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Damn him. It should be illegal, how he turns a simple movement like opening a car door into something so hot.

Heat rushes down my body, and I curse under my breath. Think. I have to figure out how I’m going to track him down.

He’s staying in my neighborhood. I’m pretty sure of that. But since I need to beabsolutelysure, I sneak into a flower shop to my left, waiting for his car to drive past me.

“We’re closing soon,” the blonde lady behind the counter informs me.

“I’ll be out in a sec.” I bow my head as I browse through the plants arranged beautifully in the storefront. My hair covers my face. The low light in the shop does the rest to hide me.

One, two, three, and there, his car drives past me. In the direction of my neighborhood, as I suspected.

He looks every bit of a menace without his mask on.

“Thanks.” The bell hanging over the shop’s doordingsas I pull it open and step out into the cool night breeze.

I’m sore between my legs. My thighs. I’m high from chasing him and from killing a man who thought he could assault me.

I head to my SUV, missing Kaleb so damn much. My chest aches with it.

I don’t care about the trail of dead bodies he leaves behind. I don’t give a fuck about how depraved it was to have sex next to one.

He loves me.

Soon, as long as we play it safe, we’ll have an eternity together.

My bag goes to the passenger’s seat in my car. I get in and peel out, merging into traffic. It’s just after nine, so it’s starting to lighten up. Blue and red lights flash in my rearview mirror. A crime scene is being picked apart.

As much as I hate it, I’ll have to go back tomorrow. I’ll have to attend my classes.

Kaleb wants to play a little while longer. Once he promises to do it on my terms, I’ll let him. Just until he’s willing to get out of here. Until we have a sustainable escape plan. One that doesn’t end up with us being dead.

I want to let him, too, though it doesn’t actually matter. I’m not delusional. I know he’s an unstoppable force. He’d make me play with him.

Better to go along with it.

Finally, I arrive to my neighborhood. His car is parked in one of the small streets. I swivel my car in the opposite direction, squeezing it into a parking spot two blocks from my home, and climb out.

My footfalls are muted as I tread across the pavement, searching for him. I sense him here. I hear him.

Something’s dragging. Feet, I hear them.

My heart slams into my throat.

Someone might’ve stalked Kaleb from school. Eddy could be here, surprise-attacking my stepbrother. Making sure he’d never get a chance to strike first.

That can’t happen. I won’t let it.

Fuck. I’ve never walked this fast in my life. I would run or scream, but then a neighbor might look out their window. They’d call nine-one-one.

They’d take Kaleb.

Not happening.

I’m there, close to the dragging feet. Except, no one’s dragging anyone anymore.

I can’t see him, I can’t?—

“Don’t, please, don’t.” It’s a helpless, muted man’s cry. “I was only doing my job.”