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I can’t stop looking at Kayla as she sleeps through. I can’t explain it, but there’s a pressure in my chest. A tightness that makes me wary. Uncomfortable.
I feel protective of her.
And I don’t know why.
I don’t like it. But I’ll be damned if I’ll let anything happen to her on my watch. Especially with my MO. If she’s going to die by poison, you better bet I’ll be the one administering it. Until then, until I can get to the bottom of who is setting me up, I’ll protect her with my last breath.
Because I want to know who’s framing me.
Not for any other reason.
TAKES MORE THAN A LITTLE STRANGULATION TO TAKE ME DOWN
‘JOKE’S ON YOU’ – CHARLOTTE LAWRENCE
KOOKABURRA
Well last night wasn’t the most fun I’ve had involving a dick and nearly dying, but it also wasn’t the worst experience ever either, so I’m chalking it up as a win.
Was it totally fucking weird coming round on my new kitchen floor with my head in Night’s lap? Yes. Was it even weirder that he was stroking my face and murmuring pet names at me like ‘sweetheart’ and ‘baby’? Fuck yes. But that wasn’t even the weirdest part of my night.
It was waking up to find Night watching over me.
I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep, but I couldn’t resist peeking at him through my lowered lashes. He washed every item in my kitchen, opened every bottle of wine and sniffed them all, before pouring them all down the sink. I guess they were all poisoned or something. I don’t know. He kept checking on me the entire time, the strangest look on his face.
I knew then that Night wasn’t just some random hookup. There’s clearly more to him, and I want to find out what that is. This whole place is weird, and not what I expected, and I need to get to the bottom of what’s really going on.
I wait for him to leave my room before opening my eyes and sitting up. He’s left me another glass of water on the counter, so I sip it slowly, trying to piece together everything that happened yesterday.
My head is throbbing, and I wince as I touch the bump on the back of my scalp where I must have hit it when I fell.
I head to the bathroom. In the mirror, all I can focus on is the dark circles under my eyes in my reflection. I look like an absolute mess. But there’s something else, a spark in my eyes, a fire that’s been ignited. Might need to do something about the angry purple ring around my throat from the cheese wire though.
At first I thought Night was trying to kill me when he slipped that noose around my neck, but seeing his reaction to the poison has got me second guessing myself. He doesn’tseemto want me dead, and I very much doubt a psychopath could fake concern so well.
I wash and brush my teeth. Find a hairbrush in the vanity, so use it, and tie my long bright red locks back in a fishtail braid. Whoever stocked my room was kind enough to think of everything, from hair ties to feminine hygiene products, perfume and even a small, still boxed, vibrator in my bedside drawer. What the fuck?
I grab some ripped jeans and a white tank from the wardrobe, deciding to forgo the underwear. It’s creepy as fuck that someone knew my sizing. I’m not wearingthat. But clothes are better than the orange jumpsuit, so I won’t cut my nose off to spite my face. Funny saying that. I’ve cut someone’s nose off before. It wasn’t pleasant or pretty.
When I’m ready, my feet inside some trusty, chunky heeled, shit-kicker boots that I totally would have got for myself if I wasn’t poor as fuck, I don’t quite know what to do with myself. You’d have thought that an asylum considerate enough to leave weapons casually lying around for me to use would also provide some sort of welcome packet with a daily timetable, but apparently hospitality only goes so far. Whatever. I’ll take the lethal shit over pamphlets and timetables any day.
As I’m standing in front of the kitchen island, lost in my thoughts, there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I call.
It’s not Night, but Hatchet who steps into my room.
“Good morning, daddy,” I say, a mischievous grin stretching across my lips. “How are you today? Apart from mighty fucking fine?”
He shoots me an amused smirk but doesn’t reply. I huff. Iwillget him to speak to me. I’ll make it my mission to break him before the week is out.
“Let me guess, you’re here to escort me somewhere?” I ask. He nods. “Breakfast?” I ask hopefully. Another nod.
His gaze lands on my throat and anger flashes across his features fast as lightning. He raises a brow at me in silent question.
“Oh this?” I point to the tender spot on my neck and shrug like it’s nothing. “That’s nothing to worry your pretty little head about, gorgeous. I’m fine, as you can see. Takes more than a little strangulation to take me down.” I wink at him and smack him on his delectable arse. “After you, lead the way. Do I need to hold daddy’s hand?”
Iswearhe snorts, even if don’thearanything. I close my door behind me – not that there’s much point as there’s no damn lock – and loop my arm through his. He stiffens momentarily under my touch, but hey, unless he says something or pushes me away, I’m not gonna stop.
