Page 45 of Haunted Nights & Savage Sins
I wasn’t lying when I told Brenna that I would be useless if she were to leave. If something were to happen to her, or if someone would hurt her, I don’t think I’d be able to cope. All of these new emotions stirred up simply because she took the time to try andget to know me. Even with the fact being that she was forced into this marriage, she is trying.
I need to keep her safe. At all times. But her safety is in direct conflict with the things she has told me she wants to be happy. Mainly the ability to go outside.
How do I allow her to do that without losing my ever-loving mind?
“They really go all out around here with the Halloween decorations,” Brenna speaks, and it takes me a second to focus on what she’s saying.
“I see that. It’s been a long time since I was out during this time of year.”
She lifts her head from my chest and looks at me in surprise. “Really? I mean, I guess that makes sense. For someone who doesn’t like to go outside or have anyone in your house, I guess you would’ve missed some festivities.”
“It’s okay. I don’t need to be part of it.”
“Why not? It’s fun.” She is getting excited.
“Brenna, it’s not fun for me. I don’t like it.”
“How do you know you don’t like something if you never try it?”
“I don’t need to try something to know I won’t like it. I’m not a child. I had over a decade of Halloween. That’s enough.”
“A child? The last time you celebrated Halloween was when you were a child?”
I sigh, not liking the direction this conversation is going in the least. “Yes, before I got the burn on my face. When I was fifteen years old.”
Her lip pokes out in a pout. “That has to change.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I lean back in the chair and do my best to push away all the messed-up feelings this conversation is bringing up. How much have I missed out on because of how I look?
“Yes, it does.”
Simultaneously, two things happen. The traffic comes to a standstill, and Brenna is darting out of the car.
BRENNA
Oh, man. Am I in trouble.
“Brenna!” I hear Cormac yell after me as my feet hit the pavement, and I make my way into the first store that I see. I don’t even know what the store sells; it’s the simple fact that there are other people around and it’s a place of commerce that interests me.
At first, I expect Cormac to send the drivers out after me, but when I hear solo footsteps rushing in my direction, I know he is the one that has come to collect me.
I slide through the racks and displays, still not even bothering to look up at what I’m moving through. All I can think about is getting deep enough into the store that it will look strange for Cormac to just come in here and throw me over his shoulder to take me away.
He refuses to tell me the actual reason for him not wanting to go outside. I’m sure he is concerned about our safety, but someone could come into our house and kill us the same way they could kill us in the store.
“Brenna!” I hear Cormac again. This time his voice is a low, grinding whisper. He’s trying not to call too much attention to himself. Knowing that he is in the store and looking for me instead of just burning it down with me inside puts me at ease even just a little bit.
Now I look around.
I can’t suppress the giggle that pops out of my mouth when I look forward and my gaze goes up and up.
There is a large floating man with a jack-o’-lantern head on display. The racks aren’t just stuffed with clothing. They are stuffed with costumes. Everything from novelty inflatable dinosaurs to sexy pirates with eye patches as the top.
I’ve managed to wander into one of those pop-up costume shops. There are several people in the store, a few kids running around, and workers in all the corners with plastic smiles on their faces.
This is exactly the kind of shop I’d have spent hours in back home in Ireland. I’d have tried on every last costume and picked up every last fake weapon.
I take a step to move in another direction, but a hand on my arm yanks me in the other direction.
