Page 112 of Mayhem and Minnie

It’s fascinating on a deep level—perhaps I should ask my therapist about this. First, I need to find another therapist, I suppose. And quite urgently.

The way Minnie can play with my emotions is dangerous—far too dangerous. And this isn’t just about my mental peace—though I have not had any since she came into my life—it’s also about keeping my urges in check. That used to be something I was good at.

Before.

Now?

I fear no one in my vicinity is safe as long as I’m constantly in a murderous mood. But more than anything, I am not safe as long as I allow her to have such control over me.

“Who. Is. He?” I demand again, my voice dropping to a low octave. She shivers, but it’s not from the cold.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Marlowe,” she whispers. “You’re scaring me.”

“Good. I should scare you,” I grind out. “I should fucking scare you, Minnie. Because it seems I’ve been far too lax with you if you thought you could meet with your fucking lover in my home.”

“What lover? Are you insane?” She shakes her head as she tries to deny it.

I tighten my hold on her arms, feeling the way her plush skin molds to my bruising grip.

My mouth curls up in a sick smile.

“Oh, I am insane. Perhaps you should have realized that earlier. Before you started fucking with my mind. Before you turned me into this.”

“Marlowe…”

“Who. Was. He?” I repeat.

“I told you. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she murmurs, gazing up at me with concern.

“Stop lying, Minnie,” I grit out. “Stop fucking lying to my face. I know what I saw.”

I let my gaze scan the surrounding area behind her, and sure enough, there’s a pair of foreign footprints.

“What’s this then?” I ask as I pull her toward the trail of footprints that lead into the neighboring land.

She loses her equilibrium and falls to her knees in the snow. Her chest rises and falls as she looks up at me.

“Marlowe, you’re worrying me. There’s nothing there,” she says in a small voice. Raising one hand, she points to the pristine snow.

I blink.

No fucking way.

“What the fuck…” I mutter under my breath.

“I don’t know what’s going on with you, Marlowe, but there was no one here. No man. No woman. No one. Absolutely no one,” she continues in a calm voice.

I let go of her arm and take a step back.

What the fuck?

What’s happening?

There were clearly prints in the snow, just as there was a man with her minutes ago. I saw it. I’m sure I saw it.

But…

Minnie slowly gets up and dusts the snow from her body. Her movements are slow, calculated. She’s not trembling. She’s not grimacing from the cold.

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