“I told you, if he ever thinks you aren’t his serial killer pinup, he will put you in the victim box. He’ll probably kill me first, quick and efficiently, because he knows what I would do to him if he didn’t. But then you would die, Anita, but it wouldn’t be quick. It will be long and lingering and more terrible than you can imagine.”
“I know you’ve seen what he does to women.”
Edward grabbed my arm, and there was anger in his eyes, but there was also fear. Edward was afraid of almost nothing. “I have, and I never want to see it again. The thought of him doing that to you makes me want to go inside and kill him, witnesses or no witnesses.”
I swallowed, because my mouth was suddenly dry. “Which is why the fact that he just asked, as polite as I’ve ever had anyone ask before, if he could kiss me scares the shit out of me.”
“You ran out without giving him an answer? He won’t like that, Anita.”
“I gave him an answer,” I said.
“He’ll hate you saying no.”
“I didn’t say no.”
“What did you just say?”
“I didn’t say no.”
Edward stared at me.
“Don’t look at me like that, Edward. I feel bad enough.”
He blinked, and I watched him fight to process it all. “So, you agreed to kiss him?”
I nodded.
“Anita, he’s going to expect you to make good on that.”
“I already did.”
“What?” He looked shocked. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him look quite that much at a loss.
“I said yes, and he kissed me.”
Edward just stared at me for a few heartbeats, and then he finally asked, “What am I supposed to do with that, Anita? Do I ask how it was?”
“Gentle.”
“What?”
“It was gentle. The kiss, the touch to my face—they were both gentle.”
“He’s not gentle. Don’t let him fool you the way I’ve seen him fool other vi
ctims. You of all people know what he is.”
I nodded a little too fast. “That’s just it, Edward. I do know. So how the fuck do I tell if he’s just pretending and setting me up for the kill, or if he’s as sincere as he’s capable of?”
“He is not capable of having a normal relationship, Anita.”
I nodded again. “I think you’re right.”
That seemed to settle Edward down a little. It was rare to see his calm broken so badly. Once I’d lived for moments when I could make him drop his cool, but not now, not about Olaf.
“Good. Then we’re still on the same page.”
“Yes, but I’m not good at pretending things I don’t feel. I will not be able to keep up this act for much longer, Edward. We’re getting too close to me having to put up or shut up with Olaf, and I don’t know what to do.”