Betty shivered under his manic gaze and took a step back, her heel scraping against the uneven pavement.
"Theo, stay back," she warned, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound firm. Her eyes darted around wildly, searching for anything she could use as a weapon. A stick. A stone. Anything.
There was nothing.
The street was empty, the alley too narrow, the shadows too thick. The realization made her chest tighten painfully.
She had known Theo was watching her. She had felt it for weeks now, the way his eyes lingered every time they crossed paths, the way his presence seemed to crawl over her skin even when she couldn't see him. But this… this was different.
This was no longer a feeling.
He was right in front of her.
Theo chuckled softly, the sound sending a chill straight down her spine. "You still have the audacity to warn me, Betty?" he said, tilting his head slightly. "Do you really think I'd listen now, after I finally got my hands on you?"
