Chapter 59
CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE
dani
My heart dropped as I peered at them through the pine tree branches.
I hadn’t been expecting Leo to let him go that quickly.
I wasn’t close enough yet. I tiptoed around, putting myself at Leo’s back while staying out of sight.
Kole was on his knees, his scathing glare aimed at Leo.
His face was beaten and bloodied, and I noticed earlier how messed up his shoulder was.
Even if his hands weren’t zip tied, I had a feeling he couldn’t use his right arm.
Which meant I had to get Leo far away from him.
The thick smoke from the fire helped me stay hidden as I crept closer. My ears perked up at a new sound. I glanced at the sky as the helicopter engine grew closer. It wouldn’t be long until we were interrupted. I clenched my teeth, looking back at Leo. He wasn’t leaving here alive.
I lingered behind the tree. Once I moved, I’d be within his sight.
Flexing my fingers, I took a deep breath.
The cold was beginning to affect my senses and my movement.
I shoved my hands into my pockets, grabbing my knives.
I could throw them from here, but if I missed, I would be down a weapon. It was too much of a risk.
I sprinted forward, preparing to throw one of my blades if Leo saw me too soon. Kole noticed my movement first, his eyes widening slightly as I got closer. Unfortunately, Leo heard my footsteps a second later.
He whipped around, the gun tight in his grip. Before I could throw my knife, Kole lunged forward, knocking his body weight into Leo. They both went down, Kole letting out a groan when he landed on his bad shoulder.
But it gave me the time I needed. Leo climbed to his feet, but I was right there, dropping one of my knives to snatch his arm.
I brought my other blade up, slashing his wrist. He yelled out in pain, his hold on the gun loosening.
I wrenched it from his grip, but he slammed into me, taking us both to the snow.
“Do you regret it?” I panted, fighting for the gun. “I killed your son. Hurt him like you hurt me.”
I doubted he had the emotional connection to Miles to be devastated. But his anger at me besting him? That was apparent.
“This isn’t over,” he hissed.
I swiped my knife at him again, slicing him shallowly in the arm. The gun fumbled from his grip, and we both dove for it. My fingers wrapped around it first, but his hand covered mine.
“Do you need this to kill me?” I taunted, my finger finding the trigger. “Because I don’t.”
I pulled the trigger again and again, until the gun clicked when there were no more bullets. Leo cursed at me, letting go of the useless weapon.
A sudden brightness blinded both of us. Leo kicked me in the chest, stealing my breath. He rolled away, clamoring to his feet, darting toward the trees.
“No,” I choked out hoarsely.
I staggered to my feet, realizing the lights were flashlights. Harry was running to Kole, while Susan stared right at me.
“Dani, don’t,” Kole said, his voice pleading. “We’ll find him.”
I met his eyes, silently apologizing. “I can’t. He doesn’t get to live through this.”
With those words, I ran in the direction Leo had disappeared, only taking a second to snag my other knife off the frozen ground. Kole was yelling, only to be cut off with Harry demanding he stay still. My heart ached as I ran. I wanted to stay with Kole more than I craved my revenge.
But he wouldn’t be safe if Leo got away.
My attention cut to a noise in front of me. He wasn’t trying to be quiet as he ran. I shoved my knives in my pockets and began chasing after him. The cold was hindering my muscles, and I breathed out evenly, upping my pace.
I could hear the helicopter getting closer, and I wondered who Susan called.
When Leo suddenly disappeared, I stumbled to a halt. My chest heaved as I caught my breath. A shiver ran through me as I scanned the trees.
“Do you know why I left you alone for all those years?” His breathless voice came from somewhere to my left. “I could have come back and finished you anytime I wanted.”
I forced myself to remain still. I doubted he had another gun, or I’d already have a bullet in me.
But I wasn’t sure if he had any other weapons.
I wasn’t going to run toward him blindly.
No, I’d wait for him to come to me. His patience wouldn’t last long.
I pulled one knife from my pocket, keeping the other one hidden in case I lost this one.
“Tell me,” I demanded, wanting him to keep talking so I could try to pinpoint where he was hiding.
He blew out a harsh laugh. “I wonder if it would have happened to anyone else.”
I clenched my teeth, reminding myself he was attempting to mess with my head. “Stop talking in riddles.”
