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MADISON

M y back is pressed against Ashlynn’s front door. The tears I’d been struggling to keep at bay let loose like a dam breaking, causing me to sink to the floor.

Drawing my knees up, I wrap my arms around my leg, my head on my kneecaps. I cry so hard my entire body shakes.

I’m unsure how much time has passed before the tears finally dry up. Leaning my head back against the door, I’m filled with self-loathing.

Why, Maddie? You don’t know a fucking thing about him. And you just fucked him without a condom.

Ben insisted on wearing one, even though I have an IUD.

I’m not worried about getting pregnant, but I am humiliated that I gave Jagger a piece of me I’ve never given to another man.

And he just… Left me.

Slowly getting to my feet, my body aches, both from crying on the floor and from the hard fucking in Jagger’s truck.

Spotting my cell phone on the floor, I grab it. I’m grateful I had the sense to grab it from Jagger’s cupholder after I got dressed. I clung to it like a lifeline as he drove me to Ashlynn’s.

Walking down the hallway toward my bedroom, I notice Ashlynn’s door is closed. I hesitate, unsure if she’s awake, but continue walking, deciding not to disturb her. The shame is too raw and fresh. There’s no way I can talk about it without bursting into tears.

Heading to the spare bedroom, my steps are wooden as I walk to the bed and sink onto the mattress. Memories of the evening infiltrate my head, a dark cloud settling over me.

I was fucked, then dumped.

I release a long, mournful sigh, my heart aching. No words were exchanged on the ride here. I don’t know if or when I’ll see him again. Since I don’t have his phone number, it seems unlikely this was anything more than a one-time thing.

My eyes move to the dresser. I should change into my PJs, curl under the covers, and drown in my misery. Yet the longer I sit here, the more the anger takes over.

I stand, pacing around the room. My panties are uncomfortably soaked, and I need them off.

Deciding against the PJs, I grab a pair of panties, yoga pants, and a sweatshirt. Heading into the en suite restroom, I use the toilet, then strip off my soiled clothing, carrying them to the hamper and tossing them inside.

My throat aches, and my mouth is parched from crying. I don’t know why I’m torturing myself, but I pick up my cell phone, checking for missed texts. But there are none.

Tiptoeing down the hallway so I don’t disturb Ashlynn, I stop when I hear noises from her bedroom. My face flushes when I hear moaning, followed by the tapping of the headboard against the wall.

Fabulous. Ashlynn’s boyfriend must’ve come over.

I hurry into the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Opening it, I take a long drink before setting my phone on the counter, checking my notifications.

Nothing from Jagger.

Disappointment rolls through me like a wave. Although he’s never contacted me on my phone, since he’s a stalker, I figured he had my number.

My gaze moves to the window that faces the parking lot. I see a Jeep parked beside Ashlynn’s car.

The sounds of the bed hitting the wall and loud moans reach my ears, making me wince.

I need to get out of here. I can’t handle it tonight.

My car keys sit on the table, beckoning me. My gaze moves to the sneakers I’d taken off when I arrived.

I need to take a drive and clear my head.

Slipping my cell phone into the pocket of my hoodie, I grab my keys. Shoving my feet into my sneakers, I quietly slip out the door, hurrying to my car.

As I drive out of the parking lot, my thoughts automatically go over everything that’s happened, trying to make sense of everything. My heart stutters inside my chest, and tears burn behind my eyelids.

I feel used and so damned hurt as the image of Jagger’s face rolls through my mind. I mistakenly thought he was obsessed with me. But right now, I feel played.

My knuckles are white as I grip the steering wheel. After all the hurt I’ve endured recently, how many times my heart can fucking break?

Lost in thought, I choose random roads, not having any destination in mind. As I stop at a red light, reality crashes down around me. Looking around for familiar landmarks, I realize I’m about ten minutes from Falls Creek College.

A shiver courses through me as I think about Katie Michaels, the girl who was assaulted and strangled to death in the woods behind campus. A once peaceful college town is now in upheaval over the gruesome murders, the girls’ bodies left in the woods behind campus.

There’s been no updates on Brittany Smith, who was last seen on campus.

I notice a familiar vehicle as I wait for the light to change. My heart pounds, my hands gripping the steering wheel. Is that Ben’s car? What the hell is he doing here this late?

Glancing at my radio, the time says 2:45 a.m. My brow furrows. Why would he be heading toward campus at this time of the morning?

Uneasiness grips me. Although I tell myself I shouldn’t, when the light turns green, I press the accelerator, following his car. I stay a safe distance behind him so he doesn’t realize it’s me.

As he turns onto campus, I see someone in the passenger seat. My heart thuds inside my chest as I slowly follow, a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Finally, he pulls into a space in front of a large, imposing building. There are only a few buildings around this area of campus, and none of them appear to be residence halls or the library.

Locating a space in the back of the lot, I turn my headlights off and back in. My car idles as I duck in my seat, peering over my steering wheel to watch him.

Ben gets out and walks around the vehicle. Opening the door, he extends his hand, and a blonde steps out. Her movements are clumsy, and she staggers in her heels. He wraps his arm around her, holding her up.

Is she drunk?

They head toward the building but follow the sidewalk around it instead of going inside. I don’t know what possessed me, but I shut my car off. Grabbing my keys and cell phone, I exit my car, quietly shutting and locking the door. The cold October air cuts through me, sucking the air from my lungs. I shove my keys and cell phone in the pockets of my hoodie, keeping my hands inside for warmth.

