Themaossedthetakeoutbagintothetrashandgheneerinhishandbeforelettingitslipintbag.
Aneighbingpastonthesidewalkgavehimafriendlywave.Hereturpolitely,thenstoodstill,eyesfollowingherLululemon-cdassuntilshedisappearedaroundtheer.
Thepolicehadcalledhimagain,pressingformoreinformationaboutthegirl.Fromthesoundofit,theystillhadn''''''''tuncoveredasingleclueaboutherwhereabouts.
Thaterwastrulysomething.Evenpregnant—herememberedtheroundswellofherbelly—shehadmathegirltohimandavoideverysurveilncecameraalongtheway.
Hesighed.Shereallyable—capableenoughtogetpregnantwithhischild,fhimtohelphersettlethematterwiththearalhouse.
Basidethehouse,hewasstillthinkingtohimself—hisbiggestfwhadalwaysbeeoosoft-hearted.Thistime,heo"evolve"hismethods.
Hehadsethiseyeonthisgirlfromtheveryfirstdayshestartedwattheamusementpark.Overtheyears,hefemaleemployeeshe''''''''dtakenalikingtohadeverescapedhis...attentions.
Butthatdamnedmainterfering,ruininghispnsagainandagain.Nowthathewasdead,itwasliketheheavenshadfinallyopeheireyes—hegotwhathedeserved.
Themanagerzippeduphishazmatsuitanddesdedintothebasement.
"Manager..."
Afaintvoicedriftedthroughtheirondoor—weak,yettingingwithasubtlesoftness,likeasoftfeatherbrushinglightlyagainsthisear.
Withacreak,theheavydoorswungopenoncemore.
"Whatisit?"heasked.
Reyaliftedherhead,slumpedweaklyagainstthewall.Hersweat-soakedhairgtoherforehead,andhereyeswerehazy,fever-bright,asifshewerelostindelirium.
Shelickedherlipsandspokeinasoft,breathyvoice,"I''''''''mnotfeelingwell...I''''''''msweatingallover...myclothesaresoaked.Couldyouhelpme?"
Themanagerfrowned."Didn''''''''tyoutakethemedie?"
Hisgazeswepttheroomaheuylenoltossedaside.Hisvoicesharpened."Igaveyoumedie,andyoudidn''''''''ttakeit.Areyoupnningtodiehere?"
Reyadidn''''''''tanswer.Herbreathscamesoftandshallow,herhalf-liddedgazeholdingastrangeallure—seductiveandsicklyatonce,impossibletoread.Wasshetrulyburningwithfever,orwasthissomekindofact?
Themanagerswallowedhard,thenturhebathroom.Whenhecameback,hecrouchedinfrontofher,toweldrippinginhisglovedhand.
Hisgazedrifteddown,logonthepalelineofhercolrbopeekedfromtheneeofherdampT-shirt.Whenhispalmpressedagainstherskihroughtheglovehefelttheunnaturalheatradiatingfromherbody.
"You''''''''renotdoingthisonpurpose,areyou?"Hisvoicewaslow,half-mog.
Ofcourseshewas.Ratherthanwaitforhimtomakethefirstmove,Reyadecidedtospeedthingsupherself.Whilehewasaway,shehadshiftedrestlesslyonthebed,wupjustenoughsweat,lettingherbodyexudeafaint,intoxigfragrance.
Thetowelinhishandslidfromherforeheadtohercheeks,thenpausedbetweenhercolrbonea.Hisbreathquied,bloodstirring,theflimsybarrierofhisglovesdoinglittletodullthewarmthseepingintohim.
Thetowelwastossedaside.
Reya''''''''sshesloweredasshelethereyesfallshut,herbreathingdeliberatelyuneven.Shedidn''''''''tresistwhenhisfingersbrushedhercolr,slippirary—sheletthemotionlinger,asifeachtouraveledherfurther.
Intheair,thestfromherbodybecamemoreintense,windingandfermentinginthecold,dampbasement.Itwasasicklysweetsmell,likesyrupdrippingintohotmilk.
Hisglovedhandsmovedacrosshercmmyskinwithafaint,paperyrasp,lingeringfarlohannecessary.Hisfingersweredeft—clearlyfarmoreexperiehanJulian.Hecuppedoneofherbreast,almosticatfirst,butthetremblingedgeinhisbreathbetrayedhowfarfromicalhereallywas.
Hersoftbreastfeltalmostsmallinhisrgepalms,butheseemedpleased.Shecouldsmelltherisiinhisnow-unsteadybreath.
"Myclothes...they''''''''retoowet.It''''''''sunfortable,"Reyawhispered,thewordsfeather-soft,asthoughtornfromherinweakness.
