Page 39 of Bred

Walking into her bathroom, I pull my phone out and snap a picture of her packet of birth control pills and send it to my contact. Grabbing it, I dig through the rest of the cabinet finding the extra pills before pocketing them. My phone vibrates on my way out of the house.

J: You sure you want to do this?

Me: Yes and I need them ASAP. Bonus for you if you can get them to me by morning.

J: I already have them since you said it’d be a possibility. Consider it done.

Me: And the packaging is the same, correct?

A picture comes through showing the exact packet with a slightly different pill next to it.

Me: Perfect. But don’t ever fucking question me again.

J: Yes your highness. See you in the morn.

Smartass. He knows he’s the only one that could ever get away with questioning me. Don’t know why he bothered when he pretty much did the same damn thing.

Walking to my car down the road, I smile knowing everything is finally coming together.

Hailey

Replaying the events from last night, I start to panic until I remember my savior came to my rescue. Again. I’m not sure how I know it was him, just that I do.

Did he bring me home?

How did he know where I live?

Oh my god, did he kill that man?

With a sigh, I roll over shoving down the questions that are only worsening the pounding in my head.Ignore it all, you won’t find answers anyways.

Already after noon, I’ve missed my shift at the bookstore and will miss my afternoon class. I need a break and if there ever were a day to skip, today is definitely that day.

Checking my mailbox, a flyer for a cabin quickly catches my eye. It’s a small but quaint place in the middle of nowhere and the owner is putting it on the market. They’re looking for someone to clean up around the cabin, in exchange for staying there over the winter break. The getaway I’ve desperately been craving and needing like a lifeline has literally landed in my mailbox. It couldn’t be a more perfect opportunity. For the first time in a long time, I smile. It’s almost too good to be true.

CHAPTER FOUR

HAILEY

“You’vegottobeshitting me.” I grumble, pulling up to the old run-down cabin that looks like something out of a horror movie. The small cabin is weathered from the sun and age, shutters hanging halfway off the windows flap against the house in the breeze. The front porch is dusty, with debris and cobwebs hanging off the ceiling.It’s free.I remind myself.Just needs some TLC and it’ll be charming. Hopefully.

Climbing the old porch steps, dodging the cobwebs as I go, I retrieve the key from underneath the flower pot and prepare myself for what’s waiting for me on the other side of the door.Please no dead bodies.

Shoving the door open, I’m relieved somewhat to see that the inside looks better. And at first glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything dead. So that’s a plus. In the musky living room there is an old, withered couch to my right, followed by a fireplace with wood stacked along the floor. Past the couch, the cabin opens up to a kitchenette with a small dining table and two matching chairs. Just off the living room is the hallway leading to the bedroom. The four-poster bed is the only thing in the room other than the nightstand and the backside of the two-way fireplace. It’s a charming little place that will look amazing when I’m done.

Going back out to the car, I’m pulling my bag out when a twig snaps loudly just beyond the trees behind me. Whirling around, I scan the trees with my heart thundering loudly in my ears.It’s just an animal. Calm your tits lady. Out here, there’s to get worked up over, I tell myself. Being on edge for so long now, I’m used to questioning everything. No, this is the break I’ve been needing. I refuse to let this new adventure become tainted by my paranoia.

Shaking my head at myself, I grab my bag ready to get to work with a newfound determination.

CHAPTER FIVE

HOLDEN

I’msick.Iknowexactly what I am. Standing outside the bedroom window, I watch her from the shadows. She sits cross legged with her laptop in front of her. Biting her lower lip, she’s completely engrossed in what she’s doing. Her long raven-black hair cascades down her back in soft waves. A stark contrast against the solid white plain tee shirt she’s wearing. She’s so fucking beautiful. I want to wrap her hair into my fist and make her look at me. I want to be the one that bites that lower lip. My gaze slips down her nearly naked form and I can’t hold back the groan at the shadow between her legs. My pulse races thinking of tasting her.

Closing her laptop, she heads to the bathroom. Walking on silent feet, I make it to the porch and step quietly over the old weathered floor boards, stepping over the ones that squeak too loudly. Turning the handle of the door knob, my nostrils flare at her disregard for her own safety. It’s not even locked. This is another sign that she needs me. To protect her and keep her safe. From monsters like me. She feels safe here. She wouldn’t if she knew what monster lurked in the dark. Waiting for her.

Quietly closing the door behind me, my eyes catch on the dying flames of the fireplace. That won’t do. Hearing the water running, I add several logs to the fire and stoke the embers bringing the fire back to life. There, now I can say with confidence she won’t get cold tonight. This old cabin is drafty as hell and I won’t have my baby girl getting cold. Since I can’t be the one to keep her warm yet, the fire is the least I can do.