Page 18 of Psychotic Nightmares

A thought crosses my mind, does Julian hide behind his mask like I do my hair? His scars show just how much he survived. How much he endured. He doesn’t need to hide, because even with his scars he is still gorgeous. His emeraldcolored eyes shone bright against his pale skin. His nose perfectly straight in the middle of his face, his full lips pulling into a small smile. His scars are the only imperfection, and even then, they suit him well. They say every scar tells a story, and Julian must have many stories to tell.

“I don’t have to hide any more right?” I relish in the massage she is giving me.

“Oh Natalie,” she starts combing the conditioner through my hair with her fingers after rinsing off the shampoo. “You should never have had to hide in the first place. Whomever made you feel like you had to should feel ashamed.”

“Thank you.” I sniff. “Thank you, Pea. It feels nice to have such kind words spoken to me after all this time.”

“Julian doesn’t compliment you?”

“Oh he does. All the time. But because he says it too often, I don’t believe him any more.”

“Ahh, I see.” She nods in agreement. “I understand that all too well.” She gives me a sideways grin. “But if it’s coming from Julian. He’s being truthful. That man struggles to lie. It’s fun watching him squirm when he’s trying to keep a secret from me.” She chuckles evilly. “He’s so easy to tease too.”

The smile I give her is genuine.

Do you think she can be trusted? She seems nice enough.

“I will appreciate a haircut when you have time, please.” I whisper once she’s finished rinsing my hair. With me still holding on the bar, she keeps one hand on me as extra precaution and stretches to retrieve the towel from the hook just outside the shower. Peacock wraps it around my body then gets another to wrap around my shoulders. Helping me balance she leads me to the chair by the bed. I sink into the soft cushion, the pain from behind isn’t as bad as before, but I still wince as the pressure hits.

“Sit here and I’ll go get the things I need.” She skips to the door excitedly.What is with this woman?

“Why are you all wet?” I hear Julian ask, then the familiarsound of a spoon hitting the sides of a mug. “Hey, why are you rummaging through my drawers?”

“I’m looking for something.” Peacock replies. I hear more rummaging, then footsteps that fade away. “Stealing some clothes Jules.”

“What, no.” Quick and heavy footfalls follow soon after. He must be chasing her. I can’t stop the grin crossing my face as I listen to the two of them.

“Aww, come on boss. I’m all wet and so is your girlfriend so we need some clothes.” Am I his girlfriend now? We haven’t confirmed anything.

“Then you should have brought your own. I’ll find clothes for Natalie, you can stay wet.” He didn’t correct her. So maybe, just maybe, we are in a relationship.

“No fair, I thought we were friends.” I can picture Peacock pouting.

“I am your friend, that doesn’t mean you can robmy clothes.” I imaginehim rollinghis gorgeous emerald eyes.

An alarm rings out, it’s almost deafening as it blares. Three seconds pass and it stops. I wonder what that was about.

The other two stay silent. I hear a door slam and some struggling sounds and Peacock is soon coming back into the room, basically tiptoeing like she is trying to be sneaky. In her arms are some fresh clothes, some scissors and a comb. “Okay, I’m going to change quickly then I’ll help you dry and dress, okay?” She says quietly.

“Okay.”

I notice the scars dotted all around her toned body as she strips. Some are a lot fresher than others. But all of them tell a story. Not giving a care in the world she takes off all her clothes and dries herself off. I try my very best not to watch.

Oh shhh, you would peek too.

She throws on some loose tracksuit bottoms and v neck once she’s all dried, throwing the damp towel onto the shower floor. The pants almost fall off her tiny frame so she folds them over, making them a little tighter. “Right, now that’s done, let's get you dried off.” She pulls the towel off my shoulders, bends and starts to dry my legs. It reminds me of that one time…

“Will you stay still?” He laughs as I jump away from his towel covered hands and almost crash into the shower screen. “I can’t dry you properly if you keep wriggling.” His muscled arms lift me over his shoulder, walksinto the living room, and throwsme on the sofa, where some fresh PJ’s from the dryer are waiting. He grabs the towel again and kneels in front of me.

“Then stop tickling me.” I squeal. Jumping again as he dries my feet. I can’t see his smile but can hear it as he tells me again to stay still. I didn’t realise he was here when I got up in the middle of the night, my legs covered in blood from where I started my period. After cleaning up what I could in the bedroom and inserting a tampon, I jump in the shower. Mr Stalker waited outside the bathroom door for me andinsistedon drying me off, which is how we ended up in a tickle fight I could not win.

“There.” He chuckles. “All dry. Time to get dressed right? You do that and I’ll make you a cup of tea.”

This man and his damn tea. I roll my eyes and put on the PJ’s, sliding under the blanket on the sofa that smells like him. Isee his hoodie slung over the back of the sofa, I’m tempted to slide it over my shoulders but resist the temptation, for a brief second before grabbing the garment, still warm, and sliding it over my head. “You came late today.” I call from my seat to the kitchen where I can see only his shoulder. “Busy day?”

“Very.” He sighs. “Today I found out just how sadistic some people can be. But I’d rather not talk about that now. Now I just want to spend some time with you. Wanna watch some Stranger Things?”I don’t reply and instead pick up the TV remote and turn on Netflix. He comes in with my heating pad and two cups in his hands, puts them on the table and then takes some chocolate out of his tracksuit pockets. Lifting me with ease, he sits with one leg sprawled out on the sofa and settles me between his legs. He holds the heating pad against my stomach as he wraps his arms around me and I help myself to the chocolate. Taking the first bite with a satisfied hum. “I’ve stocked up the bottom drawer of the fridge for you treasure, and there's plenty of painkillers too if you need, but I would prefer you use this.” He taps my heating pad. “I’d rather you not be out of it on drugs, even if they are over the counter meds.”

“Mmm, well if it means snuggling up to you like this, Mr Stalker, I’d happily use this every time.”