Bad Seed

Then, a sound pierced my raging haze, and I felt a pair of hands wrap around my arm.

“Grant! Stop! You’ll kill him!”

My nostrils flared, and the smell of blood was potent. Theresa was tugging on my arm, begging me to stop. She pulled me away from Ike, and he lay there, motionless on the musty warehouse floor. I turned around and scooped Theresa’s shaking form into my arms, falling back off the piece of shit like she wanted so I could hold her. I wrapped my arms around her and shielded her vision with my chest. I ran my fingers through her hair and rocked her. She was gripping my shirt so hard her knuckles were white. Sobbing so hard she was coughing and retching. I planted kiss after kiss on the top of her head, my mind slowly coming to as the sirens grew closer.

Theresa turned her face up to mine, and I immediately dropped my lips to her skin. Kissing her puffy eyes and her reddened cheeks. Kissing her tears away and holding her closer than I ever had before. I nuzzled my nose against hers, and she wrapped her arms around me, her lips pressing into mine over and over again.

“You’re never

leaving my sight again. Do you hear me?” I asked. “Never.”

“You’re here. How did you find me?”

“Through methods I’m sure your stubborn side won’t approve of. But I would do anything to find you. My heart can’t take the thought of losing you.”

Her eyes met mine, and my lips dropped to hers again.

“I love you so much, Theresa.”

I whispered it into her lips. I felt her nod, our foreheads drifting together as the police crashed into the building. I hugged Theresa so close I could feel her heart rattling against my chest, and I continued rocking her as a light flickered on in the corner.

It illuminated the room, and I made sure Theresa was looking at none of it.

I turned my head around and saw Hollis, and his eyes were stoic. He held his gun, ready to shoot, and it was pointing at Ike’s motionless body on the ground, but his eyes were on me.

On us.

Police surrounded the body and paramedics rushed to the scene. Hollis holstered his weapon and strode over to us. I was ready, prepared for anything that was coming my way.

But instead, Hollis yanked Theresa from my arms and pulled her into a hug of his own.

“Are you okay?” Hollis asked.

“I am now,” Theresa said breathlessly.

“Did he hurt you? What happened?”

“I don’t know. I can’t remember, Hollis. One minute I was packing and the next—”

“How the hell did he get out?” I asked.

“Apparently, his lawyer was smart enough to request a psychological evaluation which the judge granted. He was being transported to the psych ward of MDI for his appointment when he escaped custody. He must have made straight for Theresa’s after stealing a car because we had just been notified that he’d gotten free.”

“Well, he won’t get away again. I made sure of that.”

“Are you hurt, baby?” I asked Theresa, feeling Hollis shift on his feet next to me.

My eyes shot over to Hollis, and he glared at me.

“My arms and my shoulders hurt from crashing around in the trunk,” Theresa said.

“Then let’s get you looked at by the paramedics,” Hollis said.

I followed the two of them as Hollis guided her over to the ambulance outside. My eyes fell to my bloodied fist as one of the guys began to clean it off. Hollis was smoothing his sister’s hair out of her face and occasionally taking me in, and I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next.

Until I saw Hollis walking toward me.

“So,” he said.