Page 29

Chapter 28

I t takes a moment for her words to sink in, but I immediately school my features to conceal my surprise. The puzzle pieces slowly start to fall into place in my mind. My stomach tightens, and I wait, bracing myself as she continues.

“It was an accident,” she adds quickly. “But I don’t regret it.”

She explains how Brady had gotten drunk and high and tried to rape her. It’s undeniably self-defense, and that motherfucker had better be glad he died by her hands and not mine. I relax my clenched fists and brush a stray hair out of her face.

All I want to do is protect her from the world — and burn it down in her name.

“Baby, the things that happened to you should never happen to anyone. At least he can never hurt another woman again,” I grit out.

She scoffs, “I thought I’d feel some remorse, shame, horror. But not only did I feel relief, I felt exhilarated—almost euphoric. It felt good. ”

“But sadly, the feeling didn’t last. I was soon plagued by regular nightmares, ones I must have repressed from my childhood. All I could hear was ‘Sleeping Beauty’ playing over and over in my head. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to escape them; the only way I’ve ever been able to silence them, at least for a while, is by taking the life of a depraved soul.”

I study her face for a moment, then ask, “So, what happened after that?”

She chews on her bottom lip before continuing. “A few months later, I came across my first target. A bartender, rumored to be slipping women roofies. It was my mission to save other women from what I experienced. One night, I dressed to the nines, went to the bar, pretended to get sloppy drunk, and watched as he drugged a young girl’s beer. I couldn’t stop myself from following him as he guided the girl out the back door after his shift. He helped her into his passenger seat and walked around to the driver’s side. Sneaking up behind him, I snatched a shard of glass from the ground and shoved it into his jugular, watching as he bled out on the pavement. It was reckless on my part, but fortunately, there were no cameras or patrons nearby. The girl was passed out in the truck, and she was none the wiser. I slept like a baby that night—and for many months after.”

“Jesus, Tess, what if you’d been caught?” I let out in exasperation, running a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry, babe. Continue.”

She flinches, her eyes flickering away for a split second before meeting mine again. “From then on, I was more selective with my targets. I meticulously researched and planned each one. The more proficient I got, the farther apart the nightmares became. Nothing else helped.” Tessa pauses, her gaze filled with something inexplicable, yet intense. “Until you.”

Stunned, my breath catches. “Me?”

“When I met you, I felt drawn to you immediately—and that scared the hell out of me,” she admits. “I tried to keep you at a distance. I even tried for a casual fling, but I can’t ignore that this is more than just a hookup. Your arms have been my sanctuary, keeping the demons at bay these past few nights.”

Her words send a million emotions surging through me. My feelings for her are overwhelming. And if I’m being honest with myself, nothing she’s told me makes me feel different about her. I’m not sure what that says about me, but it’s how I feel. Every fiber of my being tells me she needs me right now. Needs reassurance that she’s not a villain and, most importantly, that she’s not alone. She needs to know how important she is to me.

“Well, that’s good to know because I’ve already claimed you as mine,” I say roughly, my hands sliding up to cup her cheeks. “Mine.” My lips drop to hers, and my tongue plunges into her mouth, and she matches my intensity, kissing me as if her life depends on it. As if she thought it might be our last. Our kiss breaks, leaving us gasping for air. Trembling, I finally release the words I’ve been holding back.

“Tessa, I think I’m falling for you.”

An hour and two orgasms later, she’s wrapped in my arms, sated and breathless. What she didn’t say in words, she shared during our lovemaking. The intimacy we experienced went beyond sex. Tess’s carefully constructed barriers are finally crumbling, like a dam breaking. It’s for the best. I would have spent my whole life dismantling them, one piece at a time. I’ll never let her go.

Her stomach growls, echoing in the silence, followed by her embarrassed gasp.

“Worked up quite the appetite today, huh?” I tease.

She playfully punches me in the arm, her laughter filling the room as she sits up in bed. It’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. Her flushed skin and mussed hair are so captivating that I can’t look away.

Her plump, swollen lips curve into a grin. “Well, feed me, Stalker.”

“Anything for you, Little Killer.”

The following morning, after returning the old Mustang and collecting her Lexus, Tessa revealed a business arrangement in which she borrows cars from a guy and pays him cash, which he uses to fund his drug habit.

We spend the rest of the weekend together, and on Sunday, we find ourselves at her house, nestled comfortably on the back porch, glasses of wine in hand. The water stretches out before us, and a light breeze cools the late summer air. We talk easily, occasionally lapsing into a comfortable silence, as we savor the simple beauty of the moment.

“There’s something I haven’t told you. About me. About my family. About my sister,” my voice trails off as I think about Paisley. I see her innocent face as clearly as if it were yesterday .

She glances at me, placing her hand on my chest. “Allie told me you lost your sister.” Sympathy is evident in her voice.

“It was a lot more than that. It was my fault.”

Her steel-gray eyes implore mine, waiting for me to continue.

“I just had to throw that party. A last hurrah before leaving for college. Instead of doing what I was supposed to do—looking after my sister while my parents were out of town.”

“It happened so fast. One minute, she was there; the next, she was gone. Her body was found a couple of days later. Someone raped and murdered her. The police have never found her killer. My mother never fully recovered. They say they don’t blame me, but I blame myself. And I always will.”

Her hands reach out, touching my face, wiping away the tears I didn’t realize were falling.

“I’m so sorry, Eli,” she whispers, her eyes filled with emotion, unshed tears shimmering in them. “But it wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known someone that vile was lurking, waiting to prey on a young girl.”

“Maybe not. But I could’ve done more to find the monster afterward.”

“You were what, eighteen? What could you have done?”

“I could’ve been stronger. But I ran away. Ran to escape the pain. To bury my grief. Joining the Navy was probably the smartest thing I did. I’m not sure if I’d still be alive if I had stayed on the disruptive path I was on. I kept myself apprised of the investigation, but the police found nothing. Her case is cold. I’m not sitting around waiting anymore, though.”

“What do you mean?” she asks, her expression puzzled .

“The FBI recruited a former military buddy of mine after we left the Seals. He’s been looking into her case. He hasn’t found any MO matching her murder, but he’s discovered that more girls have gone missing.”

“Every year, two girls disappear in the counties surrounding Lake Lucia. All girls between thirteen and fifteen years old. They vanish, seemingly into thin air. On the night Paisley went missing, another girl disappeared. Of all the girls, only my sister’s body was found.”

Her gaze sharpens, taking in everything I’ve said. “So, the sheriff doesn’t think the cases are connected?”

“Correct. However, Jonah and I have established a connection between all the girls. He’s just received clearance a few days ago to officially take over the case.”

“What’s the connection, other than age?”

“Every single girl that was taken has been petite, with brown hair and blue eyes.”