Soulmate (Cameron Dallas/ Nash Grier/ Matthew Espinosa/ Hayes Grier)

Chapter 78

YOU ALL HAVE PERMISSION TO SLAP ME
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My weary eyes have been trained on that same Goddamn door for what feels like a year. I haven't moved an inch all night, afraid I'll somehow manage to make noise and bring him down here again. Cameron snores softly next to me, his head leaning on my bony shoulder. I'm glad he has the luxury of falling asleep, though I'm terrified he's going to have a harsh wake-up call. My body is exhausted, but my mind somehow manages to stay alert. I move my hands slightly, disproving my hopeful theory that my restrictions loosened a bit over night. I dare to look around the room for something that's within my reach, but I know I'll make too much noise trying to retrieve it.

My heart freezes at the sound of footsteps padding down the hallway. I shrug my shoulder to wake Cameron up, and he groans before blinking his eyes repeatedly and cracking his neck. He, too, stiffens when the doorknob turns. I stare at Dan's unshaven face as he enters, taking note of his mood. He looks at us, no emotion on his face whatsoever, and shuts the door behind him. I open my mouth to say something, but the flashes of blue that blind my darkened thoughts silence me.

"What?" he rasps. "No words? That's a first."

He chuckles to himself as he yanks his torture bag off the table, sifting through it eagerly.

"You know, I'm curious," Cameron speaks, and I shoot him a warning glare.

Dan doesn't reply, so Cameron continues.

"I'm curious how you think you're going to get away with this. I mean, if you don't kill us, we'll tell the police. If you do kill us, they'll eventually find our bodies and connect you to the crime with your fingerprints and shit. There's no way you're gonna win," he says.

This causes Dan to laugh obnoxiously harder.

"Are you that idiotic? Why would they connect me when Kitty Kat here has a psycho boyfriend?" He grins evilly.

My head snaps up and I fight vigorously against my restrains to attack him, which makes him laugh even harder. The more I look at him, the more the urge to slap that disgusting look off of his arrogant face becomes. So I look away.

"Aw, what? You can't face the truth? He was already convicted of killing one of his girlfriends, why stop there?" he taunts.

"He was found innocent, you dumb piece of shit," I spit at him.

The smug look he once swore by has completely vanished from his face, replaced by a deathly glare directed at me and only me. I gulp, subtly moving away from him as his hand dives into the bag once again. I look at Cameron, whose eyes are wide and fearful. I know he's imagining what horrible torture I'm about to endure, and I just pray that he won't have to watch.

I jerk back as his bag falls to the floor, leaving only a belt in his hand.

"Don't you fucking dare," Cameron warns him.

"I was thinking we'd go back to the good ol' days," Dan says, slapping his hand with the leather.

I flinch as the familiar sound fills my ears; a sound that was embedded into my mind all this time but locked away with all the other terrible memories this man conjures. But he seems to be unlocking each one within minutes.

"Now why don't you save me the task of dragging your fat ass over here and just attempt to roll." He smirks.

"Fuck. You," I reply, emphasizing each word.

I've never meant them as much as I do now.

"Suit yourself," he sighs, walking over to me quickly.