Page 131 of Creep

I peeked outside.

Mael was nowhere in sight.

Didn’t he ever sleep?

I couldn’t even think of a time when he had fallen asleep before me or woke up after me. There had only been that one night when he was actually deep asleep in my arms, but it was also that night when he had the nightmare.

About his father.

I was heading down a dangerous path if I was trying to think of ways that would make Mael feel more…humanto me.

I walked out of the bedroom and headed to the front door. Just as my hand touched the doorknob, a voice came out from behind, scaring the shit out of me. “Where are you going?”

I jumped and turned to glare over at Mael, who was casually leaning against a wall, the one that was adjacent to the wall where he had killed the man.

I tried to swallow down my fear, proud that my voice didn’t shake when I responded, “A walk.”

“You’re not trying to run away from me, are you?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. The thought had come up, but I knew now wasn’t the time to do it. It was as he said. He would find me.

“I don’t even have my bags.”

“If you’re smart, you wouldn’t have taken anything with you. They would just slow you down.”

“Who’s to say I’m smart?” I asked. I certainly felt stupid for ever falling for his smile.

He smirked, reminding me so much of the old Mael, the Mael I had been falling for before I found out the truth that physically hurt my heart.

“You’re smart, baby.” He pushed off the wall and slowly walked over to me. I worked hard not to show just how unnerved I was by him closing the distance between us. “And strong. We’ll get through this.”

I couldn’t help it. I let out a dry chuckle. “We’ll get through this? You’re saying it like our problems are just who’s doing the dishes and shit. Our problems are far from being mundane.”

One eyebrow rose. I looked away. I didn’t know why I was even using that as an example. It was just the first thing that popped into my head.

“I can do the dishes,” he said softly when he was close by.

I slapped his chest in reflex. “This isn’t a joke.”

He grabbed my hand and pressed it to his chest. I flexed my wrist, trying to pull away, but his grip was firm. “I would never joke when it comes to you.”

I didn’t say anything to that. I didn’t know what to say or think orfeelanymore. It felt as if he had chipped away all that had ever made me human and turned me into someone who still craved him, even with everything I knew.

How could this still be the case?

“Let go of me,” I gritted out. His eyes roamed over my face, and he looked like he was debating whether to do it or not. Finally, he let go of my wrist, and I quickly moved my hands to my back as if that would keep him from touching me again.

We didn’t say anything for a moment. I turned and was about to head out the front door when he stopped me with one hand pressed against the doorframe.

I shot him a look.

“I’ll walk with you,” he said.

“Are you really scared I’m going to run away?”

He shook his head, angering me. His next words infuriated me even more. “No, because I know you won’t get far.”

I clenched my jaw and pushed his arm away, heading outside.

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