Page 129 of The Night Shift
“Oh, I’m sorry if that sounded like a question. I will be picking you up at ten. Wear sensible shoes and carry a coat. It’s supposed to snow tonight.”
She huffs and steps toward the door. I side-step and block her path.
“Is that a yes or a no?”
“It’s actually a ‘go fuck yourself.’”
“Youarecoming with me, Holly. Whether you like it or not. Because if you don’t, I will —”
“You willwhat? Go to the cops? Be my guest. I’ll be sure to let them know to keep the adjoining cell empty for you. Or have you forgotten about the manyoukilled last night?”
I’m pretty sure I blush.Adjoining cell. She wants me close. Even in prison.
“If you refuse to come with me, I’ll go to April and tell her how bad of a girl her little sister has been.”
At first, it’s clear Holly thinks I’m talking about the murders. She doesn’t even roll her eyes — just stares, cool and unaffected, like she’s weighing her options. But then I clarify that I’m actually talking about last night. How she kissed me first, then climbed into my lap begging for more.
Her lips part, a tiny breath slipping out. Her shoulders go rigid. The tips of her ears flush pink, quickly spreading to her neck, betraying her otherwise sharp glare. Her fingers twitch at her sides like she’s fighting the urge to clench them into fists andsucker punch my face. She looks like a cornered animal about to lash out because it has no other choice.
Which is true. She doesn’t have a choice.
Her nostrils flare. “So, this is how you want to play it out? I refuse to fuck you, and you blackmail you? How classy.”
“You do realize that neither outcome of alleged blackmail involves you bouncing on my dick again, right?” For now, that is. Knowing Holly, we’ll end up somewhere interesting soon enough. Another dark, scary building. Another smashed skull, or something more inventive this time. Fornow,I just need to keep her close to me.
Holly’s face flushes — anger, confusion, frustration all flashing across her features. “Then what the hell is your agenda?”
“To be close to you.”
She doesn’t say anything, but I can tell she wants to hit me. “You are a filthy, fucking cockroach.”
“Because I want to take my beautiful coworker on a late-night drive? That seems harsh.”
“Harsh? You want to tell my sister that we slept together! I don’t think I’m being harshenough.”
“I wonder what that would look like.”
“Theo, if you tell anyone about last night, I swear to god, I will do unspeakable things to your body. Andnotin a hot way.”
A smile tugs at my mouth.Funny Holly. “You should consider a career in comedy.”
“And you should consider shutting the fuck up before I use my scalpel to fuck you in the face.”
“Enough. Stop flirting with me.”
“She’ll never believe you,” Holly says. “April won’t believe you. She knows I can’t stand you.”
“Yet I made you scream, didn’t I?”
Her lips twitch, and her gaze flickers to my torso. “So have I.”
I take a step closer, my hand moving toward her waist. “Mmhm, do it again.”
She swats it away and pushes me away. Twin spots of anger bloom in her cheeks. Fiery, breathtaking, and absolutely fucking perfect. It’s almost too easy to push her buttons, to watch her unravel. I could live off her fury for life. Drink it straight from the source, bottle it, let it burn me from the inside out.
“And why the hell are you still obsessed with…him?” She pauses, like saying Nate’s name might shave ten years off her life. “We already killed the guy who sent me all those texts!”
I frown.We?“One, stop taking credit for my work. And two, as far as the object of my obsession goes, it’s you.” I tap the tip of her nose with my finger. “Just you.”
