Page 36 of Falling for a Killer

“Bold of you to assume I won’t throw you out of the entire house before I sleep without him,” I whisper, entirely serious. “Tell him you’re sorry.”

“I’d like to know exactly how your tiny ass plans on doing that, but I think I know better than to fuck with a woman this time of month. Something tells me you’d find a way.” He nuzzles into my neck and sighs. “Okay sorry, Skunky or whatever your name is.”

“His name is Gus.”

“Gus,” he repeats. “Just glad it’s not Killian Jr.”

“Good idea,” I tease, picking him up again and snuggling him to my chest as I settle back down in Killian’s lap. “But I can’t moan the name of a skunk ten times a day. Gus will do.”

“You do moan it a lot, huh?”

“I’ll do it again if you go back to playing with my hair... and stop interrupting Wat.”

“Which one is Wat?”

His hands return to their previous places as he turns his attention back on the screen, making me laugh. We’re too far into this movie for him to not know. “The redhead with anger issues.”

“Sounds familiar, huh, Gus?” he whispers, but it doesn’t bother me.

“What can I say? We’re pretty awesome.”

The way he plays with my hair lulls me back to a contented silence as we watch.

I thought by now I’d be losing my mind trapped here, but as my eyes start to close on their own... I realize this is the most at peace I’ve ever been.

I hope it lasts.

Seventeen:

False Alarm

Peace never lasts.

I shouldn’t be surprised, yet the adrenaline rush of pure fear that overtakes me as the power goes out sends my heartbeat into overdrive.

The last time this happened, it was Ryan’s fault. He cut the power so I wouldn’t be able to see, to defend myself.

Now it’s happening again.

“He’s here,” I whisper, shaking Killian awake. “Killian, please.”

The abrupt movement has him jumping awake and immediately ready for a fight. “Who happened?”

Thunder crashes so loudly, it makes me flinch. “Ry—” I force myself to take a breath. Thunderstorms cause power outages every day, and Ryan doesn’t know where I’m at. He can’t. It doesn’t stop me from shaking. “It’s probably nothing.”

“Hey,” Kill whispers, his hands touching my face softly. “You’re alright, Roo. Stay right here, okay? I’ll go check it out and make sure.”

My stomach twists with fear as I hear something out in the kitchen. “Your gun,” I whisper. “It’s too far away.”

“I’ll bring it in here for you. It can stay on your side.” He kisses my forehead. “I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Lightning illuminates the room a second before thunder shakes the cabin, and suddenly I don’t want him to leave. If Ryan takes him from me, I don’t know what I’ll do.

I swear I hear the floorboard just outside the door creak, and I’m not the only one.

Killian darts over to the door quickly and yanks it open, his fist raised and poised to attack. But there’s nothing there. “We have a gun,” he yells. “And a killer behind the trigger. Fucking test me.”

A killer on each end, but only one of them has followed through.

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