Page 277 of Trick or Stalk

“I really fucking hate him.”

He stares at me. “Do you?”

“I miss him.” The words escape before I can stop them.

Fuck.

Wilder doesn't smile. Doesn't tease. Doesn't tell me Hades misses me too.

He just waits.

My eyes burn. “And that's what pisses me off the most.”

“Yeah.”

“I miss Hades.” My voice cracks. “And I miss him in the woods.”

There. I said it.

Wilder's expression doesn't change.

“He scared me.”

“I’m sure.”

“But I got used to it. I started looking for him.”

“Habit.”

“Something like that.” I wipe angrily beneath one eye. “I thought there were two men pulling me in different directions.”

Wilder stays quiet.

“There wasn’t.”

“No.”

“It was all him.”

“Yeah.”

“I don't know what the hell to do with that.”

“You don't have to do anything with it.”

I laugh bitterly. “That's not very helpful.”

“I'm not very helpful.”

“Finally, something we agree on.”

That earns a smile.

Then it's gone.

“I can tell you one thing.”

I wait.