Haunting-Adeline

"You trauma zed me."
He leans down and snips, "A gun in your pussy certainly is trauma zing,
li le mouse, but only because I used it to make you come, not to make you
bleed."
I snarl, refusing to acknowledge that. “And Mark? I would’ve never been
on his radar.”
“False,” he snaps. “Mark didn’t show up at Bailey’s because of me,
Adeline. And he wasn’t seated where he could get a perfect view of you
because of me. I brought no a en on to you whatsoever and did my best
to keep him distracted, but I can’t control a man’s wandering eye. Even if
you’re a decade older than his normal taste.”
I balk, disgust curling deep at his implica on.
“You knew I was at Bailey’s,” I guess. “And you knew he was heading
there? So why not redirect him somewhere else?”
His spine straightens. “Do you think I possess magic and can influence a
man to do everything I say? I regret to inform you that I can’t.”
I ghten my lips at the condescension in his tone. “I tried to, but Mark
was insistent on going to Bailey's, and trying to force him to go elsewhere
would have only aroused suspicion.” He takes another step into me,
crowding me against my bedroom wall. “And that’s the last thing I need
when Mark’s trust in me means saving lives. Because you know what I can
do, li le mouse? I can protect you. And I can teach you to protect yourself.
But those children and girls that are being held cap ve? They don’t get
that privilege right now.”
My eyes drop to my toes, and all I can manage to feel is shame. He ps
my chin up with his finger, and I’m too lost in thought to fight.
“You’re allowed to be angry and frustrated with your situa on. You’re
even allowed to be angry with my stalking you. Life strips you of power
o en, but what you can control is poin ng the blame in the right direc on.
Don’t misplace Max’s and Mark’s ill inten ons onto me when I’ve been
doing my best to keep you safe from them. What we’ve been doing all
week is to keep you safe. So, you can either redirect all the effort you’ve
been pu ng into ac ng like a brat and apply it towards something useful,
or you can con nue to be powerless in the situa ons life throws you in.
You choose, baby, because I’m not going to keep making these decisions
for you.”