A smile slid across my face as I looked his form up and down.“I don’t know, Jason.Have you looked in the mirror lately?I’m doubting this feral image of you is just for show, especially when I’ve already seen the things that you’ve done.We both know you didn’t become this version of yourself overnight.”
Jason’s gaze narrowed.“What the fuck are you talking about?”
Tilting my neck, I cracked it to the side, rolling my shoulders again as my body loosened the tension.“It takes a monster to kill a monster, Jason.Are you sure you’re that monster?”
Moving another step closer, he lifted his hands to crack his knuckles.“Only one way to find out.”
Hmmm….maybe this will be a good fight after all.
“If that’s true, after all this, do you really think Jaden could still be with a monster like you?”
Glaring at me, he tilted his head in disgust.“I know this might be a foreign concept to you, but that’s entirely up to her.”
I huffed a chuckle at his response.“Some monster you are, then.To come this far and not even get the girl?What a waste.”
“You’re obviously not giving her enough credit,” he replied.“She’s the one who led me here.The only reason I even got this far.”
“She’s also going to be the reason you eventually stop breathing.”
He paused for a moment, staring back at me until his shit-eating grin slowly stretched to his eyes.“Likewise.”
And just like that, the blows began.
18
THE SIGNAL
* * *
Isuddenly couldn’t breathe.With Darren’s hot cum slowly leaking down my leg and my knuckles smarting from decking him in the mouth, I watched him disappear down the hall.This was it.This was the signal.They had successfully drawn him out and away from the house, just like they planned.
Darren had said our old stomping grounds.Did he mean the warehouse where we were all sold?Was that where Jason had drawn him to?
While it was an interesting choice, I didn’t have the time to ponder it.I needed to get prepared.Now.
Turning on my heels, I took off running toward the stairs.I needed to change my clothes into something a little more battle-worthy.
“Jaden!Where are you racing off to?”Sloane questioned from down the hall as she called after me.
Ignoring her, I hurried into the bedroom and rushed into the walk-in closet, quickly swapping my clothes for the closest protective workout gear I could get away with without drawing suspicion.
“Jaden, what are you doing?”Sloane asked from behind me.
“Nothing, I just really feel like working out right now,” I answered, trying to keep the anxiety out of my voice.
“But you already did this morning.”
“Yeah, well, I just became inspired to try out some new moves.”
After removing my dress, I wiped away Darren’s drying cum from my legs and then tossed the garment away.I slipped into a high-impact sports bra and pulled on some long black leggings I was technically supposed to request special permission to wear.After securing my hair in a high ponytail, I grabbed a tank top and threw it on as I turned to look down at my shoes.
I had a pair of training combat boots that would be much more useful in an attack than my damn running shoes.I contemplated what to do for only a few seconds before reaching down and grabbing the boots.
“Combat boots?For training?”Sloane cocked a brow at me.“Since when?”
“Since now.Gotta switch it up every now and then, ya know?”It was the only excuse I could think of on the fly as I finished lacing them up.I then stood and reached into the drawer of my vanity, where I kept the brass knuckles Sloane had given me for my birthday.
“What do you need those for?”she asked me as she watched me slip them into my pocket.