Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Her heart beat like a hammer between her ribs. “It’s getting more and more dangerous here, especially at night. Knowing I can lock the door just helps me to sleep better.” Her gaze fell on the twin keys on the table. She snatched one up and handed it to him. “I was going to give you yours.”
He scrunched up his eyes, searching her face for a lie. “Who will be dumb enough to touch you once they’ve seen your tattoo?”
“Some people are ignorant. Some are new to the city. Not everyone knows what the emblem means.”
His nostrils flared. “The city isn’t what it used to be. We’re letting too many new players into the game. We need to correct that.”
Keeping the cat in one hand, he took the key and slipped it into his pocket. She sighed inwardly with relief.
“Maybe I’ll paint the emblem on your door,” he said. “Anyone still stupid enough to put a foot over your doorstep deserves to die. Maybe I’ll bring up the issue of doing a good cleanup of the city with Godfrey.”
She swallowed, afraid of agreeing or disagreeing. If she agreed, it would imply that Doumar wasn’t powerful enough to stay at the top of the crime food chain in Amsterdam. If she disagreed with him, she’d earn his scorn for implying he was wrong.
“Until you give Godfrey what he wants, we’ll never be rid of him,” he continued. “When you do, things will go back to normal.”
If Doumar believed that, he was naïve, and naivety wasn’t one of his traits.
“Are you working on it?” he asked.
“Yes.”
His grip on the cat tightened, causing the animal to squirm. “Tonight?”
“If you want me to.”
It didn’t look like he wanted her to. “Do you think you’ve been punished enough for spying on me?”
“Yes.”
“Me too. That leaves the issue of you deriving pleasure from my rape.”
“I’ll never derive pleasure from that.”
“Admit it. You must’ve enjoyed hearing Godfrey take me up the ass. I’m surprised you didn’t stay to watch.”
“I hated what he did.”
He lifted the cat again. “Do you believe her, pussy?”
Her voice trembled. “Doumar, let the cat go.”
For a horrifying moment, the cat dangled in the air, clawing at Doumar’s hands, and then Doumar dropped the cat to the floor.
A gush of air left her lips as she exhaled in relief.
“Oh.” He looked at her as if he’d suddenly remembered something. “I came to tell you next month’s visit with Niels is off. We’re busy.”
“Busy?” She stared at him with hot tears welling up behind her eyes. He wanted to degrade her by making Bono pay for sex with her, ensuring Bono treated her like a whore. Seeing that it didn’t work, Doumar is looking for another way of getting back at her. “Don’t punish me like that, I beg you.”
He only smiled.
“At least let me send him something. Just a small toy so he’ll know I’m thinking of him.”
He shook his head.
“A letter.” She held her hands out to him in a pleading gesture. “I’ll write it quickly. I’ll do anything you want me to.”
“What you need to do is work on Mr. Black.”
Without another word, he left, leaving the door open behind him.
She slumped against the counter in a mixture of relief and hurt. She was grateful that the cat was unharmed. At the same time, she was devastated that Doumar had denied her a visit with her son.
His voice rose from outside. “Here, kitty kitty.”
He was already taking the cat home? “Wait.”
She reached for the cat, but seeing the opportunity of freedom, he shot past her and through the door.
Running after him, she stopped dead on the step. Doumar had untied Diamond. The horrible truth of his intention hit her.
“Doumar!”
She screamed as the cat, realizing the danger too late, charged for the fence. With a few long strides, Diamond caught up. A bone-chilling feline howl pierced the sky as Diamond locked its jaw on the cat’s neck. A terrible crunching sound followed, and then there were only the noises Diamond made as she ripped the cat’s flesh apart.
Stumbling down the step, Sky rushed blindly to where blood and pieces of fur were splattering the ground, but Doumar restrained her with his arms around her body.
Doumar whistled. Diamond let go, returning to her owner’s side. Sky stared at the unrecognizable remains on the grass, shaking from head to toe. A neighbor attracted by the noise exited his caravan and took in the scene with round eyes.
“Damn,” Doumar said, dropping his arms. “What an unfortunate accident. Niels will be devastated. I’m not going to lie to him. I’ll have to tell him you got his cat killed.”
“How could you?” She twirled to face him. “He’s your son!”
“Ah, but just like you didn’t name the cat, I never named him. What does that tell you?”
“His name is Niels!”