Page 119 of The Night Shift

He looks back up. “Ow.”

“I washandlingit.”

“Yeah? How? By choking to death?” His voice sharpens, frustration bleeding through.

“He asked me to come alone.”

Theo’s jaw tightens. “He was going tokillyou, Holly.”

“And what if he fucking killedyou?!” The words come out louder than I mean, echoing off the cold, crumbling walls.

Theo freezes, silent for a moment. His expression softens — less anger, more something else. Shock, maybe. Like he’s surprised thatthatis the reason for my outburst. So am I.

“What if he wasn’t alone? What if he…what if he had a gun? What if he bashed your skull instead…why the fuck are you smiling?”

A slow, infuriating grin spreads across his bloodied face. “You’re worried about me.”

“Excuseme?”

He tips his chin down and chuckles under his breath, the sound low and maddening.

“Theo, I swear to God, if you don’t stop laughing right now, I’ll —”

“Kill me?” He cuts me off. He pulls my scalpel out of his pocket and flips it, the handle cool and firm against my palm as he wraps my hand around it. “Do it,” he murmurs, guiding the blade to his throat.

My pulse stutters. “What —”

“Do it,” he repeats, his voice much darker now. His free hand moves to the back of my neck, gripping it tightly. I feel the sticky warmth of the other man’s blood against my skin. Heat pools between my legs.

His hand over mine tightens, forcing the scalpel closer to his skin.

“What’s the matter, Hollister?” The blood streaking his face makes the crazed look in his eyes even crazier.“Isn’t this what you wanted? Or do your words ring hollow now? Would you like some help?” He pulls the scalpel closer, guiding the tip to the soft skin beneath his mandible. The pressure is just enough topierce the surface. A thin line of red wells up, vivid against his pale neck, before sliding in a slow, deliberate path down toward his collarbone.

He scoffs. “For someone who says she isn’t worried about me, you sure are trembling, my love.”

My nostrils flare as I meet his gaze again. “Is that what this is about? Fine, I’m worried about you. There. Satisfied?”

His lips curl. His hand moves, wrapping firmly around the front of my throat, his thumb pressing against the frantic pulse in my neck. “Satisfaction isn’t in my nature.”

My lips part, a shaky breath escaping as I try to keep control, try to keep my emotions buried where they belong. I should not be enjoying this. Not like this. Not when there’s a literal dead body less than five feet away from us, Theo’s injured, so am I, but all I can think about is the blood on his neck and how badly I want to lean in and drag my tongue along that crimson trail.

“I don’t care if you told me not to follow you inside,” he continues. His hand slides up to my jaw, tipping my chin up, and I gasp, my breath hitching. “You are mine. And there hasn’t been a single moment when I wasn’t yours. Call it obsession, madness — I don’t give a flying fuck.” His forehead presses against mine, his breath warm and uneven against my skin. “You go, I go. That’s how this works.”

I’m drowning in the intensity of his words. Histouch. “You killed someone,” I manage to whisper.

He hums in response, the sound low and resonant, brushing against my ear like a caress. “Did I make you proud?”

This man is insane.My chest heaves as I swallow hard, my heart pounding in my ears.Why do I like it so much?

“Is that what you’re worried about, love? That I can’t handle taking another man’s life?”

I nod, barely moving, my eyes sliding shut as the tension between us grows unbearable.

“Baby, I don’t think I killed him hard enough.” His grip on my chin tightens. “You can bite me, bruise me, stab me any day of the week. But if you think for even a second that I’m going to let some slimy fucking bastard put his hands on you —hurtyou? Then you have another think coming. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Holly. You’re all mine. Mine to stalk, mine to piss off, and mine to touch. All fucking mine. And I protect what’s mine —”

It takes over, some kind of primal urge to shut him up before he says something he regrets. A need that pushes every logical thought away. With the scalpel still firm under his jaw, I lean forward and press my mouth to his.

Chapter 23