Insane - Who Are You To Judge? (Gripping Psychological Thriller)

Chapter 46 - Avery

We haven't spoken in three days. I'm in agony.

Lately, I don't know who the hell I am. I've never been the kind of woman to pine over some guy. To be checking my phone every five minutes. With us not talking I can't concentrate. All my mind wants to think about is Him. It's rather inconvenient when I should be focusing on finding this bastard who's trying to take me down.

Even Kirsty's noticed I'm not myself and that I'm distracted. And she doesn't see anyone other than her own reflection and our boss.

My mind is so far away from the real world, that I am not even fazed when I return home tonight and the lamp on my desk flicks on, as if by magic.

"Hey, Buttercup."

I give Julian a sideways glance and then continue undoing the straps on my work heels.

He seems disappointed by my lack of enthusiasm. "Aw, why so glum?" He pouts and tilts his head to the side. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

This time I pull my eyes into his direction, manually forcing my heartrate to steady. "Once was enough for me. Thanks for looking after my house while I was at work but as you can see I'm home now, so you can see yourself out."

I then knock my shoulder against his as I push past him to get to the kitchen, maintaining my confident aura as I do so. When I return to the lounge with a beer in hand, I am sad to see him still standing there.

"Is there trouble in paradise?" he asks with a sarcastic, almost amused tone.

I glare at him and answer with another question; "don't you have anything better to do than break into my house and take my beer?"

He grins and with a firm shake of his head replies, "Nope. Let's not forget I was in jail for computer hacking. It's not like places are jumping at the chance for me to work on their tills." He shrugs and adds, "So I'm all yours."

I slump down onto the sofa. "If you don't leave in the next three minutes, I'll call the police and they can remove you." I then flick on the TV and try my hardest not to let my eyes stray from the screen.

"No you won't," he says almost immediately. His voice is deeper now, more sensual. It makes the memories flood in and I quickly swallow them back down.

"Do you want to call my bluff? Would you like to serve the rest of your sentence?"

Julian tilts his head back and forces a laugh before coming down to my level on the sofa, caressing my tatty hair with the back of his hand. As he does so, his fingertips lightly touch my cheek and I let out a heavy, involuntarily breath. "You know the deal, Buttercup. If I go down, you go down. It's how we stayed together all those years ago."

We aren't touching, but I can feel his lips hovering there as if they were pressed right against mine. I have to lock my jaw, trying my hardest not to show my weaknesses that he knows all too well. With my best poker face, I huff and smirk at him. "And look how well that turned out for you."

This comment has him unamused, his expression is no longer playful and he snaps, "One phone call and you're behind bars for life." The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as his eyes pierce through me. I'm reminded of the power he has over me, even without holding evidence above my head. Those magnetic emerald eyes. "One phone call."

"Yeah, right," I remark, slightly rattled by the threat and my evil desires, but giving no reaction to his empty words. "If you had anything on me you would've used it the day they locked you up. You know it and I know it. Now kindly remove yourself from my sofa and fuck off before I kill you."

Julian shrugs, not arguing with my logic. "Come on, Avery, you couldn't do that." He bends down, touches his lips to my cheek and whispers, "you'd miss me too much."

My lips quiver and my breath catches on his words. He's doing it on purpose. It's all just play. I can't let him know he's affecting me. I look him straight in the eye with no expression and say, "your breath stinks."

The smouldering grin on his face falls and it is replaced with a locked jaw and emotionless eyes. He stares me down, his face millimetres from mine. My heart begins to race ever so slightly, unsure of what I can expect him to do.

After forty seconds of this, he suddenly jerks his head back and walks into the hallway. It's not long after he has yanked the door open that the English summer winds gush into the lounge and make my teeth chatter.

Just before he leaves he turns back and looks at me. Those eyes latch deep onto mine and refuse to let me turn away. There are so many expressions behind them, I'm not sure which is dominant. Is he feeling playful, is he feeling nostalgic? Perhaps he's just feeling rage and anger. And is looking forward to his sweet revenge.

"Be careful, Buttercup. I may not have enough on you yet, but karma's a bitch. And she's coming after you."