Page 37 of Run From Me

“Maybe? Then again, the world needs all kinds of people. One more adorable little psychopath? Sign me up.”

I doubt she knew just how serious I was, but the way she smiled? It didn’t matter. I wanted to make her smile like that all the time.

Too bad right now I had other things that needed to be addressed. Like what killed the mayor. Who knows if it would lead to any clues, but we had far too many pieces that weren’t coming together. The lawyer. Now the mayor. I was certain there were plenty of other issues, but nothing was making all that much sense. The cop hated us all the same, but I couldn’t be certain his hatred wasn’t solid jealously about Rylee. Still, none of it sat right.

“Are we going in?”

She looked at the building.

“We?”

I nodded.

“Yeah. It looks like I’ll need to keep you safe in my spare time. That, or are you ready to tell me why you’re branded?”

I reached out and ran my thumb over her bottom lip, stopping her from chewing on it.

“I’m not stupid. Brands are for the unofficial and generally the not willing. Much easier to brand someone trying to run than tattoo them. We don’t have a need for them. If you aren’t with us willingly, you aren’t going to be forced to.”

Her eyes grew wide, but it wasn’t clear to me if it was surprising that we didn’t need to force anyone to be with us or if she understood we disposed of those that were liabilities.

“I can’t.”

I pushed the door open, giving myself a few seconds. My jaw ached and I stopped clenching my teeth. I didn’t like being disobeyed, but she wasn’t really mine to command. Even if it did feel like she was.

I’d kill anyone that touched her, and maybe that was mine enough.

I opened her door.

“If you won’t go home, then let’s go crack open the mayor. I need to know if there are any connections to what’s been happening around here.”

She nodded, but I stepped aside, letting her do what she had to do.

She got out and seemed to hesitate a few moments.

I slammed the door and she flinched.

“I don’t know what has you so nervous,” I said and took a few steps closer. She backed against the car as I gave her little choice.

“If it’s that you want to go to the cops to turn me in for murder, just remember you are just as guilty. But I have no other reason to hurt you. I can’t protect you though, not when I don’t know what you did to make the Vipers brand you. Choice or not.”

I don’t know why, but I let my fingers slip under the scrub top where I knew the brand was. Maybe I liked to see that,regardless of her actions or her words, I affected her like she affected me, even if it was all a horrible idea.

When wasn’t it a bad idea to get attached? Cas fucked up our whole dynamic, but still. Rylee was a known complication. One we knew would never cross us. Calliope?

One step closer, and I was able to bend down, placing my lips next to the shell of her ear.

“If you cross me, I will make the Vipers look like your best friends,” I said and stepped away.

I couldn’t afford to be sucker punched for this woman. I needed to toss her and all the feels that had crept in over the last few hours into the dark chasm where I hide everything that tried to sneak it’s way past the demons that made me everything the Spectors needed.

A moment ago I might have hated the way she glared at me. I might have hated the darkness that was directed toward me. But right now?

“Good girl. Hate me. Now go cut open that bastard so you can be rid of me.”

I thought I’d won. But that was the trouble with this woman. She wasn’t like anyone I’d ever met.

“Oh, yes, my liege. Of course. Your wish is my command.”

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