AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“The cop in me does, but the man knows the reality of life is seen in shades of gray.”
I lick my lips and watch him zero in on the action. “I think I’m going to go back to bed.”
He coughs to clear his throat before standing up and offering me his hand. I place my hand in his before grabbing my mug with my free hand. He walks me back upstairs to the guest room but hovers in the doorway. He presses a kiss on my forehead, pinning me against the door frame before he pulls back.
His eyes move over my face before he curses and slides his hand into my hair. His mouth slams down over mine. Shocked, I freeze for a second, the mug slipping from my hand. The milk splashes over my legs before I shove him away.
“I can’t. I’m sorry.” I duck into the room and close the door.
“Fuck. I’m going to go. Don’t worry about the mess. I’ll clean it up later,” he calls through the door.
When I don’t answer, I hear two thumps as if he’s banging his head against the wall, but then he walks away.
I fist my hands at my sides, ignoring the sting of my lips. I walk over to the bed and pull off the duvet and pillows before taking them into the bathroom. I shove them into the bathtubbefore returning to the bedroom and grabbing my teddy bear. When I return to the bathroom, I turn the lock and climb into the tub.
The lock offers little protection from a man determined to get in, but it gives me enough comfort to calm down. I wouldn’t have calmed so quickly if it had been Valen on the other side of the door. There is no way that man would let something as pathetic as a bathroom door stand in his way of getting to me.
I bury my face in my teddy bear as a tear slips free. I try to hold it back, but one is followed by another, followed by another, until my muffled cries fill the room. And once the floodgates are open, I can’t stop. I cry for everything I’ve lost and for remembering everything I wish I could forget.
Eventually, my tears run out, and the only sound that remains in the bathroom is the tiny hitches as I try to catch my breath. Once I’ve purged everything and allowed myself to mourn for all the pieces of myself I’ve lost along the way, I start to plan.
I harden myself to what I need to do. I owe it to myself and every other victim out there. Because now that the shock has worn off and I’ve cried my heart out, only two thoughts remain in my head.
I know who the killer is.
And I’m not strong enough to stop them from killing again.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Rue
Isleep most of the day away, waking up at six p.m. with an aching body that feels like it’s been run over by a truck and an odd sense of foreboding.
I place the glass of juice on the table next to the plate of pancakes and bacon before grabbing a fork and knife from the drawer and laying them beside the plate. I look up when I hear footsteps approaching and see Nathan. He rubs his hand over his face, wiping sleep from his eyes as he strolls into the kitchen wearing nothing but his sleep pants.
I avert my gaze as he walks closer to me and kisses my temple. “Breakfast for dinner, huh? You didn’t have to do all this.”
“I wanted to say thank you.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me.” He smiles before taking his seat and drinking down his juice in one go.
I sit across from him, and watch him dig in as I start eating my smaller meal despite feeling sick. I know I need to keep mystrength up so I take my time and clear my plate smiling when Nathan finishes well before me. He leans back and rubs his flat stomach as I pick up my juice and sip at it before placing it down. A quick look at the clock before I get to my feet shows we’ve been sitting here for thirty minutes. I leave the dishes on the table and walk past Nathan to the living room.
My toes curl in the plush white rug as I wait for him to follow. He steps up behind me, his hand going to my hip as he presses his forehead to the back of my head. We stand there, saying nothing for a long moment before I start humming.
He lifts his head and turns me to look at him, his fingers tipping my chin up. “No more hiding.”
I keep humming, swaying a little, with Nathan unconsciously swaying with me as he frowns. His hold on my hip tightens a little as his eyes become unfocused.
“Nathan?”
“What is that?” His eyes close, his grip tightening hard enough to leave bruises.
“Nathan, what’s wrong?”
He stumbles.
“Shit. Here, sit down.” I help him over to the sofa, lowering him down.
