Chapter 33: Ran for your life

"Hate me all you want, but I can't let you get away from me again," He said this as he held her chin and gently kissed her lips.

For how many months had he yearned for her, wanting more from her? Denise abruptly pushed him away, and she used that time to flee from him and try to think of something.

As she ran, she looked back to see Mike running towards her.

She shut and locked the door once she was in their guest room. She then scanned the room for a hiding spot.

Denise began to panic, picturing what Mike could do to her if he caught her. She screamed when she heard him banging on the door and yelling for her to open it.

"Denise! open the door now!!" he yelled once again this time his voice was something deep and for some reason, that's made her more frightened.

"Open the damn door! don't make me do anything you'll regret," he said as Denise ran over to the bed and crawled underneath, it 3as the only place she can hide off.

After a few seconds, the door broke off the hinges and Mike entered the room as tears started screaming down her face.

She noticed his feet and knew he was looking for her. She sighed in relief and lay her head down when she saw him leave the room.

She was startled to find two large hands wrapped around her ankles. She was dragged from beneath the bed.

Mike grabbed her waist and threw her on the bed as she screamed for help.

She tried to flee, but he grabbed her ankles again, pulling her back to him as her nightshirt rose to expose her stomach.

She rolled over because she was now facing him. She attempted to punch him, but he caught both of her wrists in one hand and held them above her head as she kicked. He straddled her thighs and reached into his pocket, pulling out a white handkerchief.

She began furiously shaking her head as Mike covered her mouth and nose with the handkerchief, the only sound in the room being Denise's muffled screams and pleas.

She calmed down and held her breath so she wouldn't inhale whatever was in the handkerchief.

"You need to breathe, my princess," Mike said quietly.

Denise shook her head and began squirming beneath him. But she couldn't hold her breath any longer, so she exhaled slowly, and a toxic odor entered her nostrils.

"Good job, my princess," he smirked as her movements became paralyzed and her eyelids drooped as the darkness engulfed her.

~

As Mike removed the handkerchief from Denise's face, her eyes slowly closed. He crawled off of her, one arm wrapped around her lower back, the other picking her up in bridal fashion.

Her head was resting against Mike's chest, and her arms and legs dangled freely as he carried her downstairs and out of his reach. The back door had already been opened.

He gently laid her across the back seat and retrieved the two large gallons of gasoline from the trunk.

He then returned upstairs and began pouring gasoline on Antonio's corpse and every corner of the house.

He poured some of it down the stairs, some in the kitchen, and some in the living room.

There was still some gas left in the can, and he left a trail in the house as he tossed the can to the side and reached into his pocket for his lighter.

He stood there for a moment, inhaling the scents of gasoline; for some strange reason, he always liked the smell of it; it was enticing.

He then pressed the lighter and threw it away after a glance at the flame. The fire started in the house and quickly spread.

He got into the driver's seat, turned on the ignition, and backed out of the driveway after closing the back door.

She began driving away from the house, which glowed brightly in the night.

Police cars and fire trucks flew past as Mike went towards the house.

~

Once Mike arrived at their new hideout he picked Denise up and carried her up to his room. and laid her down under the silk sheets and covered her up then he admired for a moment.

"Finally, you're in my arms again," he whispered to himself, then he walked out as he closed the door. He had cameras installed in every corner of his house.

Denise slowly opened her eyes and sat up, her head throbbing as she recalled what happened.

She then looked around and for some reason, her room looked different as she realized that she wasn't in her room. She walked over to the window and saw nothing but night and woods. The light was streaming from under the door and she knew she could escape.

Denise slowly opens the door and steps out into the hall on tiptoes. "Where the hell am I?" she wondered as she looked around, and when she noticed the stairs leading down, she began walking down them quietly.

When her hands touched the silver and cold doorknob, she jumped. When she turned around, she saw a man wearing a black hood with blood on his hand slowly approaching her and grabbing her tightly.

"Wait, what are you doing?!?" please, let me go!! " She screamed as she tried to break free from his grip, but it only tightened.

She then punched his chest with her free hand as he stumbled back, his hood falling in the process because he was caught off guard.

"Mike.. please stop it now. I'm begging you just let me go," she begged as tears streamed down her cheeks, then she looked at the door as she devised a strategy.

She then hurriedly kicked him between the thighs as she tried to yank open the door and began running barefoot in the grass. She just keeps running because she has no idea where she is going. "I need to get away from him," she exclaimed as she continued running.