Page 10 of Beautiful Dark Temptation

“No, but it’ll make me feel better.”

“No, it won’t.”

No, it won’t.

We stared at each other as if in some gameof don’t blink first. He probably regretted letting me live. Heprobably wanted to shoot me dead here, but it’d ruin his perfectschool. Blood and a dead body in a room wouldn’t be good forbusiness considering this place was supposed to be safe. A neutralzone. The stare down lasted until Dr. Casera cleared his throat,reminding us of the odd man in the room.

“Perhaps, you’d like to see youraccommodations,” Dr. Casera said.

I gave him a stiff nod because I couldn’tspeak anymore.

Using a golf cart, Dr. Casera took Mad Dogand me to a colonial style house wrapped in the woods. He openedthe door and led us inside. The place was huge. A fireplace, agrand staircase led to an upper level, and furnished with the sametype of big, expensive furniture as the other building. But it wasempty. “Why is it empty?”

“The rest of the students are already onsummer break. You will be sharing the house with five otherboys—Fox, River, Wren, Henry, and Kieran. Your room is number 6 onthe second floor. Your ID will open the front door, but theindividual room doors have keys. Your schedule and school materialsare on your desk. Your phone is programmed with the phone number ofthe faculty. Mx. Burns will be your immediate contact for thesummer but if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.”

“My number is on there as well,” Mad Dogsaid.

“I need my bag.”

“I’ll get it from the car.”

With that, he turned around and left withDr. Casera following him. Leaving me alone in the house. I climbedthe stairs and found number five and six in the same hallway. Theplace was huge. My room was decent. A small twin size bed. A desk.A closet and my own bathroom. Shit, the room was bigger than thetrailer I lived in with my moms and Daniel. I shouldn’t have beenexcited, but I did feel a thrill of something new in my future. Ofeven having a future. If Nick could see me now.

Mad Dog returned with my bag. He had to ringthe bell and wait outside. I opened the door with my goofy asssmile. “I’m sorry, sir, but you got the wrong address,” I said witha British accent and laughed. “I always wanted to say that. Youlike the accent?”

He smirked, his eyes warming up a little bitafter the truth bomb I’d given him. I hadn’t forgotten that Iwanted to kill him and I’m sure neither did he, but right now thatdidn’t seem to matter.

Mad Dog walked inside, and I closed the doorbehind him. He dropped the bag at my feet. “You’ll get an allowancefor clothes and anything you need.”

“Wow, how much?”

“You’re a Brennan now, Tomás.”

That stung, but I shoved it away with agoofy smile and shrugged. “What does that mean?”

He sighed, his eyes softer. “Just try tobehave. Remember what I told you. After you graduate, we’ll figureshit out.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat.We.

Fucker. Took all the air out of the sails ofwanting to kill him.

We stood there, awkwardly, wondering how tosay goodbye. “I want you to report in every so often.”

I nodded.

“You’re going to be okay, kid.”

I wasn’t sure if he was trying to convinceme or him of that. As I watched him walk out, I hated that I wantedto sneak into Maddox’s trunk and leave this place with him. I hatedthat I wanted him to teach me things, to take care of me, to keepme. I hated that I knew I could never really kill him. I didn’treally want to kill him. Instead, I imagined being his soldier, hisbodyguard. I’d take a bullet for him if he just promised not toabandon me.

I hated myself for feeling that way too.

Chapter Five

Tomás

Words.

I collected words like serial killerscollected trophies.

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