Briskly striding across the parking lot, I head in their direction. My eyes are on them as I huddle inside my hoodie, the breeze blowing my hair away from my face. I’m not sure how the stumbling blonde isn’t freezing in that short dress she’s wearing that bares so much skin.

They follow the sidewalk around the building, the blonde staggering against Ben. He tightens his grip on her but doesn’t slow his pace.

Geez, what a gentleman .

Rolling my eyes, I continue around the sidewalk. Since I’m a considerable distance away, I lose sight of them when they turn the corner of the building.

Increasing my pace, I hurry after them. Once around the corner of the building, I look around in confusion, not spotting them anywhere. It’s as though they vanished.

As I look around, weighing my options, trepidation fills me. The large building casts long shadows over the area, giving this part of campus an eerie feeling.

A short distance ahead is a forest, the imposing trees swaying gently in the breeze. Looking up at the moon, I shake my head.

I should turn around and go back to the car.

A faint noise hits my ears, and my gaze returns to the woods. My heart beats wildly inside my chest as I strain, listening intently.

A shrill scream pierces the night.

My feet carry me toward the woods without a second thought. Although my father taught me to help when someone is in need, doubt plagues my mind.

But I push it away when I hear the scream again.

As I step into the dark forest, I pause. I can barely see anything. Stopping, my hands shake as I pull my phone from my pocket, turn on the flashlight, and point it toward the ground.

Listening intently, I quietly make my way through the woods. My ears perk up when I hear eerie sounds in the distance. My pulse hammers inside my ears when I realize the noises are not from pleasure.

In the distance, I spot two figures on the ground ahead. I quickly step behind a tree, shutting the light off. My body shakes as I try to control my breathing.

What if I lost Ben and the blonde only to stumble upon the serial killer?

Letting my eyes adjust to the darkness, my fingers dig into the bark of the tree as I peer around it.

My breath freezes in my lungs as I see the blonde on the ground, her body writhing and twisting. The man on top of her has his pants pulled down, exposing his ass, as he thrusts wildly inside her.

I watch in horror as his hand reaches out, wrapping around her neck. The noises coming from her cease as she wildly pushes against his forearm, trying to make him stop.

I quietly move toward them, unsure what to do. All I know is I have to help the blonde before he kills her.

My eyes dart around, looking for a rock or large tree limb to hit him with.

My heart stutters as I spot a familiar dark hoodie pulled over the man’s head. Oh. My. God. It… It can’t be.

Realization slams into me, nearly making me sick. Oh. Shit. She was on the news. It’s… She’s Brittany Smith.

I feel like I’m going to vomit or pass out. A voice inside of me screams to either find something to hit him with or run away.

The girl lets out a final, strangled gasp, then her body goes still. The guy keeps pumping away, thrusting into her.

A loud sob escapes my lips. I lift my hand to stop it, but it’s too late.

His head lifts, eyes locking with mine, and I stop breathing.

No. No, no, no!

The malicious look in his cold eyes chills me to the bone. Through the buzzing in my ears, I’m dimly aware that he’s still fucking her. And she’s dead.

He thrusts one final time, his body shuddering with his release. The man never breaks eye contact with me, those familiar eyes boring into mine.

Everything happens in slow motion as he pulls his dick out of her. Tugging his jeans over his hips, a menacing smile is on his lips, his teeth bared.

Run.

Spinning on my heel, I blindly take off running. I trip over a rock in the unfamiliar woods, falling against a tree. I push off it, then continue running for my life.

Spots cloud my vision, a buzzing in my ear as the hysteria overwhelms me.

My sneakers pound against the ground, kicking up the dead leaves, the rustling sound loud in the quiet of the early morning morning. My breathing is heavy and panicked while my pulse bangs in my ears.

Just get back to your car and get the hell outta here .

I look around, disoriented. I should be out of the woods now, yet I’m not. Nothing looks familiar. Shit, I must have turned in the wrong direction.

My thoughts scramble inside my head wildly as I run.

I know who the killer is. I saw his face.

And now, he’s going to kill me.

Pumping my arms, I push my aching thighs to run faster, my flight response screaming that I need to keep going to stay alive. My stomach is rock hard from the fear coursing through my body, trying to overpower all logic. I gulp down my breaths, trying to stay quiet, even though the crunch of the leave beneath my shoes is as loud as a canon.

As I run around an unfamiliar building, I don’t see the huge tree root until it’s too late. My arms fly out, bracing for impact as I hit the ground hard, pain coursing through me.

Fuck. That hurts.

Get up , my brain screams.

Rolling onto my back, I sit up, looking over my shoulder. Is that the killer’s shadow? Has he caught up to me already?

Climbing to my feet, my movements are shaky, terror making my body tremor. Spotting a building up ahead, I run toward it.

If I can make it there, I can hide inside.

Pushing through the pain, I round the corner of the building, turning my head to look over my shoulder.

Large hands grip me, and I’m spun around, a hand slapping over my mouth while the other holds my waist, pinning me against his large body. It takes me a minute to realize there’s a cloth in the hand that covers my mouth.

I try to scream but realize my mistake when a sweet, chemical smell infiltrates my senses, making me weak and dizzy. My arms flail, and I struggle against him, but it’s useless. He’s too strong.

“I didn’t want to do it this way, but you leave me no choice,” his familiar voice rasps in my ear.

A tear slips down my cheek as I struggle to stay conscious, to fight for my life.

God, I was so wrong about everything.

Then, the darkness pulls me under.