Page 27 of Redd

I couldn't figure out if his words were laced in threat or if he was just trying to gently convince me to come inside.

Fuck, Bijou, stop the mind game shit already! Maybe it means nothing at all.

You can't stay out here, you know that, just go inside.

A brisk gust of wind whipped against my body, causing me to sway on my heels as my skin flooded in icy goosebumps.

His house is probably warm, don't be stupid about this.

Staying outside wasn't a good option. It was cold as shit, and the thin t-shirt and ragged panties I had on were barely thick enough to count as clothing. I would freeze to death before the sun rose, and I didn't get free to just die in some twisted hand of fate.

“Alright.” The sand spilled between my toes as I walked up the driveway. Climbing the first step, I looked up at him, allowing my eyes to meet his. “Tha—”

“Don't,” he said, forcing the words back down my throat. “Don't thank me. I said they didn't know where you are, that doesn't mean this is over.” Pushing the door open, he stepped inside, allowing the screen door to flap shut behind him.

Standing on the step, I gently pulled open the door and poked my head inside. Looking side to side, I took the last step in and shut the door behind me.

The house was welcoming and cozy. It smelled like my grandmother's trailer from when I was a kid, with a musty scent, like old fabric and pine floor cleaner. Inhaling a deep breath, I basked in the familiar notes in the air, allowing that simple memory to put me at ease.

A dark blue couch was set against the wall, the edges worn down and frayed. The carpet was thin, doing nothing to stop the sub-floor from crackling and splitting as I stepped further inside. There was a small kitchen to my right, and a hall that hid the rest of the house.

Lowering my eyes to the table beside the door, my shoulders fell forward to investigate the picture in the frame.“This is cute,” I said, running my finger across a colored image of a cat popping out of a basket full of yarn.

“Don't touch anything.” His voice snapped as he whipped his head over his shoulder, brows veering in hard. “Not a fucking thing.”

Pins and needles prickled my body, making my hair stand up on the back of my neck. “I—I'm sorry, I didn't—” Jerking my body upright, my eyes grew wide. I stood waiting for him to strike me, to punish me for over stepping my boundaries in his home.

Don't hurt me, you said you wouldn't.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his lids and took in a deep breath. “It's been a long day, a lot of shit went down that I would have preferred to avoid. I'm going to bed, you should get some rest too. The couch is yours for tonight.” His voice was rough, his muscles tensed and tight.

Exhaling hard, I shook my head in agreement. “Yeah, some sleep would be good.”

He was right, rest could help us both. I knew he needed to collect his thoughts, maybe try to figure out what where we would go from here.

And my head was still spinning from this complete three-sixty. Yesterday I was a captive, today I was free. It was my dream come true and yet I still couldn't completely grapple the idea as reality.

The man disappeared down the hall, and I heard a door open and shut softly. I was alone, allowed to seek comfort on an actual piece of furniture. Inside I was jumping with joy like a kid on Christmas morning.

I can't believe this happening. . . Am I dreaming?

If I am, I hope I never wake up.

Plopping my body down onto the couch, I fell onto my side and curled my arms under my head. That cushion was the most comfortable thing I had laid on since Diablo took me from my home.

The thick padding cradled my skull and my eyes instantly began to close. They were so heavy, begging and aching for sleep. The room began to fade, my lids blinking and opening, blinking and opening, each time a little deeper and longer.

Footsteps approached, a figure taking shape and fuzzy above me as I opened my eyes one last time. I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to know if the figure was the stranger or if it was someone else.

Blackness took over, my mind going into hibernation and refusing to wake up.

I was out, lost in dreams and nightmares.

Lost in false reality and forgotten happiness.

Sleep had finally won.

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