"Who do you think is haunting this cabin, Abby?" Alex stood beside her as she picked up the broken pieces of porcelain.

"You won't believe me anyway," she answered, standing up to face him. "I really don't get it though. You admitted earlier that believe in ghosts so why is it so hard to believe there's something evil here?"

Alex turned away from her. "My sister isn't evil."

"I'm not saying she is."

"Then where's this evil spirit coming from? Explain to me so that I can understand. I've agreed that Crystal's spirit is here but I'm not sure what else you want from me."

Abby let the glass pieces fall into the trashcan with a sharp crash. "Never mind. Forget it."

"No. I don't want to forget it. I can't forget it. Either you're saying my sister is evil or something evil is with my sister. It's what you're implying. I don't like it."

"I'm sorry."

"Apology not accepted." Alex stepped in front of Abby, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Talk to me. I promise I'll hear what you have to say. I won't argue with it. I'll just hear you out. Fair enough?"

Abby looked to her right, still not wanting to face him.

"Abby. Abby. Abby. Abby," Alex was chanting her name like a child would in order to get her attention. "Abby, look at me. Please? Pretty please?"

A giggle escaped her mouth and she turned to face him.

"If you tell anyone that I'm incredibly cutesy, I will deny it with my dying breath," Alex warned her.

"Trust me, I had no intention of doing that," Abby answered. "No one would believe me anyway."

"So? Tell me. Why do you think there's something evil here."

"I don't think. I know," Abby corrected him.

"How do you know?"

"Because I can feel it. With every fiber of my being, I can feel it and it scares me because I think it's Bryce."

"You think your ex-boyfriend is haunting us?"

Abby nodded. "He must want revenge. It makes sense. The leeches, the music box, the broken window, the dishes just now. It's him. It's Bryce. He wants revenge for what I did."

"Abby," Alex whispered as he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think. I thought you--never mind what I thought. Even if Bryce was after you...I wouldn't let him hurt you."

"How? How can you say that?"

"Easy. With these two lips," Alex answered, tapping his mouth with a single finger.

"Bryce was evil."

"But you're not," Alex reminded her. "The darkness can't touch the light. Have you ever heard that?"

"No."

"Well, it's true. As much as evil tries to...good always wins."

"I never would have guessed that the great Alex Carter would ever say something like you just said. Are you sure you haven't been possessed by a nice ghost?"

"Very funny." He gave her a quick squeeze. "I know I come across as a little arrogant at times."

"A little?"

"Fair enough. I'm a successful man and it comes with the territory. I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't have the attitude that I have. If I didn't expect perfection, then I wouldn't get it. This is why I have to be tough."

"You weren't very nice during my interview," Abby reminded him.

"If I was incredibly nice at the interview, you would have expected me to stay nice. I didn't particularly want you as a personal assistant. If you were going to break, I wanted it to happen from the start."

"You have a very cynical streak, did you know that?"

Alex shrugged. "How about you and I forget about ghosts and death for a little bit?"

"Isn't that why we're here at this cabin in the first place? To find out what really happened that night?" Abby asked.

"It is but does that mean we can't focus on other things?"

"What other things?"

She felt Alex's hands move southward and his lips touch her neck. "These kinds of things."

A shiver of excitement spread through her. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Wally could show up any minute"

Alex released her and pulled out his phone, sending a text message to Wally. "Problem solved."

"You told him not to come?"

"I did."

"Why? What reason did you give? What if he starts to think we're dating?" Her cheeks flushed. "I thought you wanted to keep an eye on him."

"I did but if he saw that article, he won't believe my excuse to have him here anyway. Besides, I like you."

"You like me?" A warm heat spread through her.

"I really like you," Alex whispered as he grabbed hold of her hand. "Do you know where I'd really really like you?"

"Where?"

"In a tub. With me." his voice vibrated against her neck.

"I do believe this sounds like an HR issue."

"Does it? Hmmm...as your boss, we'll need to discuss this further." Alex led Abby upstairs.

"Let me get you a towel." Alex was dripping water on the floor as he searched the bathroom for large towels. "I don't have any here."

"There are some extras in the hall closet," Abby reminded him.

She stared at his lean figure as he walked away, leaving her alone in the bathtub, the cold water chilling her to the bone. She touched her wrist which was still missing her blessing bracelet and thought of Bryce.

Bryce. Was he still around? Did he want revenge?

Bryce was a vindictive man. Tormenting her even after death was something he would do. Abby leaned her head against the edge of the tub and sighed. She didn't want to think about Bryce. She wanted to focus on Alex and how he made her feel. He was still an enigma and getting involved with him wasn't her brightest idea but being with him was such a relief.