“Do you think you’d be a killer if I hadn’t come into your life?”
He was moving in the shadows as he spoke. I was frozen, his haunting question hitting me like a punch in the chest. The same one I’d been asking myself for years.
“What I did to you…it shaped you into who you are.”
“You did nothing for me,” I hissed vehemently, searching for him.
“I was going to come after you once the buzz around the case died down, but then I noticed what college classes you were taking, and I decided to wait it out.” He paused, clearly enjoying what his words were doing to me.
“And then you began working with that therapist. I was watching you when you were stalking your first victim.”
I squeezed the hilt of the knife painfully, nausea roiling my stomach. Was this why I’d never felt safe? Why fear always clung to me like a second skin every second for years?
“I was the reason your entire life changed—I’m the reason you’re the person you are today.” The praise in his voice shot rage through me. But I couldn’t deny the slice of fear that was mixed in. I almost wanted him to be right. Because if he wasn’t, then I’d been born to be a killer.
It was why I questioned every victim I went after. Why I asked question after question about their life and how their dark desires began.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have waited this long. I could have taught you,” he said, his voice softer, making me fight to hear him over the wind and the incoming helicopter.
“What the hell does that mean?”
“You could have been a perfect killer. You just needed someone to teach you better ways of not getting caught.”
“Says the bastard who was in prison for armed burglary,” I sneered, my pulse thudding. “You couldn’t even kill me like you were supposed to.”
“Both of those were my partners’ fault, not mine.” His voice came from behind me, and I spun around. “You would have been a perfect partner, Danielle. You’re smart. Strong. Never would have raised suspicion.”
His words had panic clawing my chest. The worst part was that I couldn’t tell if he was fucking with me or being dead serious.
“It took me months to figure out who Miles was,” I said bitterly, more to myself and not him. Why was I still talking to him? I’d be lying if it was just to find out where he was in the dark. This was the most answers I’d gotten in years.
“Because he came to this town knowing everything about you. He knew how to act because of the training you had when it came to reading people.” His dark chuckle had me scowling in darkness.
My heart pounded when I spotted his shadow darting behind a pine tree, but I continued to act like I didn’t know where he was as he moved around me.
“But he knew you too. The things that annoyed you. How to become a friend without raising suspicion. The type of men you liked and the ones you avoided…which made Kole even more of a surprise. You usually avoid men who are a threat, who you might not beat in a physical fight.”
“Shut up,” I snarled, the words exploding out of me before I could stop them.
My throat burned with the bile threatening to come up.
Maybe not knowing was better. I’d always thought I wanted all the answers when it came to my attacker.
But hearing this? It was so much fucking worse.
The only time I was probably truly free of him was the years I spent in prison.
“You’d be better off with him dead anyway. People like you and me…we don’t fall in love. Whatever you feel for him, it’s not real.”
“There is no me and you,” I hissed, not turning around when he veered near the trees beside me. Now that I knew where he was, I could hear his footsteps faintly. “You might not be capable of love. But I am.”
“Don’t you want to know why I waited to reveal myself until we were in this town?” His voice came from behind me, but I still didn’t move, closing my eyes and listening to his movements instead.
“Don’t bullshit me,” I responded with a scoff.
“You ended up in prison and had your son watch me. When I got arrested, you lost your chance to get to me. This town was your only chance. And the way you did it, the murders and messages? You couldn’t help yourself.
Your twisted, fucked-up mind loves playing games like that. ”
“You think you have me figured out?” he shot back, anger growing in his voice.
“I know that if you would have waited for a chance to take me quietly, it probably would have worked.” The back of my neck prickled when I heard the crunch of his footsteps behind me. “But your ego fucked you. Now look where you are.”
He was nearly right behind me, and I spun around, slashing my blade at him.
His yell was proof that I surprised him, and he ripped away with blood pouring from his forearm where I cut him.
He stumbled backward, and I followed, trying to get close enough to fatally stab him.
But he spun around and decided to run, holding his bloody arm.
“Always a coward,” I yelled as I chased after him.
We weaved between trees, our paces both slowing when the snow became deeper. My body was frozen, my teeth chattering uncontrollably. But I pushed harder, refusing to let him go.