Chapter 136 Stay The Hell Out Of My Nightmares

Chapter 136 Stay The Hell Out Of My Nightmares
CHAPTER 136

Stay The Hell Out Of My Nightmares

The morning light in the Manchester kitchen was gray and soft, a stark contrast to the violent, obsidian sky of the night before.

Anna sat perched on a leather barstool, the aroma of warm maple syrup, fresh coffee and ripe berries was thick in the air.

She was meticulously cutting into a stack of fluffy pancakes, her movements graceful and calm, as if she hadn’t spent the previous midnight carving a path through silk and bone.

William sat beside her, his dark eyes fixed on her with an intensity that bordered on an interrogation, studying her with quiet intensity.

"Anna, what was the logic there?" he asked, his voice a low rumble of disapproval.

"Racing out into a deluge like that? You’re not made of sugar, but you could have easily caught pneumonia. It was a torrential downpour, not a light misting for the garden."

Anna offered him a serene smile, polishing off a forkful of whipped cream and berries.

"On the contrary, Liam, I feel wonderful. Lighter than I’ve felt in months, actually. It’s amazing what a little fresh air and rain can do for the soul."

William’s expression didn't soften. He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest.

His gaze was a searchlight, looking for a crack in her armor, a hint of a sniffle, or perhaps something darker that he couldn't quite name.

"I've always wanted to play in the rain," Anna continued, her tone airy and innocent.

"In New York, it’s all gray slush and car exhaust. But here? The London rain felt like a baptism. I couldn't just watch it from behind glass and let the opportunity slip away. It was a bucket-list moment."

William exhaled a long, weary breath. He stood up and reached for a thick, oversized charcoal woolen sweater draped over the chair next to him.

He stepped toward her, turning her barstool so she was forced to face him. He leaned in, his black eyes searching her face from behind the sharp frames of his glasses.

"You're a menace," he murmured, but the edge was gone from his voice, replaced by a possessive concern.

Anna laughed softly, reaching up to trail her fingers along his jaw. "I'm perfectly fine, Liam. I promise. There’s really nothing to worry about."

Wordlessly, William pulled the sweater over her head. Anna raised her arms, slipping them into the long, cozy sleeves as the heavy wool settled over her frame like a suit of armor.

She reached out, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him closer until he stood firmly between her legs.

She leaned her forehead against his chest, closing her eyes and listening to the steady, powerful rhythm of his heart.

"Are you upset with me?" she whispered.
William’s strong arms encircled her, pulling her petite body flush against him.

"Upset? No. Terrified? Frequently," he admitted, his voice softening into a gentle, caring vibration. "I don’t care about the rain, Anna. I care about you. Given our current situation—the baby, your health—my heart stops every time you're out of my sight. I need you safe."

Anna pulled back just enough to look him in the eye, her expression becoming uncharacteristically serious.

"I am always extra careful, Liam. I would never do anything to jeopardize myself or our child. I value this life too much. I promise, no more midnight rain-dancing."

William placed a long finger over her lips, silencing her.

"God forbid I'll be the reason you stop doing things that make you happy. If you want to dance in the rain, we'll buy a private park and you can dance until you're pruned. Just... let me be the one holding the umbrella next time. Be careful for me."

"I will," she breathed.

William leaned down, pressing a lingering, tender kiss to her forehead.

Then, he sank to his knees, his face level with her stomach.

He pressed a soft, reverent kiss to the fabric of her sweater over her womb. "I love the both of you more than I have words for," he murmured against her skin.

Anna’s heart did a slow, painful roll in her chest. She hugged his head to her, her fingers weaving through his dark hair as he kept his face pressed to her belly.

"And we love you," she replied, her voice thick with a sudden, genuine emotion.

"Are you staying home today?" she asked after a moment, her voice returning to its playful lilt.

William looked up, a small smile playing on his lips. "Paperwork. A few boring contracts that need my signature. Other than that, my schedule is entirely yours."

"Really?" Anna’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Then we can finally do something... normal. Something nice as a couple."

William rose to his feet, a naughty, predatory glint entering his eyes. "Normal, hm? What exactly did you have in mind for our 'nice' afternoon?"

"We could go on a picnic," Anna suggested, ticking items off on her fingers. "Watch a movie, cook something together, go sightseeing... I’ve always wanted to see the old Gothic architecture of the city up close."

William’s naughty smile widened. "Sightseeing. Is that all?"

Anna flashed him an equally wicked grin. She reached out, taking his hand and bringing his middle finger to her lips.

She kept her eyes locked on his, dark and unblinking, as she took the finger into her mouth.

She sucked slowly, her cheeks hollowing as she rolled her tongue over the knuckle, mimicking a much more intimate act with a shameless, heated focus as if she were sucking his cock.

William let out a sharp, guttural curse, his eyes blazing with an immediate, scorching heat.

Anna pulled his finger out with a wet, suggestive pop.

She leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of his ear. "Or," she hissed seductively, "we could just stay in bed and you can fuck me all day until I forget my own name."

William didn't bother responding with words. He growled, reaching down to hoist her off the barstool.

He sat her back down on the marble counter, parting her legs and stepping in close until their heat mingled.

He took her lips in a hungry, possessive kiss that tasted of maple syrup and raw desire.

Anna kissed him back with a fervor that bordered on frantic, her hands tangling in his shirt.

She pulled away for a second, her breath hitching. "Have you forgiven me for being a brat last night?"

William cupped her cheek, his thumb stroking her cheekbone. "Anna, I was never upset. I could never stay angry at you."

As he leaned in to reclaim her mouth, a sudden, sharp memory flickered at the back of Anna’s mind—a vivid, crimson flashback of the previous night.

FLASHBACK

The rain had been a deafening roar against the wooden slats of the pavilion. Anna stood over Selene’s cooling body, her breathing finally evening out.

She reached into her pocket, pulled out William’s phone, and with steady fingers, deleted the thread of texts she’d sent to lure the blonde to her death.

She scanned the floor, spotting Selene’s phone a few feet away.

She picked it up, pressed the dead woman’s limp, cold thumb to the sensor, and unlocked it. She wiped the call logs and the incoming messages, ensuring the digital trail ended at William's house and not at this pavilion.

She let the phone drop, kicking it a few feet away so it looked like it had been dropped in a panicked flight.

Which was basically what happened.

She stood back, inspecting the scene. Selene looked exactly like what Anna wanted her to be: the victim of a random, senseless London stabbing—the kind of headline that would get buried in a week.

Anna stepped under the shelter of a thick oak tree. With clinical efficiency, she stripped off her bloodied hoodie, pants, and sneakers.

She stuffed the gore-stained clothes and the kitchen knife into a heavy black plastic bag, which she then shoved into her backpack.

She pulled out a fresh, identical set of clothes and dressed quickly.

She took one last look at the body. The rain was already washing the surface blood away, leaving Selene looking pale and discarded.

"Stay the hell out of my nightmares," Anna whispered.

She walked out of the park, appearing to the world as nothing more than a woman taking a late-night stroll. She climbed into the waiting car, her expression neutral. "Take me back home," she told the driver.

As the car moved, Anna leaned her head against the cool glass of the window. She placed one hand over her stomach, caressing it tenderly while her other hand traced patterns in the fog on the pane.

Lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the calm, cold satisfaction in her eyes.

Back at the house, she’d meticulously cleaned the knife until the steel sang, replaced it in the block, and checked on William.

He was still dead to the world. She’d hidden the bag of bloody clothes in the bottom of her suitcase, changed into her nightdress, walked over to the door and then... she’d acted.

Anna had gasped in delight. “It's raining!”

She’d loudly and deliberately slammed the bedroom door, giggled for the benefit of waking William, and ran downstairs still shouting about the rain as William called out her name.

“Anna!”

FLASHBACK ENDS

The flashback shattered as a sharp, rhythmic knock sounded at the front door.

William and Anna pulled apart, both breathless.

Moments later, Mrs. Perkins, the housekeeper, appeared in the doorway. Her face was unusually pale.

"Sir? There are some gentlemen at the door. Police officers. They're asking for you."

A small, sharp frown tugged at William’s brow. Anna felt a microscopic stiffening of her spine, but she kept her expression one of mild confusion.

"Did they say what this is about, Mrs. Perkins?" William asked.

"No, sir. Only that it’s urgent."

"Bring them in," William said, his voice regaining its professional steel.

The housekeeper returned with two officers in dark uniforms. They introduced themselves, flashing their IDs with a practiced, somber air.

William returned the greeting, his posture tall and imposing. "How can I help you, officers?"

"Mr. Fairchild," the lead officer began, his British accent crisp and formal. "Do you know a Miss Selene Bennett?"

"I do," William replied evenly. "What about her?"

"I'm afraid I have some grave news. Miss Bennett was found murdered at the old pavilion park early this morning. It was a particularly brutal attack."

William’s face transformed into a mask of genuine, startled shock. "Murdered? You're joking."

Anna let out a perfectly timed sharp, horrified gasp, her hand flying to her mouth. "Selene? Murdered? Oh dear God... that’s... that’s horrible." Her eyes widened with a perfect, glittering shock.

"I'm afraid so, ma'am," the officer said.

William regained his composure, his eyes narrowing. "And what does this have to do with me? Why are you at my door?"

The officer cleared his throat, his gaze unwavering.

"Miss Bennett's household staff informed us that you were the last person seen at her residence yesterday.

They mentioned a... heated exchange between you two. Given your... history with the deceased, we need you to come down to the station to give a formal statement and answer some questions regarding your whereabouts last night."

William stood still, the silence in the kitchen suddenly ringing like a bell.