Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 106003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106003 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 530(@200wpm)___ 424(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Angel left his new home half an hour later and made two friends the moment he stepped into the store. It took me months to open my mouth to the owner, Brad, but here Angel was, coercing information out of him as if he were on FBI’s payroll.
By the time lunch started at the canteen, he was invited to eat at a table with my biker brothers, who were clearly intrigued by the boy I abducted to my cave.
I wasn’t able to listen in on everything, but from the bits I gathered, he didn’t tell them about what my dwelling looks like, or that I have a pet spider. Or that I licked him. I feel humiliated enough after being so blatantly tricked by my prisoner. I should have known better. But in the face of his pain, I was blind to the consequences. Maybe I don’t even regret any of it. Who would I be if I hadn’t tried to help him?
Worse than a monster.
After that first lunch, Angel didn’t retreat to the safety of his house like I would have.
He mingled.
He offered to help with some dishwashing, then had a beer in what is essentially our town square. He was the king of sunshine, and soon enough made conversation with strangers with ease I couldn’t even dream of. He introduced himself, talked about his hairdressing skills, and how he’d soon have tools to offer his services.
By evening, he got invited to someone’s home to watch movies together with a group of women.
The next day was even more successful for Angel. He got to try out fishing at the pier, with the equipment Roger lent him, then had Rhonda’s pie, which he described as the best he ever tasted, then proceeded to babysit two kids at the playground, because their mom had a last-moment errand to run. As a thank you, she invited him over for a pizza dinner, and in the evening, Angel emerged from her home with nails painted pink by one of the kids and a lollypop in his mouth. He must have not liked it, because he threw it away half-finished, and I’m ashamed to admit that yes, I plucked it out of the trash and finished it, dreaming about his lips around the piece of candy.
I’m now on day three of stalking the only boy whose taste I know, and I didn’t even get to sleep under his bed, because he must be checking there each night.
In the morning, Angel took some clothes to the laundry room, and at one point I heard him talk to an elderly man, Phil, about the weather taking a downturn. I don’t know how he does it. He makes friends with such ease, chats to everyone, and he’s weaving himself into the tapestry of Vulture Hollow already.
He must have even talked to Brigid, because when I came over to drop off the game we never used, she suggested he was very sweet, and bright, knew a lot about crystals. I was too upset about everyone else getting along with him so well, so I didn’t stay for tea even when she insisted, and left to sulk with a cream cheese and raisin sandwich.
Angel is a butterfly released from my cage, and so of course he’s thriving in the sun, and the small golden hoops in his earlobes only add to his glow.
All I can do is watch him, my sole consolation—the rainbow-patterned shoelace I stole from one of his sneakers. It’s now wrapped around my left wrist, and while it never sat against his skin, it gives me pleasure to see its match still woven into Angel’s shoe. It’s probably the closest I’ll ever get to him again, but while I try not to fool myself into thinking he’ll ever want to speak to me, now that he has access to so many other people, the separation is putting me on-edge.
Oh, how I crave to nuzzle his cheekbone and smell amber. His scent is warm, cozy, with a hint of caramel. I want him to smile at me, watch me, ask me questions he truly wants to know the answers to.
If he acknowledged my presence one more time, maybe I could be happy for a while. Instead I stalk him like he’s a doe and I’m a mountain lion too inept to ever pounce.
A socially awkward predator.
I hate myself so much.
Just because I’m capable of killing and threatening people, and I make a good addition to the Vulture Hollow MC, doesn’t mean I can handle other matters well. I almost wish I never met him, so I wouldn’t be so torn apart over being ignored. Which is ironic, since I’m the one who avoids him, not the other way around.
I lost him for a moment, as even my stealth skills have limitations, but when I hear his voice, I’m back on track. He’s so… friendly. He was nice to me even after I captured him. Even when I slept under his bed like a freak.