Page 96 of Hunt Me

Not possible.

He stood and when he did, I backed away another few feet, smoothing my dress down as if the slip of material would protect me. Of course it wouldn’t. Nothing could.

“You don’t understand.”

“No, I don’t. You act like you want me, yet blame me for your friend’s death. I didn’t kill him.”

“I know you didn’t,” he said in a quiet voice.

“Then why am I here?”

“You know exactly why.”

His eyes were imploring and he was close, so close I could feel his heated breath dancing across my skin.

“How the hell can I trust you?”

“You can’t.”

“Asshole,” I muttered.

Snorting, he gave me an incredulous look. “Do you think I brought you here to end your life?”

“That’s exactly what I think.”

This time, he threw my arms over my head, wrapping his long fingers around both wrists. “You obviously have no understanding of who I am. And what I can and will do, but that ending your life isn’t… It isn’t what I want.”

The darkness pooling in his eyes was the color of black granite, hard, cold, and calculating. Yet there was something entirely different about him, the moment allowing me to see into his soul, to feel the pain he was experiencing.

“No, I don’t understand you at all.” I continued struggling, fighting him with everything I had.

He laughed softly then gave me a stern glare. “Stop it, Bristol.”

This was little more than a crazy standoff of some kind. I hated that he looked so damn sexy, the ruby red color of his lips reminding me about the kiss. A flush of embarrassment crawled up from my neck when I involuntarily dragged my tongue across my bottom lip.

My God. What was I doing?

The man was a killer, which was exactly what he’d do to me. This wasn’t some game of fantasy. This was real life, filled with unavoidable consequences.

Sadly, I couldn’t take my eyes off him.

“And you stop saying my name. You don’t deserve to say my name. Not ever.”

His sigh was deep and he took several exaggerated breaths. “Do you remember anything from when you were a child?”

“You mean like having normal, supportive parents who weren’t law breakers?”

“Listen to me and answer the question. Do you remember an amusement park when you were a little girl?”

His question not only caught me off guard, it stunned me. “Why?”

“Because I need to know.” His face twisted, contorting until it was expression was full of emotions.

Anger.

Frustration.

Sadness.