Page 3 of Bait

"I could turn on my phone and find you," he said easily. "But where's the fun in that? The thrill of the chase is much more entertaining. Then when I catch you, I'll know I've earned my trophy." He rubbed his palms on each other.

Oh good, I was going to end up one of those stuffed heads people have on their walls. He might have a collection of them. One hundred and one for every way he knew to kill.

I pressed myself down smaller and closed my eyes. I was even more grateful now that I wore a dark dress and not pale pink. That would have stood out like the proverbial dog's balls, even in the middle of the night.

"I know I'm supposed to find you, and catch you, but you know what, I don't think I will right now." He sounded like he was turning around in a slow circle. "I think, sooner or later, I will find you. You'll come to me and then we'll deal with you. I'm going to enjoy knowing you'll spend every day wondering if this will be the day when I catch my prey. If this will be the day when you end up in my trap. If this is the day I make you mine. I'm going to enjoy making you squeal, little mouse."

My mouth went dry. What kind of twisted, sick fuck was this? Oh yeah, one who liked to stab people in the eye. I had a feeling that, given the chance, he’d take his time, make the man suffer before he died. One thing I knew for certain was, I didn't want to end up that way.

"They're going to be pissed off I let you go, but don't worry. I'll deal with them. I know just the way to handle them, like I know how to handle you. You're probably thinking I don't have a clue, but I know more than you might imagine. Such a sweet perfume, little mouse. I don't mean the stuff you dabbed on behind your ears and on your wrists. I mean the scent of you. Your pussy. Your arousal. Yourfear."

He took a long, slow sniff of the air. "Intoxicating."

Oh God, this guy was out of his mind. There was no way he could really smell me, was there? Okay, maybe my perfume, but notme. Not how scared I was.

No, he was guessing. It wasn't much of a stretch. I was hiding in the dark from someone who murdered another person. Whose friends were out there, disposing of the body.

How would they do it? They probably had one hundred and one ways of getting rid of a corpse. Would I be one hundred and two? Would they dig me a shallow grave in the forest and leave me there, dusting dirt off their hands? They wouldn't give me a second thought after that. While I decomposed down to my bones, they’d get on with their lives, doing whatever shit they did.

I had to stop thinking this way, it was making my fear worse. If he couldn't smell me before, he would if I kept going like this. I tried to calm my racing mind. He didn't know where I was or who I was. Once he walked away, he wouldn't find me. I might change my perfume, just in case, but otherwise his game would go unplayed. There would be no hunt, no prey, no trophy. All I had to do was stay calm and not freak out. Freaking out would definitely give me away, like waving a huge red flag while standing in the middle of the road.

"I'll see you soon, little mouse," he said. "Or maybe it will be later. Now I think about it, later would be better. Your fear will taste sweeter then. Like honey and wine. Like the smoothest chocolate melted down until it's liquid. Like cum. Perfect for drinking." He smacked his lips and turned to disappear into the trees.

I stayed crouched there for a long time, listening to the distant music, the lap of waves against the side of the lake, the whisper of the breeze and the pounding of my heart.

Chapter Two

Kennedy

"Isn't it just wonderful here?" My mother spread her hands and gestured at the view out the window.

Helen Knight had expensive taste. She always had. Nothing but the best homes in the best neighbourhoods, with the best schools, reached by driving the best cars. Apparently, my father made sure we were well taken care of, even though he was absent from my life.

My mother made sure to spend as much of what he gave her as she could. All of the luxury I grew up with was nothing compared to this.

The house was huge, set in ten of the best acres in Dusk Bay. On one side were elaborate gardens and an enormous swimming pool. On the other was a cliff with a sheer drop and stunning view of the ocean.

"It's fine," I said vaguely, only half hearing the question. It was probably something wedding related. I didn’t know why she asked me. Whatever answer I gave, she already made up her mind anyway. In the end, smiling, nodding and agreeing was the only way to go.

Not to mention I couldn't stop thinking about the other night. Over and over in my mind like a constant, instant replay. Blood spurted out of the man's neck. The twist of the knife in his eye. The guy who stood so close to me in the dark and claimed he'd find me. It was all I could think about when I was awake. All I dreamt about when I was asleep. The knife, the mask tattoo, the blood. Everything blurred together in my mind except the fear. That lingered like it happened moments ago.

Mum looked at me sharply. "What's wrong with you lately, Kennedy? Every time I try to talk to you, it feels like you're on another planet."

She was right, I was and unless I wanted to answer a pile of questions I had no answers for, I was going to have to pretend nothing was wrong. What in the world would I say anyway? The three masked guys killed a man. They didn't know who I was. I didn't know who they were either. If I went to the police, I suspected they wouldn't find a body. Or any sign of a struggle. No proof anything happened, except my word. I risked leaving the killers a trail that would lead straight to me.

I had no choice but to keep quiet.

I forced a smile. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking about what UNI classes I need to take."

That was a flat out lie and we both knew it. I was in the final year of my computer science degree. I knew exactly what I needed to take to finish.

At Mum’s insistence, I'd agreed to complete my final year here at Dusk Bay instead of on campus. A decision I was starting to regret. As far as I knew, no one on campus was a murderer. None I was witness to anyway.

A flicker of movement out the window caught my eye. The massive iron gates that led into the property opened slowly. Before it was open wide enough, a sleek black SUV rolled inside.

I winced, but it slid through effortlessly and came to a stop outside. The driver must have missed hitting the iron by a hair or two on either side.

The guy that climbed out of the passenger seat had a scowl etched on his face, like somehow it might be his permanent expression. His hair was blond and short, slightly longer on the top than on the sides. His square jaw was covered with a light smattering of stubble. Both his face and body looked like they were carved out of stone, cold and hard. A dark blue T-shirt clung to broad shoulders and chest, and flat stomach. I bet myself he had abs for days, but his face was all, ‘don't fucking touch me.’

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