Page 36 of Marek

“Then pull the trigger.”

Come on, Ellie.

“Admit it to yourself,” he pushes closer, so the gun is pressed deep into his skin, “you like the idea of being with me, you like the way I fuck you, you like the way I make your soul come alive. You are obsessed with a monster, and it thrills you.”

He’s wrong.

He is.

Right?

He doesn’t let me think a second longer, his hand lashes up, curls around the gun and he has it off me in seconds. Defeat washes over me, but it isn’t as disappointing as I had hoped. It isn’t because deep down, I’m terrified he’s right. The idea of going home, back to normalcy, terrifies me. It brings a deep, empty feeling up from the surface and makes me want to turn and run.

But to stay with Marek?

“You have sentenced us to death with your foolish act,” Marek growls, shoving the gun into his jeans.

“Don’t be so dramatic,” I mutter, praying he’s wrong because if he’s right, this was all for nothing.

I’m starting to wonder what it was for to begin with.

“You could have stayed in that bunker and let me die,” I go on, turning and walking into the room, slamming the door closed.

He is there in a second, swinging it open so heavily it slams into the old timber wall. “You don’t get to run from this now. You’re helping me.”

Shaking my head, I stare at him, confused. “With what?”

“With Barry.”

My eyes widen. “Over my dead...”

He steps forward, getting so close to me I’m forced to tip my head back to look up at him. My breath hitches, because the urge to kiss him is scarily overwhelming. I hate the way my body betrays me when Marek is around. “I can make you disappear if that’s what you want, Ellie Mae, and I assure you, nobody will ever find you.”

I have no doubt.

“Quit it with the threats, if you wanted to kill me, you would have. Where is this god damned body? Let’s get this over and done with so I can lock myself in the room that is furthest away from yours.”

“Do you have any idea the intensity of this storm?”

I huff, even though inside, I’m terrified. “I like to live dangerously.”

Turning, he walks out without another word.

I follow him – what choice do I have?

The sooner we get through this, the better.

9

The coppery scent of blood fills my nose as I turn my head away, panting and struggling to keep my balance as we drag the heavy, bloating body of Barry up the stairs and onto the deck. Marek wants to toss him over the side before it gets too intense up here, but I’m not certain it’s safe even now as the ship rocks angrily from side to side.

“Lift him,” Marek barks from above me as we try to maneuver Barry up the stairs.

“Have you seen the size of me?” I grunt, trying to lift Barry’s dead weight. “I’m tiny.”

“You’re also incredibly strong, now lift.”

“Fucking wanker,” I growl.

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