Follow Me Down - Melissa Toppen Page 0,3
to a stand, stabbing his cigarette into the ashtray before turning toward me. “You’ll have to excuse him. He’s a moody bitch.” He extends his hand. “I’m Link. That there is Titus.”
Titus... Finally a name. And it fits him.
“Fallon.” I take Link’s extended hand and give it a hesitant shake.
"Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Fallon.” He smiles and the action eases the tension in my shoulders a bit.
I don’t know what it is about this guy. He could be a complete psychopath, but there’s something about his smile, and his eyes, that make me feel oddly welcome and safe.
“Can you see if you have anything she can wear?” Titus interrupts, pulling my attention back to him.
In the light of the room I get my first really good look at him, and my god, he nearly takes my breath away. He’s that good looking.
“That’s not necessary.” I startle at my own voice like I didn’t realize I was talking.
“You want to sleep in that?” Titus gestures to my torn bathing suit cover—the two-piece visible under the sheer white material.
“Sleep?” I question. “I’m staying here?” Did I really think he was going to drive me all the way out here just to turn around and take me somewhere else? I don’t know why the thought hadn’t occurred to me before now.
I wasn’t thinking clearly when I asked for a ride. Then again, I don’t want to go home, either. If I had, I would have asked him to take me there. I sat quiet while he drove me further and further away, not once objecting or asking him to stop. I can’t help but wonder why that is.
Maybe it’s because I already know.
Isn’t this what I’ve wanted for as long as I can remember? What I’ve craved? To disappear where no one would ever find me. To be someone else.
Then again this isn’t really what I had in mind when such daydreams filled my head.
“What the hell else do you plan to do?” Titus pulls me back to the present.
“I... I appreciate the ride but I can’t stay here. I don’t even know you.” My bottom lip trembles slightly as the day’s events begin to catch up to me.
“Well it’s either here or the woods, which would you prefer?” His nostrils flare and I can tell he’s growing annoyed with me. “Link, clothes,” he barks.
“On it.” Link slips out of the room and disappears down a hallway.
“Don’t worry. No one is going to hurt you here.” Titus’s voice softens but his expression is as hard as ever. “You can sleep in my room. I’ll take the couch. We’ll figure the rest out tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s done,” he states with such finality that I don’t dare say another word.
Needing to break free of his hard glare, I quickly avert my eyes, looking around the relatively tidy cabin. It’s small but not too small. The main floor is completely open. The living room bleeding into the kitchen as if they were one large room. A long counter lined with stools is the only thing giving the space any type of separation.
The walls are wood, and so are the floors. It kind of reminds me of the cabin in Michigan we used to frequent when I was little. Well, other than the bulky leather furniture which has most definitely seen better days and the box television that looks to be as old as I am.
All in all, it’s not really what I would have pictured after looking at Titus. It’s cozy and warm. I would have expected dark and dungeon like. Though I will say it seems very impersonal. There are no pictures or paintings. Hell, the only real piece of décor is the lamp on an end table next to the couch, if you can even consider that décor.
I can feel Titus’ eyes on me as I take in the space, but I don’t dare look in his direction. I feel off kilter enough. I don’t need to add to it if I can help it.
Link reappears to save me from the awkward tension that has been building since he went to find me some clothes.
“Here.” He extends a pair of black lounge pants and a faded red shirt in my direction. “They’ll be big on you but it’s better than what you have on.” I look up, realizing that Link isn’t as tall as I had originally thought. He’s maybe three inches or so taller than my five-foot-five-inch