was a killer.
“Do you mind if I take a shower?”
Nikolai barely reacted, although he wasn’t quick to answer. “Do as you wish.”
As I wish. Jesus, the man could be cold as ice in a few seconds.
With that, he started to walk out of the room.
I’d never felt such a frigid wave, as if the windows and doors had been yanked open. I slumped against the counter, clawing the cheap surface as I watched him walk out of the room. What in the hell was I supposed to do?
It wasn’t a question that could be answered easily or quickly. For now, I’d go along with the situation, trying to obey his ridiculous rules, although I didn’t know what they entailed. Exhaling, I grabbed the bags, shoving them into one of the boxes before leaving the room. He’d already gone outside, the clunking sound indicating he was gathering wood. I grabbed a few of the things I’d purchased, fighting with myself as I walked up the flight of stairs.
The second floor was even more oppressive, the darkness in the hallway creating another wave of apprehension. Maybe the quiet was too much to bear. I was used to noise, lots of sound from my CD player or small television, or the chaotic noises from the diner. Serenity had never been something I’d searched for. There were three rooms and a single bathroom, two of the bedrooms making me claustrophobic. At least they were adequately furnished with beds and nightstands, a lamp or two.
When I walked into what had to be the master bedroom, I was pleasantly surprised after switching on the light. It was obvious the location had been where the former occupants had slept. Everything was dusty, but that could be dealt with.
Plus there was a dresser to place my things. I wasn’t certain I gave a shit about his. In fact, I hadn’t paid any attention to what he’d purchased. The majority of drawers were empty, a few containing what appeared to be men’s sweaters. I shoved them aside, making the dresser my own, promising to dust the surface later. Then I moved into the bathroom, dumping the few toiletries, switching on the light then closing the door with a hard thud. What I wanted more than anything was privacy.
As if I could keep the man out.
After everything that had happened, as I stared into the chipped and weathered mirror, all I could do was laugh at the way I looked. Raccoon eyes. A rat’s nest for hair. My clothes were dirty, smudged with whatever stains I hadn’t paid any attention to. My skin sallow. Hell, there was barely any light in my eyes, the fact I’d almost been abducted and killed finally settling in.
I fisted the edge of the counter, continuing to stare at the face glaring back at me. Nikolai was right. This wasn’t a game. This was the kind of nightmare where the boogeymen not only crawled out from under the bottom edge of closet doors and from under the bed.
They also lived and breathed in real time. The monster could be anyone standing on the street or shopping in a grocery store. There was no way of knowing. I had to stop acting like some misbegotten child and suck it up. That would be the only way I’d make it out of this alive.
Thank God I’d been smart enough to purchase soap as well as toothpaste and a toothbrush. The basic essentials of life.
Even though the water was lukewarm at best, just the feeling of the flow dousing my stringy hair, washing away remnants of the wretched moments was amazing. Suddenly, there was an overwhelming feeling of sadness, the intensity of my emotions absolutely ridiculous. But I couldn’t stop the flow of tears or the anguish pooling in my gut. Maybe I was sobbing out of frustration or maybe another rush of fear. Either way, I made a promise to myself that this was the last time I was going to allow myself to fall apart.
After gasping for air, I managed to force the ridiculous tears to stop, moving onto taking an actual shower, rubbing every inch of my body until my skin felt raw. I stood under the stream of water for at least five full minutes until the slight warmth began to fade. The second I turned off the shower, I pulled my arm to my nose.
My God. I could still smell his scent, the deep pine and utter masculinity that created an aura of