Moth(60)

I hear her leave and begin walking back up the stairs. As much as I try, I’m unable to fall back asleep after realizing she got so close without me noticing. I sit up and run over my options. I can barricade the door, tie her up, or hold her at gunpoint to ensure she stays put. None of those seem like a good idea, so while I’m developing other solutions I truck up the steps in her direction.

She’s put a T-shirt on and is curled within the covers on one side of the mattress. Her innocent appearance makes me vulnerable. I slip into the bed beside her without saying anything. All I want to do is rest, and maybe this way I’ll be able to know if she’s coming for me when the bed moves.

I’m uncomfortable and it’s difficult to allow myself to fall back asleep. I turn in her direction so I can watch to ensure she’s sleeping. The room is dark, but my eyes have adjusted enough to make out objects. When they do I see she’s looking right at me. She slides closer until we’re right up against one another. My gut is telling me to make a beeline for the bedroom door and get the hell out of there, while something else beckons me to stay.

Her lips are so close. I can almost perfectly recall the way they feel when I press mine up against them. This woman should be my enemy. I need to hate her because she’s screwed me over and considered ending my life, but I can’t. I have to remain close to her, because like it or not I still want this, even when I know it’s the wrong decision. That’s probably why I want it.

My hand comes down to restrain her wrist. She’s unable to overpower me, which enables me to kiss her without concern of being slapped. I’m not gentle. My anger is pouring into this voluntary reaction. I pull away like I’ve changed my mind. Perhaps for a second I have. My mind focuses on that night I watched her in her bed. I have to know the truth. “That night, you were watching me, weren’t you? You wanted me to react, because you knew it’s how you’d lure me in?”

“The cameras you and your team took out of my apartment were mine. It wasn’t difficult to hack into your feed. I facilitated and arranged to seduce you while you were online, yes. I did.”

My hand is around her throat. I’m furious and overwhelmed with animosity regarding the circumstances where she took my vulnerability and used it as a weapon. What right did she have to lure me in so that she’d be able to end my life? This is bullshit. I’m enraged to the point of not knowing what I’m prepared to do to rectify the situation. It’s a good thing little Nina has the training needed to get out of dangerous situations. She uses her legs and flips her body over mine, which in turn releases my hold. She’s trying to pin me down so she can talk, grunting and whipping her hands around so I’m unable to catch them. “Stop it. Just listen to me!” She’s pleading.

“I hate you. You screwed me to kill me. You’re a cold-hearted bitch.”

She slaps me across the face. The sting is enough for me to feel shocked. “You screwed me too. You pretended to be someone else, you arrogant bastard. Did you honestly believe any woman would want someone who gloats the way you did? Where did you learn how to act around a woman, douchebag school?”

We’re wrestling around like wild animals, up until we aren’t any longer. One second I’m attempting to overpower her and the next we’re right back to embracing. Our kiss is violent, and as she pulls away I feel another slap across my cheek. In some ways I know I deserve this, but I’m too bullheaded to admit it to Nina. I offer my opinion. “This whole situation is f*cked up! I need to hate you, so I can wrap my head around what to do with you.”

She shoves me away again. Fresh tears fill her eyes but she’s not exactly crying. She’s enraged, and her teeth grit together as she growls at me. “I hate you more. You ruined everything. Because of you I’ll never see my brother again.” She realizes what she’s said and her glossed over eyes widen with knowledge of what it represents. “Shit, Moth, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. That was insensitive. I. I can’t even begin to apologize.”

“Who killed Jamie?” I sit up next to her and look down at my hands. “We can sit here and argue until we’re blue in the face, but it’s not going to get us anywhere. I need answers. I can’t make any promises, but I’ll do what I can to get you out of danger.”

She’s sobbing. I want to lash out at her and tell her she’s made her bed, but I know it’s wrong. We’re both in this position because of people we cared about.

“I’m not sure who did it, but I think we both know who made the order.”

“Where do you stand with the FBI? Do they have any idea you’re involved in this?”

She wipes away her tears and looks right at me. “Not that I know of. I took a leave of absence for a family emergency and never reported or returned to work. I’m sure someone is looking for me, at least to take my badge and service weapon, not that I’ve been reachable. I left everything behind due to the importance of becoming Windy.”

“Do you know what happened to Windy Lewis?”

She fiddles with her hands and nods. “I was assigned in the missing person’s division when I was working. Windy was my first case. I promised myself I wouldn’t ever let my emotions keep me from my job, but when I found that girl and she told me her story I felt obligated to do something to protect her.”

“We went to her house. We spoke with her mother, and were able to find pictures she’d hidden under the carpet in her room. They abused her, didn’t they?”