Processing.
Spiraling.
What did I do next?
Did I have a say in any of this?
I did to some degree. Audrey could help me figure out how to lock our apartment better, probably. Liam could just officially move in, act as a guard dog, so Drustan couldn’t sneak into my bedroom again.
A cold, hard feeling solidified in my chest at the thought.
“What the fuck is wrong with me?” I groaned, pressing my fists against my forehead. “He’s dangerous, he’s a murderer.”
He’s yours.
I glanced up, my vision blurry from squeezing my eyes shut. My laptop still sat closed. Shaking my head at myself, I crawledback to my desk, sat in my chair, and opened it up again. Resuming the video, I watched as Drustan settled into sleep himself. The hard lines of his face smoothed as he held me. His chest and shoulders rose and fell with steady breaths.
He never got handsy. He never tried to wake me up or take advantage of my vulnerable position. Drustan just held me until I fell back asleep, and he did, too.
This part, at least, was not that surprising to me. I knew he was dangerous. That he could kill. But watching Drustan act like an innocent lover instead of a monster solidified something in my gut.
Drustan would never force himself on me.
Cross other obvious boundaries? Sure.
Invade my privacy and steal my condoms? Of course.
Use his size and strength to hurt me? Never.
Do you want it now?
What if he was genuinely asking?
We lay like that for a few hours. It wasn’t until four a.m. when Drustan stirred, yawning like a regular human man waking up from a good night’s sleep, that he slowly, carefully, gently unwrapped himself from me to let me continue to slumber.
He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and blinked at the camera.
Oh no.
Drustan’s brow furrowed, his head tilted, and within a blink, he was standing in front of my dresser, bending down to study the camera.
No, no, no.
Drustan’s hand lifted to shift something, probably clothing, to reveal the rest of the device. His face was so close to it, I could see all his sharp, stunning features in perfect detail. His cheek twitched before the corner of his mouth pulled back in a slow, devastating smile.
His eyes fell, making direct eye contact with me through the camera.
“I told you,” Drustan whispered to the camera, making my chest heat. “You are brilliant, Vanessa.”
Then, he was gone.
And so were any plans I had for the rest of the day.
Chapter 21
“Wake up.” I was being shaken in my sleep, and I grumbled in annoyance as I swatted random hands away from me. “Wake up, Van.”
Audrey sounded serious, which helped me shake off my sleepy fog.
