Neither Harper nor Kohl moved for several minutes. When Kohl lifted his head to look at her, his expression was once more set in a blank mask. Harper stared right back but couldn't bring herself to be as distant. She liked being expressive, like when people read her so she didn't have to speak. It made things easier.
"I don't know your name," he finally said. Harper couldn't help but laugh at that, the sound harsh and loud in the silence. Kohl's lips pursed. "That amuses you."
She shook her head. "My mind can't even fucking process it."
"Because someone who doesn't know your name, who came here to rob you, just made you feel things your husband never has. You think you're in shock right now, don't you?" He sat up and ran a hand through his damp hair. "You're not. You won't be. I'm sure you'll find a way to justify that to yourself."
Harper scooted away and wrapped her arms around her knees, defensive and exposed. "You didn't just come here to steal from me, you actually did. You robbed me."
"I robbed your husband too, didn't I?" When Harper shook her head, he gave her a cold look. "I took away his good little wife and replaced her with a woman willing to fuck a common criminal. What will you tell him about tonight? Let me guess, you slept right through it. Had no idea anyone was here."
"You'd better hope that's what I say!" Her voice rose of its own volition and she worked to calm herself.
Kohl's hands curled into fists. "From anyone else, that would've sounded like a threat."
They stared each other down before he slid from the tangled sheets and padded over to the dresser. Harper's breath caught when he reached toward the knife, but he moved past it and snatched the camera. He took the SD card out, looked over at her, and snapped it in half.
Harper stared with confusion as he began to dress, mixed with relief and disappointment as first his legs and then smooth, tone chest were covered. He snatched up one of his boots and propped a foot up on the frame again to lace it, eyes occasionally flicking up to her. She was very aware of her nakedness, but didn't make a move to cover herself.
When he grabbed his jacket and pulled it back on, Harper motioned to the knife still lying on the dresser.
Kohl smiled. "Keep it. God forbid someone else breaks in and you have to make the same proposition. All the thieves for miles would come running to ransack this house."
Harper nearly laughed in surprise, still reeling from what he'd done with the memory card. There was no evidence of what had just happened... Did that mean he was going to kill her? As soon as she thought it, she dismissed it. No matter what he said, her gut told her that he wasn't a murderer. Maybe it was stupid—maybe she was stupid—but instinct and logic were in agreement on the topic. She didn't trust them on their own but together, they were compelling.
Kohl scrubbed a hand over his face as if trying to wipe off his freckles, or the sweat still lingering on his skin. He went to the window, pushing aside the curtains, and slid it open. Cool night air swirled into the room and Harper automatically closed her eyes and sighed in relief. She hadn't realized how hot the room had gotten. When she opened them again, Kohl was staring at her. Unreadable. The man staring her down wasn't the man who'd just had sex with her, but the man who'd crept into her house to rob her.
He headed to the door without another word, heavy boots quiet on the hardwood. How did someone that size move with such fluidity and stealth? No wonder he was a thief.
"My name's Harper," she said suddenly.
Kohl paused with his hand on the doorknob. "I didn't ask."
"I'm aware of that," she sneered, and swore that the corner of his mouth flicked up for a moment. "I just thought you should know. For when you tell the story about the woman who let you rob her and sleep with her in the same night."
His eyes flashed in the semi-darkness. "I'm not going to tell this story." Then he eased open the door and left.
Harper listened to him move through her living room and once the front door shut, she stared over at the night sky peeking through the curtains. The window was framed on each side by collages she'd made of her and Jasper, and she didn't dare let her gaze drift over to them. As soon as she looked into that kind face, she'd break.
Harper needed to do something. Anything. She pulled her nightgown back on, replaced the sheets and pillowcases—sniffing those to see if Kohl's scent could give her away, but they only smelled of fabric softener—then went to the dresser. Her camera sat on its side, the bottom port hanging open and the empty SD slot visible. She looked for the card and realized with a jolt that Kohl had taken it with him.
Hiding the small blade deep in her underwear drawer and settling back on her bed, Harper stared out the window until the sun rose.
* * *
"Get up, lazy."
Harper groaned and rolled onto her side, burrowing back into the covers. There was a chuckle and then the room flooded with light. She squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the blanket over her head.
"It's past noon," Jasper informed her. The sound of his voice penetrated her dream state, making her eyes fly open. Guilt swept through, making her heart thunder in her chest. Something else bothered her but she couldn't put her finger on it, too overwhelmed by her sudden affliction. Kohl had been wrong: she had been in shock the previous night. Just thinking his name made her blush, and then she hated herself all over again.
Harper threw the blankets back and let the light blind her. She deserved it. The mattress groaned as Jasper settled down next to her, pushing the tangled hair from her face. Her skin grew cold at his touch and she sat up to break the connection, examining his side of the bed. He hadn't slept next to her; she felt both relieved and guilt-ridden.
"Nightmares keep you up again?" he asked. Harper nodded vaguely and got up, dressing quickly and pulling her hair up in a ponytail. When she realized what had been nagging her, she hotfooted it into the living room. Why hadn't he mentioned their missing TV and computers?
He hadn't mentioned it because nothing was missing. The TV was still on the stand. Computer was still on the desk. Her phone was even resting on the couch where she'd left it. Harper shook her head, unable to process any of it. How was it possible? She'd heard them moving around in there last night, distinctly remembered the sounds of objects being lifted and things being unplugged.
There were two explanations, neither of which appealed to her: one, there had never been any robbery. They'd broken into her house for a different reason and lied to her about it. It wasn't uncommon for thieves to lie, obviously, but that seemed so unnecessary. Why not just storm in and rape her? She wouldn't have been able to stop them.
