Page 87 of Ruthless Creatures
“Don’t be dramatic. You’re not going anywhere.”
“Don’t be dramatic?Excuse me, but I’m an accessory to murder!”
He chuckles. “You’re panicking. Don’t. Everything’s under control.”
“Whosecontrol?”
“Mine, of course.”
He sounds so confident, so unruffled, so calm.Toocalm.
How many guys does he shoot in an average week?
“Kage?”
“Yes?”
“I’m having trouble with all of this.”
His voice grows softer. “I know, baby. But trust me when I say I’ll take care of you. I’ll take care of everything. Everything is going to be all right.”
“But the police are looking for you!”
“There were no security cameras in the restaurant. The eyewitnesses who provided my description to the police didn’t actually see me shoot anyone. I walked through the room, then they heard shots. The kitchen doors were closed behind me: they can’t ID me as the shooter.”
“How do you know all that?”
In his pause, I feel his satisfaction. “I know everything.”
I’m beginning to think he really does.
“Sloane—”
“Is in Rome. I know.” His voice drops. “You look so peaceful when you sleep. Like a little angel. So sweet. Good enough to eat. Fuck, I love the way you taste. The way you come so hard for me. I’m already addicted.”
I sit back down at the kitchen table, drop my head, and gently bang my forehead against it a few times.
“What’s that sound?”
“My mental breakdown.”
“You’re tougher than you think. You’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? Because right now I feel like I need some preventive hospitalization. A very concerned doctor should be monitoring me in the ICU.”
“That’s just adrenaline. You’ll get used to it.”
My eyes bulge in horror. “Used to it? Will this kind of thing be happening frequently? Guys will be dropping around me like flies?”
His voice turns firm. “Natalie. Beautiful girl. Take a deep breath.”
Forehead resting against the smooth wood tabletop, I close my eyes and obey him.
“Good. Now do it again.”
I mutter, “Bossy,” but obey him anyway.
After a few moments of silence, he says, “I was called away on business early this morning. I don’t know how long it will be before I can come back. In the meantime, you can contact me on this phone at any time of day or night. If you need anything, just let me know. Don’t talk to anyone about what happened except Sloane. And get rid of your other phone as soon as possible. Today. Understood?”
