Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

Three men stood before us, and every muscle in my body tensed.

“Who—”

But Damon cut me off. “Now,” he ordered.

And they charged for us.

“Damon, no!” I shouted, whipping around with my hands in front of me, ready to take them.

But they pushed right past me, both of them heading straight for Alex. One took her from behind, fisting her hair with his hand gripping her neck, while the other pressed into her front, securing her hands behind her back as she growled and tried to thrash.

Rika pushed off, heading right for them.

“I could snap her neck in a second,” the one behind Alex threatened, staring at Rika and jerking Alex’s head in both his hands.

I didn’t recognize their voices.

Rika stopped, her hands balled into fists, one of them still holding the bottle. Her eyes turned to Damon. “You fucking coward!”

“No, I’m smart.” He smirked. “They wouldn’t last five seconds trying to take you on.”

“Hey, fuck you,” the one pressed to Alex’s front said.

I turned to Damon. “What do you want?”

“You,” he said.

“Bullshit!” I growled. “You always had me! Why wait until now to show your face?”

But before he could answer, Rika came forward. “You tried to kill us,” she charged. “Will…. You tied a cinderblock around his ankle, tied his hands behind his back, and threw him into the ocean.” Her voice cracked. “Do you know what you put him through? You’re a fucking horror.”

“I know.”

My eyes shot up again, taken back by his response. He sounded almost sincere.

“I have so many things wrong with me,” he said, a trace of solemnity in his voice. His gaze trailed around the room, avoiding ours. “I loved going to school. I went every day. Even when I was sick. Remember, Banks?”

I narrowed my eyes. Of course, I remembered. Damon was the last person in the world you’d expect to have great attendance. The only time he skipped was when his friends did.

“School was the only place I knew I’d be safe,” he continued. “And later on, when I got older, there was music and booze and girls…. It was like a party every day. Sometimes it was even enough to get me out of my head, so I hardly even noticed what was happen—” He dropped his voice, forcing the last words out. “Happening to me.”

Tears burned the back of my eyes.

“I had my friends, my team, and you,” he said, raising his eyes to me. “All to myself. The only girl I ever trusted. No one was going to take you away from me. I don’t like change.” And then he glanced at Rika. “You were change.”

He started walking toward her.

“Damon, no,” I barked.

He stopped and turned his head toward me. “Then come with me.”

“Where?”

“Home, of course,” he told me and then looked at Rika. “I want Rika to show me the St. Killian’s renovations. Maybe take a walk in the catacombs.”

He stared at her, his threatening eyes insinuating more than he was saying. She shook her head nervously.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she gasped out.