Page 72 of Deceit

A chill runs down my spine as goosebumps scatter across my arms. My eyes flick down to see a pair of panties that I know for a fact were in my laundry hamper. I put them in there this morning when I got ready. Lifting them up slowly, I notice that the majority of them are wet. Only one guess as to what the liquid is.

Revulsion, embarrassment and terror all rage through me simultaneously. This is getting fucking ridiculous. A few little notes and gifts were easy enough to explain away before but this? This is too far. It can’t be Asher. He would be too proud of something like this, much like he was with the pillow incident. He’d have signed his name on the letter, that is if he was the kind of man that would write poetry, even ironically so. No, this is definitely not Asher.

My mind races with potential suspects, before one person in particular comes to mind.

Son of a bitch.

I grab the only dry end of my white panties before I storm back out the door and into the elevator. It doesn’t take me long to get to the pool and once I do, my target is right where I’d expect him to be.

I burst through the doors, coming up to the side of the pool as Vincent passes by, finishing his lap. I, however, don’t have the patience to wait for him to finish. I ball the panties up, throwing them directly at his head. It’s not like it hurts, though I wish it would. It is enough to grab his attention.

His head pops up out of water, his black hair soaked and wild without a swim cap on as he rips his goggles off his head and reaches for my panties that are now floating away from him in the water.

“What the fuck?” he practically snarls. “Why the hell are you throwing your panties at me?”

“Oh, I figured you’d want them back. You were so well acquainted with them, why don’t you just fucking keep them!” I shout.

His face screws up as he looks at me.

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you! You fucking pervert. It’s so obvious, it has to be you. You’re everywhere I turn, watching me, and I’m fucking sick of it! Stop with the creepy love notes, stop with the gifts and if you ever break into my room again I will have your ass locked up so fast it will make your head spin!” I seethe.

He stares at me for several seconds before he pushes himself out of the pool, dripping wet panties in hand as he looks down at them before up to me.

“Show me.”

“What? No. Didn’t you just hear me?” I scoff. “Stay the fuck away from me. I don’t know what you—”

I’m silenced almost immediately when he drops his goggles and the panties to the floor, his dripping wet hands cupping either side of my cheeks as those piercing silver eyes stab straight through me.

“Siren, whatever is going on, it wasn’t me. I’m always watching you because I don’t know how not to, but do you really think I’m the type to send you love notes and gifts?”

I open my mouth, ready to spit that I absolutely think he would, when I pause. When he puts it like that, I’m not as confident. I don’t know if he’s just trying to manipulate me. Something about the raw honesty in his tone, the fierceness in his silver bullet eyes and the way he’s holding me so tenderly, as if I were a piece of glass about to shatter apart at any moment, has me believing him.

A million thoughts race through my mind as I look up at him, unsure how to proceed when a useless piece of information sticks out to me above all else.

“What do you mean you don’t know how not to watch me?”

He blinks several times, that emotionless face giving absolutely nothing away as he speaks again, his voice low and gravelly.

“Show me your room.”

I watch him hesitantly, not sure what to do or say. I was so sure if it wasn’t Asher, it had to be him. Unless he’s the world’s most convincing liar though, which is possible I suppose. It’s not him.

Despite the little voice in my head screaming to run far from this man, I slowly nod, turning to walk back towards the door. I hear some rustling sounds and when I turn back, Vincent has a pair of sweats pulled on as well as a Black Sabbath t-shirt and a pair of slides. His hair is still dripping wet as he packs his gogglesback into his bag before lifting my panties up. He inspects them carefully as if there was something to inspect before he slips them into his pocket and throws his bag over his shoulder.

I lead the way out of the building and into the crisp night air. I’d feel cold if it wasn’t for the 6’4 shadow that has practically attached itself to me. Vincent walks so closely, it’s as if he’s attempting to wrap himself around every inch of me without touching. I’d never admit it, but it makes me feel safe. If it really isn’t him who has been breaking in, he’s ready to protect me should they jump out of the bushes or something. God, would you listen to me? I’m losing it.

When we step into the elevator together, his presence practically swallows the small space whole, leaving no room to think or even breathe. I’m extremely aware of how close Vincent is to me.

The scent of him is overwhelming, the strong smell of chlorine that is like my own personal aromatherapy combined with something muskier that has to be entirely him. I’m not sure I’ve ever been this close to him, for this long, to notice. He smells amazing though.

As soon as the elevator doors open, I step out, needing a little bit of distance between us as I shake my head and open my door. I’m about to step inside my room when Vincent steps around me, gently pushing me behind him as he does. His eyes scan the room from top to bottom before he takes a step inside.

He moves deeper into my room, heading for the bathroom. He looks inside the glass shower and behind the door before heading to my closet where he looks behind the door, through the racks of clothes and even on the ground. I didn’t think about checking out the room more. Is it possible that there could have been someone in my room when I came in? That they hadn’t left yet? The very thought rolls my stomach.

“Explain everything to me in detail,” Vincent says, as he turns to face me.

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