𝑴𝒚 𝑪𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 | 𝟏𝟖+

~ I am being serious! ~

Ruby's perspective

Ethan lays on his stomach in the middle of the desk. He swings his feet and hums to himself.

"Good morning, Mr Woods." I greet you.

"Howdy doc," he replies while maintaining his fixed gaze at the window.

"You're energetic this fine morning,"

He sighs and rolls onto his back. "Hey doc, can I rant for a sec'?"

"Of course,"

"You see... When I was a kid, my parents would always go on work trips out of state. I was left alone with my older brother,"

"That must've been tough."

He rolls his head to the side, looking away from me.

"When I was ten and my brother left the house, I was lonely. My mum got me a cat so I would stop complaining, but the cat didn't like me much."

He pauses and turns to me with a smile.

"So I killed it and played with its body for entertainment."

My eyes widened slightly.

"I see."

He bursts into laughter.

"You should see your face doc,"

I narrow my eyes.

"Mr Woods, is what you just said true?"

"No... no I got something wrong, you see... my elder brother would beat me while my parents were at work, and when they would get home they would never notice. We got a pet cat but he killed it and blamed me."

He stares at me with glistening eyes.

"Those are two very different stories,"

But have the same characters.

"Sorry, the memories are all blurry, trauma and shit, you know?"

I sigh.

"You're not taking this seriously."

He flings up. "But I am being serious doc!" He says, hand on heart.

"He says with huge sarcasm," I mumble under my breath.

"Okay... Ethan, tell me something true, like why did you kill those people?"

"They were bad people."

My eyes find him. I notice some stubble growing on his chin, not enough to be a conscious effort to grow a beard but enough for me to realise he's not caring for himself.

"Do you feel guilty?"

His gaze drifts back to the window. "Sometimes... they come to me at night,"

"What do they do?"

"They make me pay for my actions, leaving me no room for guilt."

"Were you told to kill them?"

He giggles. "Yeah, by the voices in my head." He says with a negative tone.

I groan. "Tell me, Woods, do you enjoy our time together?"

He blinks at me. "Yes."

"Do you understand that if I am unable to get information out of you, I will leave?"

"You'll leave me?"

"Yes. And I will never see you again."

He narrows his eyes at me. "Yes. Someone told me to do it but I also wanted to."

"I see. Who?"

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"Ask me something else, please,"

"Alright, no pressure,"

I watch as his facial expression softens at my reassuring words.

"I don't want you to leave, doc."

"If you cooperate I won't have to,"

"But... if I tell you everything you'll leave anyway,"

I bite my lower lip and he smirks.

He shuffles closer to the barrier and places a hand on the plastic.

"For you, Miss Winter, I'll kill even more deserving men so you have more to ask me."

"Please refrain from doing such things,"

He smiles. "Would you hate me if I killed someone else?"

I falter for a moment. "If I say yes... will you not hurt anyone else?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, if you hurt someone else I will never speak to you again."

He pouts. "Do you like flowers?"

"Please stop distracting me from my work," I say with a monotone voice.

"Please just... talk to me, like a human being."

His gaze is intense... It's like an ocean of emotion resides within him and I'm only getting glimpses.

"I do like flowers, Iris's."

He grins like a little kid. "I like those too,"

"Will you tell me who you work for now?"

"No."

"Then I'll leave."

His eyes shoot open as I start putting paper back into a file.

"N- no don't go!"

"Will you answer?"

His eyes shoot around the room settling on me once more.

"I-" He pauses. "I can't,"

I give him a small smile. "Then I shall see you tomorrow, good day Mr Woods."

As I turn to the gate he runs to the edge of the barrier.

"Wait! Please don't leave me here alone!"

The guards move aside and I walk out.

"Are you coming back? You're coming back right?" He asks, voice cracking as he does.

One foot hits the staircase when I hear the one thing leave his lips I never thought would.

"Ruby!"

I fling back to face him, eyes wide.

"How do you know my name?"

No client has ever known my full name. It breaches my safety contract.

"I- please don't leave,"

"How."

His face scrunches up as if in pain. "I hired someone... to investigate you,"

"How!? You're in-" I stop myself and force in a breath. "I can't."

I storm out of the room and try to keep my composure as I leave the building.