Page 59 of Nightmare

Bottom lip trembling, I slowly get to my feet. My hands are shaking so badly I can no longer control them, and when Western steps closer to me, I clamp my eyes shut, trying to power down the world around me.

His hands wrap around my trembling ones, and I gasp, but keep my eyes closed. His fingers squeeze together, until my hands aren’t strong enough to keep shaking beneath his flesh. Pulling, just slightly, he forces me to take a step closer, until our hands are pressed up against his chest and I can feel his warm breath against my cheek.

“Open your eyes.”

I can’t.

I’m scared if I open my eyes, I’ll lose it completely.

“I can’t,” I whisper.

“I won’t hurt you.”

Those words penetrate my soul, and it takes everything inside me not to crumble into him. I don’t want to be afraid of Western, but what I saw today can’t be erased. He killed someone as if it were second nature, not a single flinch as he pulled that trigger. That tells me something about him, about that club, about everything I believe in. I’m out here trying to clear his name, but is he truly deserving of that?

“I saw what you did. I saw who you are.”

Pausing, he doesn’t say anything for a long moment, then slowly his hands unravel from mine and one of them slides up to grip my chin. He tips my head back and orders, “Open your eyes.”

I open them, even though the thick lump in my throat feels as though it might just choke me. I look up at the man I so eagerly trusted, a man who is more dangerous than I could have ever imagined.

“I,” he says, his voice firm and unwavering, “would never hurt you.”

My bottom lip trembles.

“I saw who you are.”

“You saw the world bein’ rid of a monster. That’s not who I am. Come with me.”

“I ...”

“Now,” he grinds out, releasing me and taking my hand, jerking me as we walk away from my car.

I don’t know where we’re going, I’m not even certain we should be leaving.

But I can’t stop myself from following.

Partially because he’s tugging my hand, but also because a little part of me wants to know what it is he is going to show me.

I’m probably walking into a trap.

But there is no turning back now.

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