Who Killed Aylee?

Chapter 16

Patrick 'Silas'

A few days of explaining myself to Penny and never leaving her side has been exhausting and yet so freeing. She won't let me touch her yet, but I think we are learning how to be around each other without animosity. She doesn't seem angry anymore, just confused.

When she walked into my arms and thanked me all I thought to myself was I have fallen so hard for this girl. How could I ever walk away now? To not smell the soft pineapple smell of her shampoo; the voice that is raspy for a girl but not from years of smoking. Just natural, low, smooth and mine. To not feel her enter a room. Not just see her but feel the air shift like her soul is tethered to mine and knows without sight.

Last night I watched her sleep for hours next to me. Terrified if I closed my eyes for a minute I would wake to her gone. Either taken or leaving me. Tonight I'll do the same. Getting just a few minutes of shut eye to make sure we are safe is all I can do right now. Until we finish our business here and walk away from here together, forever. When they gave me the equipment I asked for to make the tracking device, I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do at first but then it just made sense to give her Penny's necklace.

I wanted her to have it anyway. It killed me not to explain to her that my grandmother gave that to Penny when she died; thinking my mom would pawn it if it went to her. When she died we had no escape from our misery. That hell was just like this. A means to an end. A stop in the way to freedom.

My star, I watched her just breathing. For hours. Her long brown hair is like silk ribbons. Cascaded across her shoulder and back. Her full lips a rosy peach color slightly open. Slow timed breaths. Long lashes flicker a bit but shadow her cheeks.

I have watched her sleep for months now, months. But there is a small weight missing from this sleep. Like she is comfortable, like no other time I have seen. I forced her to stay with me because I needed to make sure she wasn't sleeping where they would expect her to be sleeping. She took my reason and didn't press me on it. I didn't have the balls to tell her I needed her close. I need her touching me. Even if it's for a second at night, unaware she is doing it. She does this thing of pressing the top of her foot against my leg. Like she just subconsciously needs to make sure I am there. Sometimes she will reach a hand out and take one of my fingers just to feel me. We are connected. We are one when we are like this. I can feel the pain she had been holding onto for so long slowly erase from her muscles more and more everyday.

She is so beautiful laying here in my bed. In my clothes." If you're going to keep watching me, you could hold me. My heart needs you." My heart cracks with exhausted longing for just that.

I don't even think twice. I reach over and grab her legs and pull them to me so she is almost on top of me but tucked up in my arms. I run my hand up my sweat shirt she has been wearing and I feel her relax more. I can't help but smile. I can't help but be happy at this moment. Her scent fills my nose and I breathe in feeling so much better. I hate that she hasn't let me touch her until now, it's been days. Days and it physically hurts to not touch her.

" I missed you." I whisper

" I know." Her hand is drawing lite designs on the side of my neck and I feel it everywhere. One touch from her lights my entire body up. My stomach flips. She doesn't hate me. All the blood runs down to my lower body when she touches me. " Thank you for giving me time."

I lift her chin and look her in the eyes. " Do you believe me? I would do anything for you. I just ..."

" Just what Silas?" Wow just her saying my name makes my entire body relax and ignite at the same time. I just look over her face.

" I just want you." I say " I want to get you out of here. I sat in my car watching you for months. Watched you from across the room for months and then when I finally touched you, I knew you were mine. I can't let you go."