Page 85 of Stalker

I backed up from the pile, looking around the belongings with a darker shadow over my joy. “It’s blood.” I scrubbed my hand up and down the side of my robe, trying to get the physical burn of Tyson’s blood from my skin. “Oh Dane, what did you do?”

“Puppet.” He growled, “I already answered that question.”

“What am I supposed to do with all of this?” I shrieked, waving my arms down to the electronics. “What if someone comes looking for them?”

“No one is going to come looking for them.” He replied. “I’ll take them back if that’s what you’d like and I’ll dispose of them. I just wanted you to know that it was done. Your videos and pictures are gone.”

I froze, staring at all the stuff, and remembered the real reason he went there at all. “Did—” I stammered, and then looked up at the ceiling, “Did you watch them?”

There was a pause before he answered, “You asked me not to.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” I whispered back, already knowing the truth.

“Go into your bedroom.” He replied, and I shook my head in confusion. “Now, Puppet.”

“Why?” I spun around, not exactly knowing where the cameras were.

“Because you need to take a deep breath and relax.” He stated, “And you’re going to do it in your bedroom.”

“I don’t—”

“Now, Puppet!” He bellowed, and I turned, walking away from the blood coated stuff and went into my room. “Good girl.” Dane’s voice echoed through my phone speaker. “Now lay back down in bed.”

“Dane.” I whined, trying to control the panic that was burning in my stomach. I moved on auto pilot and laid down in bed, even covering myself up with my blankets like I hadn’t just peeled myself out of it all a few minutes ago.

“Close your eyes, baby.” He instructed and my eyelids drooped as I did as I was told. “Take a deep breath.”

I filled my lungs and slowly exhaled it as the lights in my house all clicked off remotely, cascading darkness over me again like a warm blanket. “Why didn’t you wake me last night?”

“Because I needed to rid my mind and my skin of what I did. I couldn’t touch you with that darkness.”

My heart hurt for my monster. He had done something dark for me. “I need you.”

“I’m right here.” He growled, and I could feel the need in his voice as he said it.

“No,” I shook my head, “Here. I need to feel you.”

His voice cracked, “I can’t. I’m not around.”

“Where are you?”

“Handling something. I’ll come to you tonight.”

I sank into the comfortable bedding around me and forced myself to be a big girl and wait for him to be available for me. And then an idea came to mind.

I tossed the blankets back, and he growled, “I didn’t say you could get up yet.”

“Just wait.” I frantically tore the end table drawer open next to my bed and pulled out the item that had mocked me for days now.

“Puppet.” The ice in his voice raced through my veins. What I wouldn’t have given to see his face as he watched me. Could he see what I was doing?

I picked up my phone and propped it against my lamp as I turned on the single light. Instantly, the camera blinked to life and my reflection lit up the screen. He was watching.

I ran my fingers over the black onyx jewels in the eyes of the skull and then bent the closure, opening it.

The black ribbon necklace that Dane bought me slid through my fingers as I wrapped it around my neck. I leaned forward toward myphone to see it clearly in the camera as I lined the skull back up and then closed it.

“Peyton.” He groaned, and I could hear his deep breathing crackle through the speaker.

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