Page 47 of Nightmare For Hire
“My second client was a pixie. Her human ex found a way to clip her wings, then he beat her. I helped get her to a safe house in Edgewind, then gave that piece of shit nightmares for a few weeks, per the pixie’s request. She didn’t want to go full out, just a taste of what he did to her.”
“That’s terrible,” I whisper. I don’t have wings, but I sympathize nonetheless. My body had been used against my will for so long, practically stolen for others’ pleasure.
“I can tell you of the others, but I think you’re more interested inyourcase.”
I stiffen and grip the chair arms. “Yes. Please.”
“The moment I met Mick, I knew he was trouble. He tried to seduce me with his mer haze.”
I suck in a breath. “Hewasusing something on me.”
“Yes.” Nox’s legs stop swinging. “I don’t think he even understands what he did to you was against your will. Or that it was wrong. I met you with the sole purpose of, well, meeting you. Because I was convinced that you were more than likely the wronged party and I was right. I visited you the night we met and discovered you have nightmares without a Nightmare. That onlyhappens to the severely traumatized. I couldn’t bear to watch you suffer, so I took the nightmares away that night and every night after.”
Finally, I look at him, hope filling my chest. “You took away my nightmares?” I knew I’d been getting much better sleep, and I joked to myself that it had been Nox’s doing.
“You were terrified. I couldn’t watch. I like you, well, not like this. Your eyes are sad. But when you’re happy, I think that’s the real Cyrus, and that’s the one I love.”
It takes me time to process what he just said. “You love me?”
Can someone as vibrant as Nox truly love me?
“So much. I didn’t even know what it was I was feeling for the longest time.”
I just nod. There’s no doubt I love him, but I feel betrayed at the same time. Even if he hadn’t done this maliciously.
“Dani said I should tell you, and honestly, I completely forgot Mick had anything to do with how we met. Plus Mick paid in tinsel.” Nox snorts. “He thinks I don’t know what real unicorn hair looks like.” Nox rolls his eyes. “So, he forfeits his right to give you nightmares, and that means in waking hours, too. I saw when he choked you and left you all bruised.” He waves to my throat. “But I didn’t want you to know I was tracking you. I swear it was just to make sure you got home. I should have intervened, but then Mick would have known I was on to him and I needed to see what his next few moves were going to be.” Nox hangs his head.
I push to my feet. “I don’t know what to say.” I need to move and pace the small room.
“It wasn’t anything personal if it helps. And now I want nothing more than to keep you and the rest of my charges safe. Because I really do feel like everyone I’ve taken the case of has become my friend.” Nox digs his phone from his purse. “This is Nev, the jackalope.” He shows me a picture of someone withthe biggest grin on their face. Black curls brush their shoulders. Their antlers and jack rabbit ears stick up. They have a slightly upturned nose and oversized teeth.
“They look so happy.”
“Exactly.” Nox shoves his phone back in his purse. “I want to say I helped them. And if nothing else, I want to help you, too. But for whatever reason, there’s something different about you. I want to know everything about you, from the moment you were born to this moment in time where I can’t stop thinking about how sad that flier made you and how much softer your eyes are now that you have my explanation.”
“Why?” No one ever wants to really know me, except for Devon and Norris. They’re the only true friends I have. That’s not right. They’re the only ones I’ve let in. I know Maddox keeps trying and my stubborn ass keeps shutting him out.
“Why not? You’re smart, funny. Made me understand why you like babies even if I still think they’re grody. But the best part. Your smile and your boots.” Nox grins wide and throws out his leg. “You and I have a huge boot collection and some day we need to compare.”
I snort. “I really do love a good platform. It makes people take notice.”
“It really does!”
“You didn’t say anything about my looks.” I tip my head. That’salwayshow people start. Even Dani when we met.
“I didn’t think you’d want to hear from yet another person how beautiful you are. Aside from your eyes, your freckles might be my favorite. Have you ever connected them with marker? That would be fun, to make them constellations. I just like looking at you. It’s like every time I find something else to be fascinated by. Like this little…” He hops from the desk and flicks at a piece of hair by my temple. “This tiny little cowlick is so endearing.”
“Youactuallylike me?” I smoothe the tendril behind my ear and he pouts, but it’s good-natured.
“Yeah! Like I said, I want to know you. There is still a lot of you to discover and I dunno. Dani would say I’ve latched on to you, and I suppose I have.”
“I come with a lot of baggage, Nox.A lot.”
“I figured that out between everything you and Mick have said. And I don’t care. You want things to go glacially slow? That’s fine by me.”
I brace myself to ask, “Can I think about it? I… I need time to think about everything.”
Nox’s shoulders drop. “Yeah. That works. Uhm, message me if you want to do something?”
