He was still tossing around the idea of how he could get patients to leave him in their wills the way his colleague Dr. Jackson had. The thought hit him, as he made his way out of the parking garage, that maybe the good doctor wasn’t as squeaky clean as he portrayed. Maybe there was some coercion on his part. He had to be planting the seed somewhere in those women’s minds to leave him money. He didn’t want to come right out and ask him how he was doing it. That would be tacky, but he still couldn’t help but wonder how he managed to get rich on other people’s misfortune.
A girl standing on the corner downtown caught his eye. She was in a tight red spandex skirt and a shiny black shirt that looked like it was about two sizes too small, and left little to the imagination. What his wife didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. She hadn’t wanted to have sex for the last couple months, and a blowjob sure would be nice. The poor man felt like he had the worst case of blue balls known to man. It would help to relieve some stress, get his mind off the job.
The girl wasted no time leaning down and looking in the rolled down window.
“Nice car.” She said it like she had dollar signs in her eyes. It had been a slow night, and if she didn’t make her status quo, she’d be sleeping outside tonight. But, that would be after her pimp beat her ass. He always said he was making an example so the other girls would understand they better make a certain amount before they brought their asses home. Then there was the matter of that bitch who was trying to move in on her spot of being the number one ole’ lady.
“You want a date, baby?”
“What I want is a blowjob, and then you can forget you ever saw me.”
“Well, you don’t have to be rude about it.”
“If you’re looking for respect, you’re in the wrong line of work, girl.”
She pushed away the temptation to be offended by the man who clearly saw himself as being better than her. She needed the money. She’d much rather swallow her pride with this john than have to swallow it with that bitch who was trying to move in on her man.
“It’ll cost you fifty bucks, baby, and I’ll suck your cock so good you’ll think your head got blown off.” She’d charged him double as a way of getting even with the asshole.
“Get in.” She opened the door and got in. She didn’t bother pulling at her skirt that was so hiked up that it revealed she didn’t have any underwear on. If he wanted some pussy, it would cost him a crisp Benjamin Franklin. Hmph, now who thinks they’re better than me?
“Just show me to your alley”—he smirked— “and let’s get this over with. You can forget you ever saw me, and go fuck the rest of the men in this God forsaken city.”
“You really are an asshole.”
“Just consider degradation part of your job. After all, you’re the one who chose your line of employment,” he scoffed.
She bit her tongue and pulled his flaccid cock out of his pants. Great, I’m going to have to work for it.
“Well, well, I never took you for being a john. Must be slim pickings at home with the wife.” Doctor Jackson voiced his thoughts aloud.
It had been so easy to follow Doctor Mooney. Men like him never thought anything bad was going to happen to them. Those things happened to other people. The hospital gave testimony to that. The surgeons fixed other people’s messes. They were gods. Tonight, Doctor Jackson would be a god. He would hold the power of life and death in his hands. It would be the first time he’d ever killed a man—ever killed someone who wasn’t on death’s doorstep. Those killings he could condone in his mind. He had no way of knowing the voices would get stronger, louder, and more brutal with their accusations after this kill.
It’s your fault. You shouldn’t have been nosing around in my office. If I don’t stop you, you’re going to start running your mouth. I can’t go to prison.
He looked through binoculars and watched the girl’s head bob up and down. He couldn’t resist pulling his hard cock out of his pants and gripping it tightly in his hand.
He closed his eyes, imagining the young girl was sucking on his cock and not that of his colleague’s. Then, he took it one step further and imagined they both had her in bed. In his fantasy, his fellow doctor was fucking her from behind while she sucked his cock, and that was all it took to take him over the edge.
He wasn’t going to miss his chance to come—it would make the kill even better. He wiped his hand off, put on the gloves and mask he had, then grabbed his gun.
They never saw him when he eased up the alley. Of course, with the doctor having his eyes shut and the woman busy bobbing up and down, they wouldn’t have been able to anyway.
He could feel his adrenaline pumping through his veins. His heart slammed in his chest cavity, giving him the high he’d come to depend on. It felt so good to play God.
“Give me your money!” he growled, in an attempt to disguise his voice.
The shock of being robbed gave way to the recognition on his face that was now showing. “Jackson?! What the hell are you doing here?”
He couldn’t give him time to say anymore, so he did what he had to do—he shot him. Before he could turn the gun on the woman, she’d jumped from the car and took off running. She was around the corner before he ever saw her escape. He’d done something he’d never done before. Left a witness.
He grabbed Doctor Mooney’s watch from his wrist, barely able to retrieve it. He was shaking so badly. He reached back and got his wallet. If he could make this look like a robbery, maybe they’d think the woman and her pimp had done it—a robbery gone wrong. It had happened before. Somebody getting robbed and not wanting to hand over the goods. Maybe they’d think it was a meth head. They were known for being antsy when it came to pulling the trigger. Their nerves were shot from doing the drugs. He didn’t have time to try and figure the outcome of this major fuck up. He wished he could go back in time, but that was an impossibility. He’d watch the papers and the news and hope like hell that bitch didn’t go to the police.