When Alex touched her, she forgot about her bills, Bryce, and her constant need to second-guess everything she did or said. When she was with Alex, she felt alive and unpredictable like lightning dancing in the sky. She closed her eyes to consider how he constantly changed her thoughts about who he was and what he stood for.

She felt a hand on the top of her head and grinned without opening her eyes. "Did you find the towels?"

He didn't answer. Instead, she felt her head being pushed below the water's bubbly surface. Her arms flailed as she attempted to get back up. For a quick second, she opened her eyes under the water to see the outline of a man holding her down.

"Abby!"

Arms pulling her up startled her and she sucked in a deep breath before coughing deep and hard.

"Are you okay? What the hell were you doing?" Alex asked. He was wearing an oversized towel around his hips.

She could feel her heart racing as she panted, still trying to get air into her lungs. "I-I was pushed underwater."

"What?" Alex's eyebrows narrowed together. "You were alone."

"No, I wasn't. Someone pushed me down. I saw him. I felt it too. He had my head underwater. He was so strong."

"It's just you and me here, Abby. Are you saying a ghost did it?"

"Well, you didn't do it, did you?"

"Of course not!" Alex balked at the suggestion. "Are you sure you felt something?" His eyes were still knitted together as though he didn't believe her.

"Why are you looking at me that way?" Abby snatched the towel from Alex's hands and began wiping her face with it.

"What way?"

"Like I'm sort of crazy person. I'm not crazy!"

"Relax, I didn't say you were." Alex frowned. "I just don't--"

"You just don't believe that an evil spirit is in this house. I get it. I'm not making this up. Something or someone pushed me under the water."

"Maybe you just slipped in and panicked. It's a deep tub," Alex suggested.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Abby muttered.

"Well up to now nothing has tried to hurt either of us. If it were an evil spirit, why all of a sudden start now?"

Abby lowered her head. He was right. There were only two possibilities. Either Bryce really was out to get her or Alex was trying to play some horrible joke on her.

Abby bit her bottom lip. Her eyes still stung and she let Alex wrap a towel around her. "Maybe I really am crazy."

Her words were barely audible but Alex still heard them.

"You're not crazy, Abby. If anything you're just stressed."

He lifted her out of the tub and wrapped her in a towel before they exited the bathroom.

"What are you two doing?"

Abby and Alex looked to their left to see Wally standing a few feet away from them, his hands on his hips.

"Wally!" Abby gasped, jumping behind Alex.

"I do believe I texted you not to come over tonight." Alex's back straightened.

"Text message?" Wally shook his head. "I didn't get a text message."

"This is awkward," Abby whispered under her breath. She felt Alex's arm wrap around her so her front was pressed against his side.

"Well, it seems as though you two want some privacy so maybe I should just pack my bag and go," Wally offered.

"No." Abby reached out a hand. "Stay Wally. This isn't what it looks like."

Both Alex and Wally gave her a disbelieving look. Alex turned back to Wally, a disinterested expression on his face. "Don't believe her. It's exactly what it looks like. I'll pay you double to stay. You're our shield from the reporters. This agreement still falls under any confidentiality clauses we discussed previously. Understand?"

Abby elbowed him in his side but he didn't react.

"I understand, Mr. Carter," Wally finally answered. "I'll go to my room then." He took a few steps before turning around and saying, "You know, my mother used to say that looks can be deceiving. She sure was right. I never would have guessed that you two liked one another. What a secret. I thought you two were like oil and water."

He didn't wait for a response but sauntered to his room, his hands in his pockets.

"Well, that makes him a suspect doesn't it?" Alex asked.

"A suspect?"

"Don't tell me you forgot already. You said you saw a figure standing above you. Wally's been here. You heard him. He may look like some country hick but maybe he's just fooling us all. I had to get towels from downstairs. Maybe he got past me."

Abby rolled her eyes. "Wally doesn't seem like the type."

After she was in bed, Abby couldn't help but recall Wally's words. Looks can be deceiving. Someone had pushed her under the water. Someone or something. Was it Alex? Or was it Wally? She tried not to dwell on the other two possibilities that it could be a ghost or that she was crazy.

"I'm not crazy," she whispered.

"Hmmm?" Alex mumbled, still mostly asleep.

Abby didn't answer. Instead, she stole a glance at his handsome face. Was he hiding secrets from her? She needed to be more careful. After all, what Wally said was true.

Looks can be deceiving.

A/N: Here's a cute gif from Google images. Idk who the creator is but it kind of fit the chapter.