Page 17 of Creep
“Why are you talking to him as if he’s a child?” I ask, meeting Prophet’s gaze. Damn, he’s tall. “He knows all this. He improvised. And maybe I did say I want to stay. You didn’t even ask!”
I haven’t considered it, but thoughts tumble through my head at the speed of lightning. If this is Vulture Hollow, then this is the one place Domino won’t visit. And if Creep remains protective of me even after he’s found out I betrayed him, I might be safe here. Just not in the fucking cave. Maybe after a month or two… or three, Domino will forget my existence, find another sucker to corner into a shitty arrangement with strings made of barbed wire, and I’ll be free.
Creep glances at my feet, but that’s all I get. “I’d like him to stay.” It’s barely audible, but he does say it.
Prophet never looks away from my eyes, as if we’re having a staring contest. He might be able to break me in half, but this I can handle. “Well, and you? Did you just lie to him about wanting to stay like you did about the heart trouble? I warn you, I see through bullshit.”
Creep steps closer, hands balled into fists. “Do not talk to him like that. He’s fucking traumatized, can you not see?”
Harvey spreads his massive arms. “And whose damn fault is that, huh?”
“Not his,” I say more softly than I intend to, and my hand reaches to Creep’s jacket, because he is still my rock, and I refuse to let go of him. “I want to stay and get to know him better.”
Prophet squints at me as if he wants to tell me he thinks I’m lying, but I guess I did win the staring contest, because he slowly turns to Creep. “And you’ll be paying for his stay? You know there’s no free rides.”
Creep clears his voice. “I’ve got some savings.”
I feel so guilty over lying to him. So maybe he is a bit scary, but his heart is clearly in the right place, and I’ve used his weaknesses against him.
Prophet shrugs and approaches a wall by the door where lots of sets of keys hang from nails. “Your call, but you’re responsible for him,” he says and throws Creep a set of keys.
Just like that? I’m in? I’m getting anormalplace to stay here?
I should have sought out this place a long time ago.
“Um…. thank you,” I say and clear my throat, but the truth is I don’t want Prophet and Harvey to keep ogling me as if they know something I don’t.
Creep glances at the keys, at Prophet, at the zip ties on the floor, anywhere but at me.
He nods and opens the door for me. “Let’s go.”
Tension oozes off him so much, it’s infectious, but what can I do at this point? It’s a fucked up situation. We never even talkedabout him licking me. Or why he really broke into my house. He didn’t ask me who Adam was. So much is left unsaid it’s driving me crazy. So I talk.
“I’m sorry. I’m grateful you saved me, but the abduction was a bit much. I just wanted to be out of the cave.”
Creep puts his hands in his pockets as he leads me out into the sun. Fuck, I’m so happy to feel its rays on my skin. I might not be out of the woods, but things are looking up for me.
Creep is slouching as he walks, so his black hair covers most of his face. “I understand. It was a smart move. I don’t blame you.”
Oh Goddess, why does it feel like he hates me?
Or do I just hate myself and project it on him?
More importantly, why do I care?
I blink, shocked by the amount of light assaulting my eyes. How long has it been? Only two sleeps, but who knows how much time passed while I remained in the dark?
When we reach the stairs, I’m shocked to see the two-storey house not only leans against a thick old tree, but is built several feet above ground, like a grown-up version of a treehouse.
From my position by the balustrade, I see a thatched hut by the lake, and numerous other buildings spread out between trees. Because we’re in the woods. This place legit looks like one of those lakeside vacation spots with log cabins, and I’ll be living here for a while? Forfree?
People go about their business, not even looking our way much as Creep leads me away from Prophet’s impressive house. The mailbox at the bottom of the stairs just saysprez. I’d call it all kind of cute if I didn’t know Creep is a full-blown killer. Is it bad that I don’t care because he’s been nothing but nice to me?
The sun dapples the ground, warm yet not too hot, as spring in the woods should be. “This is… really lovely,” I try making conversation as we follow a path leading to the side of a large building that smells of food, and then past a basketball court.Its own little community. Nothing like the dangerous place the news described it as.
Have I… hit the jackpot?
Is this it? Someplace where I can rest, save money, and be safe from Domino? If I play my cards right, I could probably earn a living here as a hairdresser or something, and once I have enough cash, leave the state and reset my life with no sugar daddies to ruin my existence.
