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“What do you mean?” he asked.

Turning, she tucked her knees to her chest and stared into the fire. “Before you two showed up, he was there waiting for me. I had Benny in my arms, and then he was just there.”

“In your head? You hallucinated?” As crazy as it would make her, I hoped to every god that it was all in her imagination.

Rotating away from the fire, she shook her head. “He said it was easy to get me away from you two, and that he was beginning….” Her eyes widened as she gawked at her sock-covered toes.

First, the shake in her hands drew my attention to her stunned silence. Next it was the loud, desperate gasps for air. Peters and I both rushed over. Gathering her in my arms, I pulled her away from the fire and laid her flat on the couch, gripping her ice-cold hand in my own.

“Lady, breathe. You’re safe. You got out. It’s okay. Focus on me.” Nothing. With a feral growl, I climbed onto the couch to straddle her lean hips. Her chin between my fingers, I tightened my grip until those hazel eyes focused on me. “Breathe,” I commanded. Tears leaked from her eyes, but her chest rose in a deep inhale. “Good girl,” I praised. “Again.”

Over and over I repeated the same words, commanding one thing and then praising her response.

“He said… he said he was beginning to enjoy the hunt too.Too.That means….” Her eyes turned to Peters, imploring him to disagree with what she was thinking.

But he couldn’t.

I couldn’t.

The fucker had a partner.

31

Alta

The hostile silencethat settled around me after admitting what happened last night churned my anxious stomach. Were they mad? Concerned? Didn’t give a rat’s heinie? Well, that last one wasn’t true; the pure hate and anger boiling out of Cas’s dark eyes told everyone he did care—maybetoomuch.

Which, with my past, should’ve scared me. I’d had too much attention, had someone care too much, but with Cas, he cared too much with my well-being in mind, not his. That was what I saw that first day and what I saw now—he was a protector, didn’t take advantage. Every cell in Cas’s body was geared to take care of someone else, and it seemed he’d finally found the person he wanted to take care of. The person who would allow it.

Me.

Heck yeah, I’d allow it. I savored it. I relished every second his alert eyes watched me. If I were honest with myself, I would admit that I wanted those watchful eyes on me every second of every day for the rest of my life. Wanted his body on mine, inside mine, until death did we part.

“It would make sense,” Chandler said reluctantly. “The way he’s able to do all this without a shred of evidence left behind. Someone must be cleaning up after him. And if he said ‘starting to enjoy the hunt,’ that means his partner is the one who does the watching.”

“Has that ever happened?” I asked, my eyes flicking between the two guys. “A killing duo?”

Chandler nodded, eyes unfocused on the wall. “Several. Couples.” Looking at the ceiling, he sighed. “Fuck, why didn’t I see this before? It’s probably why we haven’t found the bodies.” With a cringe, he looked to me. “They probably both use the women until they’re bored, and since there are two, they can bury the bodies where no one would find them. A dead body is easier to carry with a little help.”

Pushing up from his seat on the coffee table, Chandler took his phone from the front pocket of his jeans. “I need to make a few more calls before—” His eyes narrowed at the screen. “Your boy John is calling.”

“Not my boy.”

“Not her boy,” Cas and I said in unison.

With a smirk, Chandler rolled his eyes and slid his thumb across the screen. “Peters,” he said in a clipped tone. His eyes roamed around the room as he listened. “Interesting. Why don’t you two come by? Put the evidence in a plastic baggie of some kind.” Another beat of silence. “Great. See you in ten.”

After sliding the phone into his pocket, he smiled. “Seems our girl Sadie just eliminated herself from becoming suspect number one in our search for the bastard’s partner.”

“What?” Cas and I said, again in unison.

“Seems she ‘found’ a note from the serial abductor on her car this morning. He didn’t say much outside of that. Guess we’ll learn the details in a few.”

In a few. My eyes flew to Cas, who still sat on top of me, smirking.

“I’m good,” I said, squirming beneath him. “You can get off now.” I shoved against his legs, not getting anywhere.

“I’m quite comfortable.”