Page 88 of Stalker's Toy

“I’m with her,” I say, “because I love every bit of her.”

“I knew you’d end up with someone like her,” she says, and there’s a tinge of defeat in her voice, the tiniest sign that maybe I’ve won, atleast for now. "That's what happens to widowers, they crave the darkness."

I let her say more than she should.

I watch Mia’s expression and I wait for the moment she’ll have enough.

The moment never comes.

I’m ahead of her for once, and it feels so goddamn good.

I am more certain of this than I have been about anything in my life.

We stand in the middle of the gallery, and all eyes are on us.

And my girl, my perfect little toy, just stands by my side, regal and poised.

Taking every one of my mother’s punches with grace.

This is why it feels so good.

I’m steps ahead, years ahead, and for the first time in my life, my mother is struggling to catch up.

She’s used to getting her way, but this time she won’t.

This time it’s all going my way.

Her mouth tightens, but she doesn’t give up.

She never does.

“So... appalling, really, Henrik,” she says. And then: “You never liked people watching you with your women.”

Her eyes dart to the employees, to Mia, to me. “I’m surprised.”

“I’m not,” I tell her.

And I’m not.

I want everyone to know Mia belongs to me.

Mia lets me know with a glance that she has my back, that she’s there, and it’s more intimate to me than any words she could say.

The intensity in that look, the quiet way it screams at me—this is why I love her.

This is why I’m obsessed.

I knew she would be the perfect toy.

“You’re not serious, Henrik,” she says. “You can’t possibly have chosen…thisto represent the future of our family line.” She repeats her disbelief, as if somehow that will undo my choice.

But I can tell she’s starting to wonder if she’s wrong.

“Get used to it,” I say. “She’s going to be a part of the family.”

She doesn’t want to believe it, but I’m not the same person I used to be.

She can’t stand that I could be so infatuated with someone like Mia, and she can’t stand it even more because I am.

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