Page 66 of Prey

The messed-up part of this was that I understood why he was angry.

I understood it, even when I knew I didn’t do anything wrong.

I had been so scared then, and I turned to the one person I knew could take care of this and take away all of my fears.

And inadvertently, I had given my dad one of the biggest wins of his entire career, only for it to be taken away within two years due to a false confession, and the suicide of a man who didn’t really commit suicide.

Even after learning all this, I knew I wouldn’t tell my dad about it.

Besides, it shouldn’t matter because the man who confessed was dead, and there was no way to prove that he had lied about it.

I choked in a stuttered breath when I realized I had been holding my breath since the moment I came into the room.

I knew he was aware of my presence, but he didn’t do or say anything to acknowledge me.

That didn’t sit well with me.

Slowly, I walked inside the room.

He tensed when the bed dipped as I climbed on, and I hovered near him for a long second before I carefully wrapped my arms and legs around him from behind.

His body was so stiff, I was afraid he might break into a million little pieces with the right pressure, but then he relaxed into my hold, and I couldn’t help but lean into him, taking in more of his touch.

“I’m sorry you were in there for two years,” I said.

I couldn’t bring myself to say I was sorry for being the one to send him there because it was as I said. I didn’t owe him anything.

Besides, it was because of this that brought him into my life.

I should have resented that.

Only now, I couldn’t imagine how my life would be without him in it.

I had been so lost since I graduated from college. Perhaps even long before that. I didn’t know what to do with myself, and there was a part of me that hated my life.

Hated the loneliness in it. Hated my inability to connect with anyone.

But that wasn’t the case anymore, and I knew, given a chance to go back and change anything… I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to do it.

I kissed him on his back, right where his spine was and felt him shudder against me.

He was affected by me.

I knew that, but to feel this big man react to such a simple kiss from me and I… I felt powerful.

He turned around until he was facing me, wrapping his arms as tightly around me as I had my arms around him.

We didn’t say anything as we stared into each other’s eyes, and I knew then, everything would be okay between us.

It had to be because there were no other alternatives.

* * *

That moment seemedto be a turning point for us.

I didn’t fight himas muchwhen he tried to dominate every situation between us, and he brought in my computer and iPad from my apartment the following afternoon so I could start working again.

I didn’t even know he had taken them with him.

---