Page 63 of Always Watching

If he’d told me that before Mr. Barlowe revealed his true colors, I would have thought North set this whole thing up to get to me. But North isn’t that type of person. He wouldn’t use sneaky tactics to get to me. He wouldn’t have used violence as a means to an end.

When he found me in the state I was in after I was beaten, anger reflected in his eyes. The type of emotion he displayed couldn’t be faked. He hadn’t shown up to hurt me more or get me to fall for him by saving me. He was just… saving me.

Despite how fucked up that information is, I smile and lean forward, planting a soft kiss against his lips. “Even that won’t make me afraid of you, North.”

A shudder rolls through his body, the look of relief clear on his face. “Fuck, Ranen.” He pulls me in for a hug, pressing me close to his chest. His heart is hammering, the heavy thuds making me smile. He’s alive, I’m alive, and we’re together. I’m here because of him. He saved me from Mr. Barlowe twice. He’s truly my knight in shining armor.

“You amaze me, Ranen,” North whispers against my lips, then brings me back in for a longer, deeper kiss.

I clamber onto his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. His calloused hands drop to my ass, holding me firmly.

This is fucked up. So fucked up. A man is lying dead in my kitchen, the heavy weight of his murder pressing in on me, but I can’t think about Mr. Barlowe when all I can feel, all I can smell,all I can taste is North. Nothing else matters, nothing else is important. Just him. Only him.

Until loud banging sounds at my front door.

I snatch my lips from North’s, my heart in my throat. Fuck, it’s the police. Someone must have heard the scuffle between me and Mr. Barlowe, or North and him, or maybe that wild scream he let out, and called the cops.

I turn wide eyes to North, my breathing coming out choppy. “Is it the police? How do they know? Fuck, North—”

“Breathe,” he murmurs, cutting me off and placing his hand on my chest. “It’s just Dad. No one is coming for me. No one will take me away from you.”

A relieved breath burst from my lips. I kiss him again, crushing my lips to his. “Okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to freak out.”

North chuckles, then plants a kiss to my forehead. “It’s okay, baby. Stay here. I’ll answer the door.”

I nod and climb off his lap, tucking my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.

He takes a step towards the door but hesitates, turning to look back at me. His expression is so intense it takes my breath away. “I love you too, Ranen.”

Yeah, I’m dead. I can’t fucking breathe. North loves me? He loves…me?Either I’m dreaming or I’m the luckiest man in the world.

I’ve always felt… lacking in some way when it comes to North. Like he could do better than a small, slim, boring man like me. That he was possibly passing the time until we got rid of the person who was after me, then he’d be gone. But helovesme. That means he’ll stick around, right? I sure fucking hope so.

I wasn’t kidding when I told him I couldn’t bear life without him. My days would be bleak, boring, not really worth living if he left me. He’s shown me what life could be like if I shared itwith someone I truly enjoy. I fell for him hard and fast, my heart becoming his before I was even consciously aware of it.

North checks the peephole, a sigh leaving his lips. “I’m sorry about this, Ranen.” Then he opens the door.

My eyebrows scrunch, wondering what he’s talking about. Is he sorry because it really is the cops and they’re coming to arrest him? My heart thunders and tears brim in my eyes.

Instead of the police, or even Atlas stepping inside the door, a tall, muscular man with wild brown hair and whiskey-colored eyes saunters inside like he owns the place.

He looks around as if assessing the room, eyes bouncing off every surface. First landing on the body, then on me. A smile stretches his face, though it doesn’t look friendly or happy. It looks… fake. An approximation of what he assumes a smile is supposed to look like. I shrink back, looking at North with an almost pleading expression.

“Ranen,” the wild man says, my name rolling off his tongue in a tone that borders on surprise. “You’re what all the fuss is about.”

Chapter 22

North

Whyis Wylder here?

I stare at my brother while his eyes trail between Ranen and the mess we’ve made of his kitchen, and a small part of me wants to shove him out the door and lock it behind him.

That smug bastard must have been so happy when I called him and told him I needed his help. He must have been practically laughing his ass off when he told me his stipulation was coming to see me.

I turn my head up to look at him—and have to keep looking up.

Fucking goddamn giant.

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