Page 64 of Like A Moth To A Flame

“People would talk.”

That jarred me, and hard. It was way too similar to everything I’d said to Amelia earlier.

“Why did you pick me?”

I heard him sigh, and it was a long, low whoosh, like the sound of the grating wind before a hailstorm.

“I didn’t,” he said. “Not on purpose.”

“What does that mean?”

“What do you think it means?”

I was silent. I didn’t know what to say.

“I don’t wanna hurt you, Vanessa.”

“Would knowing who you are hurt me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

He was quiet this time.

“Can I have a hint?”

“No,” he chuckled. “You’re not ready.”

There was a flare of anger inside of me. For as long as I could remember, I had been told that I was ‘too young’ or ‘too naïve’. I didn’t understand because I wasa girl.

I was tired of being sheltered.

“Why not?”

“What if your whole world falls apart?”

“That’smy choiceto make.”

Again, he was quiet.

“Are you gonna kill me?”

“I’d rather die.”

There was a tone to his voice that I couldn’t quite place, but even then, I believed him.

“Are you gonna hurt me?”

“Never.”

I was quiet this time, my lip quivering. Carefully, I looked over my shoulder toward the door. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe I was just stupid, but something had shifted, and now I needed to know.

“That’s not what I meant,” I said, my voice so low it was nearly a whisper.

He chuckled, and I could hear him shifting.

“You meant…” his voice was a rolling snarl. “Am I going tofuckyou?”

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