Page 53 of Claiming His Bunny
“Ah. Well, next time, you can be on top.”
She cocks an eyebrow, grinning. “Next time, hm?”
“Yes. Next time and the time after that and the time after that and the time—”
“Okay, okay, I get it. We’re going to have a lot of sex. Is that why you brought me here?”
I roll onto my back and pull her closer. Kayla complies without protest, resting her head on my shoulder and draping her arm and leg across my body. It’s the best feeling ever. “Thisis why I brought you here,” I explain, choosing my words carefully.
“To cuddle? Hmm, I can live with that.”
I laugh. “That’s good to know. I brought you here because you belong by my side, Kayla. You’re mine and I’m yours. That’s it.”
She runs her fingers through the hair on my chest, staying silent for a very long time. I wish I could read her mind to know what she’s thinking. Is she considering the best ways to escape? To incapacitate me for long enough so she can run and get help? Is she eyeing the cuffs I left lying on the bed?
Her question catches me unprepared. “Why didn’t you just ask me out? I mean, you’re Ethan Bennett, the most desired bachelor in Bluebell Springs. The celebrity, that one everyone loves. I would have said yes. Eventually.”
I heave a sigh as I think of the best way to explain it. “Because I’m more than that. Or…less than that, I guess. The Ethan Bennett you know is a part of me, but it’s not who I am. There’s darkness inside me, and I’ve done things some would consider terrible. I didn’t want to deceive you. I wanted you to know all of me, not just the part I let everyone see.”
“Hmm. That sounds…fair, I guess? But you’ve already stalked me, kidnapped me, and had sex with me without my consent. What more is there? Right, you killed Craig, but he was an abusive bastard, and no one misses him. It’s not like you’re a serial killer,” she adds, chuckling.
I sigh into her hair. I love how accepting she is, but she doesn’t know everything yet and I’m not about to lie to her.
When I don’t respond, she groans. “Oh my god, really? You are? Fucking hell. How can anyone claim this stupid town is some crime-free haven? I haven’t even lived here for a whole month, and I’ve already had my car wrecked by a butthurt child abuser and got kidnapped by a serial killer. I mean, seriously?” She draws in a shaky breath, the fingers on my chest stilling. “Are you going to kill me?”
“No!” I exclaim, even before she finishes her question. “Of course not! I’d never hurt you, Kayla.” I hug her tightly, pressing her into my chest.
I understand why she asked. Anyone in her situation would ask the same thing. Still, I feel somewhat offended that the thought has even crossed her mind. Me, killing her? Incomprehensible.
“Okay.” She doesn’t sound convinced.
I take in a deep breath, bracing myself for the upcoming conversation. I wish we could just have sex again, but that will have to wait. It’s time to put all the cards on the table and hope Kayla won’t run away screaming. Not that I’d let her, but it would certainly complicate things.
I sit us up so I can look at her as I speak. “Kayla, I’m not going to kill you,” I say, holding her gaze. “You are the love of my life, the reason I breathe, the center of my universe. I would never hurt you. Besides,” I add, seeing she still doesn’t believe me, “I only kill a very specific set of people, and you don’t fit any of the criteria. In fact, you’re the polar opposite of everyone I’ve ever killed.”
She chews on her lip, looking away from me. Even though the wait is killing me, I let her mull over my words in peace.
Eventually, she sighs. “I want to believe you. I want to like you. But dammit, Ethan, a serial killer? Even one murder is wrong, but I was willing to look the other way because Craig was dangerous. Even if he left Amy alone, he’d find another woman to abuse. But more? I’m not sure I can accept that.”
Her shoulders hunch a little, as if she expects reprisal for her words, but I love that she’s being honest with me. She trusts me not to hurt her. It’s not the best baseline for a relationship, but it’s a start.
“What if I told you that each person I killed was much worse than Craig?”
She cocks her head. “Worse?”
“Yes, worse,” I confirm, subconsciously glancing at the dart target hiding the door to my secret room. “Can I show you?”
Chapter 31
Kayla
“Can I show you?”he asks.
My eyes go wide. Show me? What could he possibly want to show me?
“Please tell me you don’t have a body part collection in here somewhere. Because that’s a hard no. I can get over the obvious red flags like stalking and kidnapping, but body parts in a freezer or on a shelf oranywhereare not a red flag. They’re a red fucking banner, and I’m not dealing with that.”
Only after I’m finished with my little speech do I realize that if he does have a body part collection, I’ve mortally insulted him. But I guess I believe him when he says he’d never hurt me because I’m not afraid of his retaliation. I’m just worried about how I’ll be able to deal with whatever he wants to show me.
