HEADLINE ✓

TRACK 39

With (NO) love, Tyler-Jane Roberts

Because I killed someone.

The words left his lips with such ease that I feared them to be true.

My bottom lip was trapped between my teeth, gnawing the skin raw as I mused over his words. He was a murderer. Was it really surprising? There always had to be something off about him - everything else seemed too good to be true. He had to have a red flag hidden somewhere. His, apparently, just involved causing the death of another person.

"Shouldn't you be halfway out the door by now?" He sat up and reached out his hand to my chin. His thumb dragged across my bottom lip, wiping away the small pool of blood I caused from my teeth. "I think you like me seeing red."

"W-why would you say that?"

A twisted grin found its way onto his lips. "Because I just told you I killed someone and you barely flinched."

My eyes were fixated on his hand, watching as he brought his thumb to his mouth and cleaned the blood off his skin.

"Or, maybe you already know everything," he said, leaning closer. "You can't be surprised by what I've done if you already know about it." He got to his feet and exited the shower, leaving me to sit alone on the tiled floor. "Because that's what it is, right? You already fucking know!"

"N-no!" I stuttered, scrambling off the floor. "I don't! I-I promise!"

"Y-y-you p-p-promise?" He mocked with a sneer, turning his back to me as he faced the sink. "I... just... I just can't believe..."

I took a hesitant step forward and reached out to touch his arm, feeling his muscles flex and twitch under his tight grip of the sink. "Please, baby," I whispered, "Talk to me. Tell me what's going on."

Doctor Khan spoke from the other side of the door. "TJ, is everything alright?"

Carter turned around, his eyes wide as he looked towards the door, hearing the doctor knock.

"We're fine!" I called back. Meeting Carter's glance, I gave him a nod and softly added, "We're fine. You're fine. Just talk to me, baby. I'm here to listen."

"I can't... don't you get it? I fucking can't!"

"Why not? Don't you trust me?"

"I do."

"Then please, baby, say something-"

His hands gripped either side of my face. "How do you not get it?" he yelled. "You're going to end up just like her," one hand slid down and gripped my throat, "And it's going to hurt so fucking more because I never cared for her like I do for you."

Doctor Khan was knocked madly on the other side, jiggling the handle.

I gasped, feeling his fingers apply pressure to the skin of my neck. "You're not going to hurt me."

Carter leaned forward and kissed the spot. I shivered as he ran his tongue along the mark he had left behind moments ago. "I would never," he mumbled. "Because I..."

He pulled his head back. Catching sight of the look in his eyes, I realized I had no idea who I was speaking to. A bead of sweat trailed down the side of his face. His pupils were dilated and a muscle in his shoulder twitched. He wasn't himself. This wasn't him at all.

"Oh my god," my words left my lips in disbelief. "You're high."

The door busted open and his hand dropped to his side. I was swiftly pulled from the room as bodies surrounded him. Hank didn't release the grip he had around my wrist until we were out the front door.