hem. The silence of the mansion echoed louder than any scream. For once, he hadn't come the seco

aying more than a command or a cruel insult. But tonight, the silence wrappe

shown me around earlier had spoken of him like he was a wounded

said as we walked through the halls earlier th

just loyal? Either way

open. My heart thudde

m. I could feel him, the tension he always brough

I expected

he d

a few seconds. And then, I heard

it here, d

. Slowly

rd me with the usual hunger in his eyes. No-he stood

respond.

aid, not as s

voice came out dry, cracked. I hadn't spoken to him since t

r. "You're not s

n't mean I

might hit me. But he didn't. He just stood there, star

ive his cologne smelled. How his shirt clung to his arms. I hated th

it at the edg

flin

I won't touc

. My arms loosened from around my

onster," he added.

ess your sins and expect me to forgive yo

t really. But something close. "Yo

f things you do

ting to s

e stretched

ally, voice low. "You were payment.

ts. "And what am

able flickered in his eyes. "You'

dn't b

The softness-if that's

, he paused. Looked over his shoulder.

r click

since I came into thi