Page 65 of Grave Obsession

“When I have a right to be, yes, I am.”

“Alright then, let’s hear it,” I say, waiting with bated breath for him to blow me away with all this knowledge he apparently has.

His smile stretches ear to ear as energy thrums through him. “Your full name is Mallory Elizabeth Knight. Twenty-five years old, birthday is November 6th. Height is five foot six inches. Mother is Barbra Knight, maiden name is Quinn. Biological father is Christopher Knight. Stepfather is Dennis Bryant, local piece of shit. Both him and your mother are considered missing persons, have been for the past few months.”

It’s around this point that I realize I’ve been bamboozled. He told me that he checked me out before pursuing me, it’s my fault I didn’t remember. I groan internally. I know I’ve lost already but yet he continues.

“You hate crowds, loud noises and pushy people, but want to go to a concert. Claim rom coms are your favourite but it’s actually horror movies. Scream, specifically. You also have a thing for bagels and muffins for breakfast over anything else. You despise cereal but love soup. You’re a psychopath that bites their ice cream instead of licking it like a normal person. You present this quiet and innocent persona to the world around you, but in reality, there’s something more coming to life within you.”

My jaw drops as he continues to rattle off more things about me. Some I can’t even fathom how he knows.

“Pull over,” I cut him off.

“What?”

“Pull over, Nox.” Fear passes over his face as the blinker clicks on and he veers the truck to the shoulder on the highway.

“Look, Mallory, I’m sorry. I didn’t-” I unclick my seat belt and move across the bench seat. Grabbing him by the shirt collar and crashing his mouth onto mine. He shifts the truck into ‘park’ without taking his attention away from me and undoes his own seatbelt. His arm wraps around me, pulling me closer to him. Our passion moves together in perfect synchronicity as his tongue tangles with mine.

“So.” Kiss. “You’re.” Kiss. “Not.” Kiss. “Mad?” He gets out between my demanding need for affection.

I move back so I am able to take him in. The way his feelings for me make him breathless. How he can both be such a commanding force and putty in my hands. How he looks at me in a way I’ve never experienced. His gaze is a lover's caress. It both soothes my frazzled soul and ignites my desire in a way only he can.

“No. Why would I be mad?” He appears sheepish, nervous and unsure of himself for the first time since I’ve known him.

“You see me,” I say. Surprise widens his eyes for a second, but it’s enough that I see it.

He comes closer, locking his gaze onto mine as his lips whisper against my own. “Yeah, baby, I see you.”

∞∞∞

I’m watching his truck reverse out of the driveway and I bloody well miss him already. Who would have pegged me as a sap? Certainly not I.

Nox honks the horn twice and pulls away. I know he will only be a few minutes away but unease churns my stomach as I worry what carnage he will face when he arrives at the Henderson Mill.

Locking the door behind me I get to the things I neglected in favour of spending time with him. Music is pouring through my speakers as I move about the house cleaning.

It pauses momentarily when my phone chimes with a notification I have learned is from the security camera. ‘Movement detected’ reads across the screen and I click on it. The feed opens and there is Ghost, standing in the dusky shadows on the tree line. Always in the same spot, just watching. Grabbing my hamper of clean clothes, I make my way to my room and push open the curtains. He backs away slightly when he sees me… What’s that about? I rationalize it away. He must be fuming from the time I’ve spent with Nox, will he plan another delightful form of punishment for me?

I wave, expecting some sort of gesture in return. Instead, he turns and leaves.

That’s like a stab to my gut. I pull out my phone and fire off a text to Ghost.

Mallory:

Didn’t want to stay and play hide and seek again?

I’m hoping to entice him into coming back. I’m so riled up after spending time with Nox that I need a release. It’s so fucking shameful to find pleasure with another man when he isn’t the one who spent hours slowly winding me up. But, it’s not like I wouldn’t be lusty for Ghost if he showed up. My body wants them both, and once I gain enough confidence to say it out loud, I’ll tell them. Unabashedly, I hope. My text goes unanswered and I’m annoyed.

I shove the rest of my clothes into half empty drawers and storm off to the bathroom. I turn the water on as hot as I can stand, strip, and step in. Letting it rain down over me as I wash away the insecurity that swells within me. Maybe I should give him a taste of his own medicine… I wonder how much he would like it if he looked for me and I wasn't there. I lather, rinse, and repeat until I feel better. Stepping out and drying off then curling up in bed, I send off a text to Victoria.

Mallory:

Hey Vic, mind if I crash at your place for a few days?

What’s going on at the mill has me feeling uneasy.

Her reply is almost immediate, someone is slacking at their job. It makes me smile. If I said that to her face, she would just jokingly tell me to fuck off.

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