Page 41 of Soul of a Psycho

There’s shelving that lines the barely held together ceiling of the shack, and I place the fallen birds I find on top. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Robins, and more. Their little carcasses are destined to return to the earth, but it’s nice to look at them for a while. I didn’t expect her to understand, but I was surprised to find her nodding along while I explained how their death is a comforting reminder about the cycle of life—that we all return to ash eventually.

The doors push open, and I exhale, agitated relief bouncing in my veins. Sky’s perfectly fine, besides the wince she gives at the downpour beginning to flood the quad. She hesitates under the small awning, biting her swollen lip and tugging at her skirt.

Jesus, did I make her lips so raw like that?

My dick firms almost immediately, and I grit my teeth. Stupid thing.Keep it together,we aren’t hiding today,I give it a command, and then step out from under the tree.

Sky spots my movement, and her eyes go wide. She gulps as I stalk towards her, and a smirk graces the corner of my mouth. Oh yeah, she has no idea she’s cuffed herself to the devil.

I plant a boot on the bottom step and look up at her. “Running a little late?”

“I overslept.” She brushes her hair behind her ear, glancing around.

“I wonder what could have made you so tired.” I flit my gaze between her legs.

A blush quickly creeps up on her cheeks, her skin so fair, the blood so saturated, that something in my chest swells in tandem.My precious angel, so shy and embarrassed. She has no idea I would take her right here if she allowed it.

Last night was tentative, cautious, a learning experience. For fuck’s sake, I almost came when she said I could do whatever I wanted. I had to pull out to slow my ascension. But if I get her alone again, I promise to do better.

She raises her chin. “Running for your lifeispretty exhausting.”

My chest deflates like a popped balloon, and a growl escapes me. Her diversion would be amusing if her choice of tactics didn’t cause my vision to prickle red. I lunge up the steps and snatch her wrist. I drag her from the safety of the awning and secure her next to the tree, caging her against the massive trunk.

“Did you report it?” I stare down at her. My anger was already simmering beneath the surface, steeping in disbelief that someone had the nerve to attack my girl, but now said girl’s flippant disregard for discretion has me boiling. She has no idea what drawing attention to my forest will unveil. There is nowhere to move the bombs. No way to scrub my DNA away. She has to stay quiet, or I’ll be forced tomakeher stay quiet.

Her eyes flash with something like excitement, but then narrow to slits.

“Don’t manhandle me,” she snaps.

My brows hit the leaves above me.

“You didn’t seem to mind it last night,” I hiss, and then instantly regret it.

The seething comes naturally to me, but I don’t like how it sounds in her presence, something about it feeling like yelling at a puppy. My anger sizzles out as fast as it sprung to life.

Thankfully, she just huffs, and gives a slight eye roll.

“No.”

I can’t help it and my lips perk up. “No, you didn’t mind it?”

Jesus, my emotions are worse than a rollercoaster.

She goes back to glaring. “No,I didn’t report it.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, I was a little…drainedafter last night and honestly…” she trails off as her shoulders slump.

My stomach tightens, feeling her discomfort like it’s my own, and I watch as her brows pinch together, and she looks away.

My heart kicks up with dread. I know I should be more concerned with if she’s going to tell anyone, but now I’m nervous for a different reason. Did I misread last night? Was I terrible, and she’s going to tell me it was a mistake?

“Honestly, what?” I lightly tug her chin to look at me.

I’m on pins and needles as she avoids my eyes. All of my being puddles at her feet. Now that I’ve had her, I can’tnothave her. There’s no way I can go back to idly watching, especially with what needs to be done.

“Can you not… you know, tell anyone what happened?”

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