SLIM SHADY The Butcher of Detroit 3 ∆M

__Marshall: "I was sleeping and I thought I heard a noise. I took the knife to protect myself in case someone was outside. I went to check it out, and when I came back, I wanted to make sure you were alright."

Marshall said as he took a deep breath, his voice steady and believable.

He saw the fear in Emily's eyes. So he came up with that excuse. He couldn't let her know the truth, not yet.

She took a deep breath, her mind still trying to process everything that had happened. She looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for any signs of deception, but he appeared sincere and concerned. Her face changed from fear to relief as she listened to his explanation. Her heart was still racing, but she desperately wanted to believe him.

She looked at the knife that he was still holding, and a small wave of fear passed over her again. But she pushed it back down, trusting that he was telling the truth and that there was no real danger.

Marshall could see that she was still a little shaken, but she seemed to have believed his lie.

He put the knife down on the bedside table, within reach but out of sight, and moved closer to her. He reached out and placed a hand on her knee, his touch gentle and reassuring.

He saw the change in her demeanor and knew he had her convinced. He put on his best innocent and concerned voice, continuing to maintain the charade.

__Marshall: "I didn't mean to scare you.I just wanted to make sure you were safe." he said, his tone gentle

Emily looked at him, her expression softening as she fully bought into the lie. Her breathing steadied, and she attempted a small smile.

__Emily: "It's okay" she said quietly "I just got freaked out when I saw you with the knife."

He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, his touch light and reassuring.

__Marshall: "I'm sorry" he said, his voice soft and gentle. "I should have woken you up first before grabbing the knife. It was stupid of me."

Emily nodded, her eyes still slightly wary, but now more relaxed. She believed his explanation and his touch was slowly calming her nerves. She reached up to place her hand on top of his, her fingers intertwining with his.

Marshall felt a mixture of relief and satisfaction as their skin were touching in a way that almost felt natural. He looked down at her, his expression a picture of concern and care.

He gently squeezed her hand, his fingers caressing her knuckles.

__Marshall: "I promise, you're safe with me," he said, his voice soothing and reassuring.

Emily gave a small nod again, feeling reassured by his words and touch. She looked up at him, her eyes locked with his, and she felt a small stirring of trust rise in her chest.

__Emily: "I trust you," she murmured, her voice almost a whisper.

Marshall almost flinched as she said those words, her trust in him hitting him like a ton of bricks. A part of him felt a pang of guilt and shame that he was deceiving her in such a way, but he quickly pushed that feeling aside.

He looked back at her, forcing a small smile.

__Marshall: "Good," he said, his voice steady. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Emily frowned as a thought crossed her mind.

__Emily: "Do you have any idea what that noise was? What if it was the killer?" she asked, her voice shaky as she voiced her fear aloud.

Marshall's heart skipped a beat as he heard her speak those words. The thought of her knowing the truth sent a surge of panic through him, but he quickly composed himself.

__Marhall: "I don't know. I didn't see anything. Probably just an animal or the wind, something like that."

__Emily: "It was stupid of you to go out though. What if it was the killer? You shouldn't have gone out alone." she said, her voice a mixture of worry and mild irritation.

Marshall chuckled softly, his nonchalance masking the guilt he felt inside.

__Marshall: "I couldn't just sit there and do nothing." he responded, trying to maintain his casual tone. "I had to make sure everything was safe.

__Emily: "Fortunately, I wasn't a big deal."

Marshall nodded in agreement, secretly relieved at the opportunity to end the conversation.

__Marshall: "You're right. Let's get some rest, alright?" he said, his hand reaching out to gently caress her cheek." His expression was soft and reassuring.

Emily nodded, still uneasy but tired and ready to put the incident behind her for now. She slid back under the covers, her body relaxing into the comfortable sheets.

Marshall lay down beside her, his body pressed up against hers. He could feel her body heat against him. He could hear her breathing, soft and steady as she began to relax and prepare to fall back asleep.

His mind was racing, his heart beating fast as they were so close and yet she was still oblivious to his true intentions. He looked at her face in the dim light, her eyelashes casting shadows on her cheeks. He could almost feel her trust in him, her body unconsciously seeking comfort and safety from his closeness

He tried to convince himself that it was just part of the act, part of the game he was playing with her. But deep down, a small part of him wondered why he hadn't simply killed her as he had planned. He had the opportunity, the weapon in his hand, and yet he had lied, holding back and choosing to prolong their fake date.

He thought about the genuine fear and trust in her eyes as she looked up at him, her body trembling as she believed his lie. He had seen the way she relaxed under his touch, the way she trusted him and sought comfort from him. He was feeling the warmth of her body against his. It confused him, and for a moment, he questioned his own motives.

He couldn't understand it himself. Why had he spared her? Was it some lingering shred of humanity, some small hint of guilt or compassion? Or was it something else?

He tried to make excuses to himself, telling himself it was because he wanted to keep the game going longer, to enjoy toying with her a bit more. But there was a deeper motive that he refused to acknowledge, a strange connection he felt with her that he couldn't explain.

He tried to shake off the thought, to dismiss it as irrelevant. He was a psychopath, a cold, calculating killer. He didn't feel anything for her. He was just playing a part, manipulating her into a false sense of security, right?

He found himself studying her face, the way her nose scrunched up as she breathed, the way her lips parted slightly, the way her hair fell across her cheek. He felt an unfamiliar sensation in his chest, a strange mixture of fascination and...dare he say, affection?

He shook his head slightly, trying to rid himself of these strange thoughts. He couldn't let himself get attached, couldn't let his emotions get in the way of his plan. But even as he tried to dismiss it, he could feel the pull, a nagging feeling that maybe there was something more to this than he had ever anticipated.

He reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face, his touch surprisingly gentle. He could almost hear his own heart beating, the sound loud in his ears. He looked at her, her vulnerability and trust in him, and he felt a strange pang of guilt and shame for the deception he was playing on her.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to push away the conflicting thoughts and feelings. Perhaps it was just a temporary lapse in his judgement, a moment of weakness that he would soon overcome. But for now, he couldn't deny the strange sense of protectiveness he felt towards her, even as he continued to deceive and manipulate her.