*Author's note: Strong trigger warning! This book contains graphic depictions of violence with some disturbing scenes involving m*rder and the use of weapons, torture, domestic violence, including mental and physical abuse, sexual situations and mature language. It may trigger certain individuals who are sensitive to this subject matter. It is marked mature. You must be 17 or older to read this book.
Agent Grayson enters the hotel room, sets some things down on the table between the beds and begins to sniff the air. It's at this very moment I regret my decision to shower myself in perfume today. My chest tightens and the extreme pressure of the stress in my body feels like it's crushing down on me. As he gets closer and closer to where I'm hiding, the vibration of his footsteps closing in on me triggers the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end.
When I see the top of his feet stop just at the edge of the bed, I squeeze my sides in as tightly as I can and hold my breath so I don't make a sound. When he walks away without discovering my hiding spot and flips on the TV, I slowly exhale into my hands in a slow but controlled breath to muffle the sound. I feel a bit dizzy after the sudden fluctuation of my heart rate as my rigid body finally relaxes back against the cold, hard floor. I listen intently to his every move while carefully plotting my defensive strategy, just in case he finds me.
When he sits back down on the bed, the box springs squeak under the weight of his heavy body and it instantly agitates me every time he moves after that. He's also a sloppy eater and as he's chewing his food, he's smacking his lips and making animal-like chomping noises as he devours whatever it is he's eating. The only break my ears seem to get is when he pauses to slurp his drink up through his straw. I'm taking a wild guess that it's sweet tea he's drinking from the close encounter I had with him at that diner. At this point, the annoying slurping sounds added in between all the smacking and chomping are driving me insane. As I continue to lie here helpless and try my best not to move or make a noise, I'm irritated as hell. The raging lunatic inside of me wants to jump up and kill him with his plastic cutlery.
Being trapped in here with him for so long when I should be getting ready for my date with Bryce is aggravating, to say the least. Bryce! Oh my God, he's probably wondering where the hell I am. This fucking sucks! I've got to find a way to get out of here!
All of a sudden, the dust from the carpeting makes my nose begin to tickle and a strong, uncontrollable urge to sneeze comes over me. As it works its way up my body, I fight like hell to hold it in. I press and squeeze both hands across my cheeks, pinching my nose tightly shut and practically suffocating myself in the process with my face buried between my hands against the floor.
Just when I feel like I can't hold it in another second, he gets up and I hear his footsteps walking toward me. At this point, I just know he's about to find me and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. So this is the way it ends, huh? I must be the dumbest criminal in the whole fucking world; getting caught in the hotel room of the FBI agent that's after me with snot running down my face. Brilliant plan Harper!
Just as I picture him drawing his gun and slapping handcuffs on me, the universe throws me another life line. He stops right at the end of the bed again when he hears his phone ring and whoever is calling saves my ass. From his end of the conversation, I'm guessing he's talking to the other agent. He has a brief conversation with him and they make plans to meet up the next day to interview some witnesses.
When he's done eating, the unmistakable sound of Styrofoam being smashed down into the trash can instantly gives me the heebie jeebies and my entire body is filled with goosebumps. The next thing I hear is way worse, though. He rapidly plucks several kleenexes from the box, furiously pumps some kind of bottle and then unzips his pants. My cheeks tighten and the feverish embarrassment spreads across my face. I bury my head even deeper into my hands and I'm forced to imagine what he's getting ready to do. Oh God, this is so disgusting. I think I'm going to gag if I hear him actually jerking himself off.
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STAY WITH ME (WATTYS 2023)
Mystery / Thriller2023 Wattys Entry ~Some monsters aren't born-they're created~ After the suspicious death of her fiancée, a small-town southern girl turns to a life of crime where she finds herself trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse with Federal agents hot o...
