Page 81 of Grave Matter

“Are you ashamed of what we did?” I whisper.

“No,” he says quickly, his gaze snapping to mine. “Not even a little.”

I smile slyly, satisfied with that answer. “You know, next time you can come inside me. You don’t have to mess up your pants again.”

I swear I see his cheeks go pink above his days old stubble. He lets out a small, embarrassed laugh. “You’ll never let me hear the end of that, will you? My body acting like I’m in fucking high school again.”

“I took it as a compliment,” I tell him. “Still, the offer stands.”

The levity in his eyes fades like a cloud darkening. “There won’t be a next time, Syd.”

I nod. For once I don’t feel the crush of rejection because I know he’s lying.

We are inexorable.

Locked-in.

He steps back from me, and I straighten up.

“Was that our session or am I free to go?” I ask.

He puts his hand at my back and guides me toward the door. “Let’s take a rain check. I think you know now that you can talk to me at any time. For now, though, I need to talk to Nick.”

My eyes widen with fear as we leave his office. “Are you going to tell him I told you?”

“You’ll be fine. You’re allowed to tell your doctor anything.”

We step outside into the mist. I go one way toward the main lodge, and he goes toward the lab.

Suddenly Clayton steps out from behind a tree.

“You saw it, didn’t you?” he says.

He looks fucking awful, and it makes me realize I didn’t see him in the lab today, nor have I seen him much over the last few days. His absence has been refreshing, but still I’m a little concerned.

Especially at the wild look in his eyes.

He looks absolutely feral, and not in a good way.

“See what?” I ask uneasily. I look around for a way out and see it in the form of Kincaid who has spotted Clayton and is striding purposefully toward us.

“The experiment,” Clayton says. “Sometimes they escape. But you knew that already, didn’t you? You’ve seen them.”

Is he talking about the wolf?

Wait. Amani?

“Clayton,” Kincaid barks as he gets closer. “I need a word with you.”

“Am I in trouble, professor?” Clayton sneers, stepping back.

“You know you’re supposed to leave Sydney alone,” he says, glancing at me briefly. My heart twists at how possessive and protective he is, yet there’s an uneasiness deeper down. I have to wonder if Kincaid already gave him the lecture about following me.

Clayton just laughs. Loud and unhinged.

I can’t help but move back.

Something isn’t right with him.

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