Cruel Intoxication (Underground Kings 4)

Before.

“A man,” she wheezes. “Broke in the house. Stabbed me.”

I bite my lips and shake my head in denial. “No. No! You’re going to be fine. I’m on my way, okay? You’re going to be okay.”

“The baby,” she cries. “I can’t get the blade out, Owen.”

A sob leaves my throat as I take a right onto the exit. My tires squeal, and the truck frame creaks and rocks. “Where is the blade, Annabeth?”

“My stomach,” she says painfully. “I can’t breathe, Owen.” Annabeth has another coughing fit, and I look down to see where the fuck my foot is to see why the truck isn’t going faster. The pedal is against the floorboard, and the engine is pushing itself to the limit.

“What did he want, Annabeth? Did he say?” A tear rolls down the side of my cheek. This has to be random. Some freak incident. I’m not going to let my wife and baby die. What kind of man does that make me if I allow that to happen?

A rustle in the background has her crying more. “Shhh, shhh,” I hear. “It will all be over soon.”

“Who is that? Annabeth!” I yell and spit flies from my mouth and hits the windshield.

“Hello, Owen,” a man answers my wife’s phone. “How are you?”

“What the fuck do you want? Money? Take whatever you fucking want. Leave my wife alone! Please, she’s pregnant.” I’m not usually the type of man to beg, but I’ll beg for my wife’s life.

The stranger chuckles, and another round of screams coming from Annabeth has me holding a hand over my mouth, trying to keep my emotions at bay. “Stop, please. Whatever you’re doing, just stop. I’ll do whatever you want. I’ll take her place. You want to kill me? Kill me. Take me.”

“I don’t think so,” his voice deepens on a sneer. “You took everything from me. It only makes sense for me to take everything from you.”

That doesn’t make any sense. I’ve crossed my T’s my entire fucking life. There’s no way I’m to blame for anything. “I’ve done nothing to you or anyone. What you’re doing is cruel. Please, leave her alone. I can’t live without her.”

Another scream bursts through my eardrum, and I swerve off the road. He’s doing something to her. I don’t know what, but when I find out, I’m going to kill him. “I’m almost home. When I get there, I’m going to rip your heart from your fucking body.”

He chuckles again. “What makes you think I’ll be here? I’m going to be cl

ose enough to watch you watch her die, just like I had to do with my wife. Your fucking medical equipment did nothing for her. You’re a fraud. A joke. I’m going to take down the entire company, and I can’t wait to see all of you suffer the way I have.”

“No, no listen! That wasn’t me. I don’t make the equipment—”

“You sell it, which means you believed in it. I believed in you, and my wife is gone. You better hurry, Owen. There’s a lot of blood.”

“No, don’t hang—”

But it’s too late. A dial tone replaces my wife’s scream, and an agonizing roar rips through my chest. Right as I’m about to call the cops, my phone dings. It’s a message from my wife.

Well, from him.

“Don’t even think about calling the cops, or I’ll gut her right here.”

“Goddamn it! No, please no. This can’t be real. It can’t be.” I rock back and forth as much as I can while driving. “Fuck!” I scream and throw my phone against the windshield so hard the back comes off and the screen shatters. I feel sick. It’s like this isn’t my life anymore. I’m living someone else’s. We are the Carters. Everyone loves us. I’ve kept my nose down, clean. I did my job the way I was supposed to, and now I’m getting blamed for a death that isn’t my fault?

“Please be okay. Please be okay,” I say to myself as I pull into the driveway. I slam on the brakes, and the tires blow smoke, sending the smell of burnt rubber through the vents. The first thing I notice is how nothing has changed. The roses are still red, pink, and white. The sunflowers are as bright as the sun, and the grass is still green as a damn four-leaf clover. My wife’s car is on the other side of the driveway, like it always is.

The mailman waves.

The neighbor is watering his lawn.

But my life on the inside of this house will not be the same. The universe doesn’t stop, even if my world does.

I grab the door handle and jerk it, but it’s locked. “God! Just open.” I flip the lock and jump out of the truck, only for my seatbelt to stop me. I click the red button, and the clasp releases. I’m free. I don’t bother closing the door. I run straight to the front door to find it open as well. “Annabeth?” I call out her name as I dash into the house. I take a left into the dining room, but she isn’t there. It smells good, like roasted chicken and potatoes.

My favorite.