Page 42 of Royal

“Grayson?” She hesitated before continuing, “If you ever need or want my assistance with anything, I’ll do all I can to help. I know bringing in a psychic to help solve a case is unheard of here, but bigger departments in other states have been known to do it on occasion. Just think about it.”

“I’ll consider it,” I answered after swallowing another bite. “Since the feds are here, though, I don’t feel as hopeless. It might take a while, but we’ll eventually get a good lead and take this guy down.”

We had to. I couldn’t let myself think otherwise.

After getting off the phone with Aunt Abby, I finished eating and placed the plate in the sink. I could barely stay standing as I walked to the bathroom to brush my teeth. A good sign in my opinion. If I was too tired to stand, maybe I’d be able to actually get a decent night’s sleep.

Wrong.

Right as I lay down, I was wide awake.

“Fuck,” I mumbled.

There was no way I could have another night of little sleep, so I took nighttime cold medicine. That shit always knocked me out. Sure enough, it did the trick, and I fell into a deep sleep. Sleep that brought nightmares: me running through a dark, winding corridor, searching for something and becoming more desperate as the seconds ticked by.

What was I looking for?

Somewhere nearby, I thought I heard metal scraping metal. Nails scratching skin. I ran as panic clawed its way through my chest.

Scratch, scratch.

The sound grew louder.

I woke in a cold sweat around five in the morning and checked my phone, sure that I’d have missed calls or text messages saying another body was found. I was paranoid and on the verge of a full-blown anxiety attack.

The only notification I saw, though, was a long text from the one person I didn’t expect.

Royal:Ever since you came over the other night, I can’t get you out of my head. I’m not sure I’m ready to try again (if that’s even what you want) but I want us to start talking again, Gray. At least as friends. Let me know what you think. Also…I’m sorry for treating you like I did after we hooked up. That was an asshole move.

Still too jittery from my nightmare, I decided to wait until later before texting him back. I wasn’t in the right headspace.

Once I got out of bed and showered, I made a pot of coffee. Just my luck that I’d finally get some sleep but be tormented with bad dreams the whole time. Guess it served me right for humoring Aunt Abby and her so-called visions. All it’d done was make me even more paranoid.

I stood at the counter, staring at the dark liquid as it brewed, trying to get the cold feeling of dread leftover from my nightmare to leave my chest.

Scratch, scratch.

I jolted at the sound and flung around to the window, where a stray cat was clawing at the frayed screen.

For fuck’s sake. I was a mess.