Play Along

Maybe he does want her dead? I can’t begin to imagine how his mind works.

I need a plan. I have to kill him first, but how? I had my plan and it was on the ship until she completely ruined it. He trusted me then, but I have no way of getting to him now.

She slowly opens her eyes and smiles shyly up at me. I lean in and kiss her gently. “Good morning, my Mrs. Mac.”

She smiles broadly and frowns sleepily as if remembering something. “Did you get a tattoo last night?

“I did.”

She screws up her face with her eyes still closed. “Oh God. You’re batshit crazy.”

“I am.” I bend and take her lips in mine. “We already established this.”

She smiles sleepily up at me and I feel my heart somersault. Even her smile affects me.

“Tell me something.” I pause, I’m not sure if now is the right time to bring this up. “If you dared to dream of a future, what would it be?”

She frowns. “That’s a bit deep for this time of the morning, isn’t it?”

“I’m just wondering.” I bend and kiss her lips. “Humor me.”

She rolls onto her back and thinks for a moment and I put my open hand onto her stomach as I wait for her answer. “I suppose I would just want all the normal things any girl wants.”

“Like what?”

She shrugs. “A husband who loved me, white picket fence in the country, two kids.” She smiles wistfully. “A dog.” Her voice trails off. “I always wanted a dog.”

I watch her. “You never had a dog?”

She shakes her head softly as if ashamed. “No.”

Sadness fills me. A simple thing like having a dog is her dream. We lay in silence for a moment and I stare up at the ceiling and pull her body across mine. I kiss her forehead. “Sounds nice,” I murmur. “Where would this white picket fence house be?”

“I don’t know, somewhere with rolling green acres,” she murmurs, as if far away.

I flicker my eyes over to her. “Could we build my mom a house on our land?” I smirk.

She pulls back to look at my face and smiles broadly. “Depends.”

“On what?”

“On whether she likes dogs.”

I laugh out loud and she leans up on her elbow above me. “Stop dreaming, Stace. That future isn’t our reality.”

My face falls. It’s true it’s not. “It’s a nice dream, though, huh?” I ask sadly.

She kisses my chest. “Let’s just try to get through today, baby. Dreams only bring heartache.”

* * *

Rosh

It’s 10pm and Stace is in the shower. We’ve had a wonderful day in each other’s arms and have spent most of it in the rooftop pool. He went out this morning and bought us both a few new outfits and phones with prepaid data and credit. I couldn’t go. I was feeling too seedy from last night’s activities. Tonight we are going to try and find this guy who apparently knows where you sell things—the one who owns The Snake Pit. It sounds pretty dodgy if you ask me, but Stace assures me that it will be okay. He asked me to stay here and wait for him, but I am not letting him go alone. I would go crazy waiting here not knowing if he was safe.

I’m happy—God, I’m so happy—and I am petrified that my bubble is going to burst. I’m in my wig and my little pink dress.

I smile as I turn and look at my behind in this dress. Stace doesn’t particularly like it when I have the wig and this dress on. He thinks I look like a hooker and I’m pretty sure he is quite familiar with that look. My mind flashes to Chelsea and my skin prickles with jealousy. I pick up my phone and scroll through the Internet as a smile crosses my face. I can check emails now. Who knew something so trivial could be so exciting? I log into my email account and sip my wine as they load.