I ducked effortlessly then charged forward, ploughing into him with my shoulder, crunching him against the kitchen bench.

All the oxygen in his lungs exploded. The solid thud of his spine hitting marble had a good probability of leaving him disabled.

He dropped to his knees, only to scramble breathlessly back to his feet.

Didn’t disable him, after all.

Oh well, no loss.

My brain turned off as I reached forward and plucked the nuisance gun from his grip. I tossed it onto the couch beside Pimlico.

Immediately, she crawled for it, holding her mouth with one hand and doing her best to support the heavy weight of the black pistol with the other.

I wanted to tell her I’d protect her, help her, but my intentions weren’t that of a kind man. I’d come to steal not free.

She didn’t need to know that. Not until I had her exactly where I wanted her. Not until she was healed.

Alrik swung at my face now he’d been stripped of his weapon.

His fist connected only because I let it.

Pain was used as power in my training, giving animalistic instincts ammunition when bodily harm threatened.

I could kill him fast or slow.

If I had my way, it would be slow.

But Pimlico wouldn’t last for the hours I’d like to torture. I didn’t have the time to starve him for years with mental and physical abuse. He was getting off fucking easy.

For now, for her sake, it had to be quick.

My hand soared forward; my fingers jammed into his larynx.

He choked.

While he buckled over, doing his best to suck in a breath, I grabbed his shoulders and crunched his face onto my knee.

With killing hands, I seized his chin, ready to snap his spine.

I was disappointed how fast three lives had been snuffed out. This cold dispatching did not satisfy me.

But this wasn’t about me.

It’s about her.

A feral sound warbled behind me.

I froze, looking over my shoulder.

Pimlico draped over the back of the couch, blood everywhere, both hands holding the gun. She shook her head—the most response I’d ever earned—as her eyes dropped to Alrik scrambling in my hold.

“You want to do it?”

She nodded.

Her shaking was too much. She wouldn’t be able to aim.

But I wouldn’t deny the only thing she’d ever asked of me.

“Fine.” Moving around Alrik’s body, I hoisted him up using his jaw and nape, threatening to break his neck. “Stand, you worthless sack of shit.”

His feet slipped on the tiles, but he did his best to obey. “You don’t have to do this. You want more money? Have it all. You want her, take her. I don’t fucking care.”

“It isn’t about that anymore.” I smiled. “It’s about karma and paying for what you’ve done. If it were up to me, you’d suffer for decades—just like you made Pim and countless other girls suffer. But we don’t have that luxury, so consider yourself fucking lucky.”

Pimlico never took her eyes off him, her finger feathering the trigger. She gagged as more blood flowed, forcing her to vomit red over the back of the couch. Wiping tears away, the gun wobbled as she tensed to shoot.

“Wait,” I ordered.

Dragging Alrik toward her, I nodded as I kicked his leg to make him kneel and pressed his sweaty head against the muzzle of the gun. “Now, you can kill him.”

She sucked in a gasp, scarlet rivulets staining her naked breasts. The look she gave me—so full of thanks and relief and vicious, vicious victory—clutched my gut. She was insidious in her hate; after two years of torture she’d won.

My cock hardened, recognising the conqueror inside her. That was why I couldn’t forget her. Why I had to steal her.

She was unique.

My equal.

Even though I’d never admit such things.

“Do it, Pimlico. Slaughter him.” My voice ruffed with impatience and greed. “Finish it.”

Alrik locked his hands in prayer. “Wait! Pim…sweet little Pim. Don’t do this. I love you!”

She spat another wad of blood, splattering it all over his face. Her loathing told him exactly what she thought of his so-called love.

Alrik squirmed, his temper once again getting him into trouble. “Why, you little bitch! I’ll whip you so fucking—”

My fists clenched to punch the bastard. But hot rage settled over Pim, giving me a split-second warning to get out of the damn way.

Dropping Alrik, I sidestepped to avoid an incorrect aim or ricochet. I jolted as the gun exploded.

The scent of sulphur hit my nose as the boom of a bullet tore around the white lounge.

For a second, Alrik stayed swaying where I’d placed him.

Then, he fell.

Dazed and confused, he stumbled as his hands came up to hold a newly formed hole in his belly.

Pim stared. Shock merged with disbelief that she’d finally repaid him with pain.

He screamed, “Fuck, you shot me! You sho—shot me.”

She did but it’s not enough.

It wasn’t a mortal wound.

I had no intention of leaving here with any chance of him being found by paramedics.

Taking a step forward, my fingers ached to finish it.

But once again, Pim surprised me.

She smiled with a gruesome red grin, pulling the trigger for a second time.

Boom!

The shot went into his cheekbone.

Two holes but still alive.

She’d missed his brain and heart.

Alrik screamed harder, no longer stringing concise words together but howling for his life.