A knife zooms past my head and flicks my gun off the table right before I can grab it.
A forceful shove from my own desk chair knocks me off my feet, and I fall right into the goddamn chair. My hands are immediately locked behind the seat, twisted until I groan with pain as they’re zip-tied together so tightly I can’t move. It all happened quicker than I could react.
Fuck.
She trapped me in my own home.
The chair is spun around on its axis until she’s right in front of me, the black suit glinting in the dark. There’s a cheeky smile on her face as she plants both hands on the armrests and leans in.
“Hello, Detective Foley …”
Why do I feel like she knows me?
“It’s so nice to finally meet face-to-face.”
My brows twitch. “Who are you?”
“You think I would go through all this trouble and then tell you my name?” She chuckles as she lets the leather jacket slide off her shoulders. “I’m not going to be that easy.”
“What the hell are you doing in my house?”
Her hand rises, and when her fingers latch around my throat, I swallow away the unadulterated rage.
Could she be the killer I’ve been chasing? Or is she merely a copycat interested in the game?
“I came here for my reward.”
The unknown texter.
“You could’ve contacted the station about that. But now that you’ve invaded my house, you can kiss that money goodbye.”
She gives me a venomous, pretty, lopsided grin. “Oh no, Detective Foley, I don’t want cash.”
Whoever she is, she has ulterior motives, and nothing good.
“Then what do you want?”
Her fingers unfurl from around my throat, only to slowly slither down my shirt, as if she’s feeling me up. “For my time and effort? All of my knowledge? All the secrets you wish to learn?” Her hand dips even lower, all the way down my abs, and I can hear her stifle a moan. “You.”
I’m momentarily too flabbergasted to even speak.
So I’ve got a stalker now. Is that it? Is that what she is?
“I’m not going to entertain that idea,” I reply.
“Oh, but you will.” She leans in to whisper into my ear, “I’ll make it worth your while.”
She leans back, her dark eyes boring into mine from behind that bunny mask, and there is not a thing on this earth I wouldn’t do to tear it off.
I jerk at the zip ties, but it’s no use, and it only makes her laugh.
“You won’t be free until I say you’re free,” she says.
“Stop these fucking games. Who are you? What’s your goal here?”
“To make you my plaything, duh,” she retorts. “What else did you think?”
I snort. “You must think I’m insane. There’s no way I’m going to agree to anything you suggest. Now untie me, and we can talk.”
