Page 17 of Within Shadows
My phone lights up from the table and I pick it up, reading the message from Garrett.
Garrett:Any chance you’ll come back if I tell you I’m actually afraid of the dark?
Me:I’ll get you a nightlight that matches mine.
I hit send and watch as he types back. His message is quick and makes me frown.
Garrett:Not a huge fan of bats.
I keep staring at the message as unease creeps in. “How does he know about my nightlight?” Atticus yawns as I speak out loud. The tiny bubbles pop up, showing he’s typing again. As if reading my thoughts, his next text comes through.
Garrett:Okay, I probably sound like a stalker. When we were there to get your door replaced, I may have peeked around a bit and noticed your nightlight sitting on the dresser.
I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose as I drag myself into the kitchen. “Of course he’s seen your room, you paranoid idiot. I need to get a fucking grip.”
Atticus winds between my legs and chirps again, as if he’s agreeing with me, and I open the fridge without much hope of finding something decent to cook. I slam the fridge shut and blink hard, then pull the door open and stare once again. My previously sparse fridge is now full of all kinds of food that was obviously fresh, considering the vegetables and fruit. Somebody had gotten into my house… and they stocked my fridge?
“Garrett, you’re either crossing boundaries or creating a complex here,” I grumble, a smile pulling on my lips as I look through my options. Settling on a sandwich was easy enough, and I almost skipped back to the couch with a bottle of water in one hand and a plate in the other. Before I eat, I send a picture to Garrett of my food and type up a quick message.
Me:I can’t decide if I should say thank you or yell at you.
I hit send and watch, waiting for him to read my message. The minutes tick by, and I realize how absolutely desperate I look right now. Without much thought I put on my favorite crime show and dig into my food. By the time I finish eating and check my phone, Garrett still hasn’t responded. I remind myself he’s busy and doesn’t have to respond the second I text him.
When a yawn makes my jaw stretch wide and eyes water, I finally drag myself to my room and dig out my favorite pair of pajamas. Atticus follows me into the bathroom with curious eyes and I snicker when turning the water on. He scrabbles to escape the room, twisting my fuzzy black bathroom rug up in his hurry. I tap my speaker, turning on my favorite playlist before I fix the rug and drop my clothes to the floor. Stepping into the cascade of steaming water is like climbing into a bubble of safety for me. My mind slowly clears as my muscles relax, the hot water almost uncomfortable as I duck my head into it. Humming to myself, I almost don’t register the sound of movement coming from the doorway until I catch something from the corner of my eye.
My head jerks sideways so fast that I almost lose my balance, but all I see is my cat darting past the door, and I groan to myself. I stick my arm out of the shower and snatch my towel to dry off. Atticus is meowing and protesting loudly in the other room, begging for a second dinner as usual, but I ignore him as I quickly dry off and get dressed. My skin is prickling with the feeling of eyes on me, but I push the feeling aside, reminding myself that I’m just being anxious.
“There’s no monster lurking in the shadows, Maeve. You just need sleep. And to stop talking to yourself.” I flop onto my bed and my phone pings, drawing my attention to where it sitsscreen up on my bed. I nearly dive for it when Garrett’s name pops up, and I open the message quickly.
Garrett:I told you to stop thanking me, Maeve. Go to bed, you need your sleep.
I lay my phone on its charger and pull back the blankets.
“Go to bed, Maeve,” I mock his voice and stop as I lie down and grab my phone.
Me:I’m only going to bed because I’m tired, not because you told me to, bossy pants.
Garrett:Sweet dreams.
His response is instant, and I stare up at the ceiling, wondering how I’m going to actually get any sleep with my mind mulling over what it felt like to sleep next to him. My thoughts turn deeper, towards what we did in his car, and it makes the heat pool low between my hips. I roll over, wrapping my pillow around my head with a huff as my thighs clench. The ache only builds, and I turn to lie on my back again. My eyes drag across the room when the feeling of being watched grows with every breath.
Instead of pulling my blankets higher, the thought of being watched makes my need stronger, and my mind imagines Garrett standing at the foot of my bed. Kicking the blankets off, I reach out to open my nightstand and drag out my vibrator without taking my eyes off the empty room. My breath hitches when I click it on, the sound deafening in the otherwise silent room. I slowly pull my shorts aside and swear I can hear the floor creak, but nothing and nobody is standing there. My pulse races, thrumming in my ears as I gently press the toy to my aching clit.My back arches, jerking my entire body from the overwhelming sensation.
Clenching my eyes shut, my imagination shifts. It’s not Garrett standing over me, but it’s the familiar mask that Knox lurks behind. His eyes are on me and he grips the rail of my footboard. I try to shake the image and turn back to Garrett, but I can’t. It’s Knox putting his hands on my thighs, spreading my legs so he can crush his mouth to my pussy. I can even smell his cologne, that sharp and musky scent that wraps itself around me.
His name is the one I cry when my orgasm crests, ripping through my body with so much force that it steals my breath. As I slowly come down and click the toy off, I struggle to slow my breathing while I stare at the ceiling. What am I doing? I finally have a boyfriend, a genuinely wonderful one, and here I am fantasizing about a man that I’ve met once and wouldn’t even remember me if he saw me again. The thought stings as I adjust my clothes and cover up with the blanket before throwing the vibrator back in my drawer.
Chapter 10
Knox
Cutting her security cameras is so easy that it’s almost painful when I finally slip into her house. Maeve is softly humming from the bathroom, the sound of water running confirms what I already know. She’s showering, and I tell myself that this crosses a line, as if I didn’t cross a dozen already. I stare at the hoodie I sent here that sits next to the mug, and I already know she liked them. Who has she assumed sent the gifts? I pull a thick envelope from my pocket and lay it on the hoodie, folding it slightly over my next gift. More tickets to our next concert. My feet move on their own, dragging me forward until I’m standing in the doorway and dangerously out in the open. Part of me longs to shed my clothes and mask, to step into the shower and show Maeve the truth of who I am. A soft nudge at my leg breaks my trance, and I glance down to see her cat rubbing against me.
Maeve stills from the corner of my eye, and I dart away just as she gasps. Atticus follows me, a ball of furry excitement, and I hold my breath. His loud chatter is accompanied by Maeve in the next room as she stumbles around, muttering under her breath. Moving quickly, I slide under her bed and anxiously watch the doorway. Her feet pad into the room as she turns off the light, hesitating right next to me. I could reach out, grab her ankle, and drag her down to me. My hands ache from how tightly I fist them, barely resisting the urge to touch her.
“There’s no monster lurking in the shadows, Maeve. You just need sleep. And to stop talking to yourself,” Maeve huffs, finally giving up, and flops onto the bed. If only she knew what was here, hiding and ready to strike at any moment. Her disgruntled groans and the creak of the bed fill the quiet of the room. She’s tossing and turning, so I reach into my pocket and pull out a cell phone, silently typing out a message. The chime of her phone comes only a moment later, and she nearly dives for it.
“Go to bed, Maeve,”she mocks Garrett’s voice, and I have to bite my lip to hold back the laughter. Her message lights up myscreen, and I can nearly hear the attitude in her words. My sassy little vixen is so brave when she talks tohim, I wonder how bold she would be speaking to me? If she only knew how close that pretty little ass is to carrying my handprint. I shift slowly, risking poking my head out until I see her arm swing over the side of the bed as she fumbles around her nightstand. It’s just dark enough to conceal what she grabs, but there’s no mistaking the sound. Her breath comes out in a hitched whine as a loud vibration fills the room and blood pounds through my body.
