Violent Things

Bates

Inhalingthe lavender scent of her shampoo, I smiled as Holls’ shifted on top of me. I always enjoyed waking up being able to smell her—it made me feel like I was always home regardless of where we may have wandered off to.

I ran the tips of my fingers up her spine as I nuzzled my lips on her head.

“Why don’t you go put on what you bought? I’m dying to see how it looks on you,” I suggested in a soft tone.

Hollis sighed as she put her hands on my chest and pushed herself up. But I pulled her close to me again, and tilted my head. If she wasn’t up for it, I wouldn’t push her to do it.

“Or maybe tomorrow,” I amended with a grin.

My pretty girl shook her head as she put her strength into pushing away from me, managing to pull herself out of my arms.

“I don’t mind,” she lied in a quiet tone. “I’ll just be a minute.”

I let her take my smile with her as she left the room. It wouldn’t have surprised me if she thought I would have been expecting something from her after she came back.

And the truth was, that I wasn’t.

I just wanted to see her dolled up and beautiful as ever, knowing that she always secretly felt good about herself, which was why I liked to push her boundaries on the matter every now and then.

Tonight was going to be different though, I mused as I stretched my arms over my head.

Holls thought she’d parade herself for me, but instead, I wanted her to get dressed up so that I could give her an early anniversary gift.

___

After I checked the hallway to make sure she wouldn’t see me, I hurried toward my den. Reaching under the desk, I retrieved the bag of blades I had just purchased and set them on top.

It would be easier to grab them on the way back out if they were handier than if they were tucked away.

I walked over to the bookshelf and retrieved the key to my workspace, then let myself in, jogging down the stairs in a damn good mood.

Maybe this would be something that would show her how goddamn serious I was and always had been about her.

Since the day I first laid eyes on Hollis, I never saw anyone else. Even when I fucked up; all I could see was my pretty girl the entire time.

That’s when I knew how mad I was for her.

Our love was rabid; full of mistakes, dangerous, but held together by the only medicine either of us ever needed.

Each other.

I ran a hand back through my hair as I slid the key into the lock, then let myself in.

Now, where did I leave you?

I grinned when my eyes fell on the mall rat. He wasn’t hard to find at all. I texted Milo his features, where I had last seen him, and that he was one of the bastards that had hurt Hollis that night.

And considering that Milo happened to always be up for a drink, I knew that it’d be easy enough to get him to come out with me under the guise of just that.

Having friends in high places with low morals has always been a plus for me.

I strolled toward the crumpled body, cowering in a corner next to the ringleader sick fuck that initiated that night, and crouched down in front of him.

“Ready to say you’re sorry?” I asked, smacking his face to the side and forcing him to look at me.

“I don’t even know—”