Creep - Jennifer Hillier [112]
“What’s going on with you?” Sheila asked, tentative. “Something feels different.”
“Nothing. Just tired.”
“Is somebody onto you?” She kept her voice light. She knew he’d only talk if she provoked him a little. But not too much. “You seem really tense.”
Ethan didn’t move. “Nobody’s onto me. Nobody’s looking for you.”
“I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about you. Your girlfriend has to suspect something by now.”
He opened one eye. “Don’t you fucking talk to me about Abby.”
Ah, she’d hit a nerve. That was good. But she had to be careful not to push him too quickly. “If I see the changes in you, then so has she. You’re exhausted and stressed. She’s not stupid, Ethan. You can’t keep the hours you keep without her noticing.”
He opened his eyes all the way. “Your point?”
“Whatever your plan is, it’s time.” Sheila paused for effect. “You do have a plan, don’t you?” She allowed the smallest bit of accusation to seep into her voice.
“Things have changed.” His voice was clipped.
His body language was more telling than his words. He had grown stiff, his hands clenched into tight fists; thankfully they didn’t move toward the gun.
She took a deep breath. Her next move was risky. “Ethan, if you wanted to kill me, I’d be dead by now. Just like if you wanted to destroy my career, you’d have released the video. So let’s stop pretending you want to hurt me. We both know you don’t. You brought me here because you were pissed off and trying to teach me a lesson. And God knows you have.” She leaned forward. “We still care about each other. You know we do.”
Ethan shook his head slowly. “You’re trying to mind-fuck me.”
“Have I tried to escape?” She hoped she sounded sincere. “Have I given you a hard time about anything? I know how smart you are. I know I can’t bullshit you.”
“You tried to take the gun from me. When we were, you know . . .” His voice faded, his eyes darting to her face briefly before flitting away.
“I already told you, I wasn’t trying anything.” Sheila forced just the right note of exasperation into her voice. “I had to move it, it was digging into my leg. Ethan, you can trust me.”
He stared at her, then grinned. The smile did not touch his eyes. “Impressive, Dr. Tao.”
“I mean every word I say.”
“You’re making me angry. I suggest you shut up right now.”
“But, Ethan—”
“Shut up!” he roared, standing up.
Startled, Sheila cringed into the pillows.
He took a few steps toward the bed and pointed a shaking finger at her. “You—all of you—you make me fucking crazy, you know that? You all think you’re so intelligent, so unique and so exceptional, but you’re all the same.”
“Who, Ethan?” She kept her voice steady, wishing she had something to hide behind. She pulled a pillow to her chest. “Who are you talking about? Me and who?”
He ignored her and started pacing the room again, his hand moving to the butt of the gun. “You want to get out of here so you can go back to your perfect little life, with your perfect job and your perfect man. Well, why should I let you? Why do you get to be happy, Sheila? What makes you so fucking special?”
“I never said—”
“Shut up!” he shrieked, clapping his hands over his ears like a little boy. “Shut up shut up shut up!”
Sheila snapped her mouth closed. She had no idea what he was ranting about, but he was completely uncorked. It was time to back off.
“We had a good thing going, you and me. And then you had to go and ruin it by getting engaged to that fat fuck.” He was talking to her but not looking at her. “And, okay, I could have dealt with it, no big deal. You want to marry him, marry him. What the fuck do I care, I have a girlfriend, what does it change? But then you ended it with me. You wanted me out of your life completely. For him. How was I supposed to take that? I’m supposed to just shrink away, act like it’s all okay? I had feelings for you.” His fingers tightened around the base of the gun.
She cowered on the bed, not sure what he was going to do. “I had feelings for you, too.”
“You’re lying.”
“Ethan, I’m sorry.” She was beginning to