Her head swam and she fought to clear it. “I…” she blinked several times. “The scar,” she remembered. “He said to check the hospital records.”
“My scar?”
She nodded. “Do you know what it is?”
“I’m not sure. I don’t remember,” he said as he wrote. “What else. Did he say which hospital?”
“No. I had no idea where to look, it was a terrible clue.”
“He sounds like a dumbass.”
“He’s very clever,” she said drawing his immediate scowl. “In a bad… stupid kind of way,” she added.
“What else did he say about this Z?”
She thought about what X had said, wishing she had a photographic memory. “He planned on contacting you. For your cooperation.”
“For what?”
“I…” she sighed closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. “I’m sorry, I don’t think he said. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he said, his voice still hard.
He was back to angry while talking about him. She had to keep reminding herself that the anger wasn’t at her. And yet what she did with X loomed in the shadows, waiting for a trial where she’d be found guilty. Life in prison, no parole. She realized then. Another man lived in Bones who did things at night that could very well mean life in prison for him. And her, if she was counted guilty. She needed to focus on that and not her stupid feelings.
“He said he guessed it was time to introduce me to Z,” Winter said, trying to remember things. “And he said, he wants to get rid of you and have me all to himself.”
“I’d die first.”
“I told him you were more jealous than he was,” she assured. “He disagrees, of course.”
“Of course,” he said with hate.
“He thinks he can kill you.” She eyed him. “I take that to mean take over your body.”
Bones sucked his teeth much like she’d seen X do and panic shot through her. He wrote on the paper. “What else do you remember?”
“He… he wants you to know about him. That’s why he put the mark on my neck.”
“Keep going.” He continued writing.
“He seems to think you’re going to help them with the night business or Z thinks. What do you think is in the hospital records?” she wondered.
“The institution?” Bones asked, raising his eyes to hers. She nodded and he cocked his jaw tapping the pen on the pad. “Guess it’s time we go find that out.”
Her stomach suddenly clenched in panic. “What about tonight?”
He eyed her. “We’ll secure me. Well,” he added, seeing her fear. “You’ll have a bat in case anything happens.”
She gasped. “I can’t keep hitting you, I could accidentally give you brain damage,” she cried. “We need another way.”
“I used to always stay up as late as I could,” he muttered, shaking his head while staring absently. “I knew something was happening and didn’t know what. I had gotten the restraints and never used them.”
“He got you to buy the speakers,” she remembered.
“Wow,” Bones said after a few seconds, his eyes burning into her. “I bet we could find out quite a bit about Mr. X from the clues he’s left behind.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Any purchases that seemed strange? Did I tell you his name stands for Executioner?”
Bones stared at her before sliding a hand over his face. “That’s not good,” he muttered. “We need to get answers before they’re using me or you. Now that you’re here, they’ll use you to get to me.”
“How?”
He gave a disgusted snort. “Because they know everything about me.”
“Why… I mean how…”
“I have no idea how long this X person has been here but the Z fucker is using him to get to me for some reason.”
“He smokes and drinks and does drugs,” she remembered. Bones wrote that with a disgusted sound. “But he doesn’t do any of it.”
He squinted at her with a stupid look. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“I don’t know. He just said he did all those things and none of them.”
“So he’s watching everything he does to keep me from finding out. But he was sloppy a few times,” Bones said, like he was on to the jackass. He tapped the pen, his wheels turning. “And now he doesn’t care if I know. Something’s going down.”
“I mean why use X, why not just come to you if this Z individual needed you?”
“I don’t know,” Bones said. “I would guess because the X moron serves his night business better than I would. But if X is only able to work at night, then he’s likely trying to contact us to expand his business, whatever in God’s name that is.”
“Who… do you think X is?” she finally dared to ask.
“A dog from my childhood? A character I saw on TV? My favorite alphabet in the soup? I have no fucking clue.”
“We need to get the records there,” Winter said.
“I’m thinking Z is ten steps ahead of us. For all I know, he’s got me tagged like a fucking dog.”
She was suddenly confused. “Do you think… Z knows about you?” She closed her eyes. “Sorry that was a stupid question, of course he does. I might… need a map to keep up.” She wasn’t smart enough for all this, she wanted to say but didn’t want to remind him of her being stupid.
“Hey.”
The tenderness in his voice called to her every molecule in her body and she looked up.
“Come here,” he ordered softly, putting the paper and pen on the floor next to the chair.
She got up and put her hand in his outstretched one, sitting in his lap. He pulled her onto him until he cradled her in his arms. As dumb as she was sure it looked, she didn’t fight the gentle push of his hand, making her lay her head on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, holding on to his neck and gave herself to the silky kisses he fluttered all over her face as he slid his hands over her in soothing caresses. “I’m gonna fall asleep,” she barely mumbled in warning.
“I got you,” he whispered.
“I’m scared,” she remembered in a barely mumble.
“I won’t sleep,” he promised, somehow knowing that’s what she feared. Probably because he feared the same thing.
