Page 155 of A Smile Full of Lies
“Your man left the door unlocked.”
“That’s not an invitation.”
“It is to me.”
A shudder ripped through me, a wicked, involuntary response that had nothing to do with fear.
His voice was so damn confident. Like he already owned me. Like we were still playing a game that I hadn’t realized I was losing.
I took a step back. His head tilted the other way, that eerie, glowing mask making him look inhuman, untouchable. Wrong.
“I should call the cops,” I hissed.
A beat of silence stretched between us.
Then, a slow chuckle rumbled out of him.
“You won’t.”
My stomach twisted. I hated that he was right. That the very idea of telling someone — of admitting to this — made my insides revolt.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I whispered.
“I’ve always been here, baby.”
His voice sent a ripple of something hot down my spine. Because that wasn’t just a statement — it was a truth. One I didn’t understand. Not yet.
I needed to get out. Right fucking now.
My muscles unlocked all at once, the fight-or-flight instinct slamming into me. I kicked off my high heels, half hoping one might hit him, and I ran like a bat out of hell. He caught the one that flew straight at his face and slung it into the kitchen.
I bolted, feet barely touching the floor as I tore back out of the living room, through the hall, throwing open the front door so hard it slammed against the wall. Cool night air rushed against my skin, shocking me into clarity.
Go, bitch, before he gets your ass,my mind screamed.
My bare feet hit the pavement as I sprinted down the driveway. I didn’t stop. Didn’t look back. I just ran.
Across the street. Down the sidewalk. Into the trees. I barely made it ten steps into the woods before I heard him.
He wasn’t running. No. He was following me, and the motherfucker was whistling again. Casually. Confidently. Like he was savoring it. Like he knew exactly how this would end.
A shiver shot through me, wicked and sharp.
Branches whipped at my arms, my legs, slicing against my exposed skin. My lungs burned. My heartbeat crashed against my ribs, wild and erratic.
I thought I had a chance. For a second. For a breath.
Then I heard a whisper of movement. Too damn close. I tried to lunge away from it, and then I was tackled from behind.
I went down hard, my body twisting beneath the weight of him. A scream barely left my lips before a gloved hand clamped over my mouth.
His other hand fisted in my hair, yanking my head back, exposing my throat. His breath was hot against my skin despite the mask, his voice pure, dark amusement.
“I let you run,” he murmured, his modulated voice drenched in satisfaction. “I wanted to see how far you’d get.”
A whimper trembled in my throat. My body was on fire. My mind screamed at me to fight, to resist, but deep in the marrow of my bones, something else unfurled and stretched its limbs.
Something I had tried to deny. Something he already knew.
