Hide Seek Kill - A Thriller Novel || Draft One

Twenty-Three: Amelia

"Hey," a voice says, jolting Amelia back into reality. "Mia? What's wrong?"

Felix.

Amelia wraps her arms around his neck and allows him to comfort her, if it'll only be for a moment. Normally, she wouldn't show her weakness, but under normal circumstances there weren't any triggers.

"It's okay. Relax. No one's going to hurt you," Felix says, his almost seductive tone calming her frazzled nerves.

Amelia allows herself to soak in his wonderful and newly familiar scent of lemons and baby powder. His presence has become comforting to her, setting her at ease, especially knowing that he can fight and defend himself when needed.

And if he can defend himself, he can protect her too.

But the theory would only work if she isn't seen as a threat to Emilie, and currently, Amelia has a feeling that the woman knows what she is up to.

It would explain her sudden bouts of kindness thrown her way.

No one's that nice.

Especially not a de Vanily girl.

"I'm so sorry Felix," Mia says, pushing him away. "I-I should meet the others."

She moves to leave the room and Felix grabs her wrist, causing her to hold in a hiss.

"Wait."

Mia slowly turns around to find his blue-gray eyes staring at her intently. If only this is another world. Maybe she'd be able to give him a chance.

Even if she could, what if he doesn't feel the same way?

What if he's as bad as him?

Or worse?

She thought ... was an amazing person when she first met him, but as the relationship went on, he became toxic and controlling with a quick temper and a tendency to get jealous out of nothing.

"What?" Mia throws her hands. "Are you going to use this against me and manipulate me?"

She attempts to walk past him, but he stands in front of her.

"No, I'm not. I just want to know what's wrong."

"As if you care about me," she scoffs. "The only person you care about is yourself and your sister."

He raises an eyebrow, "I don't know what I did to cause you to think this of me, but I'll have you know that I do care. You are a good person Mia, I can tell. Just like I used to be."

"You don't know what I've done."

"Nothing that anyone has done is beyond redemption."

"Even what Benjamin Stone did to me?"

Felix's mouth gapes. "What did you just say?"

Amelia looks at him curiously. "Why? Do you know him?"

"I'm the one that killed him."

He was the one that murdered Ben Stone all that time ago?

Wow. But what reason would he have to kill him except...

Oh no.

This was just too good.

Mia lets a laugh escape her lips and Felix looks at her as if she were crazy.

Ben Stone not only hurt Amelia, but he hurt Emilie.

Now Mia knows exactly what Emilie went through, unless she got it worse.