Fuck. I really did need to find out more about him.
“Detectives.” Mr. Carter sounded weary as he greeted us, arms crossed over his chest. “I already told you all that I know. I don’t appreciate being harassed in my place of employment.”
I raised an eyebrow. “I hardly call one visit, where we haven’t even said anything yet, harassment, Mr. Carter.”
“As I’ve said, I already told you everything I know. If you have anything else you’d like to discuss, you can do so through my lawyer.” He reached into his pocket and took out a business card and handed it to Victoria, who stared at it, lips pursed, without saying anything.
“Good day, Detectives. I’m sure you can see yourselves out. Unless you need security to do it for you.”
27
NATHAN
Ishouldn’t have stormed out of that meeting. But the last thing I had expected was to be confronted with Aiden and his partner.
Fucking hell.
Then again, maybe I should have. Christian had said they had left him a couple of messages and they knew where he worked.
While the investigation was ongoing, I should have distanced myself from Star Bird, with Christian being the one whodiscoveredmy latest victim. But I had been so sure that things had been going my way.
Hubris. That was how most serial killers were caught.
It was how I found myself sneaking out the side door of my office while my project manager was being confronted by my boyfriend, by my little bird, about the murder I’d committed. Despite wanting to know what Christian had told them, I couldn’t stick around and find out, so I got out of there.
Even if it was a dick move to leave him alone with the wolves.
And now, my wolf would be hounding me about my connection to Christian. To the victim.
It was all closing in. Crumbling.
I let out a bitter laugh as I marched toward my car, not caring who might be around in the underground garage to witness me spiral. While I knew I was being childish and reckless, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from wanting to lash out. I needed to channel everything that threatened to consume me. Even if it exposed me.
Ask me if I cared.
With a swift motion, I yanked my tie from around my neck and undid my cufflinks, stuffing them in my coat pocket so I could roll up my sleeves. I felt itchy, constricted, out of control.
I knew what I needed, but I had promised myself I would be better for Aiden. That I would be the man he needed me to be. Apparently, I couldn’t even go a week being that man.
“Nathan!” Christian called to me from across the garage, but I ignored him as I unlocked my car. There was nothing he could do or say that could help or soothe me. The monster that lived under my skin was too close to the surface. It needed to be unleashed.
Bad things happened when I ignored the monster and I couldn’t let that happen, not now that I had found my little bird.
The urge to kill was like a living thing crawling under my skin. If I didn’t give in, then things would be bad. That was the last thing I needed. I didn’t need Aiden becoming collateral damage to my urges. And I knew what would happen if I kept ignoring what was inside of me.
I’d only done it once, shortly after my parents died. I tried to contain it, to hold it at bay. Then I blacked out and woke up fourteen hours later with a body count of over a dozen. I’d been drenched in blood from head to toe as if I’d bathed in it, at some cabin in the middle of nowhere.
Every day I still wondered if someone would knock on my door looking to lock me up for what I did that night. But no one ever did.
The alternative would be forcing Aiden’s hand to put me down. And I didn’t want to do that to him either.
Christian came up from behind me, a dangerous move, and slammed his hand against the door of my car, just as I started to open it.
“Jesus fuck, Nathan. What are you doing?” He sounded out of breath and I wondered just how fast he’d had to run to catch up to me. Or how out of shape he was. It would make him easy prey.
No. He is my friend, not prey.
Unless he got in my way.
