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I watch her face closely, my entire body locking up as she goes silent for a moment, listening. I can’t hear anything on the other end, but I can see the color drain from her face, and my heart stops.

She slowly pulls the phone away from her ear.

“Ryder’s not there,” her voice trembling as she speaks. “But his phone is.”

25

RYDER

Idon’t know how long it’s been since Kyle left, but he’s back. My bladder is screaming at me with the pain of not being able to go to the bathroom. He sits right in front of me with an eerily calm expression and I want to get the fuck away from him, except I can’t move. My wrists still burn against the rope that’s been digging into my skin for hours—or is it days?

I’ve lost all concept of time being stuck in this dark, musty basement.

Based on our last interaction, I have no idea how this will go or what he has planned. I don’t know how to handle this situation, either. I want him to know he’s out of his fucking mind if he ever thinks I’ll willingly accept this, but I also have no idea what he’s capable of. The only thing allowing me to bite my tongue is the hope of seeing Logan again.

Kyle taps his fingers against my knees, and my body recoils. I loathe the way his touch feels.

“Do you ever wonder why I picked you, angel?”

I swallow the bile threatening to rise in my throat at thefeel of his touch and that question because I don’t care. I don’t want to hear whatever twisted story he’s told himself to pretend this is normal.

“If you’re about to start monologuing about how I’m your soulmate or whatever, save it. I’ve told you repeatedly—I’m not interested. And I’m not that character from the book. The only person I need saving from is you.”

His smile doesn’t falter, and that has my concern rising. What is his game here?

“You’re perfect for me,” he starts. “Youaremy soulmate, Ryder. I heard you and had to have you. The way you gave yourself over so completely. The way you said you wanted to be protected and cherished. That wasyou, Ryder. Therealyou. Not this hard-edged, defensive version in front of me now.”

I stay silent, knowing nothing I say will help me in this situation.

“I’d been waiting for you, praying for God to bring you to me, even if I didn’t know who you were yet. I was getting restless in my life, and then my prayers were answered.” His voice turns almost wistful as if he’s imagining it. “I knew the second I heard your voice and the words you were saying that you were meant to be mine.”

I still don’t respond.

“Your voice guided me and gave me purpose. I didn’t even know what I was looking for until I found you. The way you begged for a chance to make him happy…I knew I could save you the same way he did.” He closes his eyes and smiles. “I felt your obedience and devotion for your partner, and that was when I knew I had to have you for myself.”

I stare at him, stunned, nauseated, frozen in disbelief.

“I knew you were talking to me. I knew you were waitingfor someone who saw you, and I did. Just like I told you, I see everything, Ryder. Every part you try to hide.” He leans in, voice dropping to a whisper, then gestures between us. “This isn’t random. I found you because I was supposed to.”

My chest heaves as I struggle to process this. He doesn’t think this is a sick obsession. He thinks it’sfate.He thinks I exist solely for him, and there’s no reasoning with someone who thinks God co-signed their insanity.

“It’s like you wanted me to find you with how much you post online, too,” he says, voice low and steady. “But those days are over now. No one else gets to see you or have you but me.”

He leans in slightly, and I wish I could move away. “All I had to do was contact my uncle to get the job at the department. You have no idea how easy it was. And the fact that you lived here? It proved it was meant to be. That first night at the bar, when you looked at me, I thought maybe you’d recognize it too. But then I sawhimand how he hovered around you as if he had some claim. I watched the way he twisted you up, made you believe he was the one you needed.” His expression tightens.

I grit my teeth. Loganisthe only one I need, and Ineedhim to be okay. He’d be the only person who’d know Kyle took me and the only one who’d come looking. I’m positive he’d burn the world down to find me, so I need him to be okay.

I force myself to stay still and keep my face blank. I’ll never be his anything. Not now. Not ever.

“It’s okay that you’re confused right now. I get it. I used to thinkhewas the one, too,” Kyle murmurs, almost nostalgic in thought again. “I gave him everything—my time, my patience, my love—but it wasn’t real. I was trying to forcesomething that didn’t exist, just like Logan’s been trying to do with you.”

Who the hell is he talking about?

“He found me right after my mom died. I was angry and alone, and he was perfect for me at first. We were good for a while, but then he started pulling away, saying I was too much and that he needed space.” Kyle’s mouth twitches in anger. “He stopped answering my calls, blocked my number, and moved to a different state. He tried to date someone else, like I was something he could run from.”

He looks at me, and this time there’s nothing soft behind it.

“He couldn’t see what was right in front of him. He fought me and denied what we had over and over, and it started to irritate me.”