To Capture a Thorn (The Society 2)

My hands were clammy. I took my steps slow, not in any hurry right now. My heart raced.

I came to her house, and like I expected, it was a large building. One that screamed money and prestige, entitlement.

In my mind, I saw Heather in that building. Her hand to the glass. Then I played the video in my head. Chloe kissing my dad. Chloe helping him take Heather.

With firm footsteps, I walked up to the door and knocked.

Within seconds, the door opened, and I turned to see a scared-looking maid.

“I’m here to see Chloe.” I folded my arms, kept my back ramrod straight.

“You are?”

“She’s expecting me. We wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”

The maid looked positively relieved as I stepped over the threshold.

“Let me tell her you’ve arrived,” the maid said.

I put my hand on her shoulder and shook my head. I lifted my glasses to sink into my hair and I winked at her. “Don’t you worry about it. I can take it from here.”

Not that I’d ever been to Chloe’s house before. It wasn’t high on my list of places to visit. The one thing I did know, all of these houses had the main kitchen at the back, so I went through there.

I was surprised to see at least five kitchen staff. None of them looked happy.

Stepping out into the yard, I followed the path around, and sure enough, on a sun lounger, I spotted the murderous bitch. She fanned herself. A drink sat beside her, and the swimming pool was a few feet ahead of her.

I could drown her in it and no one would hear her scream.

Now that I saw Chloe, my rage seemed to take on an ugly form the closer I got to her. This bitch was the nastiest of people. She killed and took life without a care in the world.

“Ugly bitch, where is my fucking phone? Slut,” Chloe said.

She’d turned the other way, calling out to, I was guessing, the maid.

I wore sneakers, so my footsteps didn’t make a sound. The closer I got, the less I thought about what I was doing. In the next second, I had gone from watching her to suddenly straddling Chloe’s slender form with my hands wrapped around her throat.

I tore her glasses from her face and stared into her eyes. “Remember me?” I asked.

Chloe’s eyes went wide and I squeezed my hands a little tighter. “What the fuck?”

“Do you think that’s what Heather said when she woke up in a burning building?” I asked.

“Have you gone completely mental?” Chloe tried to scratch my arms, but I didn’t care. I had her neck in my hands and all I could think about was Heather dying.

“I saw you,” I said. “I saw what you did.” I leaned down so my lips were against her ear. “We know the truth, and so does The Society.”

“You can’t prove anything.”

I laughed.

Chloe held my hands, but I had let go of her neck long enough for her to be able to speak. Hearing that, I was done. I tightened my hold, and this time, I used both hands.

“You’re going to know what it feels like to choke. To lose your ability to breathe.”

Her body began to thrust underneath me, and I let go of her neck, hearing her deeply inhale.

“Where is he?” I asked.

Chloe looked scared, and much to my shame, I enjoyed that. She deserved to be scared.

I drew my hand back and slapped her hard. “Where is he?”

She didn’t answer, so I slapped her again.

“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Chloe’s hands went to her nose where blood was oozing from her nostril.

“Not a good enough answer.”

I was done. I was tired. This person, this thing, she’d made my life miserable, hacked off my hair, killed my best friend, and helped my father do it all.

I hated her.

There was no way I could let her get away with it.

Something came over me. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was like I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even stop myself. Fingers wrapped around her neck again, I squeezed, only this time, Chloe saw real fear as I didn’t let go. I didn’t stop. She had to die. She had to pay for what she did to Heather.

My best friend didn’t deserve the end she got, and someone had to pay. That someone had to be Chloe. She caused it. She had to suffer.

My body was numb.

Was this why I didn’t tell William immediately that I loved him? I knew I was going to go down for murder?

I had no idea. I couldn’t stop.

This was what needed to happen.

All of a sudden, my body was pulled off Chloe. The force of it made me let go of her neck, and I heard her deep breath.

Arms still held me back, but mine were outstretched as I tried to get to her. “No!”