Shattered

Chapter 56

(It got taken off youtube, but song for this chapter was 'Kill Kill' by Lana Del Rey. Search the lyrics lol)

(Shortish chapter because it would be way too long otherwise <3)

I never thought I would reach a point in my life where someone else's life was in my hands.

But it was fitting that this person was Chandler Reid.

It almost felt wrong, knowing my next choice would dictate the future—knowing I had this kind of power over him. I couldn't help but wonder if this was how he felt every day with me. It probably was. There was an overwhelming sense of nausea lingering over me.

I didn't want to do this.

But...

Was there even another way?

In order to execute what I had planned, I had to act quick. One motion after the other. I gripped the knife tucked into the mattress tightly. I would aim blindly, whether this killed him or not didn't matter to me. I know Stella depended on him to support her family, but I was not going to risk my freedom over her wishes. I had already done that once.

The moment I lifted my arm, my whole body went numb, it was like I was on autopilot. My eyes did not look where my aim landed, but I sure felt it. The force needed to penetrate his skin and muscles was not light. It was somewhere in his chest. As quickly as it had come, I yanked it out and flung the knife to the other side of the room, far from where he could reach.

Chandler shot up, yelling in pain and clutching the spot which was profusely bleeding, but I was already moving to step two. The chain he had so carelessly forgot to remove from the bed—maybe thinking he would need it later—was not clicking around his ankle. I jumped over him, onto step three, but screaming when a slippery hand snatched my wrist. The fury in his eyes was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Using my leg to kick him in the chest and use that force to yank my hand back, I stumbled and fell on my ass. He didn't make a sound, but I could tell by the way he clutched his chest that I had hurt him. I scrambled up and tore open his nightstand drawer, securing the key ring and his phone before he could even think to grab it.

I ran to the closet, pulling a pair of running shoes on, the ones I had slipped the paper Nyx gave me what felt like forever ago, and then opened the wallet I knew he left on the table I grabbed his elevator keycard as well as a handful of cash. It's not like he needed it. When I left, Chandler was making some attempt to free himself, but the added injury clearly slowed him down.

"Jess!" he screamed, "I will make sure you pay for this until the day you fucking die."

I smiled, grabbing the bloodied knife from the chair cushion and waving it at him while I moved toward the door, my wrist still bloody from his grip.

"Come after me and I'll make sure today is the day you die, bastard—that is, if you don't bleed to death." I threw his phone down by the door and stepped on it with my heel. "Good luck."

Not wasting time, I went downstairs, making one quick stop to rinse my wrist and abandon the knife in the kitchen after scrubbing the handle. I unlocked the door with the key and then the passcode, closing and locking it behind me. Anything to slow him down. I was in the lobby in no time, thankful concierge wasn't around at this time, although no doubt security was somewhere. However, I trusted no one in this godforsaken building.

When I was outside in the brisk end-of-winter air, I speed-walked a block or two away, then began attempting to wave down a taxi. At no point did I stop and try to think, I was in a go go go mindset and would not stop until I felt remotely safe.