Page 46 of Hide Me Darling

There are finger marks in my hips, and my neck looks like I’ve been choked. Because I was.

Running my fingers gently across the marks littering my neck, I can’t help but remember how they got there. The feeling of Abel’s fingers wrapped around my throat, squeezing tight. How they possessed me and claimed me. How they owned me.

“Well, time to test the staying power of my makeup,” I mutter to myself, trying to push the memories aside.

As I carefully apply foundation to cover the marks, I think about the day ahead in order to keep my mind out of the past. The gym class is just the beginning. I need to stay focused, gather information, and keep my guard up. I need to stop being distracted by masked men who fuck like demons from hell. Maybe I need an exorcism.

Once I've covered the worst of the bruises, I pull on my workout clothes. Taking one last look in the mirror, I nod to myself. I can do this. I have to do this.

Grabbing my phone and keys, I head out the door, locking it behind me. A sliver of annoyance creeps into my mind as I try to remember if I locked the door when I arrived back at the house yesterday, could I have unknowingly left it unlocked as an open invitation for my masked stalkers. The morning air is crisp and cool as I walk along the street toward the beach. My thoughts drift as I go, wondering what makes the killers tick, what motivates them to kill.

They said to me in our texts last night that they only kill for a reason, that they research and nothing is random, so why were those particular tourists killed? What connects them all, and what exactly did they do that made them targets?

As I make my way to the beach, I replay every interaction I had with Cain and Abel in my mind. Their words, their messages, their demeanor, the way they justified their actions—it all felt disturbingly logical in a twisted way. They seemed convinced that their actions were justified, that their victims deserved what happened to them. But why? What was the common thread that linked their victims together?

I pass by a few early risers, joggers and dog walkers, who nod and wave. I try to return their greetings with a smile, but my mind is elsewhere. My thoughts are churning, trying to connect the puzzle together but it’s as if the pieces are upside down and no matter what I do I can’t reveal the part of the picture I need to put them together on the other side.

When I reach the beach, the gym comes into view, and so does a large area at the end of the street where I can already see barriers erected and carnival rides starting to be set up. The sheriff did say that that would be happening, so it’s probably a good thing I didn’t make it to the beachfront last night.

Plus with the masked me distracted by me, they couldn't have been out killing anyone.

I push open the door to the gym and step inside, greeted by the sound of upbeat music and the sight of people either working out on equipment or warming up for the class. I recognize a few faces from around town, and I make my way to an empty spot near the back, hoping to blend in and observe.

Makai waves to me from where he is spotting someone on a weight bench. When that person sets the weight back in the cradle and sits up, I can see that it's Eli. I spot Maddie exiting the locker room and when she spots me, she comes over with a grin.

“Hey Taylor,” she says, her voice as bright as her smile. I haven’t had enough coffee to deal with that level of happiness this morning, as a matter of fact, I haven’t had any coffee yet at all. She may be lucky I don’t have any of my knives on me right then.

“Morning Maddie,” I respond with a smile, mustering as much cheerfulness as I can. “Ready for a workout?”

She nods enthusiastically. “Absolutely! It’s going to be a great class. Nathan, one of the trainers here that runs this class, always knows how to get us moving.”

I force a chuckle, trying to match her energy. “Looking forward to it.”

Feeling eyes on me, I look up and notice Rye sitting at one of the pieces of equipment not far from Eli and Makai. His eyes are on me as he takes a drink of water, offering me a small smile.

I momentarily wish that the dim lighting and neon colors during all the times I’ve been with Cain and Abel didn’t make it so hard to pick up on more details of the men beneath the masks. I doubt the men around here would simply let me make them line up and drop their pants and let me look at their cocks. Though from some of the looks I get from them, maybe they would.

There are other locals there, shooting glaces in our direction, but none I can put a name to. I spot Telvin working out on the shoulder press in the corner, headphones in his ears as he manages to ignore everything and everyone around him. I wish I had that sort of focus.

A young guy suddenly approaches our group clapping his hands and smiling. He isn’t as muscular as Makai and his brown hair is short. “Good morning, everyone! Ready for the circuit class?” His voice is upbeat, and he radiates energy. He must be Nathan, the trainer Maddie mentioned.

A chorus of affirmatives echoes around the room. I nod along, forcing myself to match the enthusiasm. Nathan’s eyes scan the group, lingering on Maddie for a moment longer than anyone else. She returns his gaze with a smile that’s just a touch more personal than casual.

Interesting. Maddie and Nathan have some sort of connection. Something to keep an eye on.

Nathan claps his hands again. “Alright, let’s start with a warm-up! We’ll do some light jogging in place, then move on to dynamic stretches.”

As we begin the warm-up, I steal glances at Maddie and Nathan. They exchange more secretive looks, and Maddie seems especially animated whenever he’s nearby. The circuit class begins in earnest, and I force myself to focus on the exercises.

My body protests, but I push through. Nathan’s instructions are clear and precise, and he moves through the group, offering encouragement and correcting form. His interactions with Maddie are just a bit more familiar than with anyone else.

As I move from station to station, I try to listen to the conversations around me. People chat about the carnival, the latest gossip, and mundane life details. Nothing particularly useful, but I file it all away just in case.

During a break, I take a moment to breathe and grab some water. Looking around, I see that a few more people have come into the gym and started working out while I was focused on the circuit.

Makai is now chatting with Telvin as he works out on the leg press toward the back. Eli is on his own doing pull-ups, and Rye is making his way toward where I'm standing.

I take a long drink of water, trying to steady my thoughts. Rye approaches with a friendly smile. “Hey Taylor, how’s it going?” he asks, wiping sweat from his brow.

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