I’d make it that way.
My heart didn’t beat that hard while I filled the tub up halfway as I undressed. I didn’t have anything close to a panic attack as I climbed in with the hand soap dispenser either.
I was safe. I could do this.
Settling for just soaping up the important parts, I lingered in the murky water before rinsing off, using my hands as a cup to get my neck and shoulders, then doing the same for my face. I would have rather taken a shower, but I could wait a little longer for it. A creaking noise outside the bathroom door had me staring at it, but no one called out. I doubted Alex was waiting around. It was ghosts, probably.
Oh boy, with my luck it probably was. I’m just kidding.
I took my time drying off, taking in all the luxury fixtures one more time as I wrapped the towel under my armpits and headed into the bedroom, deciding whether I should wait around in the room until someone brought clothes or if I should try to find Alex to raid his dresser. He’d already seen me looking my absolute best in Mud Couture, and the only way to go was up.
Everything is going to be okay, I reminded myself, feeling my eyes start to water.
I stopped just on the other side of the doorway.
On the bed was a small pile of clothing and a plate with pizza and two glass water bottles.
There was no underwear and still no sign of a bra, but I pulled on the loose navy sleeping pants and the black T-shirt, that I bet had to be his. I didn’t really like not wearing a bra. My boobs were too big to go without one, but mine was still wet and balled up in the backpack sitting on the floor. Everybody had already seen me swinging around for days at this point, what was one more? This whole adventure had changed a hell of a lot about my priorities, and I didn’t think they had been that messed up in the first place.
I sat on the bed for a minute and listened.
Damn, this place was quiet. I was used to silence, but my house hadn’t been huge, and the TV was always on.
Were there ghosts?
Nah. No way.
I ate my pizza standing up, chugged one bottle of water, and then sat there a little longer. The sun must have totally set because it looked pitch-black outside through the windows. Tired but restless and antsy from being in the car and on the run for so long, I did some stretches for my back and neck that I hadn’t done since before everything. Once I was finished, I sat on the edge of the bed again and looked around the room, hoping to think of something to do instead of just sitting here, on the verge of contemplating all the ways my life had gone to shit.
If I went down that rabbit hole, I might never get out.
There was a library next door. There had been a big chair in there that looked kind of comfy. Maybe I could hang out in there? There had to be at least one book I could read. This room was nice and all, but by myself, it reminded me of that cell. And where was Grumpy Goose at? I needed to talk to him, but I could put it off until tomorrow, or whenever he had time. He probably had a million things to catch up on.
Who was I kidding? He was The Defender. Was he ever going to have time to deal with me? Chances were, he was going to forget all about me even if I lived at his house.
Rubbing at my face, I got up and headed in the direction of the library. I hadn’t been in all that many houses, but this one reminded me of one in a gothic movie. I just hoped there weren’t ghosts or wives with psychological issues.
On second thought, I went back into the bathroom, picked up my knife from the counter, and put it in my pocket.
He’d said I was safe, and part of me believed him, but… better safe than sorry.
Carrying a blanket I’d found in the closet, I made it to the door of the library and stopped right there. Someone had beat me to it. Alex was on one chair, Selene on another, and there was a small worn, leather love seat between them. A pizza was on a coffee table in the center, a few bottles of beers surrounding it.
The Defender looked up at me and raised those dark eyebrows even though I knew he had to have heard me coming.
I clutched the blanket closer. This was his house. I’d tried to make him feel welcome in mine, and he’d invited me to stay, but…
Awkward.
For a moment, I thought he was going to tell me to beat it.
But just like he’d surprised me when he’d knocked on the bathroom door, he did it again. “Over here, Cookie,” he said.
I didn’t hesitate. I made my way over, flashing the pretty blonde a little smile. I shook out the blanket before moving a small throw pillow to the side. Pretending like they weren’t watching me, I laid down on the compact couch, my knees practically to my chest, and pulled the blanket over me, making myself at home.
Why I felt instantly more at peace, I didn’t really want to think about too much.
I peeked over at Alex.
He was watching me, a bottle of beer hanging loosely in his fingers. Those eyebrows were still up, and his expression was… Why was he amused?
I blinked at him and pulled the blanket up to my chin. “I don’t want to be in this haunted mansion by myself, bu—no, don’t give me that face. I was going to call you buster, not… you know what.”
Oh, he knew what. “Sure you were.”
“I was,” I told him quietly, peeking at the blonde who had the brightest smile on her face. Thinking about it for a second, I wiggled my finger at her in greeting before focusing back on Alex. “Just in case you forgot though, you threw up on me. I can probably call you whatever I want for a while.”
Those purple eyes glowed on and off instantly as he scowled. “You can only blame yourself for that shit.”
“That’s debatable,” I whispered.
He glared for a moment.
I glared back at him.
That sneaky corner of his mouth curved, and he held the bottle out.
I reached over and took it, taking a long drink of what tasted like… what was that? Raspberry? I passed it back over to him.
I was sharing a bottle of beer with The Defender. In his house. I was on his couch.
While my life was falling apart.
“You’re really going to sleep in here?” he asked as he took a sip.
I froze. “If it’s okay?” I debated whether or not to tell him the truth for a second but then remembered all the shit we’d been through. We were past that. Weren’t we? “I don’t really want to be alone, and that room is beautiful, but…”
He’d understand. I knew he would.
Or not.
There was another long moment of silence, and I wondered if I should have just sucked it up and gone somewhere else in this big-ass house. There was a living room downstairs. I could hang out on the steps outside.
“I can go somewhere else.”
I was the stranger here after all.
His silence had me sitting back up and grabbing the blanket, but a big hand landed on my shoulder and pushed me down toward the couch.
“Lie down,” he huffed. “You can be wherever you want.”
I rubbed at my throat and asked, dead serious, “Are there ghosts?”
The son of a bitch didn’t even blink. “Only Myrtle.”
I rose up on an elbow. “Seriously, is that a no, or do I need to make a salt circle around the bed?”
“What’s a salt circle supposed to do?”
“Repel ghosts, everyone knows that.” It was Selene who answered.