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“You shouldn’t be here,” my therapist, Gabriel Brooks, admonishes gently. “What are you doing, Quinn? Didn’t I tell you to be a good girl and let me take care of this?” “You killed them,” I whisper, finally noticing the blood on his face and his white tee that stands out sharply against the rest of him. “You killed them,” I say again, making the words more real. He tilts his head to the side, studying my face. “I killed them,” he agrees. “Because he hurt you. Why would I ever let that go?”
“He’s looking for you.” The words drag my attention out of that abyss inside of me that’s gotten bigger and bigger over the years. His voice is rushed and soft, and he changes positions so this doesn’t look so non-consensual. “I didn’t know it was you until today, and it’s hard to warn you when he’s watching.”
How did Wren know it was her? Was he stalking Gabriel?
“The moment someone I love is hurting me is the moment I cut them off. You shouldn’t let people have that much control over you.”
“I see you’re still jumpy in the dark.” Gabriel’s voice in my ear makes me nearly levitate and I whirl around, hating that it brings me closer to him instead of further away. “You,” I hiss, eyes wide. “It’s always me,” he promises, eyes sharp in the dim and dingy light from the porch lamp. “And it’ll never be anyone else.”
“How did you find me?” “The same way I always find you,” he replies, leaning forward so his mouth brushes my ear. “By some dark power you got from selling your soul to the devil?” I ask, voice sharp as I fight not to run screaming from him again. “By the tracker in your car.”
“God,” I mutter, closing my eyes hard instead of looking at the bodies. “I came all this way to get away from you, only to stumble onto this?” “You’re unlucky,” Gabriel agrees. “So fucking unlucky.
“How dare you track me? What’s wrong with you, Gabriel? Are you crazy?” His grin turns dark, morbid, and so unsettling that I wish I hadn’t asked at all. “Yeah, Quinn,” he murmurs, his grip on my shirt keeping me in place as he leans in close. “I’m insane. That’s why I’m here, with you, instead of in any of the other places I’d rather be. Doesn’t that make you feel so special? That I’ll cross the earth for you without complaint?”
While he’s the demon of my dreams who’s never gone from them for very long, the unfortunate truth is that everything he likes to remind me of is true. He’s never hurt me. I have a million reasons to be afraid of him, and one reason not to that never seems to want to go away. Gabriel Brooks has never hurt me.
I have a million reasons to be afraid of him, and one reason not to that never seems to want to go away. Gabriel Brooks has never hurt me. Just declared that I’m his, killed multiple people for me, and followed me from town to town for the last five years. No big deal or anything.
“You’re not in trouble, are you? I don’t mind playing whatever game this is, but I want to make sure you’re alright.” “What are you going to do if I say no and tell you that I’ve been kidnapped by a drug cartel and shipped to South America?” I ask, my words dry. “Come find you, kill them all, and bring you home.” “What if I want to stay and rule over them?” “Then I’ll make you their queen.”
“What are you going to do if I say no and tell you that I’ve been kidnapped by a drug cartel and shipped to South America?” I ask, my words dry. “Come find you, kill them all, and bring you home.” “What if I want to stay and rule over them?” “Then I’ll make you their queen.”
Slowly, I shake my head. “Maybe I was just implying that I look like the carefree, casual dating type and all the boys around here are lining up for my number.” “You should get theirs instead,” he says, eyes dropping back to the menu. “And why’s that?” “So I can track them down easier to kill them.”
“Love is too healthy of a word for what we have, darling. Love is for people who aren’t like us.”
“I’ll always protect you, Quinn,” he purrs, face close to mine. “Even if that means tossing you in my trunk if you ever try to do stupid shit like this again.” “That sounds uncomfortable,” I admit, distracted from my current problems. “Very,” he agrees. “So behave.”
