Once upon a time, Iusedto be a good person.
But then a sweet, young, naive woman with an inappropriate crush, pressed her lips against mine, stilling time and altering reality. In that moment, with bullets flying, explosions erupting nearby, and our lives on the line—Blair Shelmore cursed me, turning me into a possessive, hungry beast.
I’ve learned, through painful trial and error, that the only thing that will sate this ravenous hunger is Blair herself. It’s a shame that cannibalism is frowned upon. I’ve yet to figure out another way to consume her soul but I’ll find one soon enough.
What’s crazy is that I didn’t realize thethingthat I had become, not at first. In the moment, I’d pulled away from Blair, and her painfully awkward kiss, and told her to cut it the fuck out. Then, I’d stepped out of our hiding spot to eliminate the threat.
In the coming days, weeks, and months that followed, however, I thought about that kiss. I thought about ita lot.
It plays on repeat in my dreams. At night when I suck in a deep breath, I swear I still smell the scent of her cherry chapstick, still feel her soft lips against mine. And the sound she made? The sweet, innocent little moan of delight? Fuck, I can still hear it whenever I pull my cock out and fuck into my hand.
After a few failed attempts to get my godchild out of my head, I’ve managed to quietly pull back my irrational and dangerous impulses, pretending to be a normal,decenthuman being.Unfortunately, one of the failed attempts to get Blair out of my system required Wes to step in and clean up my mess. He knows about my inappropriate feelings for Blair, and how dark and twisted they are. Wes has seen the worst of it and, somehow, he’s managed to continue looking me in the eye.
Which is why I need Wes to be onboard to help me when she gets here.
Wes will keep me in check. He’ll care for Blair in a way I can’t safely do. Not with how badly I crave her. And he’ll do it, I just… I need to tell him what the hell is going on first.
I tighten my grip on my binoculars. It takes a moment to gather the courage to say what needs to be said. Wes won’t like it. I don’t want to disappoint or worry him, but everything is in motion now. Nothing can be done but to accept what’s going to happen.
With a harsh exhale, I tell him, “We’re about to have a new house guest.”
Wes stares at me, his brows furrowing deeply as he does. “What are you talking about? Who?”
“It’s… Blair,” I admit stiffly.
Wes tenses. The worry on his face shifts to dread.
“Explain yourself.Now,” he demands, his voice clipped.
“My buddy’s work, her dad, has bled over into her life, putting Blair right in the crosshairs of some bad people. She needs a place where she can lay low and be safe until things blow over. Blair knows that place is here, with me—as does her father.”
My stomach clenches as I think about how much trouble she must be facing tostillnot be here. Blair has the skill to kill just as easily as Anchor—I’ve witnessed it first-hand. She might’ve taken a different path than Anchor, but that woman is a natural when it comes to killing.
Wes shakes his head, his jaw tightening as he stares anxiously into my face. He sucks in a deep breath, opens his mouth, then closes it. When he looks away from me, I know he’s trying to remain levelheaded. That’s one of the many things I like about Wes. He’s not reactive.
When his attention returns to me, he doesn’t look happy.
“You and I both know that Blair isn’tsafehere, Ledger,” he finally says darkly. “Tell me you know that.”
My teeth gnash together as I fight the urge to object. As much as I wish it otherwise, I know that under different circumstances, Wes would be absolutely right. Luckily, these are therightcircumstances.
“With you, Wes, shewillbe safe.” The way I say it, with such cool and measured neutrality, I could almost believe I had noble intentions when it came to my godchild. “You’re more than capable of watching Blair’s back. I’ll watch myself, I really will, but you can be her first line of defense if I get too carried away. I swear, Wes, I won’t touch her.”
“You put too much faith in me, Ledger,” Wes swallows hard. “I can’t?—”
“You can,” I object, adamantly. “I need your help, Wes.Blairwill need your help. She’s got nowhere else to go. As much as I want to be the person she runs to,youcan be that person for her. It’s what you’re good at; taking care of others who need it. Help me make sure Blair’s needs are met. Let me help herthroughyou.” I take a step toward him and reach out to grab his arm. “Please tell me you understand that I can’t send her packing. She’s in danger and I can’t let it touch her.”
Wes’s mouth brackets and he swallows hard. “And what about after? When the danger’s gone. You’re going to just let her go?”
The doubt in his voice is understandable. I’ve earned his skepticism when it comes to this fixation.
“Absolutely,” I promise him, and myself.
But who knows how long the danger will be hanging over her head? Could be a few weeks, could be a few years. Maybe, eventually, she’ll want to stay even if there wasn’t any danger. Caddawalk is a quaint, quiet town. It's easy to find yourself enjoying a slower pace of life.
Wes doesn’t say anything for a long stretch of time. It goes on long enough that I have to ask, “Wes, will you help me?”
I know how Wes will answer. Even as he looks away, shoulders tense and a tendon popping in his neck, I know how this ends. I’ve been avoiding this conversation—I don’t like butting heads with my friend and business partner. Ultimately, Wes’s desire to help those in need will outweigh any objection he might have to this situation. His broken, jagged heart is held together by sheer determination to be better than the man he was years ago.
