Page 29 of Killer Attraction

“Yes,” he spat out, but then he slumped back against the couch. “I don’t know,” he admitted with a sigh. “Maybe.”

It sounded like it pained him to admit he needed help, but I was pretty sure it was just my help he didn’t want. But I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable, especially since we had a difficult talk ahead of us. So, I stood up, hooked an arm behind him, helped him off the couch, and walked him to the bathroom.

When we got there, I leaned him against the sink and went to get the shower ready. Then, I herded him over to stand next to it. I kept my eyes on him in case he started to lose his balance, as I quickly shed my clothes and pulled his pants down in as clinical a manner as I could manage.

“Time to get in,” I told him softly. “I’ve got a hold of you, so go as slow as you need to.” As promised, I kept my hand on his upper arm as he got under the warm spray. Once he settled in, I quickly followed behind him.

“Keep your hands on the wall while I wash you and get you cleaned up, little bird.” He did as I said, but I could see his shoulders and arms shaking slightly as I squirted his shampoo into my hand.

“Don’t call me that.” His voice sounded wet and raspy, and I realized his shaking was from silent sobs wracking his body.

I didn’t know what to do as I watched him, my hands going to his head and massaging his hair clean. His head fell back but I tried to not take the reaction personally, given how else he’d been reacting to me since I showed up unannounced.

Not wanting to make him suffer more than I already had, I quickly lathered up his soap and washed him, being mindful of the tender flesh on his side. Once I was done, I grabbed the shower head and rinsed him off. Getting him dry and dressed was a little harder as he started to sway more, having been on his feet for too long.

Instead of taking him back out to the couch, I tucked him into bed.

“You said you were going to tell me everything.” His words were an accusation, thinking I was trying to get out of my promise.

I had no intention of doing so, but I needed to collect myself. So I walked out of his room without a word and went to grab us each a bottle of water. When I came back, I let out a sigh when I saw he’d moved and sat up. No doubt ready to try and get out of bed and hunt me down to make me talk.

“Settle down and stay put.” I handed him the water, and my eyes traveled over his naked chest and torso. If he’d been anyone else, I would have admired my handiwork.

Without thinking, I reached out and traced the scars on the opposite side of his fresh wound. “You’re the only one I’ve ever let go.”

Aiden’s eyes furrowed, his lips downturned into a tight frown as he put my actions and words together.

“It was you.” It wasn’t an accusation or a question, just an acceptance of fact. He sounded resigned. “You’re the one who took me when I was sixteen.”

“Yes,” I admitted as I sank down to my knees in front of him.

His eyes filled with tears, but he turned his head, refusing to let me see them fall. “Why?”

That was a much more difficult question to answer. Then again, maybe it wasn’t, given our recent history.

“I was drawn to you. It felt different than what it did with my victims, but I didn’t know how to differentiate it. I didn’t know what it meant, only that when I saw you for the first time, I knew you were supposed to be mine.” I took a breath and tried to reign in my swirling thoughts. “I’d never felt like that before, but I didn’t have the words. I didn’t know what emotions to associate with the way you made me feel.”

He nodded, still turned away from me. I wanted to take it all back. He’d been so understanding and accepting of me when we had that talk about who and what I was. And while I knew he wouldn’t have been able to understand and accept it as a child, if I’d never crossed his path back then, then maybe things could have been different for us.

“I couldn’t kill you. So I stitched you up and dropped you off at the park, knowing someone would find you and help you.” I dropped my eyes to my lap as I struggled to find the right words. “I set my little bird free.”

His shoulders tensed. “That’s what you called me, back then. Your little bird. I didn’t remember, but there’d been something about when you said it, that night in the hotel. I still didn’t remember but it triggered, I don’t know, something.”

My hand itched to touch him, to try and comfort him. But I knew it would be unwanted, and that knowledge broke my heart.

“Where—Did you stalk me this whole time? Ever since you let me go?” Aiden turned to look at me. His eyes were still wet and shiny, but he hadn’t let a single tear spill.

He was so brave, so good. I wished I could have protected him from all this—from me.

“No. You moved away, and I thought I’d never see you again.” My voice cracked as I was overcome with emotion, remembering how I’d felt all those years ago, thinking I’d lost my little bird forever.

“What now?” Aiden asked, finally looking up and meeting my eyes. “Are you going to kill me now that I know the truth?”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

AIDEN

I couldn’t believe I asked a serial killer if he was going to kill me. Then again, I couldn’t believe my boyfriend was not only a serial killer but the same one who had kidnapped me when I was a teenager and let me go.

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