Page 50 of Mine To Hunt

But I still liked it. The warm blood splash on my skin, the sounds of breaks and yells, how his body changed from alive to a wrecked, dead pile of torn meat, bare bones, and leaking guts.

Across the room, she stayed passed out in her chair, not knowing about the killing, her breathing calm and steady. I cleaned the knife on his ripped shirt, already planning the cleanup and how to get rid of him. The boring jobs after the fun.

I left them there and ascended the stairs, showering off the blood that clung to my skin, then changing into fresh clothes.

When I return to the basement, she is exactly where I left her. I lift her carefully, instinctively adjusting my hold until her weight settles against me, familiar in a way that feels inevitable. Her body rests easily in my arms, slack with unconsciousness, fitting there as if it always had. The thought steadies me.

The drive back is quiet. Streetlights pass in a slow, measured rhythm, illuminating her face in brief flashes before letting it slip back into shadow. She doesn’t stir. She trusts the stillness without knowing it, and that trust feels like something precious.

At her flat, I carry her inside. The space is unchanged, unaware of what has just shifted. I lay her down on the bed with deliberate care, smoothing the sheets beneath her, arranging her as gently as possible.

I pull the blanket around her slowly, tucking it in, sealing the edges as if to keep the world out. The gesture is intimate, intentional. A quiet claim made without words.

I step back and take one last look before leaving, committing the sight of her to memory.

Chapter 15

Her

Iwake up with a start, my heart pounding in my chest as fragments of last night rush back into my mind. The room feels too still, and my body aches in ways that make me question everything. My head throbs with a dull pain that refuses to fade, and I sit up slowly, trying to piece together what happened.

The stalker, the hammer, Ryan's screams, they all feel so vivid, but now, in the light of day, doubt creeps in like a shadow. Could it have been a dream?

My cheek stings when I touch it, a reminder of Ryan's slap, but the rest seems hazy, like my brain is playing tricks on me.

I reach for my phone on the nightstand, my fingers trembling as I scroll to Maddie's number. Talking to her might help sort this out. She always knows how to ground me when things feel out of control. I hit the call button and hold my breath, hoping she picks up quickly.

The phone rings twice before Maddie's voice comes through, sounding sleepy but warm. "Ree? It's early. Everything okay over there?"

I swallow hard, my throat dry as I try to find the words. "Mads, I don't know where to start. Last night was insane. Or maybe it wasn't. I'm so confused right now."

Her tone shifts immediately, alertness kicking in. "Confused about what?"

I close my eyes, forcing myself to recall the details without letting the fear overwhelm me. "I went to Ryan's place to get my documents. He was there, and we argued. It got bad. He hit me, Mads. Grabbed my hair and slapped me hard."

Maddie's gasp is audible, filled with shock and anger. "He hit you? Again? Oh my God, Ree. Are you hurt? Why didn't you call me right away?"

Before I can answer, her voice sharpens. “Wait! Where was Al? Wasn’t he supposed to go with you?”

I sigh, pressing my fingers against my temple. “He was. But he got pulled into some project at uni at the last minute. I didn’t want to wait around, so I just… went by myself.”

I touch my cheek again, the tenderness making me wince. "I'm sore, but that's not the worst part. While we were fighting upstairs, someone started hammering on the front door. It was loud, terrifying. The door broke open, and this guy in a white mask and hoodie came in. It was the stalker. He had a hammer, and he attacked Ryan. Beat him so badly. I thought he was going to kill us both."

There's a long silence on her end, and I can almost hear her processing my words. "A masked guy with a hammer? Ree, that sounds like something out of a horror movie. Did you see his face?"

I shake my head even though she can't see me, tears welling up as the memories flood back. "No, the mask hid everything. The guy came toward me, injected me with something. I passed out, and when I woke up, I was back in my bed here. But Mads, it felt so real. The fear, the pain. It's all still in my body."

Maddie lets out a slow breath, her voice laced with disbelief. "Okay, wow. That's a lot. You must have been terrified. But... are you sure it wasn't a nightmare? You've been under so much stress with the stalker and everything. Dreams can feel incredibly real sometimes."

Her words hit me like a punch, doubt mixing with my own confusion. "I thought that too at first. But the bruises on my arms from Ryan grabbing me. They're real. And the injection spot stings a little. How could a dream do that?"

She pauses again, her tone turning more skeptical. "Bruises could be from the fight with Ryan before you blacked out or something. Ree, I'm not saying you're making this up, but stress can mess with your head."

Frustration builds in my chest, but I know she's trying to help. "I get that, but I need to know for sure. What if the stalker was really there? What if he hurt Ryan and dragged me back here? I have to check Ryan's place."

Maddie's voice rises with worry. "Check his place? Alone? No way, Ree. If this was real, going back could be dangerous. And if Ryan's there, he might lash out again. You can't do this by yourself."

I nod to myself, appreciating her concern even as determination sets in. "You're right. But I have to see. Maybe it will prove it wasall in my head. Please, Mads. Come with me? We can meet at the corner near his building."