Revenge (The Night Club Book 2) Read online

  Revenge

  One killer of a story

  M. Stratton

  Contents

  Foreword

  Copyright

  Other Works by M. Stratton

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Other Works by M.Stratton

  How to find M. Stratton

  Ten years plotting.

  Ten years of waiting.

  Ten years of patience and planning.

  Finally, he would have his revenge.

  But–there is another side.

  A dark side.

  Revenge can cloud your judgement.

  Revenge can take over your life.

  Revenge can take away the one thing you really want.

  After the murder of his partner, Mick, and watching his Stormy yanked from his grasp, all Nutter could think about was making Bender hurt. He wanted to show him more than the pain he lived with each and every second of the day, he wanted Bender to be nothing but pain.

  Without Mick by his side, Nutter expected to feel alone, without purpose–but something wonderful happened, instead. He found his focus. He found his Kitten, the one woman who could match his intelligence and his appetite for killing. Together, they could rule the world. All they had to do was fulfill Nutter’s plan for revenge.

  This is one killer of a story...

  Revenge

  Copyright © 2016 by M. Stratton

  Cover by Q Design Cover and Brand Premades

  Edited by Karen Barren Acres Editing

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Revenge is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Other Works by M. Stratton

  The Storm Series

  After the Storm

  Eye of the Storm

  Caught in the Storm

  Fade to Black

  Bender

  Revenge

  The Star Series

  When Dreams Come True

  Wishing on a Star

  120 days…

  Novellas

  Dreaming in Moonlight

  Constant Echo

  Fate of Elements

  Dedication

  To my Kitten, Mecca Cerny

  I love your beautiful, furiously loyal soul

  I am so thankful to have you in my life.

  Prologue

  Five years after the end of Bender.

  “Lawrence Goodwin, you are free to go,” Judge Janice Baker said. The sound of the gavel hitting the desk echoed through the silent room before the spectators erupted in disgust.

  He schooled his features to make sure they showed the approved level of being thankful and appreciation, never showing the true malice running through his veins. Never showing the disdain he had for the people in the room. Drowning out the sounds of protest.

  Five years, one at an institution across the country before being transferred back here, close to home. Then four long years at Elwood: the state-run mental hospital close to Stormy and Bender. Hours of ‘rehabilitation’ to make him remorseful for everything he’d done. Days of toying with the staff. Months of orchestrating his release. Years of plotting his revenge.

  Part of him was surprised at how easy it actually was. They obviously weren’t too bright. Nutter, as he preferred to be called, was a genius to begin with. He was a master manipulator and knew how to work the system. All they did was give him more knowledge to use in the future. This was truly like child’s play to him. A mere bump in the road to his ultimate goal. Stormy.

  The first part of his plan was successfully completed. He was free, well, partially free. He was still technically on probation and would be monitored twenty-four hours a day, but this wasn’t a surprise. He’d already started working that angle as soon as he was arrested. It wasn’t going to take him long to be able to enjoy all the hobbies he had been missing for so long.

  The thought of being able to create his artwork again pleased him so much, he had to control the shiver that wanted to run rampant down his spine, but he couldn’t stop his cock from twitching. Carefully, he concentrated on his heartbeat and breathing, slowing them both down. At this point, he couldn’t afford a setback.

  He kept his mind focused on his plan, on what would be coming next. Going over it again and again in his head. Leaving absolutely nothing to chance. There was no way he was going to miss out on any opportunity to have his princess back in his clutches and having the distinct pleasure of taking her away from Bender. Forever.

  When he first started creating his plan, he knew it was going to take him years before his revenge was ever going to happen, but in the scheme of things; getting payback was better than nothing. Better than wasting away at Elwood with a bunch of crazy people. He wasn’t crazy, he was superior to everyone. A true artist, who needed to create in order to breathe.

  For now, he was going home. Home to a house he had purchased before this whole unfortunate business had happened. It was one of the few assets the system knew about, and the only one they had allowed him to keep.

  Nutter didn’t show any impatience, as he was roughly shuffled around, and papers took longer to sign than they should have. It could take all week for all he cared, he was getting out. Revenge would be his.

  One

  Five Years Later, after Nutter’s release from Elwood, ten years after the end of Bender.

  Nutter bowed his head and thought of everything that had happened in the past ten years since Mick had been taken from him. The one person who truly understood him was gunned down like some common thug by Murdoch, Bender’s mentor.

