Oh my god.
My stalker is Eli.
But—
Fuck.
Iknewhe was lying.
Was any of it true? Was Jenny ever real? Was his father really abusive?
I try not to gasp.
The truth settles into my bones like ice.
But I don’t let it show. Something in me warns not to give itaway.
He presses his face into the curve of my neck and inhales deeply. “Forgive me, Angel?” he pleads, drawing back just enough to look at me—mask and all—his hands still firm against my back.
I jerk my head up and down. I don’t trust my voice. I don’t trustanythingright now.
“We should watch a film,” he says suddenly, letting go. Traitorously, I miss his touch as soon as his warmth is gone.
I nod again.
He studies me for a moment before turning to clear away.
“Go get comfortable, I’ll join you in a few.”
I pick Graham back up and flee the room.
The front door beckons me on the way to the living room, but I don’t want to think what he might do if I try to escape. I need to tread carefully here. This man is clearly unwell—more so that I ever realised.
I choose the sofa closest to the door, picking up one ofmyblankets from the back and wrapping it around my shoulders. I’mnotdoing it because he told me too. I just need the familiar comfort while I navigate this insane situation.
After twenty minutes he joins me.
Now that I know he’s Eli, I can see it in the way he moves. That casual confidence. Those ripped jeans are the same he always wears. That muscled physique. I don’t know how I didn’t immediately put it all together.
“Any ideas for what we should watch?” he asks me, like this is all completely normal. Like I’m not a hostage here.
A hostage that walked inside willingly. I mentally slap myself. Though, in my defence, I wanted my cat.
I shrug, my throat still clogged.
He flips on the TV, pulling up Netflix and finding a rom-com. He probably thinks that what he’s doing is romance.
“You’re very quiet, Angel.”
Crap.
“Is everything okay?”
I mumble a “yes,” then pretend to be interested in the film.
He lets it go.
We watch it in silence. Next to each other,but not touching.