Page 96 of Strictly Forbidden

The stranger took his time to answer. “I came for you. What else?”

“Who are you?”

The grin covering his face was one I remembered well. Suddenly, he looked exactly like James Jones the moment he’d captured me all those years ago. “Isn’t that obvious, sweet thing? I’m here for you. I’m here to finish what was started a long time ago.”

I backed away, trying to figure out what to do. “How did you find me?”

“Tsk. Tsk. You should have learned that there is nowhere where we can’t find you. Your friend’s phone was very helpful. Now, sweet thing, it’s time you fulfilled your destiny. You are coming with me.”

Ten minutes earlier

Kage

“Fuck. Fuck!”

I slammed my hand on the steering wheel, trying to keep my fucking shit together. “Answer the phone, Noel. Come on, baby.”

It was the second time I’d called. Nothing. She hadn’t even established a voicemail yet. I tossed the phone onto the dash, returning in my mind to the limited conversation I’d had with the detective who’d been in charge of the investigation into the serial murders in Seattle years before.

The copycat’s name was Joel Baxter. The name wasn’t familiar but from what little Detective Finley had said, the man was as dangerous and deranged as James Jones.

I couldn’t think straight but at least the man had had the decency to call the local authorities. They were on their way to the cabin. I had to risk the location getting out to the wrong people in order to try to keep her alive.

Her.

The woman I adored.

The bright light in a sea of fucking darkness.

“Goddamn it.” My screams weren’t helping, the traffic horrible given the time of day. I craned my neck, noticing the backup was already starting on the interstate. I had two miles to go before I could take the exit. Two fucking miles.

I pulled out into the other lane when I had the chance, trying to weave my way up by any length of cars. When it became futile, I forced my way between a couple of SUVs, horns blasting the entire time, but I managed to get to the shoulder.

As soon as I did, snow began to fall.

Fuck me.

The gods were against me getting to her.

No, nothing would stop me.

I didn’t give a shit if the police tried to stop me. They wouldn’t be able to. I pressed my foot down on the accelerator, flying down the shoulder illegally. When another vehicle almost pulled onto the thick gravel, I was forced to brake hard, nearly losing control.

Once regained, I pressed my hand on the horn, blasting it to all those who might consider heeding my progress, now hitting in excess of seventy miles per hour. With the exit in sight, I sucked in my breath, doing everything I could to keep control while navigating the sharp ramp.

My truck skidded back and forth, the snow now coming down rapidly.

But I pressed on, rolling down the road to head up the mountain. I grabbed the phone again, dialing the burner number. Same as before, the ringing was now haunting me. Our collective pasts should never have collided. We both had our tragedies, which we’d endured to the point of almost derailing our lives, but I’d deserved to pay a penance. For not being there.

For falling into the blackest of despair.

Noel didn’t.

And if Joel Baxter believed he was put on this earth to follow a madman like James Jones, taking up where the sick fuck had left off, then I’d have no issue killing the monster with my bare hands.

And happily returning to prison because of the dirty deed.

Anything to allow Noel to live a happy and full life.

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