Little Stranger (The Web of Silence Duet, #1)

by Leigh Rivers

“Down came the rain,”

“And washed… the spider… out.”

“Out came the sun,”

“And dried up… all the rain.”

“The itsy… bitsy… spider…”

“Climbed up… the spout again.”

little stranger

ah! he said it!

“Nope,” I say, taking it away. “Not yet.”

my man has self control after all lmfao !

and whether I was a cocky wanker or not, Olivia made me nervous. She still does.

Instead of making her pay for ruining nearly a decade of my life, I’m letting her touch me so freely, and I love it. I’m all warm and tingly and I… like it.

I’ve been so deprived of touch while being locked up that when her palm cups my cheek, I press against it.

Her lips are so fucking smooth and addictive, and I relax into the kiss and part my lips, allowing her tongue to slip in to move against mine. Her taste, her fucking kiss—I had no idea I needed it so much.

i love this for him so much

“No.” She moves off me. “I mean… I don’t want to live here… with you. Or anywhere with you.

i can feel Malachi’s heart shattering rn.

“Y-You don’t lo-love me?”

i hate her i hate her i hate her i hate her i hate her!

“I’m so, so sorry I didn’t protect you. I should have told everyone what you meant to me, and I didn’t. I was scared of the backlash, and everyone said you were vulnerable and that you were sick, that your obsession with me was down to you wanting to own something—someone. Me. And I was scared they were right.”

“I want to know if anything was ever real for you. Any of it. If you tell me you love me, that I mean the world to you, then I’ll admit that I feel the exact same. Because I do, Malachi. I love you so much it hurts.”

such a liar. and a coward.

I shut off the voicemail, and step forward, my body shaking with rage. “It was r-r-real. All o-of it was r-real. Everyth-thing was real. You mean th-the world t-t-to me. But you won’t s-s-say it back, w-will you?”

“I need you, Ol—” I stop, my heart racing so fast, I think it might stop.

“I don’t need you,”

you bitch

“You don’t even know how to love properly. Your diagnosis proves that. Why would I give up a marriage for someone who can never feel the same way about me?”

i really hate her.

I stay quiet, because she’s right.

NO SHE ISNT!!! Don’t let her gaslight you!

My version of love isn’t enough for her—I love her, I do, but how am I supposed to know what’s normal and what’s not? My world revolves around her and always has. And if that’s not a good-enough version of love fo...

I stay against the wall, my hands behind me, and try to think of everything possible to make her stay. Willingly. I want Olivia to choose me. Please choose me. Nobody ever chooses me.

💔

Something weird is happening to me. My chest is sore, and my eyes feel immense pressure, and they’re… wet. I think I might be crying for the first time in my life.

“Please,” I beg. “Accept my v-version of love. Pl-ease. I love you, Ol-l-l—”

You can’t stop me from loving him.”

God, that felt so good to say. A weight instantly lifts from my chest, and warmth gathers around my heart.

you should’ve said it to him first!

I made the wrong decision.

thank you for admitting you were wrong.

“I want to rip that fucking dress from your body then make you bleed all over it.”

“Run, little stranger.”

Being a virgin at nineteen didn’t bother me. There was something more important than fucking anyone who threw themselves at me.

Olivia was more important.

She’ll be panicking now that the sun is starting to set and night is nearing. Pretty soon, she won’t be able to see much. Why does that make me uneasy?

because you care!!!

No one could ever make her feel the way I do. Ever. And if they do, I’ll kill them.

My darling sister is nearly as sadistic as me. She likes to be hunted and caught and fucked.

She moves with me, meeting each thrust, kissing me, loving me the way I always wanted to be loved.

🥰

“I love you, I love you, I love you. I’m so sorry I wasn’t strong enough, but I am now. Please forgive me.”

I’ve never made love before. I had no idea what it felt like.

I’ve fucked Olivia. I’ve claimed her, ruined her in ways a brother shouldn’t, but I’ve never made love to her.

It’s… different. Slow...

I didn’t know I could love her mo...

Is this what it’s like to be happy? I like it.

😌 yay

I should do something about that. I couldn’t protect my mother from all the drug dealers and addicts who were constantly in and out of my house. All I could do was hide under my bed with my pet spider, who never wanted to talk back to me. Every day and night, we would hide under my bed. He was my best friend. But he never ever spoke, so why would I? He was happy without using his voice. I could be happy as well. He was my comforter. My protector. If he could conceal his voice and be brave enough to hide under my bed and not cry, then I could too.

🥺🥺🥺🥺 my poor baby

I had power over my speech. They wouldn’t take that from me too, because I hid it somewhere only Olivia could find it.

I’d give her anything she wanted. But a kid? “What if they’re just like me?”

“There’s nothing wrong with you.”

🫡

“You really think that?” Even I know there’s a lot wrong with me. That’s why I decided to go to therapy—the meds are a little intense, but I can manage them. I’d do anything to be normal enough for Olivia. “My therapist said I have a lot to work on, but I’ll change. I promise.”

🫂❤️‍🩹

“I love everything about you. I never want you to change.”

Olivia owns my mind, body, and soul. She did when we were kids, when we were teens, when we were giving in and letting go.

I now know I just wanted her back.