Page 87 of Vacancy

“No, don’t be sorry,” I urged gently and took both her hands to run my thumbs over her knuckles. “Iwantyou to question shit like that. Listen to your instincts. Always. Call me out on anything you think feels off. Because Ihavekept things from you, and it’s good that you could sense that.”

A burst of fear filled me as I pictured something happening to her the way it had Thalia. My grip on her fingers tightened and I spoke even stronger, “There are some truly awful, evil things out there. Stay sharp and alert. It’s what’ll keep you safe and alive.” Lifting a hand to cup her hair, I pressed my brow to hers and closed my eyes. “But you have nothing to apologize for with me, I swear.”

“Okay.” Oaklynn pulled away slowly, and when I reopened my eyes, she was studying my face thoughtfully. “So the picture you took from your shelf last night…”

I winced, already bracing for her to ask. The worst problem was I wasn’t sure how I would answer if she asked to see it now.

“Yeah?” I asked slowly, my voice hoarse with reservation.

“It was of the person who died? The murdered person you found.”

I exhaled, beyond relieved. Then, I gave a jerky nod, guilty because I knew I was still being less than honest with her for not just showing her the damn picture.

But she didn’t ask, and I couldn’t offer. I wasn’t ready to lose this closeness between us just yet. Ilikedher. A lot.

Besides, Thalia hadn’t told her either. I had a feeling my sister was enjoying the facade, getting to play like she was alive again, making a friend, having someone to talk to... It’d feel like I was taking that away from her if I told Oaklynn the truth too soon. I mean, why the hell would she continue to live there after learning her roommate had been murdered nearly ten years ago?

“Alright, then,” she said, and sent me a reassuring smile, letting me know she wouldn’t prod further.

Relieved that I had more time, I surged forward and pressed my mouth to hers. She laughed against my lips until I hooked a hand around the back of her neck and sealed us together more firmly.

And her laugh turned into a moan as she gripped my hair. We rose to our knees, desperate to get closer. But it wasn’t enough. I stood up, gathering her into my arms, and I carried her to the bed.

* * *

“I really should get home,”Oaklynn said.

Draped completely naked and utterly limp over my chest as she recovered from our last round together, she sighed contentedly and lifted her head to look up at me. “I have homework I need to get done before tomorrow.”

My arm on her hip tightened, and I pulled her snugger against me, even as I nodded and said, “Okay. I guess I do too.” Though, I’d gladly put it off for another hour or two—or ten—to get more time with her.

Smiling over my contradicting reactions, she leaned in to kiss my chin. “I had fun, though. Thank you for last night…and half of today.”

“Thankyou,” I returned, sitting up when she did. “I enjoyed it too.” With a shrug, I added, “All except for that moment when you thought I was a sadistic murderer who kept pictures of my bloody, mutilated victims in the chest at the end of my bed.”

“Oh my God! I didnotthink you were a murderer,” she screeched in defense, whacking me with a pillow before she found her bra and started to slip it on.

I tilted my head and lifted an eyebrow, sending her a disbelieving glance.

She positioned the bra into place and then gave in as she met my glance. Shoulders slumping, she confessed. “Okay, fine. For, like, half a second, I contemplated the idea thatmaybeyou might be dangerous.”

When I flat-out laughed over her admission, she threw up her hands helplessly and cried, “I’m sorry!”

I lifted a hand and shook it in forgiveness. “No, no,” I assured. “It’s okay.” I’d rather she be paranoid than in true danger. As she pulled up her panties, I reached out to gently touch her hip. When she looked up in surprise, I peered back beseechingly. “Promise me you’ll always stay safe like that.”

“I will,” she murmured, gazing back and lifting her hand to cup my face. “But damn… This death really affected you, didn’t it?”

I swallowed thickly. “Quite a bit, yeah. But I got help to deal with it. I’m okay now.”

“Good.” With a soft smile, she leaned over to press a compassionate kiss on my forehead. “I seriously can’t believe Jaylani tried to convince me you were full of red flags. You’re nothing but a big marshmallow.”

I sat up straight, kind of hurt by that revelation.

As she turned to find her shorts and shirt in the mess of clothes, candy, and condom wrappers on the floor, I said, “She thought I was full of red flags? Why?”

“Oh, you know…” Oaklynn gave an offhand shrug with her back to me as she bent to pick up her shorts. She waited until she was shimmying them on before glancing over. “From the whole way we met with you bursting into the apartment and claiming you were my landlord and everything. She thought I should’ve gotten some identification to prove you were really who you said you were before just believing you.”

As she talked, she found her tank top and slipped it on as well, so I decided to put my shorts on too.

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