He couldn’t understand how this had escalated from a simple trespassing in his office to first degree murder. He had so much to lose—everything. He would lose his family, his reputation, and his beloved career if he got caught. He’d gone too far this time, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
He jumped in his car and left the scene. There was no time to look for the slut. He doubted she’d go to the police anyway. Who wanted to go to the cops and say they were breaking the law when a man was gunned down? She’d be scared they’d think she did it. At least he hoped like hell that’s what would happen.
The idea came to him as he drove home. He’d have to hunt the bitch down and kill her. He vowed that after he did that he was done. No more milking patients for their money, and certainly no more killing people for stupid shit.
Chapter Seventeen
She watched him as he slept. He was so damn good looking she just stared. His dark brown hair had a will of its own that only added to his sexiness. His hazel eyes changed depending on his mood, dark when he fucked her, full of light and life when he protected her.
She wondered what a baby by him would look like. Being with him was the first time she’d ever thought about having another baby. She knew she was falling in love him, even though she couldn’t voice it yet, it didn’t change what was happening in her heart and her head.
She was so deep in thought she never saw it coming. His hand shot out with lightning speed, and before she realized what was happening, he was on top of her with her arms pinned over her head.
He ran his free hand through his unruly hair and glared down at her with something akin to a sinister grin on his face.
“You’re staring. Now you’re going to get a real good look—up close and personal, baby. Don’t move your fucking hands.” He took his hands and ripped apart the shirt of his she was wearing. Buttons flew, scattering across the room. “There it is, there’s that look of fear. You need to be afraid, girl, because you ever try to fucking leave me, I’ll fin
d you, no matter where you go, and I’ll bring you back.”
He watched as she bit her lower lip.
“Let’s get started on having that baby.” He tore her panties from her like they were an inconvenience, keeping him from what he wanted, what he needed.
Her body quivered as he ran the head of his cock up and down her opening. “You are so fucking beautiful, even without makeup you’re gorgeous. I love you, Angel. Tell me you love me too. I need for you to say it. I can see it in your eyes.” He took his finger, touching her chest where her heartbeat was. “I feel it happening with you too.”
She closed her eyes, licked her lips, and finally said what she felt. “I love you too, Jericho.”
He lifted her hips, thrusting into her so suddenly that it almost hurt, but it was a good kind of pain. “I want you to have my son. It will connect us in a way nothing else can. I want a piece of and me running around on this earth. I want you to get past the pain of the past. You’ll always hurt because you lost your daughter, but you deserve to be happy.”
She raised up, sitting on him, and ran her hands through his hair. He was so fucking beautiful in so many ways. He was everything she needed. She braced her body with one hand behind her and leaned back, moving up and down on his cock. Her body giving him permission to place a life in her—a new life. She wanted to give him life the same way he had restored hers. Celeste would always be with her. Jericho was giving her a new chapter, something she had believed she would never experience.
He ran the pad of his thumb over her peaked nipple. She could feel his cock hitting her clit, and she knew he was going to make her climax without using his hands to stimulate her; another first he was giving her. She did love him, and she did want to start a life with him. Her body shuddered as he took her into an abyss of pleasure, releasing all the stress and strain that had been such a part of her that she’d begun to wonder if it would plague her eternally. She could feel his climax and she leaned against his chest, staying on top of him, letting his seed fill her with the possibility of new life.
“We can do this, babe, start a family and be a family.” She had to admit, she was impressed with the fact that a man as alpha as Jericho was able to be in touch with his feelings. It was impressive. It made him stronger in her eyes. It took a lot of courage for any man to be that open and transparent.
“We have one thing we’ve got to do first.”
“Yes… catch a killer.”
Chapter Eighteen
They’re going to catch you. That whore is going to the police. He said your name. You need to kill her. He was second guessing coming into work today because he was so distracted. He had to make it look like nothing out of the ordinary was going on. He needed for things to look normal. He had an alibi—his family. The murder hadn’t taken enough time for his timeline to be brought into question.
“Doctor Jackson, are you okay?”
He hadn’t heard the nurse when she stepped in his doorway. He looked up from where he was holding his head in his hands to see the nurse who would be working with him now.
“Just a headache.” He lied with ease. His whole fucking life was a lie. “Are you ready to make some rounds with me?”
“Sure. Do you want to take something for that headache first?”
“Good idea.” He reached in his drawer, grabbing his Oxycontin that was disguised in an over-the-counter pain reliever bottle. He popped a couple in his mouth—just another day in the life of a drug addicted killer.
He got up from behind the desk and they made their way towards the elevator. They got in and he pushed the button. He quickly grabbed the door when it almost closed on a fellow nurse running towards the closing elevator.
“Thanks. This whole morning has been so chaotic with the death of Doctor Mooney. We’re all so shocked.”
