Page 97 of The Cute Psycho

Everything about him is so carefully crafted, so minutely sourced to portray only a certain image. But what about the real him? How many layers do I have to peel before I meet the real Vlad?

"Thenwhatdo you feel?" I don't want to know, yet I can'tnotknow.

"The truth?" His mouth curves up and I nod.

"Nothing."

Nothing.

The word echoes in my brain, a sudden dizziness overtaking me.

"Nothing," I repeat numbly, the words sinking in and making my heart beat loudly in my chest, a small pain reverberating at the core of my being.

"I do get hungry, and thirsty, and," sparing a glance to Seth, he leans to whisper, "horny," before resuming his position, "but that's about it. I do feel want, but my desires are more egotistical than most."

"What do you mean?"

"I want something, I take it. Regardless of the consequences." He shrugs. "I've just learned how to play the system so that it doesn't seem that way."

"Is that right..." I try to work up a smile, but my entire body is rebelling.

"Of course, over the years I've managed to study social interactions, and I've perfected my approach to people. I'm not exactly a savage," he continues, not catching the way I'm just mechanically nodding. "I do have an honorary system of right and wrong that I've developed, and I always repay my dues in kind. See, I'm not that complicated. In fact, one might argue that having no emotions is freeing."

"I see," I reply vaguely, and he doesn't seem to notice the sudden change in my behavior.

Because with one word, he dashed all of my hopes.

"There he is," Vlad mentions, getting the car ready.

The man is leading the twins to a car, loading them in the back with two guards before getting behind the wheel.

When he drives off, Vlad follows.

My hands folded in my lap, I look out the window, blocking everything out.

He can't feel.

I've always wanted one thing. To be loved. Just once I wanted to be the most important person to someone, and just when I thought I might have found that, it's brutally taken from me.

God, how is any of this fair?

Maybe I should have second-guessed everything from the beginning.He is, after all, a remorseless killer. How could someone like that have any tender feelings? Or any feelings at all?

But I'd seen the way he treated me, the way he cared for me... like I was precious. It was the first time someone had given me that much consideration in my life and so I'd let myself believe that, maybe, he felt something for me.

He can't feel.

Tears burn behind my eyes as every fantasy I'd built in my mind is simply shattered.

We continue to follow the car for what seems like an eternity, Vlad taking the necessary measures, so that they don't see we are behind them. They pull into the back of an abandoned factory, and Vlad slows the car, parking it off the road.

"Odd," he notes, looking around the area, "I could have sworn these buildings were up for redevelopment."

Unbuckling his seat belt, he gets out of the car. I do the same, but when I try to open the door, Vlad stops me, pushing his hand against it.

"You stay here," he says, glancing at Seth, "it's not safe."

"It's not safe for you either," I protest, pushing against the door. "And you're not leaving Seth with me." I speak before he has the chance. "He can help you too, if anything happened inside," I point out.

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