Page 28 of Essence of Fear

Pav hummed under his breath and eyed her from the side. “A party to celebrate something beautiful.”

“So, you really do need a generic card?”

“I suppose.”

It took her all of three seconds to find a generic card with the usual congratulations stamped on the front, and the usual platitudes on the inside. She grabbed the matching envelop, and handed it over to Pav, too. He took them with the same smile as before.

“There you are.”

She turned to walk away, but it was his hand quickly curving around her wrist that stopped her. She froze all over, and a small tremor worked its way through her sinew. Air sucked fast and sharp into her lungs.

At the same time, she enjoyed the warmth of his palm against his skin. She liked the way his fingers tightened against her skin, and the pressure of his fingertips pressing into her racing pulse point. There was no way to hide the way his touch both terrified her and confused her.

Excited her.

Viktoria looked back at Pav but said nothing.

He quirked a brow. “I was going to say thank you.”

She nodded. “You don’t have to.”

Now, let me go.

The words came out in her mind, but not out of her mouth. She wanted to say them, and she didn’t want to say them at the same time.

How strange …

“Da. I was going to say it, but now I want to say something else.”

Viktoria wet her bottom lip, muttering, “So, say whatever it is, then.”

“You’re still scared of me?”

She blinked.

Her mouth worked, though.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Why?”

“The same reason that everyone else scares me, Pav.”

He tipped his head to the side. “But do you approach them like you do me?”

“No.”

He nodded, and then let her go.

Viktoria swallowed hard, pushing back her fear. “You know, you should get out of the Compound more often.”

Pav’s gaze darted back to hers. “Why?”

“You look good out in the light like everyone else.”

Pretending to be normal. Acting like you fit in. Just like me.

He did smile that time.