Haunting-Adeline
with stadium lights.A movement straight ahead turns my heart upside down and sends itcrashing to the pit of my stomach.He’s out there.I can’t see him, or even make out his silhoue e. But I know he is. I canfeel him.No cing the change, Arch pulls away, breathing heavily and looking atme like he can’t decide if he wants to ask if I’m okay or just keep goinganyway.“What’s wrong?” he asks, grabbing my biceps in an a empt to grab mya en on.“Nothing,” I rush out, bringing him closer. “Let’s go upstairs to my roominstead.”I’m no longer feeling cocky enough to fuck a man in front of a crazyperson. The high from my release has completely dissipated myconfidence.But I’m too stubborn to stop. I want Arch. I just don’t want any voyeurswhile I take him.“You don’t want to get your pussy eaten under the stars?” he asksincredulously, looking at me as if I’ve grown a second head.“I do, but I…” I trail off when another movement draws my a en onaway.Arch steps forward, pressing against me and pulling my a en on back tohim. I have to crane my neck to see him properly and the sight is one I’llnever forget.“I think you should strip off your clothes and show me that sexy li lebody of yours. Then I want you to lie down, spread your legs, and let meclean up the mess you made.”An en rely embarrassing squeak slips out. A sound that immediatelybrings a smirk to his face and blood rushing to my cheeks, the creepmomentarily forgo en.Real smooth, dipshit.I take a step back, heat slithering across my body as I dri my handsdown my sides and hook both thumbs into my jeans.Just as I go to slide them down my legs, a loud bang disturbs the chargedsilence and sends my heart flying to my throat. I yelp, startled and way too
close to pissing my pants from the angry knocking.Arch's head snaps towards the sound, clearly just as startled.“Expec ng company?” Arch asks, his voice a tad breathless.My own erra c breathing is uneven as I say, “No.”It’s fucking de ja vu, and even though I saw it coming this me, I’mincredibly close to stomping my foot like a child. Unlike with Greyson, I wasactually enjoying myself.He rushes back into the hallway and down towards the front door withme hot on his heels. I’m bu oning and zipping my pants as I go, alreadysensing that this night is over.The hallway leads straight back to the foyer, the entryway to the right ofthe staircase. Pausing before the entrance, he turns to me and grabs aholdof me.“Stay in the hallway. Whoever it is, I don’t want them seeing you.”He hesitates, a weird look passing on his face. Before I can decipher it,he’s speaking again, his voice strained. “Call the cops if shit goes south.”I’m not capable of stringing together a coherent sentence, the panicstealing my sense.I should’ve told him I have a stalker, and I thought I saw something whenwe were in the sunroom, but everything happened too fast and now he’sac vely pu ng himself in danger.The situa on turns me on just as much as it terrifies me. I need to checkmyself into a mental hospital if I survive this night.Because my shadow is pissed. Just like he was when Greyson was here,and I have no idea how dangerous this guy is, but he could be here to killus both.Especially now that he watched another man make me come with thevery hand he threatened to cut off and put in my mailbox.I drop my head in my hands, instant regret filling up my body like awaterfall in a lake. I’m burs ng with it because if the stalker is as insane ashe says he is, then I just possibly got a man killed. Or at least brutallymu lated.I hear the door creak open. My head snaps up in response.“Come on out, fucker. I know you’re out there,” Arch threatens loudly.Peeking around the corner, I watch Arch step outside. But not before hepulls a gun out. Eyes bulging, my mouth falls open and I wonder just who
- Page 33 and 34: I wince from the feel of the hair-l
- Page 35 and 36: If Genevieve Parsons is as wild as
- Page 37 and 38: Le ng out a shaky breath, I pluck t
- Page 39: my front door. And I mean, like har
- Page 42 and 43: “Make it extra strong. I’m goin
- Page 44 and 45: rented a dumpster, and we loaded th
- Page 46: “I will,” I lie. She leaves wit
