Shadow & Smoke

Chapter 16

The nightmares of being stalked by the shadows ceased ever since Malachi began spending the nights with me. We would hang out until I got sleepy and then he would sit beside me while I fell asleep. At some point in the night, he'd disappear and I would always awake alone.

Replacing those bad dreams were desperate scenarios where I longed for Malachi and I could never quite get to him. My new dreams were always of the x-rated variety and I always awoke in the morning feeling more pent up than I ever thought possible.

I wondered if Malachi controlled my dreams. He certainly seemed to control my nightmares. If he knew what depraved dreams I was about him, I'd be utterly mortified.

"Knock, knock..." Jane said as she popped her head into my office a few hours before closing. I looked up from my laptop and smiled at her. "Someone is here to see you."

I raised my eyebrow in confusion. Aside from the occasion coffee from Eli, I didn't get any visitors to the bookstore for myself. I had a few friends in town but that was a recent development. I purposely detached myself from the people and places and memories of my past.

There was no point in asking Jane who it was because if she had any idea, she would have mentioned. Apprehensively, I got up from my desk, slipped off my reading glasses and followed Jane out of the office.

"Hmm..they must have wandered around here somewhere." Jane noted when she scanned the immediate surroundings and didn't see my mystery visitor. As other customers needed assistance, Jane left me to find the nameless guest myself.

At first, no one in the bookstore struck a cord. Most I recognized as regulars around town and they would have no business with me. A few tourists browsed the shelves but no one looked at me twice as I passed by. Entering the furthest wing of the store, I was preparing to give up on my quest when a familiar voice called my name from the non-fiction area and the alarms began to sound in my head.

No. It can't be.

But yes, it was.

Standing between the bookshelves looking apprehensive and docile was a fragment of my past that I knew damn well was neither apprehensive nor docile. He was dangerous and not in the way that Malachi was. No, the man standing in front of me was a discernible threat that I had no desire to revisit.

"No." I said flatly before turning to seek refuge back in my office.

"Wait, Nell...please."'

Nell. I fucking hated that name and especially hated the way it sounded coming out of his mouth.

"I don't want to see you. You can leave now."

Almost making it back to my office, Shiloh was already at my heels but thankfully, he kept his voice down and we weren't yet attracting any unwanted attraction. That was definitely a first. Discretion had never been his strong suit.

"Okay...okay," Shiloh sighed, "I'll be at the Horseshoe for a few hours, please just let me say my peace and I'll leave you alone. Otherwise, I'll be back here at open tomorrow morning."

Fucking asshole.

"You shouldn't be here at all." I snapped loudly and immediately, I lowered my voice and scanned the room round me with a paranoid glance.

"Five minuets at the Horseshoe, please."

Fuck him and his five minutes. I knew it was a bad idea but I also knew how persistent Shiloh was. He wouldn't let it go until I gave him those five minutes and event then, it was unlikely.

Exhausting every swear word in my vocabulary, Jane peeked her head back in.

"Everything okay?"

I nodded with a fake smile and thankfully she left.