Page 148 of Under the Lies

“Yeah, Noah can’t say anything with me in the room,” I snark. “I’m not allowed to know anything. I’m just supposed to sit here and look pretty.”

Gabe and Noah share a look before he leaves, shutting the door quietly behind him.

I look at Noah. He’s back to glaring at my cat. “If you don’t like animals, why—”

“Why am I allowing it now?” he fills in.

I nod.

“Because I wanted you to be happy.”

My eyes widen. Before I can say anything, Noah’s phone goes off. Moving to get it, he eyes Pan with indifference.

He reads what’s on the screen, only to curse as he brings it to his ear.

My own ears strain to listen, but I can’t hear anything.

Noah moves around the room on autopilot, getting dressed as he listens to whatever is being said on the other line. With another curse, he hangs up and shoves the phone into his pocket.

“I have to go,” he tells me, synching his watch to his wrist. “There’ll be two people in the lobby if you want to leave, but I think you might be wanting to stay in today.” He casts a glance at Pan.

I freeze. The thought of being alone…No. I can’t let what happen control me. I can be alone. I love being alone.

I must not look that convincing.

Noah walks over to me and cups my cheek. “I won’t be gone long.”

“Is this about who took me?”

He nods, starting to pull away.

I grab his wrist to stop him. “Can I just request one thing?”

“We both know you’re going to anyway, so go on.”

“Can you keep me updated? I need to know what’s happening. For my own sanity.”

It takes him several seconds until he nods, pulling away from me and walking out the door. Leaving me alone with my cat.

Turning to Pan, I scratch under his skin. “So, what’ve you been up to?”

The next week goes by in a blur. It’s the kind of week that doesn’t feel like any time has passed, but when you look at the calendar, you realize you’re already on Friday when you thought it was either Tuesday or Wednesday.

It’s also the kind of week, where everything feels different but changes subtly occur.

Changes like the calendar shifting from January to February. The weather from cold to frigid.

Changes like I’m no longer okay in the dark. Ever since the night in the cemetery I can’t be in utter darkness. I start to sweat, my chest pinches, my breathing almost stops. I now need a nightlight when I sleep, so when I jolt awake in terror, I’m reminded that it’s okay, I’m okay. I’m safe.

But the biggest change has been the dynamics between Noah and me. He’s been around so much, to the point where it’s become overbearing.

Everywhere I am, he is. Sometimes by my side and other times he lurks like a creeper in the shadows. Eyes following my every move.

After the cemetery, there was a moment where I thought Noah was going to try and chain me to his apartment, just to keep me from going out when he couldn’t follow. We fought for hours about it until he finally relented and I let him tie me up in another, more fun way.

That night stole a sense of safety from me, solace in the dark, but I’ll be damn if it steals my independence too.

Gone are Silent One and Silent Two. Noah and Thea have since replaced them after Noah reamed them out for their shitty protective skills. They were at the gallery the night I was taken.

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