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31

MADISON

A few days have passed since Jagger told me about his tattoo. I would never have predicted Jagger as the victim of such heart-wrenching abuse. His tough exterior hides a very broken man, although there’s still a lot I don’t know about his past yet, except that it affects us at night.

Jagger doesn’t let me stay in his bedroom, choosing instead to sleep with me in the spare bedroom of his cabin. Every night, he climbs into bed beside me, wrapping me in his warm embrace. I fall asleep only to be woken a couple of hours later when he gets up and sits in the chair by the bed. I pretend to sleep, but I’m acutely aware of his presence as he stares into space, sometimes looking at the fire. I peek at him, watching the flames flicker across his face, anger and sadness warring over his features. Then he sighs, goes outside, and smokes a cigarette. Once he’s finished, he returns, climbs into bed with me, and the whole process begins again. And again. Until we get up in the morning.

Jagger’s voice startles me from my internal musings. “Baby girl. I have something to show you.” Jagger holds out his hand, and I take it, getting up from the couch and following him outside. The loud rumbling of an engine startles me, and my head follows the sound, taking in the rollback slowly driving down his long lane with my Mustang on the back of it.

Jagger squeezes my hand as I cry, then turns to me, wiping my tears. “Your car is fine, Maddie. I had Jason’s mechanic check over it to be sure it wasn’t tampered with.”

Throwing myself into his arms, I shake my head. “While I’m really glad my car is fine, it’s more than that. You made sure to have it brought here to me, knowing how much it means to me since it was my dad’s…” my voice falters.

Jagger chuckles, lifting me from the ground and swinging me around. “I’m your stalker, baby girl. Of course, I know what that car means to you.” His expression grows serious, a warning look darkening his features. “You know you can’t drive it? Jason is dropping it off inside my garage. We had to go to great lengths to get it here to ensure he wasn’t followed…”

I frantically nod. “I know. I’m just glad it’s safe and that you coordinated bringing it here.”

His smile grows as he takes in my glowing face. “Come on. Let’s go check it out.” Swinging our hands between us, Jagger leads me to the rollback, which is parked in front of his garage.

“Hey, Jagger.” Jason climbs down from the driver’s side, slamming the door shut. A broad grin is on his face as he says, “Prisoner.”

“Asshole. You’re real funny, Jason.” His remark makes me bristle. My arms are crossed over my chest, my spine stiff as I watch Jagger grab the keys from Jason’s hand. My gaze goes around the woods surrounding Jagger’s cabin. A shiver goes through me, reminding me of the woods—

No, don’t think about it.

As Jagger starts the car and begins backing up, Jason and I follow him into the garage. I’m anxious to get my backpack from it after Jagger told me he didn’t write the note that said, “Soon.” I’m sure the roses have wilted since I forgot about them.

“Nice car, Maddie,” Jason says, eyeing it appreciatively.

“Thanks. It was my dad’s. I, um, inherited it after his death.”

Jason’s head turns to mine. “Sorry to hear he passed. Jagger told me the two of you were close.”

I nod. “I was definitely daddy’s girl.” Images of my dad’s face roll through my mind, making me sentimental—and sad.

As I look around Jagger’s enormous garage, I raise my brows at him as he exits the Mustang. “I didn’t realize you had a motorcycle.” I wonder how many times he stalked me on his bike?

He grins, his eyes moving to the motorcycle. “Yup. I’ll take you for a ride sometime if you want.”

“Hell, yes. I used to ride on the back of my dad’s bike.”

“I know. I saw the two of you going for ice cream.”

Laughing as he approaches, I swat his chest. “Stalker.”

He gives me a shit-eating grin before growing serious. “Do you need anything from your car?”

“Yes, my backpack with my laptop is in there.” I point to the passenger seat. “Also, remember when we discussed the roses and note?”

Jagger nods, already moving to the passenger side of the car. Opening the door, he grabs my backpack, handing it to me, then slides the seat forward, revealing the withered roses on the floor. Jagger squats down, examining them, probably to determine if they look like the melody roses from the rosebush behind my childhood home.

Jagger stands, taking my backpack from me and swinging it over his shoulder. He grabs my hand, interlocking our fingers, leading me toward the house. We head inside, Jagger filling Jason in on what I told him about the roses and note, as well as the article about Falls Creek having a serial killer. “I’m sure it was Ben. The question is, why?”

Jason’s face is concerned. “Show me the article and note.”

Handing Jason the newspaper article from my backpack, I tell him about the incident at the bookstore, coming out of the restroom to find it lying on my purse. I gave him an overview of Ben telling me Katie Michaels was in his class and he was working on a group project with her. Then I tell Jason about the roses left on my windshield and hand him the note that simply says, “Soon.”

Jason examines it. “Regarding the newspaper article…” He holds it up. “It sounds to me like Ben was taunting you.” Jason’s gaze moves from me to Jagger. “Do you agree?”

“One hundred percent.”

My head moves between the two of them, and I see them exchange a look.

“What is it, guys?” Trepidation courses through me.

Jason nods at Jagger.

Jagger’s eyes drop to mine, his hand squeezing my thigh. “We’re nearly certain he was stalking you.” Taking a deep breath, he exhales. “You’re his end game, Maddie. We just aren’t sure exactly what game he’s playing.”

Fear slithers through me like a sidewinder. “Obviously, the girls he… assaulted… resemble me.”

Jagger nods. “We think he was ‘practicing’ on the others. He has a bigger goal in mind, and it involves you. We don’t know exactly why he was targeting others when he was not only dating but living with you. You were an easy target.”

Bile rises in my throat as the word, “target” repeats over and over inside my head like an echo in a cave.

Swallowing hard, I stare at the floor for a few minutes before my gaze lifts to Jagger. “I don’t know why I’d be his end game.”

Jagger’s hand tightens on my leg. “We’re working on that.” His eyes reassure me he’ll do anything to keep me safe. “We’ll figure it out and stop him, baby girl.”

As I burrow into his chest, it’s not just because I’m terrified of Ben’s plans for me.

For the first time since I’ve met Jagger, there’s a seed of doubt that he won’t be able to keep me safe.