God, what would they do? He couldn’t be tied up every night for the rest of his life.
****
Bones watched Winter sleep until she was entirely out. He needed to do too many things before it got late. He made his way up with her in his arms and carried her to the bed. She gave a contented moan when he stroked her forehead with a soft touch. I love you so much. Those impossible words kept playing in his head, terrifyingly abstract and surreal. He’d wanted to tell her back, he’d tried to but there was something inside, something holding him down, telling him no. Not you. You can’t love.
It was enough for now to have the words aimed at him. She was capable of that. Reginald was capable of that. But him? He was another matter.
Bones paced in the hotel room. He needed supplies. If they were going to take a trip to California, he’d need all kinds of shit. He hurried and picked up the paper and pencil, getting busy writing down every single thing he bought that had a question mark attached to it. Or an X in this case.
Second house.
Second car.
He stopped, immediately struck with a holy shit. Was this dude using the other house and car? It was close enough to the graveyard that he might. When he’d told Reginald he did things at night, implying sleeping with other women, it had been kind of a joke. And now… fuck, what if he was? He considered how Winter would react to that. Probably a lot like he reacted to her sleeping with the X bitch. He didn’t care if it was technically him. As long as it wasn’t him to him, then it wasn’t him. Period. She did say he didn’t do the drugs but how could he be sure? He was a fucking liar no doubt. Bones sure as hell woke up some mornings feeling like a lowlife user.
He put the paper down and scrubbed his face with both hands. God, he w
as so fucked up. That wasn’t news, and as long as he had Reginald, he didn’t give a fuck what he was. But with Reginald gone and Winter here, everything changed. It was time to face whatever was in his past that had him running scared.
He was going to have to come out hiding and do shit himself. But the very first thing he needed to do was make damn sure this X Bitch woke up on lockdown.
Bones eyed Winter. He’d let her sleep for two hours, then they’d go to get restraining supplies. Fuck, did they know where they were? Not possible, unless his thought about being tagged was accurate. Otherwise, he’d come to that hotel on the fly. Fuck, or had he?
Winter implied X was pissed that they’d made up. Why would he impress upon him to go to that hotel?
Damn, he would. To have her just like he had. Too bad prick, you lost that one. And you’ll lose all of them the same way.
****
Winter felt terrible for Bones. The stress he was under was suffocating her. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like for him, to be in his mind, his body. She really didn’t have a whole lot to contribute to his problems as far as understanding the whats and the whys. But she knew what he needed. The man needed to have some joy in his life. How long had he been stuck in this darkness? And something told her that as silly and simple as joy sounded, she knew it was what he needed. He was such a happy man when they went out and had fun. God he’d laughed so much and had fun. She’d found her purpose in life that day. To see to it he lived and loved and smiled that beautiful smile. At her, preferably.
But now this shit.
“You know what?” Winter said, propping her foot up on the truck dashboard as they drove to the city to find restraints and whatever else they might need to go with that.
“What?” Bones muttered, sounding all broody.
“That,” she said, angling her look at him.
“That what?”
“Your attitude.”
“What’s wrong with my attitude?” he asked, defensively.
“It sucks.” He glanced at her and she kept her browse raised. “It does.”
“Well, I’m sorry for being upset that you fucked another man who lives in my body and now I have to go buy shit to lock me down so he doesn’t try to kill you.”
She turned toward him.
“Why don’t you have your seatbelt on,” he demanded.
“Bones, we can’t let this ruin our lives,” she said. “We can’t let X run the show, or ruin all the fun we should be having.”
He shot troubled glances at her. “Fun? Are you fucking kidding me? We have some weird fuck named Z wanting to get in touch with me to possibly help X take over my body and you’re thinking of how we can have fun?”
“Stop making me sound like a child just because I think you need to have fun.”
“Me?”
“Yes you. And me,” she admitted. “I mean we are like newlyweds,” she cried. “We just now made up, we had such a great time the other night. You laughed, you had fun, remember?”
“Of course I fucking remember,” he muttered. “I’ll never forget it.”
“It doesn’t need to stop and it shouldn’t stop.”
“What are you saying?” he asked, pulling in the parking lot of a hardware store.
“I’m just saying we shouldn’t let shit steal our joy! And I’m not whining or anything, but I’ve had a pretty lousy life up till now Bones, and no offense but you’re ten miles ahead of me in the lousy life bit. But here we are,” she said, with real pride. “I mean look at us,” she said, getting on the edge of her seat. “Here you are, this truly fucked up individual, and here I am, this whore with no education, no life, no hope,” her throat closed up and tears filled her eyes. “Here we are,” she said, lifting her chin. “Two fucked up souls, should be dead, wished we were dead more times than we can count, and yet we’re not.”
He pulled into a parking spot and shut the truck off, angling his head at her.
“We’re finally living,” she whispered, putting her hand on her chest. “I’m doing things I never dreamed I’d get to do. I’m loving! I wanted to die because it hurt too much to live and you,” she gasped, tossing her hand at him. “You make me forget I was ever a whore.”
