Chapter 4: The Cost of Her Touch

After eating, I went out to drive. The afternoon sun beat down, but I felt lighter than I had in days. She was good for me.

Business was booming—I didn’t get home until late. The sky was dark, the house glowing softly on the corner of the block. Looked inviting.

Just as I was about to knock, I heard faint noises inside. It sounded like heavy panting... the kind you hear from a runner after a sprint. Made my skin crawl.

Suddenly, my blood ran hot. My mind raced with jealousy. Couldn’t help myself.

That woman!

Hadn’t even been a week, and she already brought another man home? I clenched my fists, anger boiling up. Ready to explode.

Just as I was about to kick the door open, I stopped myself. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. Didn’t want to do something stupid.

Quietly, I slid my key into the lock, wanting to see which bastard dared touch my girl. My heart hammered in my chest. Almost there.

I pushed the door open slow, tiptoed through the living room. The carpet muffled my steps, the house silent except for that sound.

The closer I got to the bedroom, the clearer the panting got. My palms were sweaty, my grip tightening on the tire iron I’d grabbed from the truck.

Sneering, I kept my grip tight on the tire iron, turned the knob, and shoved the door open!

Inside, Lila was sitting in a chair, holding Duke. The scene was calm, almost domestic. Didn’t fit what I’d expected.

Seeing me, she looked surprised. The panting stopped cold. Like someone hit pause.

I looked her over—her clothes were neat, her face calm. There wasn’t a hair out of place.

Could I have heard wrong? I rubbed my ears, confused. Didn’t trust myself.

No way. At the door, I’d heard the panting clear as day. It had to be Lila! I wasn’t crazy.

Seeing her puzzled look, I awkwardly put down the iron. I felt like an idiot. Should’ve kept my mouth shut.

"Thought there was a burglar. Guess I imagined it."

"Duke’s so well-behaved today."

Trying to change the subject, I hurried over to pet Duke. I hoped she wouldn’t notice my shaking hands. I was rattled.

But Duke ignored me. He shrank away, eyes distant. Didn’t want anything to do with me.

His eyes were glazed, tongue hanging out, panting hard. Drool soaked the fur under his chin. He was wiped out.

I’d seen this before—right after he’d been bred. It was a look of exhaustion, not happiness.

After living with Lila for a week, I started feeling off. My body felt foreign, heavy. Didn’t feel like myself.

My arms and legs were weak, my whole body exhausted, and I kept zoning out or getting dizzy. I started forgetting things, losing track of time. Scared me.

Last time, I spaced out while driving and almost crashed. It scared me more than I wanted to admit. Could’ve been worse.

This morning, looking in the mirror, I could barely recognize the pale, balding guy staring back at me. My eyes were sunken, my skin sallow. Didn’t recognize myself.

Even though I was eating all kinds of supplements every day, I still felt drained. No matter what I did, it wasn’t enough. I was fading.

Every night, Lila would cling to me. Her touch was addictive, impossible to resist. Couldn’t say no.

I was wiped out every time, but as soon as I got close to her, it was like someone plugged me into a generator. My body would come alive, only to crash again after. It was killing me.

I knew I couldn’t keep this up. Something had to give. I couldn’t keep this up.

I picked up my phone and sent a few texts. My hands shook as I typed. Didn’t know who else to turn to.

That night, three buddies came over, laughing and joking. The house filled with noise, the air lighter. Felt good to have company.

I pulled out a deck of cards and played with them. It was the perfect excuse to keep my distance from Lila. Needed a break.

With that excuse, I had a reason not to touch Lila that night. I felt guilty, but relieved. Didn’t care.

She was cool about it—even went out to buy us beer and snacks. She smiled, her eyes shining in the porch light. She didn’t seem bothered.

When my friends saw her, their eyes just about popped out. They whispered to each other, elbowing me in the ribs. I knew what they were thinking.

Especially one guy, Mike—his face turned beet red watching Lila walk into the bedroom, then he glared at me. I could almost hear his thoughts—"lucky bastard." He was jealous.

"Dude, you’re living the dream. How’d you land a woman like that?"

Seeing his envy, I took a drag on my smoke and grinned. I shrugged, pretending it was no big deal. Inside, I was proud.

Not long after, Mike stood up to leave. He looked restless, like he couldn’t sit still another minute. Something was up.

"These stakes are lame, I’m out!"

I frowned and stopped him. Something felt off—he never left early. Didn’t want him to leave.

"What do you mean? It’s rare for all of us to hang out. Don’t kill the vibe."

Mike’s eyes darted, and he gave me a sly grin. There was something in his look I didn’t like. Made me uneasy.

"Not killing the vibe, man. Just saying—your stakes are too low."

I watched him go, unease settling in my gut. The night felt colder, somehow, the shadows longer. Didn’t feel right.