Came Back Haunted (Experiment in Terror #10) - Karina Halle Page 0,8

I talked to him and he suggested the night of the new moon.”

“That’s my birthday.”

“I know, kiddo,” he says patiently. “For whatever reason, I didn’t feel like telling him that. Felt too…personal. I told him I’d talk to you about it. I swear I was going to.”

“When?”

“Tonight?”

I glare at him. Likely story. I know him. He was going to spring this all on me the day of my birthday, somehow pretend this was part of the celebration.

He winces as he looks back at me, either reading my thoughts or getting them from my body language. “So,” he says slowly, undoing the last of the laces and slipping the boot off. “Do I dare ask how you knew all this? Got it from my brain?”

“I ran into Mr. Poe.”

His brows shoot up as he places my boot on the floor. “Where? Wait. Don’t tell me. Edgar Allan Fuck goes to the same shrink you do.”

I shake my head, looking down at my hands. “It was at his house.”

Silence.

I dare to look at Dex. He’s staring at me, completely dumbfounded. “I don’t understand. His house? Like his real house or…?”

“The one on Seneca Street. The haunted house.”

His frown deepens. “You went there? Why?”

I shake my head as I get off the couch and head toward the bedroom. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.” I grab the hem of my wet tunic and start peeling it off. I need a hot bath ASAP.

Naturally Dex is right behind me. “What happened? Tell me everything.”

I throw the tunic in the laundry bin in the corner so I’m just in my bra, keeping my back to him. Not that I’m especially self-conscious around him, though I am on some days, but it’s because his one-track mind as of late will quickly derail everything. My boobs are still his kryptonite to this day.

I go over to the drawer and pull out a t-shirt and pajama pants to crawl into after the bath, then head toward the bathroom. “I need a bath first to compose my thoughts. I feel gross.”

He reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me to him. His eyes rest on my chest for a second before he manages to pry them off. “Are you kidding me? Tell me now. Why the hell were you there, Perry?”

I can tell he’s getting more worried and agitated by the second. “I told you. I don’t know why. Suddenly I was just there. It was like I was on autopilot. I should have gone right home but for some reason I didn’t.”

“And then what happened? How did you see Atlas?”

I stare down at his grip around my wrist, how strong and assured and protected he makes me feel even from the slightest gesture.

“I thought I saw someone in the house. The next thing I knew, I was reaching for the door, trying to get inside.”

His grip tightens. I glance up at him, knowing he won’t take this very well. His jaw is clenching, nostrils flaring. “What? You were trying to go inside?” he says, his voice coming out in a ragged hush. “Why would you do that without me? Perry, you know how fucking dangerous that is.”

I give him a faint smile. “I know, okay? I know. Like I said, it was like I was on autopilot. I felt…compelled. Like I wasn’t even in charge of myself.”

He swallows audibly as he stares at me. “Did you go inside?” he whispers.

“No. Atlas stopped me. He was in the front yard. Caught me trying to get into his house, which was all sorts of embarrassing.”

“Was he angry?”

“I don’t think so. It’s hard to tell with him. Actually, he invited me inside to talk.”

Dex stiffens again. “I see.”

“I said no,” I assure him. “I left. Came right here.”

He frowns. “So who did you see in the house? You said you thought you saw someone.”

“Just a ghost.”

I don’t want to tell him it was Maximus. I have a feeling that will upset him, and he’s already agitated as it is. Besides, the more I think about it, the more I think it wasn’t him at all. Maybe a trick of the eye, or a trick of the house. Making you think there was something you wanted inside. Certainly worked with me.

“Did you hear the woman’s voice?”

“No. Nothing else.”

He closes his eyes for a moment, worry washing over his brow, then opens them, fixing his gaze on mine, his hand going around to the back of my neck, holding me there. “Please