Page 86 of Never Give Up

All I care about is getting to her before he can take the only thing left that matters.

Her life.

Hold on, Maya. I’m coming.

31

MAYA

I shouldn’t feelnumb unless I’m dying. Unfortunately, the fact that I’m numb all over tells me that I’m dying.

I’m dying, and I don’t have anyone here to remember my last words except this creepy asshole I don’t even remember.

“Fuck,” I groan, and I can’t move.

This is almost worse than the first attack. At least then, I didn’t know what to expect or what was coming. Now? Now I know every sick and twisted thing he’s capable of.

Because he started talking as soon as I woke up.

If I didn’t want to live so badly, I might just walk into the light to avoid all his bullshit.

How was I ever afraid of him?

Seriously.

He’s not wearing a mask this time, and if I could move, I would fight harder. I would destroy him like he’s tried to destroy me.

“Oh, look.” He looms over my face, his creepy smile in place like always. “Sleeping Beauty is awake.” Something dark flashes in his eyes. “Why aren’t you crying? Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

I’m numb. But my arm is tingling. In fact, everything is starting to tingle in the painful way that happens after a limb falls asleep and then you move it. But I don’t move. I don’t move anything. I let the pain of that tingling dance across my skin, and I smile up at him with my own maniacal expression.

“Well?” he prompts, poking something sharp into my stomach, right above the scar he left me with before.

Instead of answering him, I turn my head to see blood dripping down my forearm. “What did you do?”

“Oh, that?” He lifts my arm so I can see it. “I told you. It’s kismet that we met. You’re mine, and now when they find our bodies wrapped around each other, they’ll know.He’ll know.”

My fingers flex.

He’s gone again. This time, grunting and yelling about blood and how I’ve killed him.

But that doesn’t make sense. How could I have killed him when I can’t even move.

Now my wrist flexes.

I’ve got one chance. One chance to get help to me.

Clumsily, I reach into my pants as silently as I can and hold the panic button on the side of my phone.

The entire time, I’ve got my eyes on the crazy man’s back. When he shifts to the side and looks like he’s about to turn back to me, I let go and pull my hand out.

“You killed me, you know.” He waves his arm at me. “Cut too deep. Now I’m gonna make sure we go together.”

He’s still not making sense.

Until he’s on top of me, with the knife against my chest and his hands clenched around my throat.

I watch as the silver blade slides down my skin, nicking me once or twice as it falls to the bed I’m on.

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