Page 28 of Grave Obsession

I jump out of my truck and run to her side of the car. She looks frantic. I knock on her window and she screams. Something has spooked my girl, and it wasn’t me. Opening her door, I can see that her hands are shaking and her cheeks are wet from crying. She looks up at me, eyes pleading for comfort. I snag her keys from the ignition and scoop her into my arms. I carry her through the rain to the front door.

“What key is it?” I whisper to her.

“The purple one.” All her keys are colour coded with little rubber pieces around the head of the key. I unlock the door and head inside. I’m tracking muddy water on the floor but I don’t care, I’ll clean it up later.

I set her gently down on the couch and wrap the ghost blanket she loves so much around her shoulders. I move quickly to fill the kettle and turn it on. Racing back outside I grab her packages then close up her car and lock it. I nab the bags from the cab of my truck and haul everything inside. I glance over to her on the couch, she’s gone, disappeared off in her mind again. Her vacant stare cuts me to the bone, we were doing so well. What the fuck happened? I grab the bookshelves from the bed of my truck and place them in the purple room. The kettle is screaming and it must pull her out of her dissociative state because when I come around the corner she’s standing in the kitchen.

“Hey, are you okay? I can make the tea for you,” I ask, approaching her like I would a wounded animal.

“I got it, thank you though. Do you want some?”

“No thanks, tea tastes like grass.”

“Do you eat grass often?” she quips, a small smile turning her lips as she takes me in. I’m dripping wet from the rain. She watches a drop fall from my hair, run down my face and along my neck. Stopping when it gets absorbed into the collar of my hoodie. Another one falls and her tongue darts out to wet her lips, it’s like she wants to lick it from my skin. I’d let her. She's getting all fired up after being upset two minutes ago. Being able to compartmentalize your feelings so efficiently isn’t a great sign but at least she’s not crying anymore.

“Do you have any non-grass flavoured beverages to offer me?” I ask. Her eyes meet mine as she plunks the tea bag into her mug of steaming water.

“There’s probably something in the fridge.” She gestures behind her. I go and pull the door open, grabbing a bottle of water. When I turn back to her she is leaning on the counter unabashedly checking me out.

“So are you going to tell me what happened?” I ask.

“Oh, it was nothing. I got freaked out over this weirdo at the post office. He knows where I live and it scared me because the other night…well you know, I thought I saw someone in the trees. Anyways, once you brought me inside I was able to realize that probably everyone in town knows I live here. So, my fear was really unjustified.”

I nod, rationalizing what she tells me. It is true that everyone in town knows she moved up here after her parents disappeared. “Did you know the guy?” I ask.

“No, but his face was familiar. Like everyone in this small town probably is.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Mallory

Lennox is so sweet and I like him…like, a lot. What the hell am I doing? He stayed to make sure I was okay and to help me build the new bookshelves. He even offered to set up my new security cameras, but I declined. He tried to push, claiming my safety is important, and while I agree… I like being surprised by Ghost even more. The anticipation awakes something dark and needy in me. I want to embrace it, to see where it leads me.

I know our time needs to come to an end before Ghost shows up and beats the shit out of Nox for being here. But I just can’t bring myself to kick him out. He’s currently helping me stack all my books in the new library room so he can move my other three shelves in here. He’s such a bloody gentleman. I can’t just ask him to leave after all this work he’s done for me.

Picking up my phone, I realize it’s time to face the music and reply to Ghost.

Ghost:

What are you doing with him, Mallory?

I told you, I do not share.

Are you trying to hurt me, baby?

My heart crushes as I read his words. I don’t want to hurt him. Shit, I’m such an idiot. I don’t know why I kissed Nox, something inside me just ignites when he’s near. He consumes me. What should I do? Another text comes through as I’m mid crisis.

Ghost:

He better be gone by the time I get there or

his blood will be on your hands.

Why does his threat give me that fluttering feeling in my lady parts? I’m so deranged. I don’t want him to hurt Nox, but I love this possessive side of him.

“Nox!” I call out and hear his reply coming from the kitchen. He’s got a glass of water in his hand as he leans against the island. The overwhelming urge to sink to my knees and worship him drowns me. He’s the single most handsome man I’ve ever seen. Walking down the hall towards him as he eats me up with his eyes is something close to foreplay, I swear. My mind is whirling with sinful thoughts and the sad realization that this needs to end.

“Did you want to order some food?” he asks.

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