“I’m going to touch her, Jack,” Marcus said, grinning. “I’m going to touch her in every way possible. Granted, it won’t be as much fun as a woman, but I’m sure I can figure something out to give us both a thrill.”
“That sounds fairly disgusting,” Ivy said, appearing at the bottom of the stairs.
Marcus jumped at the sight of her, flustered, while Jack’s heart rolled.
“Get out of here, Ivy!” Jack screamed. “Run!”
Ivy ignored his outburst. “How’s it going, Marcus?”
Marcus stilled. “What did you just call me?”
“Marcus.”
“How did you know that?”
“Well, I spent the afternoon with your sister,” Ivy replied, keeping her hand on the stair railing and her eyes on Marcus. She wanted to reassure Jack that help was coming, but tipping off Marcus didn’t seem like a good idea. “She’s approached me a few times. Today we finally got to have a chat.”
Marcus narrowed his eyes. “How is that even possible?”
“How is it possible that you’re inside of her body?”
“I have no idea,” Marcus answered. “Does she know? Has she figured it out?”
Ivy pursed her lips. “She’s figured out a few things,” she conceded. “She knows you killed your mother. She knows you killed Mark Dalton. She figured out what you had planned for Jack and me. She’s the one who told me about this place. She’s been following you.”
Marcus glanced around the basement, narrowing his eyes. “Is she here now?”
“She is.”
“Why can’t I see her?”
“I can’t see her either,” Ivy admitted. “I saw her briefly this afternoon, but I can hear her. She’s been bending my ear a lot today. It seems you’ve been a very bad boy.”
“Ivy, if you don’t run, I’m never going to forgive you,” Jack ordered. “You have to get out of here, honey. Please.”
“I’m not leaving you, Jack. Stop telling me to leave you. It’s not going to happen.”
“Yeah, Jack. Shut up,” Marcus said, mocking him. “If Laura is still here, what is she doing?”
“She’s waiting for the perfect time to get her body back,” Ivy replied. “She knows you’re too powerful to wrest control away from you. She needs to sneak back in when you’re not in control … like maybe if you were unconscious or something.”
Marcus jerked his head back and checked the empty space behind him before returning his gaze to Ivy. “She can’t have this body back. It’s mine.”
“You should’ve died that day on the freeway,” Ivy countered. “That was your destiny. Instead you stole your sister’s life. That makes you about the lowest life form I’ve ever met … and I’ve met some real jackoffs.”
“Ivy!” Jack struggled against his restraints. “I’m going to … .”
Ivy forced herself to remain calm and focus on Marcus. Brian would be here soon. “You should run now, Marcus. This is your last chance for escape.”
Marcus sneered. “Why? Are the cops coming for me? I have trouble believing that since you’re here alone.”
“The cops aren’t coming,” Ivy lied. “They think I’m crazy. I told them you took over your sister’s body and now they’re worried I need to be committed. In fact, they probably don’t even know I’m gone yet. I climbed out my bedroom window and stole my father’s car.”
“Ivy,” Jack whimpered. “How could you be so stupid?”
“You’re brave. I’ll give you that,” Marcus said. “Jack is right, though. You’re a moron. Why didn’t you call the police and tell them where we were before coming down here? That would’ve been the smarter move.”
“You heard Jack,” Ivy replied. “I’m not known for my brains.”
“You’re definitely a looker,” Marcus said. “I have plans for that cute little body of yours. Tell me, are you into pain?”
Ivy made a face. “You’re a sick individual, Marcus,” she said. “You feed off fear. Did you make your mother beg before you killed her?”
“No. I just popped her in the head twice and called it a day.”
“Did you say anything to Mark Dalton before you killed him?”
“I asked him for directions to distract him,” Marcus replied. “He didn’t even see it coming. If it’s any consolation, he was dead before he realized it. I didn’t have time to play with him because I knew you and Jack were close. I couldn’t have fun like I wanted.”
Ivy needed a little more time, so she heaped on more questions. “Why didn’t you kill me that day in the park?”
“I didn’t want you dead yet,” Marcus explained. “I wanted Jack to worry himself sick over you first. It worked, too. You two were miserable for days before he found his backbone – and I’m guessing another bone – and won you back. That was a little annoying because then he didn’t leave your side for two days, but it worked out in the end.”
“You know you could’ve gotten away with this if you hadn’t been so bent on revenge, right?” Ivy asked.
“Jack deserves to die. He ruined my life.”
“You ruined your own life,” Ivy shot back, refusing to mince words. She knew a little something that Marcus didn’t, and while he’d kept his attention on her she’d noticed a distant flash through the window behind him. “Do you know what your problem is, Marcus?”
“No. I have a feeling you’re going to tell me, though.”
“You’re your own worst enemy,” Ivy said, taking a step away from the bottom of the stairs to clear the way. “You never know when to take the win and shut your stupid mouth.”
Marcus lunged in Ivy’s direction as she covered her head and turned toward the wall. Jack’s scream was anguished until he saw Brian appear out of the darkness, gun drawn. He had an army of police officers behind him.
“Laura, you’re going to want to put your hands up and turn around,” Brian ordered, his voice deadly. “If you put up a fight, I don’t have any qualms about shooting you.”
“You can’t do that,” Ivy whispered. “Laura needs her body back.”
The look on Marcus’ face was chilling. He was
