Haunting-Adeline
li le girl and play along un l I can convince Mark to leave. Then and onlythen, you can pack up your shit and go home. Do you understand?”There it is.The fire sparks and ignites.“Fine. At least tell me what the fuck is happening, Zade. Or Zack. Whichis your real name? You know what, I don’t care. I don’t know what gameyou’re playing, but a er this, you need to leave me out of it.”I lean forward and give her a warning look. She snaps her mouth shut,but the flames never dull.“I. Tried,” I bite out. “I will try to leave with Mark as soon as I can, butun l then, do as I fucking say. We're super in love and you're my do ngli le girlfriend. That's all you need to know right now.”Her eyes widen gradually un l she’s staring at me like I’ve lost my mind.What she doesn’t realize is I did lose my fucking mind the second I laid eyeson her, and I haven’t go en it back yet.“What is this, Zade?” she asks quietly. “Is Mark dangerous? Why are youlying to him?”I sigh. “Yes,” I concede. “He is dangerous, and he set his sights on you.”Before she can ques on me further, Mark returns, a jolly smile on hisflushed face.“No drink?” he ques ons, sauntering up to the table with his armsoutstretched.“My fault. I got a li le carried away with my hello kiss,” I lie, grinning acheesy smile. The thought of me making out with my girl in public clearlygets him hot and bothered by the flash of heat in his eyes, but he covers itwell enough with a hearty laugh.Addie clears her throat, elbowing me hard in the side and offering anembarrassed smile.“What is it you were working on, Adeline dear?” Mark asks, se ling backinto the chair and gulping down a large swallow of his bourbon.“Uh, a few things. I was researching a cold case from the ‘40s,” sheanswers.Mark cocks a brow. “Really? Why’s that?”The red in her cheeks brightens. “Uh, well it’s my great-grandmother’sactually. Genevieve Parsons.”
“Oh, I know that case!” Mark exclaims. "My father was a detec veduring that me, though he wasn't allowed to work the case.”By the way her brows raise, her interest has been piqued. "He wasn'tallowed to? How come?""Conflict of interest. He and John Parsons were best friends for twentyyears, and Gigi was a good friend of his. His sergeant said it'd be toopersonal, so he had to stand by and watch them butcher the case." Heshrugs. "Dad always thought John was the one who did it."Addie leans forward, hanging on Mark’s every word. “Your father wasFrank?”Mark quirks a brow. “Yes, he was.”Addie clears her throat. “My Nana men oned Frank a me or two.”He chuckles. “Yeah, they played together when they were younger.”“So, why did your father think John did it?”Mark shrugs a shoulder. “Not sure, to be honest, but I do remember thatGigi and John were figh ng a lot. He was real adamant, but there wasn’tany evidence to prove it. I was pre y young back then, so my memorymight be a li le sparse. But there were a few nights he would drink anen re bo le of Jack, always mu ering under his breath about making"him" pay for what happened.” He finger quotes the word him. “I knowtheir friendship fell apart a er her murder. John was a raging alcoholic, andmy dad was devastated that he lost two good friends."Addie’s eyes are wide with excitement. Clearly, she cares. Solving Gigi’smurder means a lot to her. But I know she’s only trying to prove somethingto herself.If it wasn’t for the fact that she has her own stalker, I don’t know if Addiewould’ve even bothered figuring out who murdered her greatgrandmother.It’s not about finding who did it, it’s about proving that it was Gigi’sstalker and no one else. I get the feeling that if she can one hundredpercent prove it, then it’ll cement the fact that all stalkers are murderouspsychos, and she can finally hate me and shut me out for good.And all that tells me is I’m ge ng through the diamond-encrustedfortress surrounding her heart.She wants something concrete to believe in because her morals andfundamental beliefs are being challenged.
