Page 69 of In The Dark
“Don’t make me vomit.”
“I do kind of have something I want to talk to you about. But I don’t want you to freak out.”
“Freak out?” Skyler wrinkles her nose. “I need more contact than that, babe.”
“I met someone.” I take a deep breath and laugh. “Someone I really like.”
“What?” She squeals and leans over to wrap me in a hug. “Details, please! What’s his name? Where did you meet? Is he cute?”
“He’s an actor at Fright Nights, actually.”
“Wait. Did you meet him at a bar or something? Oh! Is that where you disappeared to the night of sinners and saints party?”
“No. Well, yes, but I met him for the first time the night we went to Fright Nights together. Remember when I got lost in line and ended up back of house? He’s the one who…rescuedsounds silly. He helped me, and we talked. I thought he was cute. So much so, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I went back to see him and we… oh,god.” I bury my face in my hands. My cheeks are on fire and I shake my head. “Brace yourself.”
“Hey.” Skyler peels my hands away from my face and studies me. Her eyebrows pinch together, and I know it’s her serious face. The one she only uses when she’s really worried about someone, and I can’t help but smile. “Is he hurting you?”
“No.No. Nothing like that. The opposite. We… we hooked up the second time I saw him. And we’ve been hooking up pretty regularly since. He’s also kind of, um, a serial killer? And a stalker? But I’m not sure if he’s technically a stalker, becausehe’s only stalked me?” I add, because why leave out any of the facts? “Semantics, I guess.”
Skyler blinks. Drops her head back and bursts out laughing. “A serial killer? Right. Okay, Max.”
“I’m serious. He set up cameras in my bedroom. He hid in my closet one morning and watched me get off. He’s the one who’s been sneaking into the house and making me think I’m crazy. As for the serial part—” I roll my lips together, stifling a laugh. “He’s one of the good ones, and he wanted me to tell you that.”
“One of thegood ones? Jesus, sweetie. Is he brainwashing you? I mean—cameras in your bedroom? That’s sick.”
“He also put one outside our front door after I mentioned the possibility of Brian hanging around to make sure I’m safe. I don’t know, Sky. He folded my laundry. He texts me and asks about my day. He bought dozens of boxes of my favorite tea so I’ll aways have it.”
“So he does the bare minimum?” Skyler scoffs.
“I’m falling for him. And I know his hobbies are… intense, but he’s nice and a total sweetheart. He’s never yelled at me. He’s honest and tells me everything I want to hear without giving me a round around answer that ends up being bullshit down the road. And the sex? Skyler. It’s the best I’ve ever had.”
Her eyebrows shoot up to her hairline.Thathas her attention. “Really?”
“That’s putting it lightly. He’s so sexually open, there’s not anything I could ask for that would make me feel judged or… or dirty. I’ve never met someone so enthusiastic. Or creative.”
I blush at the thought of his knife handle inside me. The butt plug that made me feel so full, and the forbiddenness of all of it.
Even if I took the sex away, I know I’d still be attracted to him. Hunter makes me feel special. He listens. He’s respectful, and I’ve dated men who treat me so horribly, I’d rather take the serial killer over someone who dumps me via text message.
I should probably consider if I have daddy issues.
“Can we talk about the serial killer thing?” she asks, and I wince.
“We can. When he told me that, I freaked out. I don’t like violence. I don’t like weapons. He sharedwhyhe does what he does, and who he does it to, and it makes sense. It’s not innocent people he’s going after, Sky. He’s taking down horrible, wretched humans who shouldn’t have a place in society. I could never do what he does, but I respect his decision to do it.”
“What kind of humans?”
“Bad, bad people. He told me a few stories but the details… they make me sick. Stepping on a bug makes me upset, but Igetit. And it doesn’t deter me at all. In fact—” I laugh and dip my chin, blushing. “Is it crazy to say it makes me like him more? It shows he has a heart, and that’s so important these days.”
“This is a lot to process, Max.” She takes my hand in hers, looking me straight in the eye. “You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions, and you know what works and what doesn’t work for you. As your friend for almost twenty years, I just have to know two things.”
“I’ll tell you anything, Sky.”
“Are you safe?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “I am.”
“Good. Are you happy?”