  Sitting at his kitchen table, he crossed his legs and absently stirred his cup of tea. Looking across the living room and out the picture window, facing the front yard bathed in early morning light, he watched the children walk to school, remembering what he had been like at that age.

  He always knew he was different. His intelligence had separated him from his classmates early on. Even now, he wondered if it was how smart he was, or if they instinctively realized he was dangerous, even as a child. Over the years, he’d learned to mask his scent so well, not many could pick up on how dangerous he was until it was too late, and they were drowning in their own blood. Smiling he remembered some of his kills, the ones where he was able to gather up enough of
their blood and paint a landscape or a portrait, whatever his heart desired. Rubbing his chest, he missed the freedom to create that he used to take for granted when he was younger.

  Nutter sighed deeply, Mick was his soulmate. The one who could relate to him, who knew who he was. Allowed him to embrace his inner demons and was there to enjoy the killings and help clean up. Nutter wasn’t stupid, he knew there were more times than not when Mick was the only reason he hadn’t been sent to prison years ago for first-degree murder. Mick had the level head. Mick was the only one who could control him, rein him in from going on a murderous spree across the country. But something happened when Mick took his last breath, Stormy’s naked body lying between them. A calm came over Nutter and everything focused in, sharp and clear. It was like he knew he had to watch what he was doing; he couldn’t allow his monster out without making sure everything was thought through. He had to think twenty steps ahead now, not ten. He had to become even more dangerous than he was before.

  In fact, his plan had changed dramatically once he was at Elwood. Within the first few weeks of being there, he saw her, his Kitten, as he called her. One look and he knew exactly who she was, and his thoughts immediately went to all the killing they could do together; if he weren’t locked away. She tried to hide the type of person she was behind her proper clothing and neat bun, but he knew differently. He knew what she was capable of. There was a slight undertone when she spoke to the patients. It was all he could do not to smile as she cruelly tormented them, all in the name of medicine.

  Her body was that of a runner. Many a night he lay awake in bed, thinking of chasing her through a misty forest trail. She wouldn’t hear a thing since she’d have a pair of earbuds in. Carefully catching up to her, he’d reach out and yank on her swaying ponytail. Bringing her down to the ground, he’d hold her down, enjoying the fight she’d give him. He’d seen what she was capable of, he knew how strong she was. They’d fight for dominance. Becoming a wildcat, wanting to be the one doing all the taking, she’d claw and scratch as they ripped each other’s clothes off, and he pumped deeply into her. His hands would slide over her sweaty body, leaving trails of goosebumps. She’d do her best to hurt him, but they both knew the line between pleasure and death better than anyone. They’d push each other, neither one happy until they both came.

  He’d stealthily watched her move efficiently through the rooms at Elwood, all prim and proper: that perfect bun without one hair out of place. So many times he’d test himself, just to make sure he could deny himself. He’d stand by the closet door, knowing she’d need something from inside. As she walked by, her scent would tickle his nose, and he’d almost moan from the thought of burying his face in her pussy. He imaged her gripping the shelves in the closet, her head thrashing back and forth; as she tried not to scream from the attention he was showering on her.

  Every day it seemed he came up with a new fantasy for his Kitten. Some new way to make her purr. His cock strained against his slacks, a small bead of moisture staining the front. Their time was growing closer. He had yet to even see her naked, let alone touch her like he wanted, but in his mind he had, thousands of times.

  They were careful not to let anyone know their feelings. They’d go weeks without saying anything to each other, only a quick glance in the hall or one of the gathering rooms. Nothing to make anyone suspicious. As the years went by, it became natural for them to have passing conversations, or even the rare session together. The more he became ‘rehabilitated,’ the more freedom at Elwood he was allowed.

  Nutter’s cock grew painfully hard at the thought of their sessions. Of course, they still had to be careful, this was an institution and someone was always watching, but it did give them an opportunity to covertly plan. And plan they did. Here it was, almost five years after he’d been released, and now they were finally ready to put the next phase of their plan into motion. Revenge. Revenge against Bender; finally, being able to create his artwork with Stormy’s blood. The longing he felt for his art was a deep emptiness inside of him. He didn’t feel whole. Mick was gone. Kitten couldn’t be seen with him. Bender and Stormy were out there living their lives, free. While he was still essentially locked up and not able to create, it was the one thing that fed his soul.

