Page 35 of Bound to a Killer

Do I feel liberated now that it’s out? I’m not sure I do.

Emotion crawls up my throat, but I don’t let it show. I never let it show.

“Is that why you were walking to school?” Realization flickers across his face.

I nod.

“Do you have nightmares about what happened often?”

“Sometimes,” I admit. “Sometimes I forget it ever happened. He’s out of my life now, but—” I purse my lips.

“But what?” he asks softly.

My chest tightens at the way he’s looking at me, like I’m made of glass and he’s afraid of chipping away at me as if I might shatter. He could have fooled me into thinking he really cares.

“But I can’t erase that it happened. It’s just a part of me now, and I hate that.”

The wordgrossstill clings to me from those middle school years. That’s when I stopped having so many friends and started keeping to myself.

“None of that was your fault.”

“I know.” My voice is strained, the lump returning to my throat.

“You were just a kid.”

God, how are his words the ones soothing me right now? It’s insane. I don’t get it. Why’s it easier for him to say it than it was for my mom?

Vibrations come from somewhere in his pocket, severing the moment. He huffs as he pulls out his phone, still close enough to catch a flash of the caller ID. Frankie.

My stomach deflates. That’s a girl’s name.

“Stay put, I’m going to take this outside,” he says, eyes darkening as the last trace of softness drains from them. “Don’t stir up any trouble. Just keep doing as you’re told, and things will start to turn around. Got it?”

He gets up to leave before waiting for my response as he answers the phone on his way out.

Who the hell is Frankie? The name lights a fire inside me, but I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because he has a whole life beyond this rusty-ass cabin while I’m doomed to rot here. How well does his girlfriend even know him? Does she know about me?

My mouth dries. No. There’s no way she’s part of any of this, or else he wouldn’t have left the cabin to answer her. I assumed the previous calls were from that other guy, the blond. Shivers crawl up my spine as I recall him. But this whole time it could have been his girlfriend, and he was being cautious about her hearing me over the line.

A sudden knock at the door startles me, and my hand flings to rest over my chest. He just left a couple of minutes ago—it can’t be him. He also wouldn’t be knocking like this. The next knock is louder, and I immediately shoot up to my feet, my heart beating loud in my ears.

“Excuse me? Hello?” a muffled voice comes through the door.

That is definitely not him.

A stocky guy presses his palms against the dirty glass,fingers splayed to block the sunny glare as he squints to see what’s inside. He finds me idly standing, terrified and confused. He beams as he waves me over.

Is this another one of his friends? He looks a little older, his hairline receding and his stubble peppered with grey. I can’t ignore him as he waits for me to come closer. Am I being tested after what just happened with the SUV guy?

My skin prickles as I hesitantly walk to the door, dreading that this is the exact moment that I was left alone. He couldn’t have gone too far. He said he’d be just outside. So that does mean this is a test. He might be looming nearby, watching all of this unfold.

I reach for the doorknob and falter for just a moment before drawing in a deep breath and opening it, my gaze darting past the strange man, searching for anyone else. Nothing. He’s alone.

The man smiles as my eyes flutter back to him. “Sorry to bother you, miss. I was just hoping that I could use your car to jumpstart mine. It’s a red Cadillac a few miles back. Broke down on me, and there’s no service on my phone to call for backup. I saw this cabin from down the hill and figured I’d hike up to see if I could find help.”

“Oh, well…uh, that’s actually not my car,” I stammer, unsure how to respond or if I’m being watched.

After last time, I know damn well not to shoot myself in the foot by asking for help too quickly. Crap, did I already screw up by answering the door and talking to this man?