Page 14 of Twisted Devil

I still couldn't explain what precisely had prompted me to get into the car and drive over here. Even when I’d entered the lobby when one of the tenants held the door for me, I hadn't really expected to find myself on Jason's doorstep. But now I was here, and I had to decide what to do. Go in or turn back?

I threw a glance at apartment 7B. What I’d thought was just a turn of phrase, he apparently had meant literally. The door stood wide open, waiting for me to make my decision.

He’d never made any untoward move, never came on to me, yet months ago he’d handed me a card with his personal information written on the back in scrawling black ink. If you ever want to reach me, he’d said. Had he suspected I was attracted to him and hoped I’d contact him? I was about to find out. Summoning every ounce of courage, I stepped inside.

Jason had changed and was now relaxing on the couch, one foot propped up on the coffee table. For all intents and purposes, he looked completely at ease. But I knew better. The lines around his eyes and mouth were tight with tension, probably worrying over what I was going to do. I slowly closed the door then locked it behind me, cringing inwardly as the metallic click filled the air.

My heart beat faster, and my limbs trembled with nervous energy before I finally forced myself to turn around and face him. The TV played softly in the background, and Jason smiled as I warily ventured closer.

He tipped his head toward the opposite end of the couch. “Make yourself comfortable.”

I jumped when the buzzer rang, and Jason threw a small smile my way as he pushed to his feet. “Pizza’s here. I’ll be right back.”

My heart raced as I watched him hit the button to admit the delivery person, wondering not for the first time what the hell I was doing. This was crazy. Jason grabbed up his wallet from a small side table, then offered the deliveryman a tip before taking the pizza and locking up again.

He strode toward me and slid the box onto the coffee table. “What would you like to drink?”

“Whatever you have is fine.”

Jason grinned and tipped his head. “Come on.”

I rose, wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans, and followed him into the kitchen. His back was to me as he opened a cupboard and pulled down two plates. I couldn’t help but notice the way his broad shoulders filled out the plain tee shirt, rippling and dancing under the fabric as he moved.

“Take these, would you?”

I ripped my eyes away, my cheeks flaring hot as he passed me the plates. If he’d caught me staring at him, he didn’t say a word. Jason moved toward the fridge and grabbed two bottles of water. “Good?”

I nodded and he snatched two paper towels from the roll before leading the way back to the living room. He set the waters on the table, then flipped open the box. My mouth watered even as my stomach twisted, and I handed a plate to Jason, who loaded it up.

I reached in with shaky fingers and withdrew a slice of the cheesy pizza. Jason relaxed into the cushions and returned his gaze to the TV. I forced myself to chew and swallow, all the while watching him from the corner of my eye. But he never moved. Unlike a lot of other people, Jason didn't scrutinize me. He didn’t check on me every two seconds to make sure I was eating, or watching for the smallest sign of an impending breakdown. He was just… there.

I slowly began to relax and we finished off half the pizza in comfortable silence. He didn't interrogate me, didn't watch me like a hawk to see how I reacted to being in a locked room with him. I appreciated all of that more than I could say, and it solidified my opinion that Jason really was the good guy he seemed to be.

We ate the pizza in relative silence, and I had to give Jason credit. For the past half hour, he managed to make occasional small talk without once referring to my abduction or anything that had followed it. He left to put the pizza in the kitchen, and I pushed to my feet, then drifted toward the window. His apartment overlooked a park, and I stared sightlessly at the lush green trees below.

A hundred emotions rioted inside me, and I felt like a fool for coming here. What the hell was I thinking? He'd been polite, but he didn't seem remotely interested in me, not the way he had that day at the coffee shop last year. My heart twisted and deep in thought, I didn't hear him when he stepped back into the room.

“You okay?”

I jumped and whirled toward him, my pulse racing in my veins and thundering in my ears. “S-sorry,” I stammered, “I didn't hear you.”

He smiled gently but didn’t move, and I shifted uncomfortably. “I, um… I wanted to thank you.”

He gave a little nod. “You're welcome.”

“Not for the pizza,” I clarified. “I mean, that too, but… For not interrogating me.”

His head tipped to one side. “I would never do that.”

I was beginning to understand that. “I know,” I said softly. “But I always feel weird when I'm out in public. Everyone wants to know what it was like, how I escaped… This was the first time in forever that I felt like I could relax. It was really nice.”

The tension was back in his face, and his tone was tight when he spoke. “You shouldn't have to put up with that.”

I gave a little shrug. “People are curious. It's…”

“Rude,” Jason cut in.

There was that. I nodded. “I'm just so tired of reliving it over and over, you know?”

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