Page 50 of Prey

My favorite letters were when we started getting older, and the childlike antics grew into teenage feelings. I received a confession from her one day, saying that she wondered what it felt like to kiss me. It was funny because I had imagined what it felt like to kiss her since the day she arrived at our house, but it was several years later before that feeling returned.

She had a habit of leaving folded letters under my pillow, and I’d notice the crackle when my head landed and mumble, “The mailman has visited,” and was eager to read what confession she needed to offload on that day.

But as time went on and we got closer to that day when Dad was murdered, the letters became less frequent. I wasn’t alarmed by it and assumed it was because she was busy or maybe because she was growing out of it. We were sixteen, so I guess writing a letter to her foster brother wouldn’t last forever.

At the very bottom of the stack of letters was the one written on pink paper, which retained the scent of her perfume. The pink one was the hardest to open because it was the last letter she had written me. It was a ‘goodbye’ letter, but I thought Annika was fooling around, so I didn’t take it seriously. It was writtendifferently; the pressure of her hand and how she worded it were hers but not hers.

Anyway, the letters were not why I opened the drawer, so I brushed aside to grab the stack of photographs of her. The mission was to find a picture of that mole on Annika’s shoulder blade. I know that I needed more than just a fucking mole, but it would be another box to tick of evidence to convince me that Riley was really Annika.

As I shuffled through the photographs, I could hear my roommates getting up and showering, so it must be around 7 AM. With each image of that beautiful blond, a sourness scorned my gut, and I had to pause to compose myself. Unfortunately, she looked fantastic in every photo, no matter what she did. Thick golden hair had fallen over her face as she frowned, pouting full lips, shooting me the middle finger. God, I loved her.

I lit a joint, opened the window, and sat on the ledge, gazing at the buildings housing students full swing into the term. Hanging in the window of a sorority house was a blue sheet with the words, RONAN, I WANT YOUR BABIES xx

I snorted as I pulled on the joint and grabbed my phone to take a pic. Poor ol’ Ronan had a never-ending stream of women after him because he was blessed with handsome features and an easy-going manner. He usually took everything in his stride, but the main reason he started living in Mikky’s apartment was because student life eventually wore him down.

Fuck, I’m glad women didn’t hassle me day in and day out as they did him. Ronan was an open likable guy, whereas I wasn’t. I was unapproachable and sullen, the perfect storm to deter unwanted attention.

It’s been a while since Ronan had a girlfriend, though. I assumed that was because he was focused on the club, especially now that Mikky was back.

After stubbing out my joint, I returned to the stack of photographs to find one of Annika in her bathing suit or summer clothes, baring her naked shoulders. I came across one with her in a turquoise sundress lying on her stomach on a beach lounger, with a book opened before her reading behind shades. The angle wasn’t great, but I detected a spot on her left shoulder blade. However, the bone was more pronounced because she was propped up on her elbows, so the spot appeared slightly different from Riley’s.

Fed up, I closed the drawer, locked it, and thought about Riley. Something she said as I was leaving bothered me a little. It was an offhand comment that, when I heard it, I thought she was trying to make me feel bad, but she didn’t seem like the type.

Me: Hi. What did u mean when u said, ‘another one bites the dust’?

While waiting for her to reply, I grabbed a clean towel to shower down the hall. Maybe I could wank off to Riley while I was in there.

Just as I was leaving, my phone beeped.

Riley: Men.

Me: Another man bites the dust?

Riley: Yes.

Me: What other man? Someone recent?

Riley: Forget it.

Me: No. Tell me who it was.

Riley: No.

Me: Is he at Gotland?

Riley:

I waited a couple of minutes for a reply as jealousy pounded in my head. She hadn’t been at Gotland long, and I hadn’t seen her with anyone, so it must’ve been before she moved here. I gave upwaiting for a reply and showered, but when I returned, there was still no reply.

Me: You’re still my hobby.

Riley: So sweet xx

Okay, that reply got a smile out of me.

25

What’s up?” Gunner asked when he poked his head in my office. I messaged him earlier, asking him to see me the next time he comes to the club. He arrived two hours later wearing a black baseball cap and black hooded sweatshirt, and I clenched my teeth in frustration. We had a standard at Savile, and even when the club was closed to members, I still preferred whoever stepped on my premises to uphold the standard.

---