“What!?” It was out of Angel’s mouth before she could think to try and restrain the shock and emotion in her voice.
“Yes, it has been all over the news. I’m surprised you haven’t seen it.”
“What happened?” Doctor Jackson’s expression exemplified that of a man truly concerned with a fellow colleague’s death.
“They’re saying on the news that it was a carjacking gone wrong.”
Killer. Murderer. They’re going to catch you if you don’t kill that witness. The demons in his head were demanding more blood now. They drove him to kill, and then when he did what they wanted, they accused him. It was a torment of living in hell on earth. He could blame no one but himself. No amount of money could take the place of the peace he’d robbed himself of. If he would have known what he knew now he wondered if he would have let his greed steal his peace of mind.
Before, when it was just bills piling up that he had to worry about, he could at least sleep at night. Now, the nightmares made a good night’s sleep impossible.
The nurse’s voice cut through his guilt-ridden, fear filled thoughts.
“They’re saying he was robbed, but that’s not the clincher.” That got the doctor’s attention. “They're saying there’s a witness.” She lowered her voice to a whisper like they weren’t the only ones in the elevator. “He was with a prostitute. Can you believe that? His wife must be humiliated. Hearing that spewed all over the airwaves for everyone to hear. No offense, doctor, but you know how doctor’s wives are, so worried about their reputations and all.
He wondered if his family would be humiliated the same way after all his dirty laundry was aired in the public eye. He had to ask… “Did they say who the woman was?”
“Uh, Sarah Sanders, or something like that. They showed a picture of her. She was so tacky looking. Yeah… his wife must be so embarrassed.”
Finally, after what seemed like forever, the elevator doors opened. They made their way down the long brightly lit hospital hallway. The smell of sanitizer filled his nostrils. There was no amount of cleaning that could wash his dirty black soul. He knew what he had to do... kill again. The only truth he knew now was that he was a full-blown serial killer.
Chapter Nineteen
Angel sat next to Jericho while he worked his magic on the FBI site.
“You know, for the first time, I’m scared.”
When he looked at her, his gaze was so intense she almost had to look away. “I’ll kill that bastard before I lose you. I want you to stop working with him. It’s too dangerous, Angel. When you’re at work, I can’t protect you. I can’t lose you, girl. It would tear my fucking heart out and leave a void that could never be filled.”
“I know you’re worried. Believe me, if anybody knows that feeling, I do. For the first time since my baby died, I have the will to live. You made that possible. I owe you for giving my life back to me. I’m not going to get killed and have you go through the hell I’ve been through.”
“I know you’re not, because I’m not letting you go back to work with a serial killer.”
“Letting me? Seriously?”
“There’s always the basement.” His face was so stoic. She knew he meant it. Maybe this guy was obsessed.
“Yes, I’m over the top. I’m jealous, possessive, and obsessed when it comes to you. But I’ll be the man standing by you when everyone else backs down. I love you, and I’ll die or kill to protect that love. Let me be that man—the guy who will never let you down. You won’t find anybody else who will be as loyal to you as I will. I can’t explain this crazy fucked up love I have for you, but I make no apologies for it.”
She placed her hand on his arm in an effort to assure him. “If I quit working with him now, he’s going to get suspicious and then I will be in danger.”
“Okay. I’m a reasonable man. Let’s go find this girl who witnessed that killing last night, and we’ll go from there.”
She chuckled. “I’m not convinced you’re reasonable, but it sounds like a good idea. You know, the funny thing is that when the nurse was telling us about the robbery, and she said there was a witness, he asked if they gave her name on the news report. I
t seems to me like they would have protected her more. I just thought it was odd he asked for a name.” Suddenly, a thought hit her. She looked at Jericho like she didn’t even want to ask, but she had to. “You don’t think he’ll go after that poor girl?”
When he laughed, it shocked her. “Only you would call a hooker that poor girl. I highly doubt that she is some poor victim of circumstance.”
“You don’t know that. I’ve talked to a lot of working girls, and I’ve yet to hear any of them say they enjoy their job.”
“You’ve got a good heart, Angel, a hell of a lot better than mine. Yes, I think he’s going back after her. Now let’s get going and beat him to the punch.”
Chapter Twenty
He shouldn’t have asked that nurse what the whore’s name was, but there was a lot he shouldn’t have done, and now none of it could be undone. Hindsight was a bitch no matter what anybody said. He couldn’t see any way out of this mess. It was like he just kept digging his own grave and he couldn’t stop himself. With every death, he caused a piece of himself to die. Even though he was a cold-blooded killer, he still cared about his family. He needed to set up some kind of way to provide for them. Maybe a life insurance policy was in order. At least if he went out in a blaze of glory, he wouldn’t be a total asshole.
He hadn’t gotten a good look at the woman in the car. It was dark and they were in an alley with no street lighting. That was the reason he’d been forced to ask her name. She hadn’t seen his face, so he did have that going for him.
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