“It’s not.”
“Yes,it is,” she replies. Looking around the room, she inspects the ceiling. “Do you have cameras? I don’t see any.”
“I don’t need cameras. I have a security system in place.” I say, confidently. I raise my shirt, my Glock sitting tucked in my waistband. Her face tightens. “My security.” I cover my weapon with my shirt.
“Another thing,” she raises the beer and takes another long swallow. I watch her throat roll, “I was chased by a mother moose and a pack of wolves. I will never go out there again.” Her eyes bulge.
I chuckle, my chest rising and falling hard. She’s dramatic, but I like it.
“Who is trying to kill you, by the way? Are you in some sortof trouble? Owe someone money?” Even though there’s humor laced in my tone, I’m genuinely upset at the thought of someone trying to hurt Coraline. To go to these lengths. She seems like a sweet girl…a little naive, but doesn’t warrant that type of hatred and insanity. That’s why I think this idea of someone running her off the road is almost unbelievable. I hate to say it, but her story is skeptical. I’ll keep that part to myself.
“I don’t know!” she quips, her voice cracking with a sullen croak. Her eyes turn glassy as she runs her fingers against the healing gash on her face. “I don’t know who is trying to kill me. It all started about a few weeks ago, when I received a letter bearing a simple threat. ‘I’m going to kill you,’ she mocks. “It was so comical to me that I didn’t think much of it. But now, ever since I came to Sleepy Coldwater, I’ve been getting texts from an unknown number. And now? He ran me off the road. My rental car is wrecked. You found me before he could finish me off. And now I have scars on my body.” She pushes me away, and her posture collapses. “I’m scared,” she whispers. “I’m so fucking scared, Gavin.” Her weary gaze drifts in my direction, then flickers back to the beer in her hand—a flash of fear written in her brown irises.
I don’t like hearing her voice tremble like this.
“I don’t mean to be that guy who tells you it’s all in your head, so please don’t get offended. I don’t think anyone is out there right now. No one could survive that storm outside like that with no shelter or heat.”
“You have to believe me, Gavin,” she pleads, leaning forward. “I know I sound crazy. I feel like I’ve been going crazy.” She swallows nervously. “From the accident. Seeing figures disappear from your home into thin air. This is all so weird to me,” she murmurs. “Has anyone died here?”
I stiffen.
I don’t want to talk about death. I know it’s been a while since I’ve talked to someone as beautiful as her, and I’d rathertalk about anything else than the history of this place. She shifts in her seat when I don’t answer, drawing her brows tight, her cheeks flushing. Her beautiful honey eyes drift toward the crackling fireplace instead.
“Sweetheart, do I scare you?”
She turns back to me wide-eyed.
“Why?”
I shrug.
“Because everyone is.”
Everyone is scared of me. No one comes onto my land unless they need something. No one cares to talk to me because of my history. A history that will send this beautiful girl running out of my house in the middle of the night if she finds out.
She blinks slowly.
I can see her pulse pounding away on her dainty neck.
“Get some sleep. I’ll take the couch, and well, you can take the bed.”
I take the beer from her hand and give her mine to help her to her feet.
“I don’t think I can,” she says, her hips brushing against mine as she heads toward the hallway.
“Go to sleep, Coraline. It’s late.”
“Gavin. You saved my life twice.” I stop walking. She pauses and flicks her nervous gaze to me. Her chest reddens as I wait for her to finish.
“Thank you,” she says.
My brow rises. Where is this going? We’re standing right outside my bedroom. The sound of trees scratching the outside walls joins our deep, shallow breaths. She smells like my shampoo, with a hint of something sweet.
“For what?”
“For everything. For helping me. For talking to me,” she says, looking straight at me. My chest swells until it’s full of warmth and good feelings.
“Talking to you?” I ask.
