Page 60 of Unbinding the Demon
“Yeah, yeah, so what if I do?” I crossed my arms, even though I was blushing terribly, and smiled. “I was just admiring how your hair always looks so perfect; that’s all.” I waved a hand at him dismissively so he wouldn’t get too cocky from my compliment.
“Oh? Is that so?” With a chuckle, he prowled around to my side of the bed. He sat with his back facing me and flicked his hair in my direction. “It’s very soft too, you know.” He not-so-subtly beckoned me to touch it.
I tried to ignore him and began fidgeting with the velvety crimson coverlet instead. He flicked his hair at me again, this time making sure the strands tickled my face. “Hey! Okay, okay, you win!” I giggled and ran my hands through the lustrous midnight drapery that curtained his hard muscles. Every strand was almost hypnotic and felt like the softest silk gliding through my pale fingers. I gave his scalp a swift scratch with my dark red nails, and he leaned into my touch with a smile.
“Oh, I really like that,” he said with a purr.
“Jeez, what are you, a house cat or something?” I laughed as my other hand joined in to scratch him more vigorously, messing up his once-perfect hair.
He laughed as well, then turned his now disheveled head to face me in a manner that radiateddanger. “Those are bold words coming from someone who mewls in delight every time I stroke their pussy.” He pounced on me with a growl and grabbed right between my legs. I let out a little“Oh my,”with a giggle.
“Are you two lounge lizards even out of bed yet!? The police are waiting for Gwendolyn at the house, you know!” Lacey’s voice boomed through the door, accompanied by loud knocking.
We both froze and looked at each other with wide, guilty eyes. “We’ll be out soon,” Ashton called back to her.
“Alright, William and I are heading back now. We’ll meet you guys there.”
“Okay, sounds good!” I yelled back. Thank goodness she didn’t barge in and see Ashton’s hand right on my twat! We tried to hold back our snickers while we listened to her footsteps becoming quieter as she walked away. “So, the police are waiting for me?” I asked with furrowed brows.
He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear with his free hand. “Yes, they want to speak with you once you arrive. So, we really should get going.” His lower hand squeezed my pussy, causing me to yelp. “Don’t think that we’re done here, though. I fully intend to finish this once we return!” He used a deep, husky tone that held promise. With a wicked grin, he flicked my clit through my damp panties and swiftly got off the bed.
My heart pounded in my chest and my limbs felt weak with anxiety as the little blue house came into view. Gravel crunched beneath the tires as Ashton pulled the car up and parked next to the crooked row of police cars. Lacey and Darrell were speaking with a concerned detective in the side yard, and the little puffs of smoke coming from behind a maple tree gave away William’s whereabouts. I didn’t even realize my hands were trembling until I felt Ashton’s hand grab one of them, settling it and giving it a gentle squeeze.
“It’s okay. You’re safe now. Besides, I’ll be with you the entire time,” he reassured me with a loving smile.
“Thank you. I feel ridiculous for overreacting this way,” I softly replied as I gazed out the window. Crunchy brown leaves littered the ground, blowing across the dying grass. With a shaky fingertip, I quickly drew a terrible-looking duck in the fog on the glass.
“You’re not overreacting,” he firmly stated as I doodled. “What happened last night was horrifying, and feeling upset is completely justified.” My hand was pulled to his lips and given a gentle kiss. It was an action he often did, yet this time it felt far more comforting than usual.
“Thank you.” I pried my eyes away from my art and gave him a weak smile. He was right. I wasn’t pathetic for feeling frightened after having a freaky-ass zombie thing crawl through my living room window and then succumb to an unexplainable and violent death!How often does something like that even happen? And it just so happens to happen to me, really?
We exited the car, and Ashton grabbed some flattened boxes from the backseat so we could collect a few of my things. I tried to take a deep breath to help settle the feeling of dread that lingered in the pit of my stomach, but it didn’t seem to work. So, my eyes wandered over to the trees lining the side yard to distract myself instead. The fiery colors of October had resigned to the dark burgundies, umbers, and barrenness of November’s cold dying veil. Even though the sun was shining, the landscape was becoming dull and desolate, preparing for the heavy snowfalls of winter.
Crows cawed from the trees beside the house, while a few withered leaves fluttered down from the lofty swaying branches. I walked past the now lifeless hydrangeas, lightly running my trembling hand along the brittle blooms. Then my hand found the splintered wooden railing as I stepped up onto the front porch. The dead leaves and twigs that were stuck in the corners of the steps rustled beneath my boots, while the open screen door creaked eerily in the wind.
“It’s going to be alright,” Ashton said and gave me a slight kiss on the top of my head.
He opened the door and his large, dark frame entered the house. I nervously followed behind him. Broken glass crunched under my boots as I took in the horrific scene. The body was gone, but the blood and black gooey stuff was still splattered all over the walls and floor. My stomach churned from the smell and memory, yet Ashton didn’t seem shocked or bothered at all. Most of the living room was closed off with yellow caution tape, allowing only a few walkways to the rest of the house. Cameras flashed as bewildered detectives and police officers tried to make sense of the gruesome incident. A few of the officers took unnerved double takes at Ashton, with looks of both fear and malice in their eyes.
That’s kind of uncalled for. I know that Ashton’s an intimidating guy, but jeez.
“Excuse me, miss! You wouldn’t happen to be Gwendolyn Gallagher, would you?” A middle-aged policewoman energetically approached with a to-go coffee in her hand, her short ponytail of dark brown curls bouncing behind her.
“Yes, that’s me,” I answered with a forced smile. Ashton took a protective step toward me and rested a hand on my back.
Her light brown eyes narrowed at him in annoyance, causing her crow’s feet lines to appear bolder against her olive skin. “So you were here last night with William Eskildsen and Lacey Ndiaye. Is that correct?” Her eyes shifted back to me as she spoke.
“Yes, that’s correct,” I replied politely, even though I was rather nervous.
“My name’s Officer Julianna Hoffman. I’m going to need to ask you a few questions and hear your part of the story.” She whipped out a little notepad from her shirt pocket with her free hand. “And who are you?” she asked Ashton in a rude tone.
“Ashton Meyers, Gwendolyn’s boyfriend,” he replied flatly, with a look of detestation. He pulled me to his side, keeping his gaze fixed on the officer.
“Well,Ashton, if you don’t mind, I’d like to chat with Ms. Gallagher in the kitchen...alone.” She sneered his name in a taunting way while adjusting her shirt a bit, causing a beautiful sapphire necklace to peek out from beneath her uniform.
“Actually, I do mind. Quite a lot, in fact. Gwendolyn has been traumatized, and I’m not about to leave heralonewith some...officer.” He sneered the word “officer” in an equally taunting manner, then the two of them scowled at each other with bitterness.
Yikes, did I miss something?
