Page 80 of Paper Thin Love

“What are you scared of?”

He shifts, then shocks me as he turns to face me. We lay there for a few breaths, just looking at each other. Only the moonlight touches us, lighting up the curves of our features.“I just want to keep the people I care about safe. I can’t do that if I die. But sometimes, I fear staying alive is what is killing them.”

“That’s not true,” I reply quickly. I slide my hand under the sheet, hugging him closer to me.

“Who I love is a target. As long as I’m alive, those I care about will be prey to others.”

“We’re all prey to someone. It wouldn’t change if you were living and breathing over them or dead in the ground. But being alive helps make their lives more bearable, Dash.”

“I don’t know why you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Try to make me feel better.”

“Because I…I…” Four letters almost slip out, but the look on Dash’s face halts them before they can roll off my tongue.

How can my four letters spell love, but his would spell hate?

Dash shakes his head,“Don’t ruin it, little fox. Save that word for someone who deserves it.” He reaches out and tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear.

“What if you do?”Why can’t I love you?

“I don’t deserve those words. I don’t deserve you. I trapped you. A hunter shouldn’t be praised. He has one duty, and that’s hunting and killing. That’s how he survives.” He removes his hand and grabs the sheet instead.

“What about release?” Why can’t he hunt me and then set me free so we can run away together?

“That’s not truly a hunter; that’s a monster who tortures for thrills.” He rolls onto his back and looks up at the ceiling.

“I know you think you trapped me.”

“I did.” He swings his arm up and tucks it under his head.

“I chose it, Dash. I could have run from you and denied you. I didn’t.”

“Because I offered you something in return. It was bait.”

“Why do you insist on making yourself into the bad guy?”

“Because I am!” He snaps as he kicks his legs out from the sheets.

“Not to me!”

A few moments later, I inch closer to him, pressing my cheek over his chest until his heartbeat calms.“Not every monster is a beast,” I whisper.

We don’t speak for a long time. My eyelids begin to feel heavy.“You’re not so little anymore, are you, fox?” He mutters as his hand slides down, cupping my ass. He rolls into me, tucking my head under his jaw, and then he pulls the covers up over us both.

“I’ll always be your little fox,” I whisper, against his chest, then I kiss it.

He grunts a depressed sigh, like the final tune of an instrument that survived the drum line of war, but now it’s too battered and bruised to be played again.

“When you die, what do you want people to say about you?” I ask him.

“You think I’ll die in The Cleansing?”

“No. I know you won’t.” I clarify.“I mean, decades from now.”

“I don’t know. Go to sleep.” He pulls me closer.

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