“Come here,” he whispered.
She slowly scooted over onto the seat, eyeing his harsh gaze.
“Closer,” he said. “Until your lips are pressed into mine.”
She took hold of his face and ran him over with a kiss, laughing when he smiled under the attack. He held her face, stroking her hair. “I think you should be a life coach,” he muttered.
“Done. You’ll have to be my first customer.”
“How much will this cost me?”
“Everything,” she giggled. “And all your time.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it,” she whispered.
“So let me get this straight,” he muttered, angling his head this way and that way with soft, singular kisses. “Even though our lives are in danger. And we’re both being hunted. And I may be institutionalized from brain implosion...” He gripped her face and slipped his tongue into her mouth for a sexy glide along hers before whispering, “We should say fucking come what may… we’re going to live. And love? Is that it?”
She smiled and nodded as he wiped tears from her cheeks. “You aced it, Bonesy,” she whispered.
THE NEXT CHAPTER
“You look tired,” Winter said, watching him from the passenger seat and rolling her window down.
He reached out and turned the heat on full blast.”
“You just need to ask me to roll up the window,” she muttered.
“I thought you wanted it down,” he said in defense.
“No, I’m just giving you fresh air.”
“More like blue balls, it's fucking ten degrees.”
“I just don’t want to take chances. I’m not looking forward to seeing X again.”
“You won’t be.”
“Eventually, I will.” She turned in her seat, facing him. “Maybe I should use my time with him more wisely, you ever thought about that?’
He turned a snarl at her. “You’re not going near the X Bitch.”
“I’m just saying think about it. You could have me negotiate. Something. Just seems like a waste of opportunity. Seems like we have him where we want him and we should do something.”
“Like what?” he wondered, sounding like he’s willing to consider any angles.
“I have no idea, I just feel like it’s an opportunity for something.”
They rode in silence for a bit. “What would we negotiate?” he wondered.
“We could start by finding what he wants.”
“Why would he tell you?” he asked.
“We need to create a reason he’d need to,” she said.
“If I were to follow the medical breadcrumbs of my situation, I’d say that X is a personality created for a reason. If he’s doing what I think he’s doing, then the question I would want to answer is why.”
“What do you think he’s doing?”
“Killing,” he said simply.
“Do you think it’s… snuffing?” God she prayed not.
“Again, following a medical angle, I’d have to say no.”
“Why?”
“Because I was made to snuff. I never wanted to snuff. No, if I had suppressed killing instincts, it would likely not be that.”
“But you hate women. Oh my God,” she said, getting closer to him. “You lied?”
“No,” he assured.
“I saw something just now. Tell me.”
“It’s not what I know about myself that’s the problem. It’s what I don’t know. That has always been the problem.”
She let out a light gasp. “So… the no women rule was… you being careful because you didn’t know what you might do? Oh my God you’re a saint. I knew it. A saint wearing sexy meanie pants.”
He snorted lightly with a shake of his head. “Don’t fool y
ourself. Women come with their own threats.”
“Oh, this I know. They can’t be trusted, they can be ruthless. You ended up with one of the worst ones.”
He leaned for her with his lips puckered and she laughed, pecking him on the mouth. “I ended up with my angel. And here comes our exit. I think we should stop for the night. Test those restraints before it gets too late.”
“Test them?”
“On you.” He grinned, winking at her but she was thinking the opposite.
“Or you.”
He eyed her several times as he slowed at the end of the exit ramp. “The fuck,” he muttered, his tone loaded with lust.
“You want that?”
“I might.”
“Now this is what I’m talking about,” Winter said, excited. “We're turning the tables on a bad situation. Let’s make a vow right now. That no matter what shit comes our way, we’ll find a way to turn it around for us.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he muttered with a smile, leaning for her lips again while watching the road.
She kissed him again. “Pinky swear.” She held her pinky up.
“The fuck is a pinky swear?” he laughed.
“You don’t’ know what a pinky swear is?” she cried, shocked. “Me and Sebastian used to do it when we were young. You hook pinkies. Give me yours.” He held his up and she hooked it with hers and locked it tight. “That’s a pinky swear.”
“Me and Reggie had a handshake,” he said, turning onto the service road and heading for the Waffle House.
“Awww, how sweet. You’ll need to show me. While we talk about a plan.”
“What plan,” he said.
“The plan we talked about, me and you, the Livers, the Prime Movers, not waiting for shit to rain down on us, but us raining the shit down.”
He cracked up as he pulled into the packed parking lot. “The prime movers, huh? Look at the fucking people,” Bones muttered.
“Oh, look, a Sonic, let’s go there. We can plot our plans over tater tots and those yummy cheddar peppers. And then we can top it off with dessert from the privacy of our mobile home.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he muttered, backing out and heading to it. It wasn’t much better there but at least they didn’t have to leave the vehicle. Bones drove through the parking lot for a spot to park and found one exactly at the end. Good. Seclusion.