Killing Me Softly: A Thriller Romance Novel [FIRST DRAFT]

Chapter 34

I walked with Theo down the road from his parents' house until we turned down a dead end that led through some thick brush and trees. We followed an invisible trail to a private, little creek.

"Oh, wow, this is nice," I said to him, as we went and sat down at the bank together.

"Not a lot of people know about this little place. It's a good hiding spot. In fact, it was my hiding spot from my family from time to time. I would come here when I needed alone time," Theo said, sitting next to me on the damp ground. "Not even Amelia knows about this place."

"Wow, really?"

"Really," he said and chuckled. "You know, there are just some things you don't tell your family. There are some secrets you want to keep just to yourself. You know?"

I wasn't sure what Theo was getting at, but I nodded. "Sure, I guess so. I mean, I was an only child with older, lamer parents, so I'm not really sure what kind of secrets you're talking about, but I can imagine."

"Nah, I don't think it's something you can imagine. They are just secrets. Factual things you keep to yourself," Theo said.

"Oh-kay...?"

Theo took my hands into his and turned to face me. We gazed back and forth at each other and listened to the soft trickle of the creek flowing next to us.

"Delilah...I honestly feel I can trust you. More than I've ever been able to trust anyone else. That's why I brought you here today," said Theo, never breaking his dark gaze from me.

"Yeah? To your family Thanksgiving?"

"No. To here, right where we're sitting," he said and shot me a silly look, probably for saying something stupid.

I laughed. "Oh...oh?" Then I realized he was being serious. His gaze never wavered or faltered. He just sat and stared at me until I realized this was a serious moment. "Okay...?"

"Delilah, I...did something," Theo said, dropping his eyes to our hands and pulling his brows together. "Something I am not proud of."

"Well, we all do things we're not proud of from time to time, you know? It's only human," I said, shrugging it off.

"No," Theo said and breathed deeply. His hot hands started sweating and shaking, and I knew something was really bothering him, something just eating at his soul.

"What is it, Theo?" I asked. "Are you okay?"

"No. I'm not okay," Theo said sternly. Deeply. "What I am about to say must never be repeated. And I am only going to say it once. Do you hear me?"

He stabbed his eyes at me, and I immediately saw a flash of anger—or was it fear?—in his eyes.

"Okay?"

"You have to swear it. On someone's grave or something," he said sternly, looking over his shoulders.

"Um, I don't like swearing on graves, but I'm pretty good at keeping promises, though," I said, feeling like I was short of breath, even though we weren't doing anything but sitting and talking.

"Then you have to promise me. You must promise me that you will not tell anyone what I am about to tell you. Not now. Not ever. Do you promise?" He asked so intensely that I wondered if an "or else" was to follow along, but it didn't.

"I promise," I said to him wholeheartedly.

"Okay, here goes..." Theo said and let out a quick breath, squeezing my hand. "I...I'm the one who...killed MJ."

"What?" I wasn't sure I heard that right.

"I'm the one who killed her," Theo said, looking into both of my eyes, darting his eyes nervously back and forth anxiously. "I...did show up, as a matter of fact...at the beach. Just like Donnie said."