Page 189 of The Night Shift
“I think you do, but you’re just scared to do so.”
His words hit me like a freight train. Because they’re true. And they came from Theo.
Just because he’s comfortable talking abouthislife, doesn’t mean I have to be too. There is no story. There are just entitled men and me politely putting them in their place. It’s really notthat deep. I rub a spot on my chest where it feels heavier than it should.
“What about your story?” I deflect. “You expect me to believeyoujust woke up one morning and decided to start stalking me like some deranged creep? And not just that, but also turn a blind eye to all the knife-sticking? There’s obviously something wrong with you.”
Normal, sane people would probably take offense to my words, but since Theo is neither normal nor sane, he grins like I just told him I’m madly in love with him.
“Stop smiling. You look like an imbecile.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he says, still grinning.
Once Theo has cleaned up all the blood, I pour the bloody water down the drain, following it with some more cleaner as a precautionary measure.
“How’re we doing on time?” Theo asks.
I check my phone. “One-thirty.”
Within the next hour, we manage to stash the body in the trunk of Theo’s car. He was mindful enough to bring the same shovel we used the first time. Sentimental bastard.
He also handed me one of his spare shirts — the ones he keeps in the backseat in case — and I quote,“we ever have to bury some bodies again.”
We drive about ten miles to a heavily wooded area where we bury the nameless corpse.Wemeaningme, because as much as I don’t particularly care for Theo, making him dig a six-foot hole with one hand would be inhumane. By the time we return to the hotel, it’s 2:20 a.m. and Theo is throwing a tantrum.
“Holly, no.”
“Holly, yes,” I correct.
“I don’t want to flirt with someone else. I don’t even think I can.”
“You can and you will.”
He looks deeply betrayed. “Why can’t you do it?” His expression twists like he just bit into a lemon. “No. Never mind. Don’t want to see that either.”
“Oh, just shut up and go.” I give him a firm push toward the reception desk.
I slip behind a pillar in the lobby, watching as he reluctantly approaches the desk.
At first, she doesn’t even look at him. She’s slouched over the desk, head resting on her palm, scrolling through her phone with half-lidded eyes.
Theo leans in slightly, resting his good arm on the desk, and waits.
It takes a few seconds for her to sense him. She looks up, brows lifting in polite indifference. “Can I help you, sir?”
“I hope so.” His voice is warm, low, perfectly casual. “What’s your name?”
“Uh, Lisa.”
“Hi, Lisa. It’s nice to meet you. You look like you could use a break.”
She blinks, taken slightly off guard, but recovers quickly. “Oh, I’m on my shift.”
“I noticed,” he says, smiling a bit too much. “And here I thought I was the only insomniac wandering around at this hour.”
She doesn’t smile back, but I can see the moment she shifts fromstrictly businesstomildly intrigued. “We do get a lot of late-night guests.”
“Of course.” Theo nods, his fingers tapping lightly against the counter. “Still. Seems like a shame to leave someone as lovely as you stuck behind a desk all night.”
