His Princess Unmasked

Not On My Watch

  The blood coursing through my veins was ice-cold; the buzzing sound of murderous rage scratched at the back of my skull. I  was covered in a film of chilled preparation, but it was the adrenaline that made my entire body shake violently. I could still feel the bastard's neck in my hands; I wanted nothing more than to squeeze the life out of his body. Drawn into the fury and instinctive desire to protect the one I loved, it had been a miracle that Tori's voice had even registered. It must have been the pleading; it'd sounded like sweet tinkling bells guiding me back to the state of being human. I was in no shape or form a human being when I fought; I was a monster through and through. It took an immense amount of antagonizing or physical violence to trigger the demon that laid sleeping within me. Yet all it took was hearing Tori's terrified screams to push me to that of bloodshed. I was going to kill him. I had every intention to take his life with only my bare hands the weapons. I'd left Tori in the bedroom and told her to lock the door behind me. I first needed to get the electricity back on, and so I'd grabbed my phone to use as a flashlight. Moving towards my kitchen, I shine the light on the ground to ensure the asshole was still out cold. He was. 

Stepping over him, I open up the door that leads out to the garage. It had been how he'd entered, which meant whoever he was; he'd been snooping out my place long enough to know I didn't lock the garage door. "God damn it, Brent." I curse at myself, remembering how I'd told myself so many times to get an opener installed. I'd still been naked when the intruder attacked Tori, and I was still now in my garage to flip the breakers. I was thankful he hadn't cut the electricity by cutting it at the source. It'd been a worry of mine once Tori was locked in the bedroom. Flipping the breakers, I see the kitchen lights come on through the open door to the garage and the man lying on my floor. He was wearing a black sock mask; there were holes in his mouth and eyes. He was a good size; but not as large as I was. I wanted to question him myself, and so I did not involve the police. At least not yet. I had ways to get someone to talk. Scrolling through my phone, I click on Andre's name. I'd told Tori I would call Ant, but this was more of a job that Andre could stomach. There was only a need for two rings to hear Andre's sleepy grunts come from the other side. 

"Are you okay?" Andre asks immediately. He knew I wasn't one to make late-night calls unless there was an emergency. Otherwise, I sent texts. "Whiskey Alpha Romeo." I spit out, making my way back into the kitchen. "Send the address. I am on my way." Andre says, hanging up from his end. I take long strides to make my way back to the bedroom, "Cheese." I say, giving Tori the safe word before tapping on the door three times. I hear it unlock gently, and Tori peeps out from the other side. "Did you get dressed?" I ask her, not forcing my way into the room. I was aware of how terrified she must be. My heart stung at the realization that this was yet another trauma added to her already flooded list. "Can you let me in baby, I need to put some clothes on," I whisper. Tori is silent for a short moment the slings the door open, making a dead run for the bed. She wasn't okay, but I would have to take time to comfort her a bit later. "I want you to listen to your tapes, Princess," I tell her picking her cassette player off the dresser. Once at the side of the bed, I gently offer it out to her. She accepts it; her face was void of color. Her hands shaking, she put the headphones to her ears and presses play. I motion for her to get under the covers and to move the one headphone back. She moves the right one from her ear and waits for me to speak.

"I do not want you to come out of this room. Daddy is going to be taking care of some things you don't need to be involved with. You stay in here, and you listen to your tapes. If you need me, you text me." I state firmly but with some softness so as not to scare her. I was trying my damndest not to traumatize her any further. It was obvious to me that she was disassociating with her child-like mannerisms. I would bring her some coloring books and art supplies to keep her preoccupied. I needed to invest in a TV now that she would be living with me; she watched it far more than I did. Once Tori is tucked under the blankets, I walk to my closet to retrieve a weighted one to put on her as well. I lay it out over, lean down, and kiss her forehead. Turning to my dresser, I open up a drawer and throw on a pair of white boxers. Andre would appreciate me not being in the nude when he arrived. As if he knew I was thinking of him, my cell phone vibrates on top of the dresser in front of me. Scrolling my thumb across its screen, I see a text. "ETA 20 mins." It reads. I send a thumbs up. Looking back at Tori, I motion for her to listen again. "Lock this door behind me. Again. Do not leave this room." I repeat myself before closing the bedroom door behind me. I wait till I hear Tori lock it to move away from it and back towards the kitchen. The man was still unmoving on my floor. 