- Page 49 and 50: When I was younger, Nana refused to
- Page 51 and 52: “You need me to call anyone?”I
- Page 53 and 54: painted on her thin lips, and icy b
- Page 55 and 56: Being a real estate agent pays well
- Page 57: The bed is no more, having bought m
- Page 60 and 61: But I couldn’t be both a hacker a
- Page 62 and 63: Right as I ready up again, one guy
- Page 64 and 65: that pisses him off more.I sigh. Wi
- Page 66 and 67: While Jay kept tabs, I allowed myse
- Page 68 and 69: I help Sicily navigate through the
- Page 70 and 71: The walls and floor are smooth blac
- Page 72 and 73: But not before I shoot Daya a narro
- Page 74 and 75: My phone buzzes as soon as my ass h
- Page 76: “Do you want to leave?” he murm
- Page 79 and 80: But the most notable part is direct
- Page 81: “Fuck, baby, that’s it. Let me
- Page 85 and 86: Red and blue lights brighten the wo
- Page 87 and 88: look into you, but when they don’
- Page 90 and 91: Chapter 9The Shadow’ve commi ed h
- Page 92 and 93: Come get me, Archie.He hesitates on
- Page 94 and 95: I pull into the driveway leading in
- Page 96 and 97: looks as if he went five rounds in
- Page 98 and 99: Cracking my neck, I take another de
- Page 101 and 102: Chapter 10The Manipulatorave you he
- Page 103 and 104: He waves a hand in acknowledgment b
- Page 105 and 106: “I don’t know what to do, Daya,
- Page 107 and 108: “Honestly, Daya, I’m a li le re
- Page 109 and 110: I aim for it, sliding the door open
- Page 111 and 112: due to insufficient evidence.A lot
- Page 113 and 114: This was undoubtedly a crime of pas
- Page 115: I find myself curling deeper into t
- Page 118 and 119: Another flash of movement causes me
- Page 120 and 121: fear. But also from something else.
- Page 122 and 123: My strangled scream pierces the air
- Page 124 and 125: I roll my eyes. “Because I manipu
- Page 126 and 127: “Addie, he could s ll be here. We
- Page 129 and 130: Chapter 12The Shadowhere’s anothe
- Page 131 and 132: ones aren’t iden fiable. I imagin
close to pissing my pants from the angry knocking.
Arch's head snaps towards the sound, clearly just as startled.
“Expec ng company?” Arch asks, his voice a tad breathless.
My own erra c breathing is uneven as I say, “No.”
It’s fucking de ja vu, and even though I saw it coming this me, I’m
incredibly close to stomping my foot like a child. Unlike with Greyson, I was
actually enjoying myself.
He rushes back into the hallway and down towards the front door with
me hot on his heels. I’m bu oning and zipping my pants as I go, already
sensing that this night is over.
The hallway leads straight back to the foyer, the entryway to the right of
the staircase. Pausing before the entrance, he turns to me and grabs ahold
of me.
“Stay in the hallway. Whoever it is, I don’t want them seeing you.”
He hesitates, a weird look passing on his face. Before I can decipher it,
he’s speaking again, his voice strained. “Call the cops if shit goes south.”
I’m not capable of stringing together a coherent sentence, the panic
stealing my sense.
I should’ve told him I have a stalker, and I thought I saw something when
we were in the sunroom, but everything happened too fast and now he’s
ac vely pu ng himself in danger.
The situa on turns me on just as much as it terrifies me. I need to check
myself into a mental hospital if I survive this night.
Because my shadow is pissed. Just like he was when Greyson was here,
and I have no idea how dangerous this guy is, but he could be here to kill
us both.
Especially now that he watched another man make me come with the
very hand he threatened to cut off and put in my mailbox.
I drop my head in my hands, instant regret filling up my body like a
waterfall in a lake. I’m burs ng with it because if the stalker is as insane as
he says he is, then I just possibly got a man killed. Or at least brutally
mu lated.
I hear the door creak open. My head snaps up in response.
“Come on out, fucker. I know you’re out there,” Arch threatens loudly.
Peeking around the corner, I watch Arch step outside. But not before he
pulls a gun out. Eyes bulging, my mouth falls open and I wonder just who
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