Page 12 of Psycho Saints

These moments with Julian were... complicated. I couldn't forget what he was, what they all were. But in these quiet hours, it was easy to pretend we were just two people, sharing stories and laughter.

Tyrone, too, showed a gentler side. He had gifted me an e-reader, loaded with books spanning every genre imaginable.

"Thought you might like some variety," he'd said, his usual gruff demeanor softened by something I couldn't quite name.

We'd talk, sometimes. About books, about the weather, about anything but the elephant in the room. Cristian's name hung unspoken between us, a demon neither of us dared to summon.

I hadn't seen him since he'd attacked me and spoken all his words of love and possession. Where was he? What had happened? The questions burned on my tongue, but I swallowed them down. I knew better than to poke that particular hornet's nest.

Still, as the days wore on, the silence grew deafening. I caught myself staring at doorways, half-expecting him to saunter in with that wild grin. I wasn't even sure how I felt about it, if I hated him or not.

I wanted to ask. God, I wanted to demand answers. But every time I opened my mouth, I remembered the fury in Tyrone's eyes that day, the barely contained violence in Julian's gentle touch as he'd helped me into the shower.

So I said nothing. I watched my movies. I played my games. I read my books. And I waited, trapped in this gilded cage, for the other shoe to drop. For us to find out if there was a child after all of this.

I lounged on the bed, peering over Julian's shoulder as his fingers flew across the keyboard while he sat leaning against the bed on the floor. The screen flickered with lines of code and windows I couldn't begin to understand.

"This program here," Julian explained, pointing to a complex interface, "can track anyone's digital footprint. Social media, credit card transactions, even traffic cameras."

My eyes widened. "That's... terrifying."

He chuckled. "It's a necessary tool in our line of work. Here, look at this."

With a few keystrokes, a map appeared on the screen, dotted with blinking lights.

"Each of these represents one of our assets. We can monitor their movements in real-time."

I leaned closer, fascinated despite myself. "How does it work?"

Julian launched into an explanation that went way over my head, but I nodded along, impressed by his expertise. It was easy to forget, in moments like these, that his skills were used for far darker purposes than simple coding.

"And this," he said, pulling up another program, "is how we manage our finances. It's all encrypted, of course. Untraceable."

I whistled low. "You're like a one-man tech army."

He grinned, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Someone's got to keep us ahead of the game."

The door swung open, and Tyrone strode in. Julian quickly minimized the windows, but Tyrone waved him off.

"It's fine, Jules. She might as well know what we're capable of."

I tensed, unsure of what to expect from Tyrone's sudden appearance. But his next words caught me completely off guard.

"I've organized a spa day for you, Scarlet. With Naomi."

I blinked, certain I'd misheard. "What?"

Tyrone's lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "You heard me. Thought you could use some time with your friend. It's all arranged for tomorrow."

Excitement bubbled up in my chest, warring with suspicion. "Really? I can see Naomi?"

He nodded. "Under supervision, of course. But yes, you'll have the day to relax and catch up."

I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. "Thank you, Tyrone. I... I really appreciate it."

Something softened in his eyes, but it was gone so quickly I might have imagined it. "Don't mention it. Jules will drive you there in the morning."

As Tyrone left, I turned to Julian, still stunned.

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