“I don’t.” I nod to the ankle monitor, “But the government does.”
He chuckles, pulling my phone out of the drawer and walking back toward me. “Don’t worry, Mik, I didn’t go too far.” He hands me the phone.
I take the device quickly before he changes his mind. “This place is bigger than a prison,” I gesture around. “How is that even fair.”
A smirk dances on his lips, “Money, baby. You know that.” He leans his body back against the island, his hands flatten against the counter on either side making the white shirt strain against his muscles.
I remember what that body feels like, I remember all the things it can do.
I feel my mouth drop just a little and a breathy laugh leaves Noah’s lips. “Stop undressing me,” he chuckles.
My jaw snaps shut. It only takes me another second to remember where I am. “Noah,” I say. “I can’t stay here.” I try again. I don’t want to be in this house, I don’t think I can handle the consequences.
My parents will be devastated.
They took Auden’s death hard. I guess I can’t blame them, their youngest daughter was murdered. How else would they take it?
We’re silent as he assesses me. “Your parents?” he asks, reading my mind. I nod and a harsh breath escapes his lips. “They should have never posted that video.”
“What were they supposed to do?” I retort. Truthfully, I begged them not to post it. Mostly, I didn’t want to believe it. I still struggle to. One day I was madly in love, about to marry this man. And the next, my parents were accusing him of murder. It was a hard pill to swallow.
“Not that.” He eyes me sternly. “Do you remember anything from that night?” he asks, slightly changing the subject from my parents.
I shake my head. My memories from that night are foggy. Pools of dark water that I can’t break through. At first I tried, I wanted nothing more than to remember what happened to my sister but after a while I figured it was better if I didn’t.
“Probably good,” Noah moves his gaze from me.
“Will you tell me?” I ask. It’s a question I’ve asked before.
He shakes his head, pushing himself off the counter and walking back over to me. “I’ve told you.”
“It feels… Like I’m missing something.”
He invades my space, wrapping his arms around me. “I told you, baby. Don’t wrack your brain trying to bring back memories that are only going to hurt you.” He presses his lips against my forehead and I let myself lean into his comfort.
I want to hate him, I really do.
But I let him hold me and kiss me softly and I remember all the reasons I love him.
“Mik.” He pulls back just a little, his hot breath hitting my skin as he whispers my name. “Just let me take care of you, baby girl. Please, just trust me.”
His voice is soft and I’m flooded with memories of us together. We were good together, I think. We were happy at one time.
I long for that feeling of happiness again, and with him right here I can almost taste it on my tongue.
“Yeah,” I whisper back. “I can do that.”
Halloween Night, One Year Earlier
“WHAT KIND OF PARTY IS IT?” Auden asks from the passenger seat of my Volkswagen Beetle, the small car barely fitting her dress.
I shrug. “Something with his family, I guess. A big Halloween party.” Noah and his group of friends throw lots of parties, mostly at their own houses because what’s being a rich twenty-four year old if you aren’t throwing bangers in your expensive house?
Tonight though, Noah told me to be ready for a party at his parent’s house. The Bancroft house is a large estate hidden far off the main streets. It feels like a luxurious country club spread across far too much land. With Noah not living there, the house seems too large for just two people.
“Why wasn’t Dad invited?” she asks. Our father is high enough in the hierarchy at Bancroft Co. that he normally gets invited to all the gatherings.
“I don’t know,” I tell her. “Maybe this one’s just for the inner circle?”