Page 27 of Locke 2

“You weren’t exactly gentle on me.”

“Because I was fighting you!”

“We wanted it rough.”

“And then you threw me away.” I backed away from him because he made the room feel so small. “I surrendered to you the first time, remember?”

He watched me, unmoving, his stare heavy. “When I kidnapped you.”

I smiled coldly. “At least you’re calling it what it was.”

Why didn’t he respond to that? Why was he so quiet? The back of my knees hit the bed, and I stopped moving. I heardDahlia digging around in the bed behind me, uncaring of the tense argument transpiring in front of her.

I continued to wait for Locke to make the next move. When nothing happened, I started to have a mini freak out. His response eighteen months ago would have been gruff. He’d have pressed me up against the wall, told me he’d steal me—he’d have been wrecking my life and making me run.

He wasn’t making me run right now.

He didn’t even attempt to give me the urge to run.

I longed for that feeling, and so I squirmed, unsure of what to do.

“You didn’t run,” he finally spoke, calmly but coldly. “Running would mean I was giving chase to you. You didn’t run, Kali.”

I didn’t run?

“What do you think I’ve been doing?” I returned angrily.

“Hiding.”

Tell her to run.

Run.

Run.

“Hide.”

The past singed me abruptly. I stilled and the breath sat in my lungs as he eyed me. I blinked and saw my little sister sitting on the floor by the door, her fluffy dress skirt all around her, her fingers wrapped around the teacup with the pink swirls. Her big eyes looked up at me, and for once not even she spoke.

“You bastard,” I whispered, brokenly, angrily. “I should tell you to go away…”

“So then tell me,” he threatened.

“Would you go?”

His voice was steel. “You called for me. I’m back, and the only way I’m leaving is with you by my side.”

“What if I don’t want to go with you?”

He ignored my question, turning back around to flick on his little light and leaf through my papers. I was tired of this darkness. I reached over to the lamp on the nightstand and turned it on. The light was dim, but it was enough to see him in all his glory. This giant man in his tailored black suit and raven black hair.

I looked over my shoulder, catching Dahlia’s head poke out from the covers. Her tail flicked under the covers. She was still having a grand old time. Didn’t she sense the evil feet from her? Not a bark escaped her lips, she was so relaxed.

I looked back at Locke, still preoccupied in his snooping. “If you need to know something, just ask it.”

His response was quick. “Where’s your diary?”

“I don’t have one.”

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