23. Presley
Presley
I haven’t seen the masked man in two days.
That’s a good thing.
A very good thing.
Normal people don't want masked men lurking outside their homes.
Normal people call the police.
Normal people definitely don't stand at their kitchen window for the third time in twenty minutes, staring at the tree line.
I step away from the window.
“I'm just checking the weather. Looks like it may storm later.”
Penny looks up from her bed.
“Don't judge me.”
Her head drops back onto her paws.
I look outside again.
Nothing.
Relief settles through me.
Followed by the same stupid disappointment I felt at the festival.
“Oh, for fuck's sake. This is ridiculous.”
I drop onto the couch, folding my arms over my chest.
“I probably expect to see him because Halloween is in three days.”
My gaze moves to the flames crackling in the fireplace.
The even bigger question is why I felt safe with him.
The man stalked me.
He stood outside my bedroom window. After being on my front porch.
I don’t know a damn thing about him.
Yet, when Caleb frightened me and I crashed into the masked man in the alley, he became the person I asked to stay.
How fucking disturbing is that?
Even worse, a pang of disloyalty slams through me when a pair of smoky eyes fill my mind.
Hades.
He made me feel safe, too.
What the hell is wrong with me that I’m attracted to Hades while thinking about another man who is literally stalking me?
Jesus.
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
I need therapy.
Hades is incredible. He’s even reading the romance book I recommended.
My eyes widen as the realization washes over me.
My gasp makes Penny lift her head.
“Oh my God.”
She trots out from her dog bed and stares up at me.
“I’m the heroine in that book.”
I meet Penny’s eyes.
“This is why we don’t make fun of fictional women for questionable decisions.”
Penny cocks her head.
“Glad you agree.”
The grandfather clock chimes.
“Well, Penny. Time to quit analyzing my life or I’ll be late for work.”
She whimpers.
“Fine. We’ll be late for work.”
She trots over to her bed and grabs her bat.
“Guess you’re taking that to work today.”
Her tail wags enthusiastically.
The bell above the door jingles.
“Welcome to The Crooked—”
I look up, and the words die in my throat.
Hades.
Something inside me immediately relaxes.
And that might be even more concerning than the masked man.
“Hi.”
His smoky eyes settle on me. “Hi.”
God. Even his deep voice makes me feel better.
Penny barks and jumps out of her bed.
She races toward him, sliding into his boot when she tries to stop.
“Hey, girl.” Hades squats down and pets her. “Miss me?”
Oh, damn. My heart.
She licks his face, and he chuckles.
“Thanks for the kisses.”
My ovaries just fucking exploded.
I’m a damn hot mess.
Apparently, my survival instincts haven't merely stopped functioning. They've packed their shit and left Vermont.
His boots thud against the floor as he comes closer. Penny follows behind him, tongue hanging out.
He stares at me intently. “Have you been sleeping any better?”
I freeze.
He knew I was tired the last time he saw me.
But his question catches me off guard.
I look toward the front window, unable to handle his intensity.
“Expecting someone?”
The words fly out of my mouth too fast. “No.”
His eyebrow lifts.
“Umm... maybe.”
“Who?”
“Nobody.”
“Interesting name.”
“Shut up.” I inhale deeply.
On the exhale, I say, “We’re supposed to get a shipment of books today. One of my favorite authors. I’m hoping to snag a copy.”
It’s a partial truth.
He nods, still looking unconvinced.
I give him a smile. “I’m just tired. I did the pumpkin carving thing two days ago, and things got weird.”
Shit. Why did I blurt that out?
His expression doesn't change. “Weird how?”
I hesitate.
A masked man scared away another man following me.
Then the masked man escorted me to a coffee shop.
But I don’t say that.
“Halloween weird.”
“That explains nothing.”
“That's intentional.”
“Give me your phone.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
“Your phone.”
“Why?”
“Because you wanted my number the day you got locked in the storage room.”
My mouth falls open. “How do you know that?”
“I don't.” His mouth curves. “I do now.”
