Page 178 of Everdoll

I didn’t move, but her eyes narrowed as she glared at me. Well, it didn’t feel like an act anymore.

“Are you disobeying my order? I said go.”

Damn. I stopped thinking. In a heartbeat, I dropped one knee to the floor, my head bowed, extending my hand toward her.

“I can’t go,” I whispered, just loud enough for the old woman to catch it too. “Don’t abandon me. I’ll be a good boy.”

My skin lightly brushed her fingers, and I took a ragged breath. She also stared at me in absolute shock. I realized even she hadn’t anticipated me going this far. I was about to pull her fingers toward my palm when she abruptly yanked her hand free from my grasp.

“Touching me without my permission?” she shouted in a panic. “You really have been a bad boy.”

Though she couldn’t see it, I grinned. As I slowly pushed myself up, my body towering over hers, my gaze trapped her like a net. She put her hands against her chest and took a step back. I wanted to walk right into her space, to press her until her back hit the wall.

“Your watch is ready, sweetie.”

When the old woman’s voice shattered our silence, she shrieked, “Be right there!” Slipping out of my reach, she hurried over to the counter. I drew myself up still, staring stoically at the wall.

I lost control again.

When Mina bolted out of the shop, I stole one last glance around. Unsatisfied with leaving things to chance, I had planted a micro-camera in the corner. If the woman blabbed to anyone, I needed to know.

By the time I stepped onto the street, Mina was already quite a ways down the block. She was muttering something into her wrist, then spun around in panic. She must have thought she’d forgotten me back at the shop. The moment our bodies collided, we both recoiled a step.

“Ah,” she said, then immediately turned back around and setting off again. “Sorry about that. My bracelet was acting up, so I figured I’d get it sorted out while I was here.”

“No problem,” I murmured, falling into step beside her.

“And about the other thing, too. I’m sorry. When she asked who you were, I panicked.”

“You could have just said I was a friend.”

“That would’ve raised eyebrows. There are plenty of people walking around in masks like yours, but those blue-green eyes are far too eye-catching.” She drew a small circle in the air, pointing right at my eyes. “I had to say something ridiculous so she wouldn’t press further. You must’ve been disgusted. I’m sorry.”

“I wasn’t. But if you’d wanted me to bark, I couldn’t do that. I didn’t practice.”

Her steps faltered for a second. Then she quickened her pace to catch up.

“You know what dogs are like!”

“When we were little, you were obsessed with everything Earth-related. I picked up a few things myself.”

She giggled. The laugh was so adorable her head dipped down, as if she were shrinking into herself. When she raised her head back up, I instantly looked straight ahead.

“Those were sweet days.”

“And painful,” I added. “For you.”

“For you, too.” I could feel her eyes on me, but I kept my face turned away. She knew I was immortal now. She knew the secret I had guarded with my life for years, yet she hadn’t even brought it up.

Maybe that was why I felt so at ease around her now. I wasn’t as terrified as I used to be. She knew a piece of who I truly was.

Even if she didn’t know the other Raymond… she knew this version of me now.

What a bless.

When we finally reached the shop, there were only two butterflies left. I’d assumed everyone was boycotting Loxton products after the recent scandals, but apparently these weren’t even originals. Only cheap knockoffs.

“They’re gorgeous,” Mina whispered. I was taken aback when I saw her reaching into her bag. Was she actually buying one? Hadn’t she realized it was a fake? She kept smiling down at the butterfly, and I slipped cash to the man behind the counter. So as I headed outside, she trailed right behind me.