Page 78 of Kiss of Deceit

“What?” I mumbled in a daze, staring at the man across the street. If he would move out of the shadows, I’d be able to see for sure if it was him…

“Let me help.” Hallie appeared in front of me, wiping coffee from my hand that I didn’t even know was there. I must have tilted the cup in my hand before dropping it. “I hope it didn’t burn you.”

I couldn’t even feel it. I couldn’t feel anything. I stepped to the side, my stomach bottoming out once I saw that the street was now empty. It couldn’t have been him. My heart clenched as I staggered away, accidentally kicking my coffee cup.

It looked just like him. Was I imagining things now?

“Hey.” Adella grabbed my shoulders. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I choked out. “I’m sorry—I’ll pay for the mess.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Hallie said, concern laced in her voice. “Maybe you should go home. You don’t look very good.”

“You’re white as a ghost,” Riggs added from somewhere beside me.

I backed away, my body trembling. “No. No, I’m fine. I need to get to work.”

I ignored their arguments as I stumbled out of the café. The frigid air smacked me in the face, but it didn’t do anything to help my building panic. I fought through my fear, attempting to think logically. Natalie’s murder was getting to me. The similarities to my attack were creating this.

I nearly tripped over the curb as I rushed toward the clinic.But there were too many similarities. What if my attacker was here? The one who was murdering the people in this town? I whipped my head around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the man again, but now it was a ghost town.

I cried out when I slipped on a patch of ice, and an arm banded around my waist, saving me from falling.

“Jesus,” a voice muttered. “It is not your morning, is it? Are you…why are you shaking, Dani?”

My eyes snapped to the side to see Riggs with a worried frown. He was going in and out of focus as my nightmare threatened to take over again. All I could see was the monster’s face. The smiling evil who took delight in torturing me all night before leaving me for dead. And I was almost positive I just saw him again.

His arm tightened around my waist as he slowly led me off the ice patch. Once I was on solid ground again, I grabbed his wrist, pushing him away. Somewhere in my mind, I knew he was only trying to help. But I couldn’t be touched. Not now. Not by someone I didn’t know. He raised his hands, taking a step back.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“You just startled me,” I said, barely recognizing my own voice. The fog wouldn’t lift, and I had no idea how I was going to function today.

Maybe going home was the best idea. Dread coiled through my limbs. I’d be alone if I went home. When I left this morning, Kole had been sleeping. I was sure he’d be annoyed when he realized I was gone since he’d been walking me to work every morning. But he needed sleep too, and he’d been staying up every night for me. By now, he was most likely on his way to the bar since he had to restock today.

Work was a better choice. If I was alone right now, I would only spiral. If I could calm myself enough to keep my mask on, then I’d be fine.

I straightened up, a different emotion erupting inside me. Fear was my first response, which was logical. But I’d spent the last twelve years training my body and mind to confront my demons. I had vowed that I’d kill every last one of them. If the person I saw lurking in the shadows was my monster, then I wasn’t going to run scared.

He wasn’t the only predator anymore.

A fire lit through my veins, the panic fading away, giving into rage. The familiar sensation of vengeance rippled over me. My fingers wrapped around my new knife hidden in my pocket.

“Maybe you should get checked out at the clinic,” Riggs said quietly, jolting me back to the present. “Or take a few days off. You went through a lot last week.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine.” It was a struggle to keep my voice steady and light. I just wanted him to leave me alone. “Don’t let me keep you. The clinic is like a ten-minute walk.”

He didn’t take the hint, and I bit my tongue attempting to stay grounded. All I wanted to do was search the entire town forthe man I just saw. He remained silent, keeping pace with me as I forced one foot in front of the other.

I spotted the next patch of ice, but before I could make a move to go around it, Riggs put his arm around me again, steering me away from it. I stiffened under his touch, something he didn’t miss since he let me go.

“I saw it this time,” I muttered, stepping off the curb. “I don’t need any help.”

“You really don’t like being touched, do you?”

Suspicion flitted through me at his question. Maybe he was honestly curious, but I had no plans to open up to him about anything.

“You left the house early.”