Page 55 of Prey for You

“I won’t.”

I tipped my head, let her see my skepticism.

Her jaw tightened. “I said Iwon’t.”

I didn’t want to argue, and I didn’t want to make her tense, so I reached up to cup her face and kissed her. And I didn’t mention it again for as long as I was there. I just wallowed in her, and held her, and enjoyed her—and enjoyed watching her enjoy me.

When she eventually drift back towards sleep, I decided it was better that way. Let her relax now we’d blown off some steam. Let her sleep so she wasn’t as tired in the morning.

I slipped out of bed, gathered my clothes—including that envelope—and snuck out of the house the same way I’d snuck in.

The whole drive home I replayed all those moments of her abandon and submission. All those joyous cries, and all the ways her body responded to me.

Ilovedseeing her like that.

But in the back of my mind, right next to that ticking clock, was the constant reminder that something wasoff.

If it wasn’t a question about me, if she wasn’t doubtingus,then what was it?

And how the hell was I going to help her break through when I couldn’t even be there?

That envelope burned a hole in my pocket.

An hour later, after parking my clean car and hiding it again, I sat down at my breakfast table and whipped it out.

And the moment I started reading, it all got a lot clearer.

And alotmore scary.

When I was done, it was a good thing she wasn’t there. I might have murdered her myself. I couldn’t believe she hadn’t fucking told me sooner.

18. The Letter

SOUNDTRACK:Echoes of Yesterday (alternative shadow)by Cassandra’s Whispers

~ SAM ~

The letter was on lined paper torn from a notebook. I recognized the size and weight from the cheap composition notebooks we used to give our guys in prison.

His handwriting was thin and harshly slanted, at some points digging into the paper so the form of the letters were raised on the back, like he was forcing the words into it. Like they pissed him off. But the words didn’t match that.

I wasn’t sure what the words meant at all.

I read it all once, mind blown. Then again.

God, help me.

No wonder she was itchy. How long ago had he sent this?

I made a cup of coffee and let my mind percolate while the coffee did the same. Then I sat back down and read it again.

~

Bridget,

I didn’t try to call because I thought you probably want some warning. I hope you won’t burn this before you read it.

I’ve been talking to the head doctors here. And the god guys too. These idiots all think everything gets better if you cry. Or hug. Or some shit. But they get a few things right.

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