Page 16 of Unbinding the Demon
“Oh no, you’re not.” He placed his hand on my back gently and began to lead me into the kitchen. “How could I let you leave so soon when I’ve already made breakfast for you?”
“No, really, I should get going.” I hesitantly turned into the kitchen with him, ignoring how good the contact of his warm hand felt on my back.
My eyes were still wide, and my anxiety was through the roof. The kitchen was ancient, as I expected. There was peeling light green wallpaper, outdated appliances, and an original stone floor. The mess on the counters and stovetop suggested this guy hadn’t cooked a day in his life. Dirty pots and pans were stacked and strewn about, and just about every kind of utensil had been used. I was even suspicious that he had been trying to flip eggs with a butter knife. Hell, I wouldn’t have been shocked to find a shoe in the oven.
However, in the corner of the room, next to a large, paned window, was a picture-perfect breakfast set up on an antique dining table. There were scrambled eggs, home fries, roasted veggies, toast, and even a fruit bowl. Gentle rays of the morning sun were cast over the scene, making it look welcoming and quaint. A vase of freshly picked wildflowers rested in the center of the table, completing the charming look.
“I hope you like it,” he said while shuffling me over to the table.
“Wow, thank you.” I sat down on one of the cute wooden chairs, then he pushed it in for me. “It looks great.”
Fucking hell, I’m a hostage now...
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah, I did, actually.” I warily eyed him as he placed a fancy plate on the table and then began filling it with food. “The bed was really comfortable.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” he smiled while turning to grab something from the cabinet.
“I noticed you have some unique taste in furniture,” I mentioned as I slid my finger along the edge of the antique table, trying not to gawk at his perfect figure when he wasn’t looking.
“Not exactly. All of this stuff was already here when I found the place. I just commandeered it, that’s all.” He laughed as he poured some hot water into a floral-printed teacup. “Here, have some tea. You like this kind, don’t you?” He handed me the teacup with an endearing smile.
I took it from him and gave it a sniff. It was Earl Grey, the same type of tea that’s used in London fogs. “Yeah, I do,” I responded with suspicion. The gears in my head were turning as I tried to figure out how he might have known what I was drinking at the café. I couldn’t come up with anything, which unsettled me a bit, but I gave it a small sip anyway. He turned back around, and I quickly took a bite of food to distract myself from leering at him again.
“Oh my gosh! This is delicious!” I exclaimed in surprise and began gobbling it down. It honestly was downright scrumptious, and I realized I was starving. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection.
“Thank you.” He sat down next to me with his own cup of tea, watching in satisfaction as I continued to stuff my face. The utensils clinked as he served himself a plate. He glanced at his fork and then took a wary bite, as though he wasn’t sure what to expect. Then his eyes widened, and he began stuffing his face just as voraciously as I was.
As my gluttonizing slowed down, I noticed how strangely raised and rough his tattoo looked up close and in the sunlight. It really seemed like black ink had been injected straight into his veins. It webbed out from a solid jagged black spot on his shoulder, down his arm a bit, onto his chest and back, and crept up the side of his neck some. It was extremely intricate and different from any other tattoo I had ever seen.
The pitter-pattering of large paws echoed across the room as Belzar walked over. He circled around a few times and then plopped down next to the table while letting out a cute puppy-dog whine. There was something off about him, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I felt kind of like an asshole, but the dog was unsettling. “What kind of dog is he?” I asked with genuine curiosity while studying his big yellow eyes and fluffy black fur. “He kinda looks like a wolf.”
“He’s an exotic breed,” Ashton shrugged and didn’t elaborate.
Okay... So yeah, he’s probably a wolf.
An awkward moment stretched between us as I apathetically stabbed at a floppy piece of cooked spinach with my fork. Ashton’s psychotic gaze never wavered from me as he sipped his tea. A smile was on his lips, but something devious lingered in his eyes. “So, if you don’t mind my asking, what are you planning to do with me now?” I asked, trying to seem nonchalant—I wasn’t.
“Obviously, I’m going to take you home.” He took another sip of tea. “Why? What did you think I was planning to do?” He raised a curious brow, and the corner of his mouth curved up.
“Oh, well, I don’t know, chop me up into pieces or maybe lock me away in your secret sex dungeon? I mean, I did just witness you murdering a guy after all!”I probably shouldn’t have said that...A crooked grin stretched across his face the moment I mentioned a secret sex dungeon.“How do you know I’m not going straight to the police after this?”Okay, I really shouldn’t have said that...
“Oh, you won’t be going to the police.” He sounded sure of himself, amusement twinkling in his golden eyes.
“And what makes you so sure of that?” I stuffed several pieces of fruit into my mouth to shut myself up.
“Well, that would be rather foolish of you.” I eyed him with my cheeks still stuffed full of fruit as he continued to elaborate. “How do you think the police will respond when they find out you led that roach up to the bedroom where I was waiting to murder him, and then fled the scene with me? It seems more likely that this was a two-person job. Don’t you agree?” He devilishly smirked. “And not to mention that we were seen together earlier that day at the café, and witnesses were made well aware that it wasn’t a romantic meeting... Perhaps we were plotting to kill someone?” He tapped his chin as though in thought.
Painfully, I swallowed the last chunk of fruit. “Wait? Are you blackmailing me!? That’s not what happened at all! I’m completely innocent here, and you know it!” I pointed at him, my frustration evident. Anxiety swirled in my gut, though I tried to hide it. There was nothing I could do to clear my name. I was going to have to play along with his little scheme. “Besides, what’s your grand plan gonna be when they start investigating the crime scene?”
“There is no crime scene. I took care of it and I assure you, no one will ever find any trace of that lecherous scum.” He sipped his tea casually like we had been talking about the weather. “And don’t worry, you have nothing to be fearful of from now on, so long as we have one another’s backs.” He reached over to pat my hand. I didn’t respond, too stunned by how nonchalant he was about killing a guy. He didn’t have a single shred of remorse. “So, it’s settled then. We’re now officially partners in crime.” He waved his cup upward with a beaming smile.
I can’t fucking believe this guy...
I wanted nothing more than to go straight to the police and turn this mental case in. But the possibility of them assuming I was an accomplice guaranteed I would never do that. I couldn’t risk it despite being innocent. It just wasn’t worth possibly going to prison for life. “Okay,partner,so now what should we do?” I begrudgingly asked, while looking down at my empty plate.
“We should go on a date.” He didn’t miss a beat.
