Jack In The Box novel Chapter 4

“It’s nice to see you again, Nurse Riley.” Jackson mocked me.

“Unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about you.” I retorted.

The last time that I’d seen him in the office, he’d been wearing the doctor’s white coat, but now he was wearing the patient’s blue uniform. The few top buttons of his t-shirt were open, the sleeves folded shy of his biceps and that made all the tattoos visible that ran down the length of his arm. I was at such a distance that I couldn’t tell what the tattoos were about and that made me curious.

Jackson chuckled, a low rumble, the type that was best suited in an office cubical rather than a mental asylum. Looking at him, no one would think he was crazy but that was the truth. He was bat-shit psycho. What’s even scarier was that, he seemed like the kind of guy who could easily blend with the normal people if they didn’t know about the demons that befriended him. “Come on, don’t be like that. We still have that coffee date you were talking about.” He passed me that lopsided grin, obviously teasing me. “Shall I pick you up at seven?”

I folded my arms across my chest and stared hard at him. I was not in a mood for jokes anymore, not after what he had pulled last time.

“I thought yesterday was a good enough reason for you to quit working as my nurse. What made you stay?”

I placed the tray of food on the table beside his chair and quickly backed away, maintaining safe distance. He continued. “Do I scare you, Riley?”

“You wish.” I said. The way he called out my name gave me chills.

He laughed, like the lunatic that he was. “Then why are you standing so far. Come a little closer.”

“Thanks, but I’m good. I don’t think I need my skin chewed out.” I said.

“Are you sure about that?” He asked, his brow arched. “There are fan clubs all over the internet dedicated to me. The women who are part of that fan-club want me to dissect them.”

“And I’m supposed to be impressed?” I asked.

He smiled again. “Well, aren’t you? It’s not everyday that you meet a guy who can be sexy as well as handle the sight of guts and a severed head without throwing up.”

“I would say the men who are disgusted by the sight of it are actually normal, while you are quite the contrary.” I said.

Jackson laughed again. “Psychopaths are actually pretty normal.” He said grinning and then added, “Sometimes.”

“A psychopath can be a loyal husband and a lover, a good father and everything that you dream about. Just don’t peek into their basement.”

“Guess you forgot to add that they are also pathological liars and lack empathy.”

I watched his jaw tighten and his dark chocolate brown eyes staring at me. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking from his expressions but I sure as hell knew I’d said the right thing to tick him off.

And why exactly was I finding pleasure by stepping on his foot?

Just when I thought things had taken the wrong turn, his expressions mellowed.