A/N: Sorry for the update delay. This is the last chapter.
He had been talking nonstop for what seemed like forever.
Deborah only half listened to him, just enough to nod or make an appropriate response on the few occasions he paused. She didn't care about what he had to say, most of it was the ravings of a madman anyway. All she could think of was how to get out of this. A selfish corner of her mind told her if it wasn't for Richard she could try a swift run into the kitchen, straight to her cutlery set.
But with Richard around she couldn't take the chance of failing. She was literally frozen in place, forced to listen to this insane man ramble on about murdering his parents and burning their house down.
"You're a bad listener Deb." His voice broke into her thoughts.
"I am?"
"Mm-hm. And do you wanna know why?"
Deborah stared straight ahead, hands tightly clasped. "Sure."
"Well, first of all you're obviously not listening to me. I mean, what kind of friend just sits there like a robot while you're pouring your heart out? Hm?" He sounded hurt.
"I'm....I'm sorry. Just worried is all."
"Secondly," he continued, as if he'd never heard her. "You won't even look at me. Almost as if, um, as if you couldn't stand the sight of me. Like I'm a monster."
She was about to respond when she felt something clamp over her throat and she was hauled up and shoved against the wall. Suddenly his face was in hers, his scarred mouth set in a tight frown, eyes blazing.
"Am I right Deb?" His hand tightened around her neck. "Can you not stand the sight of me?"
She gasped, clawing at his arms ineffectually. She raised a knee, thinking to nail him in the groin, but he grabbed her by the hair with his free hand and slammed her head against the wall.
"Aw, c'mon now. You're not playing nice. And....if you keep making noise the kid is gonna come out. Do you want him to come out and see this?"
Dizzy, she shook her head no and he patted her on the head, his grip on her throat relaxing.
"Good, 'cause if he does come out it might be traumatizing for him. Don't you think? To see his mother like this?"
"Yes," she breathed. Christ she hated him. She hated the sweat and gasoline smell of him, she hated the sound of his voice. Never a fan of guns, she found herself wishing she had one.
If I did I'd shoot him in the gut and watch him bleed out onto the floor. I'd watch him die and I'd laugh, laugh, laugh.
As if he could read her mind he began to laugh. The sound was shrill and terrifying, teetering on the edge of sanity. Deborah tried to shrink away from him but it was impossible.
"Oh you're just fur-ious aren't you?" he sneered. "If you could only see the look on your face right now. I'd hate to get on your bad side Deb. I bet you busted 'ol Aaron's balls a time or two, didn't ya?"
"Only when he needed it," she snapped. "Which was most of the time."
Her remark brought about a volley of giggles. "Oh I'm sure. I mean, what can you do when you're married to a degenerate gambling addict? I bet it was hard on you and the kid, wasn't it?"
Deborah stared into his eyes and blinked. Here he was, pinning her against the wall in her own living room and he was asking her about her marriage?
"Yeah. It was."
Jack's implacable gaze never wavered from hers, yellowed teeth showing in an amused grin. "Tell me then, how do you feel about Aaron? Huh? You hate him? Would you like to see him punished for what he's done to you and the kid?"
She hesitated. "Why do you even care?"
Irritation flickered over his features. "Just answer the questions Deb. Play my game and this will be over, hm?"
"Okay then. Yes I hate him....at least I do now. He....."
"He ran away and left you to me. Spent all the money and left you and Richard alllll alone to live on spaghetti and meatballs."
"Yes."
"What kind of man, what kind of, uh, father does that? What do you think should happen to him?"
"Um.....pun....punished."
His gloved hand tightened around her neck momentarily, letting her know he had all the control. "Be more specific. Please."
"He should be hurt!" she hissed, tiring of the game. "Tortured and killed! I don't really give a damn at this point and I swear to God if I knew where he was I'd tell you. If you'll give me a few minutes I'll find him for you. I don't care...." her breath was coming fast and her eyes burned with tears. "I don't care about him, only my son and I. Oh please, please...."
