Page 13 of Misery Manor

My jaw works as I start grinding my teeth together. “You’re acting like you weren’t just fucking some random guy a few hours ago.”

“Yeah, and you killed him, remember?” she asks pointedly. “Maybe if you’d kept him alive, I wouldn’t be trailing you like a lost little puppy.”

Something tells me that that’s not necessarily true, but I won’t keep indulging her with a response. Instead, I let out a sharp breath and keep moving, craving to be near Aliyah again.

“You like her, don’t you?”

That’s it. I’ve had enough of Syn’s annoying ass bothering me. I whip around and face her, causing her to stop so suddenly that she nearly falls over. She’s taller than the average woman—which makes her a great contortionist—but even at five feet, ten inches, the top of her head barely grazes my shoulders. In the light of the moon, I make out the slight tremble of her bottom lip.

“Do you want to be my next victim, Syn?” I growl. She shakes her head, her short bob bouncing with the movement. “Then leave me the hell alone.”

She reaches out to touch my arm, but I yank it away.

“Why don’t you want me, Gavin?” she asks desperately.

“I mean it, Syn. Leave me the fuck alone or you’ll be joining the others in the basement,” I say in warning.

Instead of backing off, which would be the smart thing for her to do, she steps closer and glares at me indignantly. “I’ve known you for two years and you barely give me the time of day, but then that little girl comes along and you’re completely obsessed,” she sneers.

I chuckle humorlessly, which makes her even madder. “She’s probably the same age as you,” I point out.

“Baby,” she purrs. I know she’s trying to be sexy, but I’m not into it. I’m not into her and she refuses to accept that.

“Stop embarrassing yourself,” I say bluntly, grabbing my scythe and hooking it around the back of her neck. Her eyes widen as a gasp escapes her, but then the momentary fear in her eyes is quickly replaced by desire. “We fucked once, and we both agreed to leave our feelings out of it. Only one of us has upheld that agreement.”

It was last year. She had just broken up with her boyfriend, and I was letting her cry and vent to me because… I don’t know, I was trying to be nicer but it’s clearly not going very well. In her moment of vulnerability, she’d kissed me. I’m not the type of man to take advantage of women, so after triple checking that it was something she wanted, I gave in.

I can’t remember the last time I had sex, but I don’t remember it being so bland. It’s nothing against Syn, but I really wasn’t into it. I was just trying to console someone who considers me a friend.

To most people, I’d be considered heartless—a monster. But no one knows the years of pain and fury running through my veins that have made me this way.

“Gavin—please,” she whimpers, but I cut her off.

“If this is how you’re going to act then we can no longer work together. After tonight, I’m done with you.”

Before she has a chance to say anything else, I push her away from me. She hits the wall with a pained cry and begs me to stop.

Maybe I should feel bad for being so cold, but I’m not in the mood to play this childish fucking game with her. I’m too old for this shit.

As I continue down the hall, I throw open every door I pass to make sure Aliyah’s not cowering in fear somewhere. The image is clear in my mind: her huddled in a corner with her arms wrapped around her delicate, trembling frame. The terror in those big brown eyes of hers looking up at me is enough to make me come in my pants.

Well… almost.

I’ll come when I’m inside her tight little pussy. Just the thought of her legs spread open and completely bared to me has me grabbing my hardened dick to relieve some of the pressure.

When I round another corner, someone collides with me and nearly falls to the floor. My first instinct is to push them away, but then I get a whiff of vanilla and realize it’s my new obsession.

“Please don’t kill me,” she whispers.

CHAPTER 9

ALIYAH

I don’t look at the man in the white mask; can’t look at him for fear of the harshness I’m sure I’ll see in his eyes. He’s just a scare actor; I can’t expect him to help me.

But…

There was something about him down in the foyer earlier, a kind of softness that I don’t think he has for most people. Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions, but he’s the only person who can help me right now.