  Nutter stood and went down the stairs to the basement, where he’d constructed a false back to one of the walls. To look at it, you’d think it was a wall; he didn’t need much room. Only enough for soundproofing, and to conceal the door to the secret room he stealthily created for the past five years. He needed a place where he could kill and create his art. A place where no one would ever know what was going on. His Kitten had been doing her own work, trying to find a way for them to be together. Any minute now, she’d breakthrough and her tunnel would connect to his room and they’d be together. Forever.

  Two

  “Stormy, I have everything under control,” Bender said, as he tried his bad boy smile, which usually melted her heart.

  “Of course you do, and I shouldn’t worry my pretty little head. Right?” She glared at him and folded her arms across her chest.

  Bender squeezed the back of his neck with one hand. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy. Stormy had been freaking out since the news that Nutter was transferred close by, nine years ago. Then when the news broke five years ago that he was released, she went into overdrive. He knew her, being in a constant state of worry wasn’t good for her. He hated to see what this was doing to her, and their kids, for so many years now. He tried to pull every string he had and even dove into Murdoch’s old contacts. Anything to keep him locked up. But every turn was another brick wall. They were stopped dead in their tracks.

  Donnie, the child they had adopted, was away at college. Bender had a special team assigned to him, allowing him to be the typical frat boy, making sure Nutter hadn’t created some plan to grab their son, while he wasn’t close by to protect him.

  Their other son, Henry, named after Bender’s mentor, Murdoch, was ten this year and in fourth grade. It was a constant battle with Stormy to allow him to have his childhood and not be locked up, safe at home. Bender had to admit, the thought of Nutter getting a hold of Donnie or Henry was something he couldn’t think of. In his line of work, he’d seen some horrific things people had done to kids, and if Nutter did that to one of his kids, there would be nowhere for the psycho to hide. Bender would tear him apart, limb from limb, and leave him begging for death.

  *****

  Stormy took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. She knew most of the time she overreacted to the fear that gripped her at the thought that Nutter was out there, running free. Well, not completely free. He was on house arrest and Bender had him under constant surveillance. If he deviated from anything that was normal, they would know in seconds and be able to keep what she loved safe, her boys.

  As much as she feared Nutter getting ahold of her again, the thought of what he’d do to Bender or her children was far worse than what he could do to her. She knew there would be no way she’d survive if he hurt her children. After spending time tied up naked, as Mick and Nutter feasted on her, she knew they both were completely crazy. She wouldn’t put it past him to take her children away from her as the ultimate revenge for Bender taking Mick away from him.

  Still to this day, she didn’t understand how they let him go. She’d read all of the transcripts and knew what had gone on in the courtroom, she couldn’t be there. Besides the fact Bender didn’t trust Nutter to complacently sit there with both of them in the courtroom, feet away from him, mentally she couldn’t go back to that dark place that was labeled Nutter. For her own self-preservation, she couldn’t see him. He lived enough in her nightmares.

  Stormy sighed. “I know you have everything under control. But you also have to realize it’s in my nature to worry. I have to stress, because if I constantly go over this in my mind, then all of my worst fears won’t come true. I won’t lose you and our children.” She couldn’t stop her voice from wavering at the t
hought of them being ripped from her. Angrily she wiped at the tears that escaped her eyes, and traveled down her cheek, with the back of her hand. “Besides, I won’t be forced to lose everything we built here. This place is special, there’s no place I’d rather be than here with what we’ve created.”

  “Ah, honey, I know.” Bender gathered her in his strong arms, and a sense of peace went through her. He was her rock and he’d do everything to keep them safe. “I don’t think I could handle it either. We’ll get through this.”

  She pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes. “But how? Right now he’s still under house arrest, but the more he follows their rules, the more freedom he will have. Until one day, we could be at the grocery store, and we’ll run into him. I can’t believe he’s so close. Why couldn’t they have made him go far away?”

  “I don’t know. You know I tried everything I could to get him as many restrictions as possible. But it isn’t happening. It scares me to think he might have his own pull, somehow, someway, but all we can do is prepare for the worst. That’s why I’m taking over all surveillance of Henry. I know it’s no way for a kid to live, but no one can protect him better than me. Donnie is away at college, and I’ve taught him everything I know, not to mention all the people and equipment we have watching him. And then there is you…” Bender ran a hand over her hair.

  “And then there is me.” Stormy nodded.

  “Yes, you’ve gone through your dark time, but you are more prepared for anything he might throw your way now than you were when he kidnapped you. He might think he’s getting the same woman as ten years ago, but he isn’t. You are so much stronger now, to take him on. I have faith in you.”