"Good. Good. That's good," he whispered approvingly. "Happy you feel that way Deb. Now, we're almost done. Okay?"
"Okay." she mouthed silently, trying to blink away the tears.
He nodded at her, then rolled his eyes to the ceiling in thought. "And how do you feel about me?"
"What?"
"You heard me. And don't hold back. I'll know if you're lying."
"What do you want to know?"
He smiled and thrust his face closer to hers. It was all she could do to not look away from him. An unreasonable part of her was petrified his face might touch hers, that she might feel his scars on her own smooth skin.
"The first thing that comes to your mind," he grinned. "Go."
Without thinking she began. "Bastard."
"Uh-huh. Unoriginal. Keep going."
"Insane."
"Ohhh, never heard that one before."
"Ugly. Lost. Scary."
Jack snickered. "Sweet talk, hm?"
"Crazy. Thug."
"You already said insane. Same thing." He seemed to be enjoying the game immensely.
"Hate. Death."
"Now you're just trying to flatter me."
"Monster. Freak."
The last word seemed to have an impact on him. "Okay. Stop. We're finished."
Deborah complied, eyeing him hopefully."You're going to....go away now?"
"You know....these organized crime guys," Jack began, ignoring her. His hand remained firmly on her throat. "They have these little rules. No women no kids.....that kind of thing. No matter what, you don't hurt a guy's family. They have all these codes of conduct yet they're willing to hire a guy like me to do jobs. Now a guy like me.....I love to get my hands dirty. I never get them as dirty as I want though, that's the unfortunate part. So in a way tonight is my resignation letter to them. Get what I'm saying?"
"No, not really."
He giggled, the sound giving her goosebumps. "I know you don't Deb. It doesn't matter. Not to you. Hey, you wanna know something funny?"
He looked at her expectantly, then kept going when she didn't answer.
"Ever cut someone's head off while they're still alive? No, of course you haven't. Well, let me tell you...it isn't like the movies. When you start sawing on their neck they scream and yell and struggle. It isn't quick. Then....when you start cutting through their windpipe they squeal." His eyes widened in delight. "It sounds like a pig. They're trying to breath, see, and they can't."
The fear grew stronger, turning into icy despair. "Why are you telling me this?"
His tongue darted over his lips as he studied her. "Because that's what I did to Aaron."
She began to thrash, knowing it was over. He was playing with her this whole time, lying to her.
"Hey. Calm down Deb. If you don't I'll go in there and your kid can go the rest of his life with a face like mine."
Her struggling subsided and she glared at him, panting.
"That's better. See, I wasn't exactly honest with you Deb."
"You fucking piece of shit," she raged. "Why are you doing this?"
"Shshsh. As I was saying...I wasn't honest with you. I already found your husband. And...." he shrugged sheepishly. "You can guess the rest. If it's any consolation he begged me not to hurt you or the kid. Begged. I told him I wouldn't. See....I came here on my own. No one sent me here."
"Oh my god," Deborah whispered. "Why......"
His free hand lifted in one swift motion and suddenly her throat was burning. At first she thought he had hit her. And then she felt the blood.
"Why? Because." Jack said, his tone almost tender. "Isn't that enough?"
He released her and she fell at his feet, unable to keep herself upright. She held a hand to her cut throat, trying to staunch the flow of blood but it was no use. Darkness flooded in at the edges of her vision, swallowing all light.
She heard him speaking from somewhere above her but couldn't make out the words. The blackness took her and she knew no more.
He watched her die, humming to himself the whole time. When she was gone he glanced around the house. He briefly considered telling the kid it was okay to come out but decided against it.
Time to leave.
He wiped his bloody knife on Deborah's sofa and slipped out the front door into the night.
A/N: That's the end. Kind of a nasty little story. Sorry again it took so long to update and thanks for the reviews and PMs!