Page 140 of All Your Hate

When he looks me in the eye he says, “You’re worried about me. There’s no need to be.”

“Noah, I think we should go away for a while. You need space and time to grieve properly.”

“I’m fine,” he insists. It’s the same thing he says everytime I ask.

"Getting away from this place will help us both come to terms with everything. We can both have time to move on." My chest aches as I say the words I've always feared. "Summer's gone. I have to accept that I'm not getting her back."

Placing his large hands on my shoulders, Noah says, "I'll find us more leads. We'll keep killing and eventually we'll get her back."

I don't tell him that I can't take the heartbreak anymore. All I can do is offer him a smile. Today's not about me and I need to be strong to help him through this.

We finish getting ready in silence. Even the car ride to the cemetery is quiet. For once, Noah doesn’t put his music on and neither of us has much to say.

The church is already full when we arrive. There are a few faces I vaguely recognize from the fundraiser and the office, the rest are strangers to me. They all stare at Noah's bandaged eye and whisper amongst themselves.

Noah doesn’t give anyone time to pay their respects to him as he marches down the aisle with me on his arm. The closed casket waits for us at the end. Noah takes us straight to our seats up front. Janine sits on his other side, the rest of the row left empty.

Some friends of Gregory say a few words along with Daniella and Janine. The entire time Noah stares at the stained glass window above the casket.

As soon as the ceremony is over, Noah takes hold of my hand and leads us away. “Don’t you want to stay for the rest of it? You can say goodbye in private once everyone’s gone.”

“It’s just a body. There’s nothing to say goodbye to.”

Back home Noah surprises me by leaving me at the foot of the stairs. “Where are you going?” I’ve never known him to be so distant.

“I need to check on something. I’ll be back in a bit,” he says abruptly.

“Noah, baby, wait.” He stops in the doorway and I reach for his hand. “I’m here. If you need your space I respect that, but please remember I’m here for you.”

Turning to me he smiles like nothing’s wrong. “Wynter, death is nothing new for me. I came to terms with its existence a long time ago. I’ve actually been thinking about what you said earlier, about getting away for a bit. It’s a good idea. There’s just something I need to do first. Then I’m all yours. I promise.” He winks at me and kisses me on the forehead before heading down the steps with a newfound spring in his step.

Whatever’s gotten into him can’t be good. But if it helps him heal then what harm can it really do?

I go upstairs to change into some jeans and a t-shirt then I head to Noah’s office. My dagger is still on his desk from where I last left it and I slip it snugly inside my calf-length boot.

Since Noah installed the cameras in the house I’ve been checking them now and then. Mostly when I’m alone. Noah assures me that the night I thought someone was here was just a hallucination. My hand’s healing up nicely after the wound reopened and doesn’t hurt that much anymore. But looking at itreminds me of what I felt as I cut into the other person’s hand. In that moment it was all so real.

I suppose it doesn’t matter now. Dmitri’s dead anyway. What’s left of his crew are facing jail time or on the run after their places were raided. There are no more monsters left to be scared of.

Scanning through each feed, I check every room. The house is empty. Noah’s car is still parked out front though. I assumed he left in it, but I suppose he could have taken one of the other cars from the garage.

I’m about to shut it down when an alert pops up in the top corner of the screen.Alarm engaged.

Clicking it takes me to an entirely different set of cameras. A live feed from someone's home. It looks well lived in and has a cosy rustic vibe, but I don’t recognize the interior of the place at all.

I spot Noah on the camera that’s pointed toward the front door of the building. It’s a familiar sight, but from where? And why is the footage being sent here?

Scanning over the other feeds again my stomach drops when I see the reason why.

Summer walks into view in a lounge room. My heart lodges itself high in my throat as I try to figure out what I’m watching. I enlarge the image as she sits on a couch and a second later someone else sits down next to her.

Charlie.

What the fuck?

I don't understand what the hell I'm seeing. How long has Noah known that Charlie has Summer?

They turn the television on and Summer picks up a game controller. She looks relaxed and happy. I’m not sure what Charlie’s expression says. She has a tight-lipped smile, but she doesn’t exactly look scared. If anything she seems resigned. Her eyes keep darting to the door every minute or so.

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