Page 85 of Savagely Scarred

Nika turns her body toward me, bringing up her thigh to rest on the bench. She picks at a hole in her black jean shorts while contemplating her next words.

She really does look like Olivia. I won’t deny it. It’s the only reason I even touched her in the first place. Minor lapse of judgement. Twice.

“Did you know women are being murdered in the parks?” She quirks a brow at me like this is exciting news. “They also look like me.” She grins. “Or her.” She drags a finger down my arm. “I really want to know what’s so special about her that is worth killing for.”

I snatch her wrist and lean into her. “What’s the matter, darling? Are you afraid you’ll be next?”

“No.” Her smile widens. “Because I know it’s not you. Why would you kill someone you’re so clearly obsessed with?”

“You know nothing about me,” I grit out and shove her arm back to her. “Your persistence and annoyance places you at the top of the list.”

“Clearly, she doesn’t want you.” She places her hand on me again and I stiffen at her touch. “But I do. Maybe you should stop pining over someone you can’t have.”

“Maybe you should stop talking.” I clench my jaw.

A runner passing by looks at me like I have two heads.

She moves closer and whispers in my ear, “Make me.”

Nika stands from the bench and begins to leave but stops abruptly and turns to face me again.

“I think it’s a competition elimination.” She winks and then walks away.

Wait.

What the fuck?

I launch myself off the bench and follow her down the path. She’s quick for a little shit and already put a good amount of distance between us. I shoulder past a group of joggers and pick up my pace. She glances over her shoulder at me and smiles before she takes off in a run.

The balls of my feet dig into the asphalt, sprinting after her. The path cuts through a grove of trees, their branches forming an archway above us and casting the area in deep shadows. Her feet pound against the ground and she takes a left, leading me to a less populated area of the park.

Is she… giggling?

When I gain on her she squeals and runs off the path into the trees. I glance around before following her to make sure no one notices this debauchery. The last thing I need is to have the cops called on a man chasing a woman in the park.

She trips on a branch, flailing her arms. I take the opportunity to catch up to her and grab her before she falls. Gripping her throat, I shove her against the nearest tree, making sure the bark digs into her back.

“What the fuck?” I seethe.

She grins at me maniacally, grunting under my grip.

“If I have no competition, I get you all to myself.”

I stare down at her in disgust as she continues, “I figured at some point I would finally find the right one. The one you’re stalking.”

“It was you this whole fucking time?” I glance down at her small stature wondering how the hell she moved the bodies around by herself.

For weeks, I was admiring this serial killer’s skill. The crime scenes kept drawing me in because they were clearly leaving a message for someone with the way that they were posed. But it was the resemblance to Olivia that seized my heart. Every time there was a new one, I would pray it wasn’t her.

And the Devil doesn’t fucking prey.

“Suuur—priiiise,” she sing-songs.

My face twists in revulsion. “You’re fucking crazy,” I spit.

“They say love makes you do crazy things.”

“How do you even know what she looks like? I never interacted with her.”