Page 119 of Animal's Reformation
Looking back at the car, Sickles just sat there staring at the window. She was pretty sure he saw her, but Olivia didn’t care. If he started anything, she’d call the police in a second. Ivy had left an hour earlier due to a doctor’s appointment, and now Olivia was so happy that her friend wasn’t at the office.
It seemed that the minutes crawled by, and she was bursting at the seams to get out of there and see Animal. Olivia glanced at the stack of files she needed to copy for Dr. Mitchell and took out the metal desk bell and put it on the counter. The last two patients hadn’t arrived yet, and she wanted to finish with the copying as soon as possible.
She ducked inside the room then placed a stack of insurance claims into the copier’s automatic feeder. Olivia kept her ears pricked for the sound of the bell as she worked. An eerie feeling held her as she stared at the last six files. The bell hadn’t chimed, but maybe the patients were late or blew off their appointments.
Olivia gripped the sides of the table and arched, stretching out her back. For some reason she couldn’t shake the sense of impending doom which niggled at her. Instead of putting more documents into the feeder once the copy machine stopped, she listened, straining to hear any voices or movement in the office. The clinic was silent. The only sound was her own heavy breathing.
“I’m being paranoid,” she whispered out loud as the anxiety inside her mounted.
Quickly Olivia picked up the remaining files and held them in her shaking hands, debating whether to finish the job or get out of there. She couldn’t figure out why she was so jumpy and edgy, and certain that something bad was about to happen.
Opening a folder, she began stuffing the copied documents into it when she heard a shuffling sound behind her. Olivia froze, her breath caught in her throat.
The sound came again, as quiet as a whisper.
Maybe it was one of the patients. Maybe she didn’t hear the bell. Maybe—
Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness.
“Oh fuck!” she yelled, the folder dropping from her hands. She heard the papers flutter down to the floor.
Olivia could sense a presence behind her, could hear steady breathing and the soft approach of footsteps. A cold, prickling fear crawled up her spine.
“Who’s there?” she asked, hating the quiver in her voice.
No answer. Just breathing and shuffling.
“Is that you Marcus? This isn’t funny.” For some reason Olivia got it into her head that Marcus Thurber had hidden in one of the rooms and was trying to scare her. There was no explanation as to why he was doing it, but who else would be doing this? Then Brady Sickles’ face popped into her head and she gasped. He’d come in to look for Ivy and was mad she wasn’t there.He’s always blamed me for Ivy breaking up with him.“Stop it now, Brady. We’re not alone—people are still here.”
Before Olivia could turn around, cool, smooth fingers gripped her arms and she screamed.
“Shh, my sweet,” a low voice whispered next to her ear.
Fear paralyzed her and she couldn’t move. Did she hear him correctly?
“Hunter?” she said as terror tore through her.
The soft heat of breath on her neck brought a new wave of fear crashing over her. “Yes.” His lips pressed against her jawline.
How the fuck is Hunter here? What the hell is going on? I have to get out of this damn room.
“Do you like that?” Another kiss as his fingers dug deeper into her skin until it hurt. “You thought you could get rid of me. That wasn’t very nice, my sweet.”
Olivia felt the blood drain from her face. Her mouth went dry as a horrifying realization began to grip her.Hunter is Dr. Linney.The shock of it echoed through her.
His fingers had inched their way up her arms, now resting too close to her throat. Olivia willed herself to turn around. She focused and met his gaze, her eyes now fully adjusted to the dim light. Cold, brown orbs with a glint of evil bored into her; his nice-looking features had turned dark and sinister. She didn’t know this man before her, and as she gazed upon him, she knew in her heart thatHunterwas going to kill her.
“Dr. Linney, please. Your patients will be coming in soon.”
“There are no appointments, my sweet. I lied to you. I’m sorry, but I had to. You forgive me, don’t you.” He lowered his head and moved his face closer to hers. Olivia turned her head, and his kiss landed on her cheek. He pulled back, anger etched on his face. “I’ll let that one slide, but you won’t turn away from the next one.” His gaze pierced her like a knife.
“Dr. Linney, don’t do this,” she said softly.
“My name is Hunter, Rose.”
He’s a fucking psycho!
As his fingers tightened against her throat, Hunter pressed his mouth to hers. Olivia reached behind her, grasping for the large three-hole puncher as his hands squeezed her throat.
Small red dots floated in front of her eyes as she gasped for air.
I can’t black out. I just can’t.
