Page 76 of The Night Shift

She makes some kind of a cute growling sound, and my incoming grin is inevitable. “I’m just asking, love. Although, I do think you’d like me more with all my fingers attached. I can be of much more use to you that way.”

The muscle in her jaw visibly clenches. “Are you seriously making a sex joke right now? Do you have no survival instincts at all?”

“I was talking about my driving skills, Dr. Moore. But it’s quite interesting where your mind went first. Now come on, don’t be embarrassed, Holly. It’s a good thing. Your mind is certainly on the right track — ow!”

She smacks me with the shovel. “Does being a miserable bastard come naturally to you?”

I rub the faint red mark on my arm. “You obviously bring out the best in me.”

Her grip around the shovel tightens and she pushes the tip against my jaw. “Listen to me very carefully because I’m not going to repeat myself. I am too fucking tired for your childish games right now. I need to get home and unfortunately, you’re the only one with the means to take me there. So, you’ll either shut up and drive me back willingly —” she nicks my skin with the edge of the shovel, drawing a thick, fat drop of blood, “— or not. Either way I’m going to get what I want.”

I picture Holly using the shovel to carve her initials into my chest. Blood rushes to my cock. My eyes fall to her lips. Her beautiful plump, chapped lips that I imagine trailing my tongue over —

“Theo!”

My eyes snap back to meet hers. “Hm?”

“I said, do you understand, or would you like me to hit you again?”

“You told me to shut up.”

There’s an extended pause. Holly’s stubborn eyes stay glued to my face, making it very clear that the next sarcastic remark to leave my mouth will, in fact, be my last. Which is a bit unfair, if you ask me, since I wasn’t even being sarcastic this time. She told me to shut up, so I shut up. Simple. If she told me to get on my knees and bark, I’d do that as well.

“Fine,” I manage, my voice a hoarse whisper. There’s only so much you can try to reason with a murderous yet gorgeous psychopath. “I’ll take you home —”

Her eyes light up.

“— but on one condition.”

Her face falls. “What?”

“We go together. You show me your flat, we check it out, and then we decide the next step. Together. Deal?” With the shovel still digging onto my skin, I extend my hand towards her. A truce of sorts.

Silence stretches, thick and heavy. Holly’s eyes are daggers as they scan my face, searching for any trace of deceit. They flick to my hand for a second, then back to my face. I half expect her to smack my hand away or at least argue with me some more. A small part of me hopes she does. But instead, she just growls a little like an upset puppy, the shovel’s handle creaking under her tightened grip. I mean, sure it’s a sound of frustration, paired with ironclad stubbornness and an unwillingness to accept or even ask for help, but behind that façade, I see a flicker of fear in her eyes, a vulnerability she will never admit to, walls carefully constructed but never invincible.

She wants me to take her home.

Shewantsme to make sure it’s safe.

She doesn’t say it, but I hear it anyway.

Which is why when she finally lowers the shovel and agrees with a reluctant “fine” and a muttered “fuck,” a cold splashof relief washes over my shoulders, mingling with heady and unexpected giddiness.

I feel like I’ve just taken over the world.

Chapter 15

Theo

Now

Home sweet home

By the time we cover up the other two graves and get back to Holly’s flat, it’s almost three a.m.

The car ride was a lot quieter than I would have liked it to be. Holly gave me the silent treatment the entire drive back, sitting ramrod straight and clutching onto her shovel like a toddler holding on to a prized teddy bear. Every now and then it rattled against the car door and the sound only thickened the silence between us.

We enter her building’s elevator which feels a tad weird. I normally come here alone, and I always take the stairs. Holly presses the button for her floor and leans back as soft elevator music fills the cramped-up space. She doesn’t glance my way even once. I don’t understand. Why is she angry atme? What didIdo? I’m the one who’s trying to help her and protect her from this crazed madman (or woman) whoever it might be. I’m not implying that she needs my protection, but she certainly deserves it.