Worried that I might have actually killed him, I take a knee and press my fingers to his carotid. There was a pulse, "Lucky bastard." I growl, standing back to my feet; I walk to where I stand over his head, bending at the knees; I take a deep breath and remove the mask. "I f*****g knew it." I hiss through my teeth as Daniel's face is revealed from under the mask. I'd wondered if was him when turning back on the lights given his build, plus a part of me recognized his voice even with it being choked while strangling him. There was severe bruising already starting to come to the surface of the skin at his throat. Sighing heavily, I stand and walk to the kitchen table to take a chair. I walk it to the garage and set it down. Moving quickly, I go to the garage door and open it. I can see headlights coming down my drive. Taking long strides, I walk back to the kitchen and reach up under one of the cabinets to release a hidden Glock pistol hidden there. Finger on the frame, pull the slide back, then make my way back out to the garage. I was sure that the headlights were Andre's, but I needed to be prepared if they weren't. I stand legs apart, gun at my side, waiting for the vehicle to come to a halt. As it comes into the light illuminating from my house, I see that it is, in fact, Andre and relax. Andre cuts the engine of his white Camaro; opening the driver's door, he steps out in red angry bird PJ bottoms and a white tank that clung to every muscle the man had.

He silently makes his way up to me, "Have you cleared the house?" He asks me sternly, eyes going directly to the Glock held in my hand. "One man. He's out cold in the kitchen." I state, nodding for him to follow me. Stepping back into the kitchen, I go to stand over Daniel's limp body. Andre bend's at the knees and checks for a pulse as I did. "You didn't kill him?" He asks me, his voice filled with confusion. "Tori begged me not to." I explain, leaning against the butch block behind me. "I see," Andre says, standing up. "What's the plan?" He asks me, scanning the kitchen. "She's in the bedroom; the door is locked. I want to question him." I state, nodding to the doorway to the garage behind him. "You get his legs," Andre instructs, going to stand over the top of Daniel's head. Leaning down, he slides his arms up under his; as I position myself to grip his legs. I wasn't sure why Andre even asked for my help; it felt like I was carrying bread bags. I would have laughed at this thought, but keep it to myself as we carry Daniel to the chair I'd set in the garage. Placing him in it, we both back up to look at him. "Rope?" Andre asks, arms crossed over his chest. "Kink rope, yeah," I say, grinning to myself. It was in the bedroom with Tori, though, and I didn't want to go in there yet. "Tape?" Andre suggests. "Yeah," I answer, turning to the toolbox I had sitting outside the garage door.  

 Grabbing the tape, I step up to Daniel and begin to tape his legs to the chair, then his hands to one another. It felt like we were in a movie; none of this was feeling real. "Who is he?" Andre asks, leaning against the wall of the garage. "His name is Daniel. Tori's parents said they hired him to be her own personal delivery man. I gave him my address against better judgment so that she could continue getting her mail." I explain, tilting Daniel's head back. "Wake him," Andre says, walking to stand at my side. Taking my hand, I form a fist and grind my knuckles into Daniel's sternum. He groans in pain, and I pull back and slap his face hard enough to slap him awake but not hard enough to knock him out. Daniel's eyes fly open, "Ahh!" He yells, eyes shooting from Andre then to me. "Where am I?! What's happening?!" He asks us, fear showing in his eyes. We are silent. Daniel's breathing slows after the initial shock of waking wears off. "Close the garage door," Andre says, taking a step up towards Daniel. "No! Please!" He screams as I turn and walk to the garage door. Looking out on my property, I scan it, "You're going to tell us what we want to know, and you're going to tell the f*****g truth." I hear Andre's voice growl behind me as I slide the garage door down slowly. "There will be no lies, not on my watch," I snarl, turning around, Glock still in hand.