What is it you really want?
I grip the handle of our bag tighter, and ball my other hand into a fist. I can’t look away from her, I can’t touch her, I can’t speak.
Can’t.She makes doing anything impossible.
“We need to leave,” Sanford says, attempting to break this spell she has on me.
But neither one of us look away from the other.
I am sure she can see my vexation, but her expression of wonder doesn’t change.
“Haunt Muren. We need to get there,” Sanford continues.
At this, Karia drops her hands from me and turns, whip-fast. She takes a step back, into me.
I don’t touch her, but I don’t move away.
My brain is still tangled in the second before this one.
I find it hard to focus.
“No,” she says fiercely, her arms crossed as she faces Sanford. “Absolutely not. We camehere,and look what it got us.” She dips her chin, and I can imagine the glare of her gaze locked onto his. “I’m sure there are cameras. Additional security. Do you want us to die?”
“How do you think he escaped?” Sanford asks, referring to my leave from Haunt Muren. His tone is calm, as it should be when he speaks to her. “There are no cameras on the property.”
This is, actually, news to me. But I say nothing, resisting the desire to grab Karia by the back of the neck, only to hold on. Beg her to touch me again. To tell me the sweetest, most heartbreaking lies.
Focus, Sullen. Fucking. Focus.
“It’s the first place they’ll look.” She doesn’t back down, volleying back with Sanford like I should be, but I can’t get my head on straight.
“Why?” Sanford straightens, pushing away from the well. He walks slowly toward her and I can’t stop my impulse.
I grab her cervical spine, gripping her tightly in a warning tohim.
She doesn’t flinch, but she turns to look at me, and I see a smile on her pink lips before she faces Sanford once more.
He keeps a couple of feet between us, his hands clasped behind his back. His age doesn’t fool me, nor does his leanness. He tried to get me to leave her with the rats and the snakes. He left my mother with the worst one of all.
I will not let my guard down with him.
Especially not withher.
“Cosmo de Actis found a digital receipt for two flights to Orlando, and he is on the way to this place,” Sanford inclines his head, indicating Hotel Number Seven at his back, “as we speak. So no, they won’t come to Haunt Muren. Not yet.”
“You’ve been speaking to Cosmo?” Karia asks, and I can feel the tension in her neck.
I rub my thumb firmly along the side of it, trying to ease her fear, even if I don’t feel anything but dread either.
“I will speak to anyone, so long as Sullen lives.” Sanford doesn’t look at me as he says it, and I don’t believe him at all.
If hedoeswant me alive, it’s for the same reason Stein needs my heart beating. Some darker, more nefarious purpose.
“I won’t ask how you managed that,” Karia continues, “considering we’re pressed for time. Butifwe agreed to go along with this stupid idea,whywould we go to Haunt Muren? What is there?”
The devil.
I’ve seen him.
