Page 12 of Nightmare

I stare at his white painted face for a minute, trying to figure out what’s got him acting so weird all of a sudden. But then I realize I don’t really give a fuck what he’s got going on in there. Violet’s out here somewhere without a fucking shirt on, and that’s always gonna be more important to me.

“All right,” I say, grinning again as I back away. “Have fun with her, brother.”

* * *

“You know I can hear you, right?” I call into the darkness, turning around when I hear something hit the ground behind me. “You still suck at this game, baby.”

The big rock she just threw rolls left to a stop, so I move right, knowing it came from that way. She lets out a whispered curse and starts running again. My heart races as I chase her through the woods, the leaves and gravel crunching loudly beneath our boots, so much adrenaline filling my bloodstream that I feel like I could stay high off it for weeks.

I’m right on her tail within seconds, making her scream when I catch her wrist and yank her back to me, her body slamming into mine. Her lungs empty out, but I don’t give her a chance to recover, picking her up and throwing her over my shoulder, narrowly avoiding another hit to the balls when she kicks her feet.

“Stop fighting me.”

“Put me down,” she growls. “You know I hate being carried like a child.”

I do know that. But if she wants to keep acting like one and having these little temper tantrums of hers, then I’ll keep treating her like one.

I walk her a few more feet until she gives up and relaxes in my arms, then I look around to make sure there are no stragglers over here. Once I’m sure no one’s gonna see my girlfriend’s tits, I stop right where I am and put her down on her feet, keeping hold of her hand just in case she decides to bolt again the first chance she gets.

“It’s my turn,” I say to her, lifting my thumb to smudge the dirt on her cheek.

“No,” she breathes out. “I’m really done this time, Atty. You win.”

But I don’t win until she’s mine again.

Those are the rules, and she knows it.

“Truth or dare, Vi?”

She looks exhausted, but my brave girl still looks me dead in the eye and says, “Dare.”

I hold her gaze while I take the crumpled, folded sheets of paper from my back pocket, watching her face as she looks down at my hand. She reacts exactly the way I knew she would. First, there’s confusion, then realization, surprise, and then finally…rage.

“Where did you get those?!” she shouts, snatching the letters I wrote her from prison and clutching them to her bare chest.

“I found them in your pillow.”

“You went to my apartment?”

“It’s my apartment too.”

“Not anymore.” She lifts her chin at me in defiance, and I give her a tight-lipped smile, barely containing my own anger as I crowd her space and wrap my hand around her neck.

“You’re pushing me, baby.”

Her jaw tightens, but she doesn’t fight me. I squeeze her flesh a little harder, but I don’t cut her air off completely. Just enough to put her on edge a bit.

“You have my lighter.”

It’s not a question, but she still answers, “Yeah, so?”

“Take it out.”

Still holding my letters to her chest, using them to cover herself, she lifts her foot up and reaches down inside her boot, struggling to pull it out with her throat in my hand. Once she’s got it, she drops her leg and holds the lighter up for me, but I don't take it.

“I dare you to burn them.”

“What?”

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