Page 111 of The Unravelings

He beams at me with glazed-over eyes and takes a sip. Instantly, his eyes widen, and he takes another gulp. “Oh, it’s so good! Thank you.”

“Oh, you are so welcome. Make sure your friend Oliver gets this one?” That’s not too suspicious, is it? Nah. It can’t be, especially with the smile crossing Simon’s lips. He doesn’t suspect a damn thing.

Idiot.

I almost scold him for being a terrible friend and taking drinks from people he doesn’t really know, but that defeats the purpose of this. I need my little ghost to consume the drink so she can tell me everything she knows.

Simon blinks at me several times and takes it without hesitation. “Absolutely. Oli is going to love this, too!”

Yes, I bet Oliver will.

Nothing sent shivers down my spine like watching her consume the drink I specifically made for her. Her eyes drooped. Her body slowed down. And when she came to speak to me? Well, all bets were off. The second her eyes shut for good, I dragged her to my bed, and no one knew where she disappeared to.

“Little Ghost,” I murmur, moving the short strands of her hair from off her forehead.

“Mhmm,” she mutters under her breath.

“Why are you here, Little Ghost? What brought you to Greenwood University?”

Did you come back to me? Do you remember me from when we were kids? It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask her.

“Business,” she mutters again, letting a small snore tear through her throat.

“And what kind of business? Tell me, Olivia,” I practically beg, holding her close against my body. Thank God my keeper was preoccupied and didn’t notice the moment I slipped out of the party with her under my arm.

But all I get in return is more snores and her body melting into mine.

“I’d keep you here forever, if I could. But maybe another time I’ll pry the answers out of you,” I mutter, leaning my forehead against hers and relishing in the heat of her body.

It grounds me here in the now, taking away the manic thoughts roaming through my head and the thumping music from below.

All too soon, the music stops, the people leave, and Wilder grumbles a goodnight through the door without checking in on me. It’s a win-win. My only problem is the snoring girl, dressed as a man, lying beside me.

It’s too bad she didn’t spill her guts to me. Oh well, another place, another time. I suppose. I’m a patient man. Well, as patient as I can be. I’ve waited five years for her to come back. I let her slip through my fingers once.

Never again.

I smirk, taking a quick picture of her in my arms, and sigh heavily when she snuggles closer to my chest. Even in her sleep form, she knows who she truly belongs to.

Me.

If I could stay in this position until she wakes up, I would. But she’s persistent in keeping herself hidden from everyone. So, I’ll continue to keep her secret from the world. And let her think I don’t know anything.

I shake myself out of the memories of that night before I try to slip away and do it again. I could get used to having Olivia in my arms, knowing exactly where she is and what she’s doing. But the timing isn’t right. Not even when I dropped her into her bed and tucked her in for the night.

“Good night, Little Ghost,” I mutter, pulling the blanket up to her chest. “Now, you won’t mind if I snoop a little, will you?” I grin when her only response is to snore again. So adorable. So precious. I can’t wait to have her in my bed every night sounding exactly like this. “That’s what I thought,” I hum to myself as I stand before her dresser and cock my head. “Now, if I were a secret you wanted to tuck away and hide, where would I be?” I stroke my chin as I pull open the top drawer and smirk at the fabric staring back at me. “Oh, boxers. How brave of you, Little Ghost. Really committed to the part, then.”

I chuckle, rifling through them until my fingers hit something hard and my brows furrow as I dig further. “Well, what is this, hmm?” I grin, holding the purple vibrator in the air and admiring it. The strong urge to sniff it overtakes me, but I don’t give in. I’m not that big of a creep. Am I? I mean, I am rifling through her things, trying to find out her secrets. That’s all. Not licking her vibrator to see if her pussy tastes like I remember. I grin more when my thumb brushes against a button, and it starts to vibrate loudly in the room. Quickly, I turn it off and shove it back into the drawer. “Well, that was close.” I peek at her again as she rolls to her side, giving me her back.

Or not.

“Well, one sex toy down. What else are you hiding beneath your boxers? More sex toys?” I murmur to myself as I continue digging and stop again when more items brush against my fingers. “Well, well.” I grin at the sight of a small shield, displaying the name Veritas. “Agent Seven? Now, that’s interesting.”

I hum as I come back to the present and take a deep breath. Now is not the time to get lost in the naughty memories of my favorite ghost. Instead, I refocus my gaze as I inspect the shiny badge etched with the number seven sitting in my hands. If only it could talk and tell me everything. A shame it can’t. Olivia wouldn’t talk. Her badge won’t say a word. Maybe I’ll get lucky with my newest guest, occupying the metal chair in the middle of my basement lair, and she’ll give me the answers I’m seeking.

Third time is the charm, right?

A loud groan echoes from behind me, drawing me back to the matter at hand. Dr. Lohr. My newest prisoner. My newest pincushion.