Page 69 of Mine To Hunt

I watch through my tears as his gaze drops briefly to my hands, noticing the tremor I cannot control no matter how hard I try to steady myself against the wall.

Then his eyes seem to linger on the bruise still faintly visible on my cheek from his knife last night, the one that stings with every tear that falls over it and reminds me of his touch.

Confusion stirs inside me amidst the terror because his breathing appears to deepen noticeably, steadying itself instead of accelerating with the aggression I fully expected from him.

"Why are you stopping now?" I whisper through my sobs, my voice barely holding together. "What do you want from me if not to hurt me?"

He does not answer my question, just continues to watch me with that steady gaze.

A car turns into the lane unexpectedly, its headlights flooding the space with bright, blinding light that makes me squint and shield my eyes instinctively.

The sudden illumination startles me, piercing through the darkness and momentarily disorienting me. But when the light clears and my vision adjusts back to normal, he has stepped back deliberately, putting more distance between us than before.

He does not retreat in panic like someone who has been caught off guard and needs to flee quickly to avoid being seen, but chooses not to close the gap anymore, standing there as if he is reevaluating the entire situation with careful, deliberate thought.

I do not understand why he does not take me right then, why he simply watches me as if memorizing every detail of my tear-streaked face and trembling body instead of ending whatever twisted game this is with finality.

"Are you just going to stand there?" I shout at him, my voice cracking with a mix of fear and frustration. "Say something! Tell me why you keep appearing like this!"

The shift confuses me deeply, turning my fear into something more complex that I cannot fully grasp in the moment amidst the panic. It feels like I am no longer just prey being stalked blindly without any mercy or hesitation, but something being reconsidered carefully, like he sees me in a new light that changes his approach entirely.

"Why let me go now?" I ask through my tears, my sobs quieting slightly as confusion takes hold. "What changed? You had me cornered."

He remains silent, but his head tilts again, as if my questions intrigue him.

The next thing I notice is him disappearing between the shadows at the edge of the lane, not running or rushing away, but just gone as if he was never fully there to begin with in the first place.

Relief floods through me in a powerful wave that makes my knees buckle, but it mixes with the lingering terror that leavesme shaking uncontrollably even as I lean against the wall for support.

"What just happened?" I whisper to myself, my voice hoarse from shouting and crying. The confusion leaves me reeling, my mind struggling to process why he backed off.

I stand there for a long moment, catching my breath through the sobs that still escape me occasionally, before forcing my legs to move toward home. My mind races with endless questions about why he let me go, the confusion adding to the emotional whirlwind that swirls inside me and refuses to settle down.

When I finally reach home, my hands shake so badly I fumble with the keys, missing the lock twice before I finally manage to get the door open. I stumble inside, lock it again with clumsy fingers, then lean against it for support, sliding down to the floor as exhaustion hits me like a physical blow.

I realize with a hollow clarity that whatever this man wants from me, it is not finished by any means, and it is not simple like a straightforward threat or attack.

Chapter 23

Her

Istand outside Dr. Nathaniel's office the next morning, my hands trembling slightly as I try to gather the courage to go inside and pour out everything that has been tearing me apart inside, leaving me feeling raw and exposed.

The confrontation with the masked man last night has left me utterly shattered, with waves of fear crashing over me relentlessly, twisting my thoughts into knots of doubt and terror that make it hard to breathe or think clearly.

Confusion storms through my mind, replaying every moment and questioning why he backed off. The fear should haunt me, but it’s the arousal mixed with it that fills me with shame. I barely slept, insomnia leaving my body tight with exhaustion. Now anxiety coils inside me, threatening to break me apart as my heart races and my palms sweat.

I push the door open and step into the waiting area, where Olivia sits behind her desk typing away on her computer, her presence a small but fleeting anchor in the sea of turmoil that threatens to drown me.

She looks up with her usual professional smile, but it does little to pierce through the fog of fear and confusion that clouds my mind, leaving me feeling isolated even in this familiar space.

"Good morning, Iris. How are you today? What can I help you with?" She asks, her voice steady and calm, contrasting sharply with the storm raging inside me that makes my knees feel weak.

I approach her desk, my voice shaky as I try to sound as composed as possible despite the anxiety that makes my heart pound erratically and my thoughts scatter like leaves in the wind.

"Hi, Olivia." My voice comes out thinner than I expect. "Is Dr. Nathaniel available right now?" I grip the strap of my bag tightly. "I really need to see him as soon as possible."

Olivia looks at me, surprised by the urgency in my voice. She turns to her computer and begins checking the schedule, her fingers moving quickly across the keyboard.