HER || 18+ (Monsters #2) || Sequel to THEM

69 - Doll

"And they'd find us in a week
When the buzzards get loud
After the insects have made their claim
After the foxes have known our taste
After the raven has had its say
I'd be home with you."

- In A Week, Andrew Hozier Byrne
. . .

Olivia Woods

I sat down on the couch, feeling more awkward than ever.

Xerxes was sitting behind his desk. Zavier leaned against the closed door of the office, and Ashton was sitting on a chair near the window. All of them were almost the same distance away from me.

And their eyes were firmly on me.

After the gates had opened, a guard stepped out and said the Creeds wanted me in the office.

"Are you hurt?" Xerxes finally broke the silence.

I shook my head once. "No- I'm okay."

"Do you need something?" Ashton asked.

I shook my head again. "No."

"Is someone bothering you?" Zavier asked.

I shook my head again. "No."

They exchanged a glance that I couldn't read. They had a language, I only knew fragments of it. I wanted to know all of it.

"I..." I tugged at the edge of my purple dress, fingering the lace. "I...just..." Why was this so hard? My hands wouldn't stop shaking.

I looked down and focused on the rings. It's just them, Olivia. Not yours right now but...it's still just them.

I forced myself to look at Zavier and Xerxes, but I couldn't look at Ashton. "I read a letter."

"A letter," Xerxes repeated.

I nodded. "Yes, a letter. It was really...good." I frowned. "Was Carrie's husband a writer?"

They exchanged a glance again.

"We don't know," Zavier said.

"Oh." I scratched the skin of my wrist. "Well, he had cancer. That's how he died."

"That's...sad," Ashton said.

I nodded. "Very sad. Carrie loved him. And he loved her. They had like...thirty years together. That's a lot of time, no?"

"I suppose," Xerxes said.

"Yes, and still, in his letter, he said they didn't have enough time. Which is weird, right?"

"I don't think so," Zavier said. "It's...never enough, Kitten."

"Yeah, I...realize that," I muttered. "But..." I stood. I tucked my hands behind me. "Well, I guess my point is, it's never going to be enough. And well, we..." We already wasted so much time. Tell me you won't hurt me again. I'll be yours.

I couldn't say it. I glared down at the carpet, and just then the headline of the day flashed in my mind.

Billionaire Ashton Creed buys his fiancee a ring worth-

What was I doing here?

"I..." I put my hands in the pocket of my dress. I gripped my keys, letting the tiny bit of pain distract me from my fast-beating heart. "I shouldn't have come. It just was a nice letter, I guess. I just got overwhelmed by...thoughts. And acted too soon."

I walked towards the door and Zavier stood against it.

He folded his arms against his chest, looking down at me. The usual viciousness of his eyes was there, lined with something tender. "Why are you playing with me, hm?" He asked, his voice low and deep. "You come in here, looking all hopeful, and then you..." He cupped the side of my face slowly as if waiting for me to pull away. I didn't. "And then you look so fucking sad."