Adam's look turned bitter, "Those men are untouchable. Not even the police could help me."

"I didn't do anything," Madison wailed.

​​

"Don't lie," Adam screamed, his eye flashing as bright as the knife. "You put me up to this!"

"I didn't, I swear I didn't," Madison whimpered. "It must have been someone else. It wasn't me, it wasn't me."

Adam stopped in front of her. Though he wasn't a tall man, he seemed to tower over her. Slowly, as if in pain, he bent down. Madison's eyes were locked on the knife—she stared at it with unblinking horror as he brought it close to her skin.

"Please, don't," she whispered. "I'll do anything, please don't cut off my hand."

"Anything?" Adam asked, his voice turning even more low and horrible.

"Yes, anything," she whimpered.

With a sudden flick of the wrist, he shoved the knife toward her. She flinched, and he slipped the blade under the thin strap of her nightgown. His swollen face twisted into a horrible leer, and his mouth gaped open. He twisted the blade, and the flimsy strap snapped. He laughed and moved the blade to the other strap.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm accepting your offer," he whispered.

He cut through the second strap, and the front of her nightgown fell away, revealing her round breasts. They were pale and full in the moonlight, and Adam chuckled low and dark in his throat.

"What offer?" she asked. "What are you doing?"

"Well," he said, twirling the knife in his hand. "You're a beautiful woman Madison. Not as beautiful as the women I had in my bed before, but you'll do to sate my appetite."

"No-no," she whispered. "No!"

"I've had many women before," he murmured. "I consider myself something of an expert. I've had the young and old, blonde and brunette, virgins and whores. But let me tell you something, they bore me. Once you've tried one willing woman, you've tried them all."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"It's much more fun when you force them," he said, his voice turning even coarser. "There's something so powerful about taking a woman against her will, watching her fight back, seeing the hope drain from her eyes."

"You're sick," Madison whimpered. "You're so sick."

"Oh, you're about to find out just how sick I am," he said.

Madison shook her head in silent horror, "This isn't about me, Adam. This is about Sean and Catherine. You don't want to hurt me, not really. You want to hurt them."

Adam laughed bitterly, "Of course, it's about you, Madison. I'll admit, I'd much rather be doing this with Catherine. You don't have her beauty or her fire. But my little friend and I will make do with you. Think of yourself as practice."

"Your little friend?" Madison asked, looking instinctively at his crotch.

"Oh no," he laughed. "There's nothing little about my dick. I was talking about the knife."

He lowered the knife, pressing the point underneath Madison's chin. Terrified, she tilted her head backward to avoid the sharp metal. Her chest heaved with silent sobs, making her breasts shake and bounce.

"I can help you," Madison whimpered. "I can help you get revenge on them if you want."

"No one can help me," he said bitterly.

"I can," she insisted.

"How?" he asked.

"I almost married Sean before," Madison said. "I met him a few years ago, and I swore to make him my husband. When he came sniffing around Catherine, I persuaded her to run away with a boy from our school. On the day of the wedding, I took her place. I wore the dress and the veil—I was so close to becoming his bride."

Adam laughed a horrible coughing laugh. His shoulders shook, and the point of the blade pricked her skin. Still, he continued to laugh until tears streamed from his good eye.

"You're just as crazy as I am," he said. "That man doesn't want you."

"Not yet," she said. "He's too distracted by my cousin, but don't you worry. Once I get rid of her, he'll be mine. He's very jealous, you know. He forgave her for Marco, but once he catches her with another man, their marriage will be over."

"You really want to marry him?" Adam asked, his god eye flashing dangerously. "You must be a masochist if you want such a violent, cruel man. Hmm, this might be more difficult than I thought."

"Difficult?" she asked.

"If you like pain, I'll have to try even harder to hurt you," he said.

"N-no," she stammered. "No."

"You're pathetic," he said.

He lowered the knife and spat on her. The thick spit splattered against her hair. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet, ran across the room, and grabbed her phone. Her fingers trembled as she dialed the police, but the call didn't go through.

"I told you, the police won't help you here," Adam said.

He shuffled toward her, holding the knife in front of him. She backed away quickly but bumped into the corner of her bed. Losing her balance, she flailed her arms and tumbled backward onto the mattress.

"Look at that," Adam said. "You can't wait to hop into bed with me."

With sudden swiftness, he leaped onto the bed and straddled her body. Her legs flailed and kicked, and he dropped the knife. Using his good hand, he grabbed her by the neck and threw his weight against her. She gagged and choked, and her movements became weaker and slower.

"That's a good girl, Madison," he whispered. "Stay still for a minute."

The room was quiet except for his panting breaths and the sound of his zipper sliding down.

"No," she screamed. "No!"

She tested Adam's revenge the entire night.

***

Catherine woke in the middle of the night, feeling restless. Without meaning to, she had slept all day. She turned back and forth in the bed, trying to get comfortable, but the mattress felt hard beneath her. She sighed and sat up in the bed, and her stomach rumbled.

She glanced at Sean's side, but it was empty. She fumbled for her phone and activated the screen. Narrowing her eyes against the bright light, she checked the time: 3:26 AM. She sighed, and her stomach growled again. She slipped her feet into her slippers and padded quietly out of the room and down the hall. She descended the stairs and turned toward the kitchen but paused suddenly. The door to Sean's study was open, and golden yellow light spilled into the hallway.