Page 25 of The Caress

"I see what you mean," I say, believing her now more than ever. "And I think you’re right. I think he’s the guy."

She reaches for my arm, clinging to me. "What are you going to do?"

"Go upstairs and call the police," I say, gently pointing her in that direction. "Then go to Isla’s room and stay with her until they get here."

"All right," she says, swallowing hard. "But what areyougoing to do?"

"I’m going to have a word with the guy who almost killed us."

"No, Keir," she gasps and tugs at my arm. "Please don’t go out there. It isn’t worth it. Please."

"I have to see him up close. I need to look into his eyes. I’m not going to make any accusations or try to fight him or anything, I promise. But I have to know for sure."

Thankfully, she doesn’t try to argue. She releases my arm and takes off for the stairs, only looking back over her shoulder at me once before disappearing down the hallway to her room.

I take a deep breath and steel my nerves for whatever is about to happen. Like I said, I don’t want to confront the guy. He’s bigger than I am and clearly has no qualms about trying to kill me, so yeah, I’ll let the police worry about trying to take him down when they get here.

I just want to have a conversation with the guy. I want to look into his eyes and see if I still feel the same way about him, if I can still feel that evil energy radiating from him.

Without really knowing what I’ll say or do when I’m actually face-to-face with the guy, I walk out of the house and start down the driveway.

This is probably a mistake. It was almost definitely a mistake. There’s nothing nonchalant about the way I’m striding across the property or the way I’m keeping my eyes focused on this murderous bastard, but I can’t make myself look away.

You tried to kill her.

You tried to kill both of us.

I want to shout those words at the top of my lungs. I want to grab him by the collar and beat the shit out of him. I want to make him feel the same kind of fear and panic that Ella and I felt that day when he was shooting at us and trying to run us down.

He’s watching me. I can’t see his eyes behind the mirrored sunglasses, but I can still feel him looking at me. Sizing me up. Assessing the situation. Trying to figure out what I’m doing.

There are three other security guards around the perimeter of the estate, but all I can see is the one in front of me. Is he the same guy who killed Max and Wendy?

Maybe I’ll ask him once the police come to haul him away.

Hell, maybe I’ll ask him now.

"Excuse me," I call out once I’m within earshot. "I need to have a word with you."

So much for a nonchalant, casual tone. I’m just too worked up to fake it, too angry to pretend I don’t want to strangle the guy.

I’m about twenty feet away from him now. I’m trying to memorize every detail I can, but my anger is turning to rage with each step I take, until it’s like a red mist that’s clouding my vision and closing in from all sides.

Just as I open my mouth to say something else, he turns and bolts toward the gate, then scales it and lands on the other side with a thud.

"Hey!" I shout as I start to run after him. "Wait!Wait!"

He’s already halfway down the block by the time I reach the gates. All I can do is watch him run away as I furiously rattle the metal bars. I gesture for the other guards to follow, but it’s pointless now.

He’s gone.

CHAPTERELEVEN

ELLA

How is it possible that Isla can be so much smarter than I was at her age? She truly is an old soul trapped in a kid’s body. It only takes about five seconds for her to realize something is wrong when I walk into her bedroom and close the door behind me.

"Have you been crying?" she asks. "Did my dad make you cry?"

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