Dark Empathy by Archibald Bradford (best books to read for women .txt) 📗

and held her tight once more, her skin crawling all the while as their breasts pressed together.

“Thank you.” She whispered, kissing her on the cheek again with tight lips.

“You’re welcome baby. You’re so tense from this, why don’t we forget about going out? I’ll send that tubby roommate of yours packing and we can stay in, so that you can feel safe at home.”

Becks held the hug for another couple of seconds as Carol rubbed her back in a bid to comfort her that had the exact opposite effect.

“That would be great actually, I’m sorry.” She sniffed as she worked to bring her priorities back into order.

“Don’t be, whatever you need.”

Their eyes were locked together.

I need to see you in chains you evil bitch!

She swallowed bile and wiped away sudden anxious tears.

“Well, anyways, I better go, um, to the bathroom, then I guess back to work.”

By this point they had broken apart and Carol’s eyes were tracking her every move.

Keep it together Becks.

She looked straight into her one-time lover’s face and lied her ass off.

“I love you.” She said with all of the sincerity and passion she could muster.

It was the first time she had said the words out loud, and they hit the mark.

The cherry-haired woman looked surprised at first, but smiled wolfishly as her eyes hooded.

“I love you too baby, now scoot before you lose control of your bladder!”

Fuck you.

Rebecca smiled as brightly as she could before ducking out of the office and heading down the stairs.

She had to restrain herself from heaving an enormous sigh of relief though: she wasn’t out of the woods yet.

Gregory was coming up the stairs as she was coming down, and she couldn’t help but flinch as they passed each other.

In her office Carol was in the midst of opening the parcel when she looked up at the night manager’s frowning face as he entered the room.

Her orders were to the point.

“Find me the slum rats stupid enough to touch my little pet. Make an example of them.”

“Right.” He looked out the door and down the stairs, to ensure the rabbit was out of earshot; “And… if I can’t find them?”

She scowled as her eyes narrowed.

“What, you think they’re stupid enough to jump her, yet somehow smart enough to get out of my city afterwards?”

“That, or… maybe they don’t exist.”

She opened her mouth to snap at him, but then closed it slowly as her canny mind began to mull over the Lapine’s nervous behaviour in a different light.

With a sour look on her face she was forced to admit that she had to consider every possibility.

“Alright, come at it from both angles then. What was the name of that fat lawkeeper, the one who has a soft spot for little boys?”

“Wainwright. I think his first name was Christopher.”

She nodded, unconcerned by the man’s vices, her only interest in how they could be exploited.

“Reach out to him, check her story.”

“Will do boss.”

Oblivious to the critical conversation in the office above her, Rebecca was following Carol’s directions and heading towards the bathroom, all the while looking around and taking mental notes about the place.

But as she did she quickly spotted one of the workers following her.

She imagined it was not unlike being stalked by a hungry wolf, the greasy-faced man shadowing her steps might have just been trying to make sure she wasn’t lost, but…

What should I do? What would I do?

Her eyes widened as inspiration struck and she whirled to face him.

“I’m sorry but very recently some people attacked me, and now you seem like you’re following me to the bathroom, so can you go away or something?”

His mouth fell open and his face reddened as he scowled at her.

“I was just going to show you where it is!”

“I know where it is!” She snapped back, her stress adding vehemence to her words; “Carol told me. You know Miss Reindel right? My girlfriend, your boss!”

She had never been one to name drop, but she landed this one perfectly: the flushing man backing off almost immediately, as fully aware as Rebecca what his cold-hearted employer was capable of.

He muttered something about her overreacting, but turned on his heel and went back to wherever he was supposed to be.

Alright Becks, that’s one hurdle overcome.

Courage filled her as she watched the man’s departure, waiting for him to round the corner of the press before she turned back to her task.

Her eyes never stopped moving. Whenever someone looked to her she pretended to be fascinated by the presses, or by the massive kiln in the middle of the main room.

Occasionally someone would leer at her, her response then was to make a rude gesture until they laughed and looked elsewhere.

Within a few minutes she knew the layout of most of the place as Miranda wanted, but no one was bothering her, her face a familiar enough sight, so she got bold.

There was a closed door marked storage just past the hall that led to the bathroom.

In her mind she could hear Miranda repeating herself: no unnecessary risks. But she reasoned that it was close enough and she was distracted enough to make an ‘innocent’ mistake.

I’m just looking for the bathroom, like Carol said, nothing suspicious about that. I opened the wrong door, that’s all.

With her heart beating in her ears she pushed the door open and slipped into the dimly lit storage area.

Chapter 34:Hidden Stores

Nameless and the others were in the lawkeeper’s office while the skinny man filled them in on the disposition of their prisoners.

“Marvin Green and Patrick Hardy.” He said while looking through the glass at the pair of them.

“Marvin is the one you took