Thesentendedlikeasparkintinder.Hishandfrozeonherchest,susperemblingwithrestraint.
Shecouldfeelhishesitation—behindherclosedeyelids,hisbodyglowedwitharestlesseheat,flickeringandunstable.Hisreasonuttingupafinalfight.
Sheshiftedagain,justenoughfortherestraintstobiteintoherwrists,chafingskinuntilitreddened.Alow,painedmoanslippedpastherlips,fragileandunbearablyhuman.
Thatsoundwaslikeavelvethook,scrapingacrossthemilestringinhisnerves.
"You''''''''resedugme,"hesaid,voicehoarseandalreadyfrayingattheedges.
Reyaopenedhereyes,lookingathimthroughdampshes,hervoiexpectedlycalm.
"Haven''''''''tyoualwayswantedme?Theopportunityisrighthere.You''''''''rekeepiive...don''''''''ttellmeyouwon''''''''tdoanything."
Hishand,whichhadslippedbehherT-shirt,withdrewasthoughburned.
Sheughedlightly,thesoundlowandunhurried.Herhalf-liddedeyesloghisgaze,herfrailtyminglingwithanguidprovocation.Theairaroundherseemedtothi,likesomeslow-burningtoxinleegfromherbody,curlingintohismarrow.
Behindthegoggles,hiseyeswaveredforamoment.Someprimalinstinctwarnedhimofdanger.Yethervoice,herst,thefeveredseduetchedintohereverybreathandmovement,allofitpulledhiminlikesilkenthreads,bindinghim,dragginghimstepbysteptowardtheabyss.
"...You''''''''readamnsireeredunderhisbreath.
Heroseabruptly,inhalingsharplyasifdistancecouldsteadyhim.Butthatfaint,sweetnessintheairgtothebackofhisthroat,acoilingserpentthatwouldgo.
Heknewheshouldn''''''''ttouchherrightnow.Thepolicewerestillcallinghimfromtimetotime,andwithhiscautiousnature,hewasworriedthatmissingacallsuspiciouslymightbringtroublehisway.
Ahewomanbeforehim,flushedandtrembling,seemedlessprisohaationinate.Shewassugartossedintofire,fragileenoughtodissolveattheslightesttouch.
Insidehishazmatsuit,hisundershirtwasalreadypsteredtohisbackwithsweat.
Reya''''''''seyescurvedslightlyasshespoke,hervoicefragilebutcedwithateasingedge.
"Manager...areyouthatafraidofme?"
Hehadjustturoleave,butatherwords,hisstepsfaltered.Helookedbackather,sayingnothing.
"You''''''''vegotmetieduplikethis...andyou''''''''restillhidinginahazmatsuitandmask..."Reyagaveabreathyugh,hertonedippinglower."Areyouheretohavefun,ortohostapandemicbriefing?"
Themaaredather,suspietcheddeepinhiseyes,buthisAdam''''''''sapplebobbedvisibly.
"I''''''''tevenmove."shewenton,leaningnguidlyagainstthewall,herdisheveledclothesrisingandfallingwitheachshallowbreath."Whatexactlyareyousoafraidof?"
Thephantomsoftnessofherbodystillgtohisglovedfiips.Histhroatraspedashemuttered,"Youreallyareabornlittletemptress.Nowonderyouthrewyourselfatthatdeadbastard.Hewasuglyassin,buteveryoneknewhewashung.IfI''''''''drealizedwhatyouwere,maybeIwouldn''''''''thaveyoupushedmeawaysomanytimesbefore."
"WhendidIeverpushyouaway?"Reyatered,voicecalmaswater.
Hefroze.etothinkofit,shereallyhadn''''''''tputupmuchresistaohisharassment.Notonce.Everytime,itwasthatdamnedJulianwhobuttedinandruinedeverything.
Afteralongpause,hesnortedcoldly."Don''''''''tthinkyoupyme.Justbecauseyou''''''''reagallsoftnowdoesn''''''''tmeanI''''''''lluntieyouayourunoff.I''''''''mnotthatstupid."
Reyatiltedherhead,blinkingslowly,almostzily.
"Actually...youwouldn''''''''teveountieme."Aslysmiletuggedatherlips."Ithinkthisiskindoffun."
Shelickedtheerofherlips,thatgesturepartthirstingpatient,partpredatortastingblood.
Themaiffened,aflickerofuaintyshadowinghiseyes.
Reya''''''''swordsfellsoftassilk,"You''''''''vebeenwithsomanywomen...Aren''''''''tyoutheleastbitcuriouswhatItastelike?"