Part 35 (1/2)

”How could you do that to my sister? How could you do it to anyone?”

”I'd do anything to keep you, Sarah. Anything.”

”Let me go, Keith.” He did. She ran out of the house.

”You can't be serious! You're going to the police?”

”Oh, you're d.a.m.n right I am.” She ran to her car.

”And say what? You have no proof.”

”They have medical evidence on file, Keith.”

”Melody lied.” He shrugged. ”And she'll lie again. She won't tell.”

”You b.a.s.t.a.r.d. You threatened her, didn't you? My G.o.d, she's too scared to leave the house because of you, isn't she, Keith?”

He rubbed his face. ”Just be with me, Sarah. I can make all of this go away. You always said I could make anything go away!”

”Not this time, Keith.”

”Sarah, you go to the police and you have nothing! They won't believe Melody because she's wasted too much time!” She shook her head. ”Besides, money talks, Sarah. And I got enough of it to say anything I want. You know I'll get the best attorney. And with my connections I'll get off, Sarah.” She figured he probably would. But that wasn't reason enough for her not to try. ”Sarah, think about this. The police will believe me over what you or Melody say. I can get people to believe anything I want.” He squinted.

She wiped tears. ”And to think that I once admired that about you the most.” She got in her car.

He stepped off the porch. ”You belong with me, Sarah. Nothing I've done will ever change that. You'll come back to me. You know no man will love you the same way I do.”

She started the car. ”I hope not.” She sped off.

”Sarah!” Keith ran into the driveway.

Chapter Eighteen.

”Ahh!” Melody moved her head from the pillow just in time. The huge knife swung past her face. The blade instantly shattered her pillow. She turned around to see Keith standing by her bed. She couldn't describe his twisted expression. She would have said angry or mad. But that didn't even seem to fit. His hair and clothes were neatly in place.

A man like Keith never seemed to unravel in any circ.u.mstance. His cool-no-matter-what att.i.tude had always alarmed Melody. She hadn't seen him since the rape. Right now she wasn't thinking about that. She thought about the knife in his hand. She wondered why she hadn't heard from Sarah all night. She had no idea where she'd gone. Keith yanked the knife from the pillow.

He rubbed it against his leg. He dug the point into his skin until tiny drops of blood covered the blade. Melody stared at those icy green eyes. Could he not feel the blade? Could you not feel pain once insanity kicked in?

”So are you happy now, Mel?” He sighed. ”You happy now?” She slowly moved against her bedroom wall. She held the sides of her floppy T-s.h.i.+rt. The clock barely struck nine. Where the h.e.l.l had Sarah gone? ”I asked you if you were happy now, Melody.” Keith's voice trembled.

”Keith.” She sobbed without warning. ”What...what are you doing?” She kept her eyes on the blade, while quickly cutting her eyes to the door. Keith shut it closed before she could make it out of the room. He stood in front of it.

”Sarah knows.” He sweated. Melody gasped. ”I tried to explain to her that this was all your fault. She didn't believe me. It's the first time in my life that I had to prove myself. I didn't enjoy the feeling.”

”Keith...”

”Shut up!” He held the knife toward her. Melody shook against the wall. ”This is all your fault, Melody. Your pain, my pain, Sarah's pain! It's your fault! I wouldn't have raped you if you hadn't insisted on taking Sarah away from me!” he sobbed. ”Did you even care about how I felt about her? Did you care I loved her? No, because you're so d.a.m.n selfis.h.!.+” He swung the knife at her.

”Oh!” she shrieked.

”Selfish b.i.t.c.h! You're not even worth being alive!” He swung the knife at her face.

”Oh G.o.d!” she wailed. ”Keith! Ahh!” He swung again. She clung to the end table by her bed. ”Keith! Please!”

He looked at the knife. ”I've never loved anyone like I love your sister. There have been others, Melody. But none of them made me feel like Sarah does.” He rubbed the blade. ”I don't like hurting people! But I've always been taught that you do what you have to do to stay in control! You...” He wailed. ”You gotta stay in control or nothing matters.”

”Keith.” She held out a shaking hand. ”Keith, I...look, this has all gone too far. Even after all that's happened, I'd like to help you.” She stared at the knife. ”I'm so sorry. I had no idea you were in so much pain.”

He acted as if the knife put him in some sort of trance. ”You really wanna help me, Mel?” he whispered.

”Yes.” She'd never seen anyone so desperate before. She just wanted to put an end to all of this. She had hated Keith from the beginning. Now she felt sorry for him. Obviously, his actions weren't really his fault. He was very, very sick. Too sick to realize the things he did. Melody actually felt guilty for how she'd treated him. He needed help. He hadn't needed her hatred.

”Why would you wanna help me, Melody? You know d.a.m.n well you hate me.” He chuckled.

”I...I hate the things you do, Keith.” She kept her eyes on the blade. ”But I don't think I hate you. I realize now that it's not your fault you do the things you do. I mean, you think you need to stay in control or else you feel like you'll lose everything, right?” He nodded slowly. ”I understand that, Keith. I don't blame you for feeling that way. We all want to keep control and have the happiest life we can.”

”If you understand it now, how come you couldn't all this time?” He looked at her with fire in his eyes. ”Am I supposed to believe you want to help me, now? No, you just want to save your a.s.s. Well, it won't work, Melody! I came here to kill you! Sarah left me because of you! I'm losing everything! Even Lucas has doubts! You're not gonna destroy me! I've worked too hard!” He swung the knife at her face. Melody screamed. The blade missed her mouth by less than an inch.

”Keith, please!” He chased her out the bedroom. Keith grabbed her on the stairs. She pushed him off before he could stab her.

”Melody!”

”Stop, Keith, please!” She stood against the couch. ”Please, don't do this. You don't know what you're doing!”

”I do know. I'm gonna eliminate the problem and the problem is you!” He rushed toward her.

”For Sarah?” she shrieked. ”You think killing me will bring her back to you?”

”I don't know. All I know is that I cannot be happy with you in my life one more minute! Ah!” He sliced the knife through the air. Melody ducked. She fell on the floor. She begged for mercy. Keith cornered her against the front door. He stood over her with the knife held high.

”Keith, please!” She cried. ”Please don't do this!” He raised his arm.

”No...no...no!” Melody s.h.i.+elded her face with her hands. Someone knocked on the door. Keith froze. Lucas's voice rang from outside. ”Lucas!” Melody tried to open the door. Keith swung the knife to stop her.

”Don't you dare open that door,” Keith growled. ”I'm gonna finish this, Melody! I gotta finish this because I won't have any peace with you around me! I have to kill you.”

”Keith, please don't!” Melody cried.

”I have to kill you,” he whispered. ”I got to or I won't be able to breathe! You haunt everything I do! I can't get peace of mind with you around! I can't live like this, Melody!”

Melody didn't know what shocked her the most. Keith wanting to kill her or that he felt she ruined his life. All this time she had hated him and wanted him gone. She had no idea that Keith felt the same way. She loathed him for being with Sarah. He loathed her for standing in his way. No other revelation could feel so amazing. She stared at Keith's hard face. They both wanted the same things for different reasons.

They both hated each other. Obviously, Keith hated Melody far more than she could ever hate him. He wanted to kill her. What else was there to think about?

”Melody!” Lucas pounded on the door. ”Keith, I know you're in there! I see your car! Don't you dare hurt her!”