My face flames with embarrassment.
He smirks, enters his number, calls himself so he has mine, then hands it back.
I look up at him. “That’s a little presumptuous.”
He stares at me intently. “Is it?”
I can’t say a word when I look into those smoky eyes. My pulse pounds, my breathing hitches, and I really want him to kiss me.
And do all kinds of unspeakable things to me.
He flips his phone in his hands, then leans closer.
I freeze, caught under his spell.
“You’re the one who admitted you wanted my number.”
“Shut up.”
He smirks. “By the way, thanks for the book rec. I’m going to need more.”
I gape at him in surprise. “You finished it?”
He folds his arms, an amused expression on his face. “Of course. Wanna quiz me?”
I fire questions at him.
What was the heroine’s profession?
What was her stalker’s profession?
What gifts did he leave her?
He answers every question without hesitation.
“Wow. I guess you did read it.”
He takes a step closer.
Even though there’s a counter separating us, it feels like nothing’s between us. The heat of his body is like a mini furnace.
I swallow hard as my imagination takes over.
The feel of his big body pressing me into the mattress. All those hard muscles against my curves.
A shiver rolls through me.
His smirk deepens.
Shit. He knows he’s affecting me.
“Which did you like better? The one where he chased her through the woods, then fucked her against a tree? Or the one where he broke into her house, chased her to her bedroom, and tied her up?”
Oh my fucking God.
The flush starts up my neck and hits my hairline. I’m not a prude, but Margaret is around here somewhere.
“Um... why choose?”
He chuckles, so close to me that his warm breath hits my face. “Good answer.”
Footsteps come from behind me.
Hades straightens and raps the counter with his knuckles. “Think of another book rec. I’ll get it from you later.”
My mouth is too dry to say anything else.
He taps his phone and heads for the door. “Call or text if you need me.”
Margaret stops beside me and looks back and forth between us.
I hold up my hand. “Don’t.”
“Call or text, huh?”
“Margaret.”
“Hell, I’d accidentally set stuff on fire and call him.”
Penny barks and runs in a circle.
“Oh my God!” I burst out laughing.
“Hey. I’m old. Not dead.” She winks and sets a pile of books on the counter. “Penny agrees with me.”
“You two.” I shake my head.
“Just don’t burn any books.”
I gasp, my hand on my chest. “The horror.”
She winks. “That’s what I thought. Just... set the bush by the square on fire instead.”
I groan. “Margaret.”
She waves and keeps moving.
I grab the pile of books and begin shelving them.
As I put the stacks of new releases on the table by the front door, I can’t help but smile.
What book can I recommend for Hades?
Twilight hits Hollow Creek, dulling the vibrant maples. Shadows fall beneath them, darkening the town.
I look down at my phone, a smile spreading across my face as Hades stares up at me from my contacts. Something warm unfurls in my stomach.
Which is ridiculous.
It's a phone number. Not a marriage proposal.
It’s not even a date.
Just direct access to the terrifyingly attractive man I've known for approximately five minutes.
Progress.
And yet, as my eyes move to the window again, disappointment hits me that I don’t see a masked face.
Guilt slams into my chest.
I should be thinking about Hades, not a masked stranger.
And I am thinking about him.
Unfortunately, he's sharing space in my head with another man.
One whose actual face I've never seen.
I groan and drop my forehead onto the counter. “What the hell is wrong with me?”
I feel Penny by my ankles.
Lifting my forehead, I look down at her. “This is insane.”
Penny whines.
“I like Hades.”
Her tail thumps.
“But I think I'm developing some kind of psychologically concerning fascination with a masked man who's stalking me.”
She makes another whining noise, tail wagging faster.
“You're terrible at advice.”
I sigh.
Hades makes me feel safe.
The masked man should make me feel anything but.
Yet when I needed someone, I asked him to stay.
And he did.
Two men.
Two completely different feelings.
And somehow, both of them make me feel protected.
I don't understand it.
Even worse...
I'm not sure I want either one of them to stop.