Page 36 of A Wild Darkness

“Exactly.” I push off the sink and walk toward her. “Above all, it’s important for us to protect our privacy, so most questions we will not be answering.”

“Okay.”

“And remember, if at any point you’re unsure how to respond, just tap me on the leg, or we can have a code word.”

“What about a phrase?”

“Sure,” I say. “Do you have any in mind?”

She nods. “I read the phrase ‘The dead have heard enough’ in a poem once.”

“Morbid.” I shrug. “But I like it.”

“So, anytime you’re stuck, uncomfortable, or would like the conversation to end, say those words, and I’ll know to jump in. You can always give my hand a quick squeeze if the phrase doesn’t fit the moment.”

“Good.”

“I’ll be back later this evening,” she says, before heading out of the kitchen.

Staring into the space she only just occupied, I get the urge to follow her.

And that’s exactly what I do.

Watching the minutes tick by as I sit in my car outside Nevermore Mortuary and Funeral Home, I think of why I’m waiting in the parking lot while Stevie is inside meeting with her staff.

It’s been a couple hours since she left the manor.

Maybe it’s because she’s supposed to be my girlfriend now? I’ve dated women in the past and never had the urge to stalk them. Or is it because we’re partners now and I’ve never been one to trust people?

Who fucking knows.

I shake my head as if having full conversations alone in a car is a normal thing people do. I also can’t deny it’s also the magnetic energy she pulls me in with—I can’t stay away. Which I don’t like much either. It makes me feel like I’m thinking with the wrong head.

I catch some movement in her office and suddenly realize that I don’t have a good reason to give her for why I’m here.

Dammit.

A quick thought of how I could have simply used TI’s tracking systems on her phone or car seems like a more logical option, but I didn’t. If we’re going to be working closely together, I might as well show her where I really am.

Oh, fuck it. I jerk open the door, letting my boots step onto the asphalt, then lean against the car door in plain sight.

I squint my eyes through the bright sunlight which remains after the deep gray clouds roll in for late afternoon. Stevie emerges from the entrance of the small building, dressed in jeans and a cream-colored sweater. As soon as she heads toward the parking lot, she spots me. Her shoulders fall in annoyance, causing her loose sweater to slide off one shoulder.

I break a smile.

“Sebastian,” Stevie says my name as she approaches me. “You are stalking me.”

I cross my ankles, getting more relaxed. “Maybe I am.”

“You don’t have to follow me around everywhere. You have my phone number, and I’m staying at your house.” She runs a hand through her long corkscrew curls, shoving her hair to one side.

“But you’re my girlfriend.” I smile, knowing the comment will get under her skin. Every time I mention her being my girlfriend, her lips purse into a pout. She makes it too easy for me not to bait her.

“I thought we talked about this earlier?” Her flippant question doesn’t match the light blush on her cheeks.

“You said outside the manor.” I glance around the tall pine trees between each building lining the street. “Technically, we are outside the manor.”

She laughs through the exasperated sigh which fills me with joy. I like getting under her skin. “Fair enough. What did you come here for? I’m heading back to the manor now.”