was coming for her. Good.
At the top of the stairs were only a small hallway and one closed door.
I placed my hand on the vintage crystal doorknob and slowly turned it.
It spun counterclockwise about halfway before stopping.
The clever girl had tried to lock herself in.
I tapped on the door with my knuckle. “Catherine.”
There was no answer.
I tapped again. “My pet, I know you are in there. Open the door.”
I waited.
Finally, a hesitant reply. “I’m calling the police.”
“We both know you aren’t, because if you did, I’d be forced to show them the pair of panties you so generously gifted me after our last liaison.”
“You’re a monster.”
“True.”
“I hate you.”
“Also possibly true.”
“I want you to leave.”
“Now we both know you are lying again, dear pet.”
“Please just leave.”
“No.”
“I’ll call your brother!”
“You can try.”
With amusement, I waited. Moments later the mobile in my pocket rang. I let it ring several times to make certain she heard, then I called through the door, “Oh, now this is embarrassing. It seems I picked up Jekyll’s mobile by mistake.”
There was no response.
“Catherine, if you make me knock down this door, I won’t be responsible for the emotions such an action would arouse in me.”
Again I waited, silently rooting for her to not open the door, wanting her to push me to the limit and beyond.
My little pet did not disappoint.
The door remained locked. Knowing if I taunted her any further the silly girl might attempt to jump out of the bedroom window, I took a step back and raced forward, shoving my shoulder against the bedroom door. The wood easily splintered from the hinges as the lock gave way. The door swung open.
On the other side was Catherine, backed into a corner, holding a small nightstand lamp aloft as a makeshift weapon. She was dressed for bed in a charming silk nightgown with little flowers on it. Her beautiful hair was down and lying in waves over her shoulders; with her glasses placed neatly on the nightstand, I had an unobstructed view of the alarm in her gorgeous emerald eyes. “Stay back!”
I lifted my arm and let one side of the handcuffs tumble out. “Now why would I do that.”
Her beautiful eyes widened.
This was going to be fun.
Catherine chucked the lamp at my head and tried to run past me. I deflected the lamp with my right forearm, and snatched her around the waist with my left. “Not so fast, little one.”