Blind Date(41)

Lust.

Great, I'm developing a little crush on the detective.

Guilt swarms me. Poor Jacob. I like him, I really do, but I'm starting to think he just isn't my type. I mean, he certainly doesn't make me all hot under the collar the way Ace does. Not that there will ever be anything between Ace and me, but he has made me realize that I'm missing a certain spark with Jacob. I don't want to hurt him. I make a mental note to speak with him later. 

"Skipping over the bastard part," I say to Ace, getting back on track. "Are you going to tell me why you're here?"

He nods, placing his elbows on his knees.

"I could be wrong about this, so don't freak out on me."

Great.

I'm freaking out just from those words.

"I've been looking over your case, really thinking about it, and it seemed familiar to me. I couldn't put my finger on why, until someone in the station mentioned something and it clicked. It's not my case, but we've all heard details about it. I don't know why I didn't consider it earlier. Probably because I wasn't directly involved."

I swallow. "And what was that case?"

His eyes hold mine. "The Bowtie Killer."

My blood runs cold.

For a second, all I can hear is my ears ringing.

I can't feel anything.

"Hartley, breathe," Ace says, but his voice sounds garbled.

Serial killer.

Serial. Killer.

No.

No he's wrong.

But I think about the new reports I read on it, and all the things that they thought happened to the other girls, and it makes sense. It does, even though I don't want to believe it. Why didn't I think of that earlier? Probably because nobody would ever believe something like that would actually happen to them. God. I feel sick.

"Hartley!"

Ace's big hand curling around my arm and shaking me a little has my eyes snapping back and focusing on his. "A-A-Are you trying to tell me you think it's the Bowtie Killer, and I'm his next  …  victim?"

Ace's face tightens. "I'm saying it's similar. The last girl had a very similar experience from what I can gather. She had lost a loved one, and things were showing up. She was tormented for months before he finally took her. We're still not sure what happens when he actually takes them, whether he continues to torment, but it is all very familiar to what's happening with you."

No.

I'm going to be sick.

"I think I'm going to throw up," I groan, clutching my stomach.

"You're not going to throw up. Breathe, Hartley."

I take a staggering breath, sweat breaks out across my forehead, and my mind is spinning. This can't be happening. He must have it wrong. It's just similar. It isn't the same. No. No. It isn't the same.

"Listen to me," Ace says, reaching up and taking my jaw, forcing me to look at him. "I could be wrong, but if I'm not, you're in the best hands. Nobody knew a thing with the other victims-he tormented them for months and nobody figured it out. We're aware of it with you. That means it's entirely different."

"How?" I croak.

"Because we can protect you."

"Nobody can be with someone twenty-four seven," I say, my voice high-pitched and worried.

"Hartley, we have many ways of protecting someone. If we're right, we'll ensure your safety."

That doesn't make me feel better.

"W-W-Why me?"

Ace studies me. "We'll discuss this later. For now, you need to calm down for me, okay?"

"Is he going to t-t-take me?" I croak, and then clutch my chest.

Ace's eyes hold mine firmly. "Not with me around, he isn't."

Why doesn't that make me feel any better?

* * *

"I've threatened the landlord with legal action if the security isn't fully updated in the apartment building. He has agreed, and some new systems should be up and running within a few days," Ace says, arm wrapped around my waist as he helps me towards my front door.


      ///
       
         
       
        

My ankle is wrapped and the doctor gave me a prescription for some good painkillers. Ace was right, it isn't broken, just badly sprained.

"I still don't really feel safe," I whisper, my body numb from exhaustion and fear.

"I've also put a watch on the building-when I'm not there, someone will be outside. Until we can find out for sure what's going on, I've got the highest security. We'll keep you safe, Hartley."

I don't know that I believe him.

"Fuck."

I blink at the random curse, and then my eyes swing up to Ace, but he's looking ahead of us. I follow his line of sight, to where he's looking, and see a massive bouquet of flowers sitting by my front door. My heart starts hammering against my rib cage, because outside of Ace and Jacob, who knew I was at the hospital?