Page 133 of Misery
"Wasn't I? The broken girl you could fix? The victim you could save?"
"No. You were—are?—"
"What? What am I to you?"
"Everything." The word tears from me. "You're everything. The reason I wake up. The last thought before sleep. The onlygood thing in all the darkness. You're the light I didn't know I was looking for."
She's so close now I can feel her breath. "Pretty words."
"Truth."
"Your truth is seven months of lies."
"Yes."
Her hand comes up, rests on my chest.
I don't move, don't breathe. "My body doesn't know you betrayed me," she whispers. "It just knows you. Wants you. Even now."
"Elfe—"
She kisses me.
Hard, angry, all teeth and desperation.
I let her lead, let her take what she needs.
Her hands fist in my shirt, pulling me closer while simultaneously pushing me away.
When she pulls back, we're both breathing hard.
"I hate that I still want you," she says against my mouth.
"I know."
"I hate that you're the only one who makes me feel safe."
"I know."
"I hate that I love you even though you lied to me."
My heart stops. "You?—"
"Don't." She steps back. "I can't. Not yet. Maybe not ever. I just... I needed you to know. That this thing between us, it's not simple. It's not clean. It's broken and twisted and probably unhealthy."
"But it's real."
"Yes. God help me, it's real."
Saga appears in the kitchen doorway. "Brought clothes," she says, handing Elfe a bag. "And this." A knife in a concealed sheath. "Figured you'd want it."
"Thank you."
Saga looks at me, judgment clear. "Ivar wants to see you. Both of you. When you're ready."
She leaves and Elfe opens the bag, pulls out jeans and a sweater.
She starts changing without asking me to turn around.
