Page 83 of Ballad of Nightmares

Sam needed out.

His phone buzzed after a few hours, and when the noise pulled him out of the daze, he realized it was well into the afternoon. He hadn’t messaged anyone all day, though he was sure Rolfe and Millie had seen him come there, so they wouldn’t have bothered him. Although he was surprised it took Ana so long to text him.

Sam finally put down the charcoal, dusted his hands off on his jeans, and then picked up his phone.

An angel yearning for chaos can fall for no other than the demon desperate for peace.

Sam smiled at the message, loving the quote she’d sent.What if what I considered peace was someone else’s chaos?he typed back.

Sam looked up at his drawing. It had started out as a blunder of charcoal lines, but slowly, his strokes had come together to form the silhouette of a woman lying on her side, curves on full display. He hadn’t exactly meant to draw her, and by the erratic lines over the page, he wasn’t sure he really had.

But there she was. In the middle of what someone else would have considered a haunting interpretation of vulgarity, she came through the page.

Give me the kind of peace that makes my heart race, Ana said.I want to be feared and scared and loved in the same breath. Do you think that’s too much to ask?

I think it sounds perfect.

Sam snapped a photo of the canvas before him as he relaxed back on the rolling stool and sent it to Ana.

Peace, he typed.

Ana sent back a heart, and said,It’s beautiful.

It’s a disaster, he said.But I’ve always found beauty in things like that.

Me too, Ana said.

Sam stared at the phone for a minute, debating what to say next. But the three dots on the bottom saved him from having to think too hard.

Haven’t heard from you all day, she said.

Lost track of time when I came to the studio, he said, and it wasn’t a complete lie.How was your day?

Long, she typed.I miss you.

Fuck, he hated what his heart did then. How it knotted to the point of nausea and ripped into his stomach. But—

I miss you,he replied.I’m sorry I’ve had to work so much. Finally off tonight. I can pick up food on the way over if that’s okay.

I have to work late tonight.But I’m off tomorrow.

The first part was a lie, and it made his jaw twitch that she continued the ruse. But he shook his head at his aching heart and typed back.

Where do you want to go?

I was thinking of a day at home… take out and binging that new murder docuseries.

All memory of her lie left him as he read the message.Haven’t had a lazy day in weeks.

I know, she replied.I thought it would be a nice change.And I just wanted some time with you.

I’d like that.Sam sighed at the phone.I’ll see you tomorrow, baby. Bright and early.I’ll pick up breakfast on the way.

I’ll be waiting.

He looked at the art piece again and then switched screens to his text thread with Rolfe, but even as he started to hit the call button, he paused. His mind screamed at him. To hit the button and make sure Rolfe trailed her that night to find out where she was going and what she was up to.

But he didn’t.