- Page 198 and 199: My eyes close against the sensa on,
- Page 200 and 201: Being consumed by him feels like dr
- Page 203 and 204: Chapter 19The Shadowdon’t regret
- Page 205 and 206: Sighing again, I pluck the pack of
- Page 207 and 208: Addie’s great-grandmother could
- Page 209 and 210: She snorts. “You really think I
- Page 211 and 212: are ever taken seriously anyways, w
- Page 213 and 214: Immediately, he dives for cover, pu
- Page 215 and 216: exactly alike when laid on their de
- Page 217 and 218: I enter into what looks like a foye
- Page 219 and 220: While Mark was burning his cigar on
- Page 221 and 222: Addie won’t ever have to worry ab
- Page 223 and 224: wary, and then resigned. Tears line
- Page 226 and 227: Chapter 21The Manipulator’m stewi
- Page 228 and 229: about the gun incident. I don’t t
- Page 230 and 231: Maybe I just want to be able to say
- Page 232 and 233: My world spins as I stumble up the
- Page 234 and 235: And then I climb up on the bed, in
- Page 236 and 237: I’ll never tell him how glorious
- Page 238 and 239: When the last bit of cum drops from
- Page 241 and 242: Chapter 22The Shadowy li le mouse d
- Page 243 and 244: As Mark drones on about some bill h
- Page 245 and 246: “S’all good,” I say calmly, s
- Page 247: Addie shakes her head, closing her
- Page 251 and 252: Sighing, I push out of my chair and
- Page 253 and 254: wild with hunger. I’m ravenous an
- Page 255 and 256: I frown. “What makes you think he
- Page 257 and 258: Zade picks me up in a classic Musta
- Page 259 and 260: “The hell are you doing, Zade?”
- Page 261 and 262: I glare up at him, tears s ll linin
- Page 263 and 264: Oh, what a fine gentleman you’re
- Page 265 and 266: Ugh. The arrogance.His face turns s
- Page 268 and 269: Chapter 24The Manipulators there an
- Page 270 and 271: downright boring.The inside is even
- Page 272 and 273: another senator. I guess the story
- Page 275 and 276: Chapter 25The Shadowf I spend anoth
- Page 277 and 278: The girl gets off on fear. The mome
- Page 279 and 280: “If you were my li le girl, I wou
- Page 281 and 282: I groan, the feel of her ass diggin
- Page 283 and 284: Releasing her face, my hand dri s t
- Page 285 and 286: Chapter 26The Manipulator’m seeth
- Page 287 and 288: if I had to guess on what type of m
- Page 289 and 290: "Now, of course, when my father tol
- Page 291 and 292: told John he didn’t give a shit w
- Page 293 and 294: I open my mouth, ready to pry, but
- Page 295 and 296: “Because you’re not listening.
- Page 297 and 298: "You trauma zed me."He leans down a
“Oh, I know that case!” Mark exclaims. "My father was a detec ve
during that me, though he wasn't allowed to work the case.”
By the way her brows raise, her interest has been piqued. "He wasn't
allowed to? How come?"
"Conflict of interest. He and John Parsons were best friends for twenty
years, and Gigi was a good friend of his. His sergeant said it'd be too
personal, so he had to stand by and watch them butcher the case." He
shrugs. "Dad always thought John was the one who did it."
Addie leans forward, hanging on Mark’s every word. “Your father was
Frank?”
Mark quirks a brow. “Yes, he was.”
Addie clears her throat. “My Nana men oned Frank a me or two.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, they played together when they were younger.”
“So, why did your father think John did it?”
Mark shrugs a shoulder. “Not sure, to be honest, but I do remember that
Gigi and John were figh ng a lot. He was real adamant, but there wasn’t
any evidence to prove it. I was pre y young back then, so my memory
might be a li le sparse. But there were a few nights he would drink an
en re bo le of Jack, always mu ering under his breath about making
"him" pay for what happened.” He finger quotes the word him. “I know
their friendship fell apart a er her murder. John was a raging alcoholic, and
my dad was devastated that he lost two good friends."
Addie’s eyes are wide with excitement. Clearly, she cares. Solving Gigi’s
murder means a lot to her. But I know she’s only trying to prove something
to herself.
If it wasn’t for the fact that she has her own stalker, I don’t know if Addie
would’ve even bothered figuring out who murdered her greatgrandmother.
It’s not about finding who did it, it’s about proving that it was Gigi’s
stalker and no one else. I get the feeling that if she can one hundred
percent prove it, then it’ll cement the fact that all stalkers are murderous
psychos, and she can finally hate me and shut me out for good.
And all that tells me is I’m ge ng through the diamond-encrusted
fortress surrounding her heart.
She wants something concrete to believe in because her morals and
fundamental beliefs are being challenged.
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