Trouble in Hell (Hell Night 1)

“I’m taking Emo with me,” I tell Judge.

I’ll be the one to finish Leland off, but Emo’s a savage when it comes to these things. It’s bloody and brutal, and I can’t fucking wait for him to feel Emo’s special brand of revenge.

Judge doesn’t question me on taking Emo. He knows what I want and how it’ll go down.

“Got it.”

“Keep me updated.”

My veins throb as I hang up the phone. The muscles in my back bunch and flex with the need to do something now. I hate waiting. I’ve waited for this moment for years, and now that we’re close, adrenaline rushes through me.

My eyes catch on Remi through the glass door. She has her own phone clutched to her ear. I take several deep breathes, pushing down the furious need to pummel the hell out of something.

Soon, the voice whispers in my head. Soon you’ll be able to rid the world of one less bastard.

Once my racing heart is back to normal and the heat in my veins has cooled, I walk over to check on Elijah before going back outside. Satisfied to find he’s still sleeping peacefully, I go to the back door and push it open. I stop in my tracks when I hear Remi’s frantic voice. She’s no longer sitting in her chair, but pacing the length of the patio.

“What do you mean, Lynn?” she says frantically. “H-how could he have gotten out?”

She pauses her pacing and the color drains from her face as she listens to whatever this Lynn is telling her. Her eyes close and she wraps her arm protectively around her stomach.

“Oh, God. I can’t believe this.” Her words come out a broken whisper. “He’ll come after me. He’ll come after Elijah.”

My jaw hardens and my hands form fists when I realize she’s talking about the bastard who raped her. I keep quiet, not attempting to hide my presence from her, but letting her finish her phone call. While I do so, I fume and plot the demise of another who deserves to be destroyed.

“I don’t know what to do, Lynn. I’ve got to call my brother.”

The wood creaks under my weight and Remi whips around to face me. Her eyes widen in surprise and her throat bobs as she swallows. Her face is ghostly looking as her eyes flick back and forth between mine. There’s not a chance in hell I can keep the rage from my face, so I’m sure some of her fear may be from the brutal look in my eyes.

“I-I’ve got to go. I’ll call you this evening.” She hangs up before the person on the other line has a chance to respond.

She licks her lips before she stutters out, “I, uh. I need to leave.”

Ignoring that, I grind out between clenched teeth. “He got out, didn’t he?”

Shock has her sucking in a breath. I shouldn’t know about Phillip and what he did to her, and I just revealed I do. None of

that matters now though. I’ll give her an explanation later.

“Answer me,” I demand harshly.

“H-how did you know?”

I stalk toward her and she backs up until her ass meets the table. Her hands grip the edge so hard her knuckles turn white. I don’t stop until the toes of my boots hit hers. Fear flashes in her eyes, and I don’t know if it’s from me or from the phone call she just received. I’d cut off my balls and chomp on them before I hurt her, but she doesn’t know that, and it fucking kills me that she may think I might hurt her.

“That doesn’t matter right now.” I try to keep my voice level, but it still comes out gritty. “Did he—” I lean down and get in her face, “—get out of jail?”

“Yes,” she croaks. Tears pool in her eyes, and even not touching her, I can feel her body shaking.

“Fuck!” I step back from her and snatch up my beer bottle. I hurl it across the patio with a roar and it smashes against the brick fire pit. I grip the back of my neck and squeeze hard. Air pumps from my lungs and my chest rises and falls rapidly. My heartbeat slams an unsteady rhythm against my chest.

“I’ve got to leave,” she repeats from behind me, her voice rising. I close my eyes and drop my head. Control your shit, Trouble. “I’ve got to call my brother. We can’t stay here. I-I need him to come get us. He can protect us.”

I whip around and pin her with my eyes. “No.”

Her eyes look wild and she looks scared as hell. The look only pisses me off even more.

“I can’t let him get to Elijah.”