Blind Date(70)

"Taylor, close your eyes," I yell at my friend. "Close them. And trust me."

"Hartley," she wails.

"Close them!"

I don't know if she does, all I hear is his evil laugh muffled by that voice changer. I turn to face him, pushing to my hands and knees and panting through the pain, "You will not fucking win. Beat me until I'm dead, but you will not break me. She might not like to see this, but she will recover. I, however, will not give in to you. So beat me until there is nothing left. Cut me into a thousand tiny pieces. Do whatever it is your weak, pathetic ass has to do. But. You. Will. Not. Win. You know nothing about me. There isn't a single damned thing you could do that would make me yield to you." 

"Is that so?" he says, raising his hand.

I prepare for another blow.

But he takes off his mask.

* * *

I stare.

For a moment, that's all I can do. Just stare. My entire body feels funny, tingly even, like I must be seeing it wrong, like maybe this is a dream after all. I mean, it has to be. It has to be a dream. It can't be real. It simply cannot be real. Even through the blood soaking my vision, and the pain pounding in my head, I can see him clearly enough. And I heard Taylor's gasp. I heard it as clearly as I heard my own.

But it still doesn't seem real.

But there he is, standing in front of me.

Jacob.

Jacob, who was sweet, romantic, kind.

Jacob, who took me out and kissed me when I was sad.

Jacob, who changed my locks so I wouldn't feel afraid.

Jacob, who I would have sworn on my life was a good and loyal man.

"Broken now?"

His voice hits me right in the heart, like a deadly whip.

I dated a serial killer. I kissed and let a serial killer into my home and into my life. I confided in him. I trusted him. I dated a man who had killed not one, not two, but three women. And I, Hartley Watson, was stupid enough to let him into my life, and nearly into my heart.

I'm numb.

I can't stop staring at him.

It feels like my body is going to just go out from beneath me.

"Cat got your tongue?" He laughs, stepping forward, looking down at me. "Imagine how Raymond would feel looking down on you right now? His wife, his dear sweet wife, dating a killer."

I can't breathe.

"She let him into their home, into her life, and she had no idea. None. He'd be rolling in his grave if he could see how stupid you've been. If he could see the woman he left behind was locking lips with a man who has, if I might say so with pride, had plenty of blood on his hands."

I'm going to be sick.

I vomit, there isn't much more in my body to come out, except blood and mucus, but I vomit. I vomit until I'm dry retching and gagging. Tears run down my face, my nose dribbles. This must be a nightmare. It has to be. It can't be him.

"You think you're so smart. You think you can't be broken, but guess what?" He kneels down in front of me and I stare into the eyes that I would have told anyone who asked, were kind and loving. "You just broke."

My whole body starts shaking.

I let him into my apartment. He could have hurt anyone, because of me. Ace. Lena  …  Oh God. I fell right into his trap. All along he was right there, and I dove in headfirst. Now that I look at it, it's almost glaringly obvious, but at the time I would have sworn to anyone that Jacob was a good man.

Oh God.

"You were easier than I thought, honestly. With the cop living next door, I worried he might catch on, but like the stupid fools you both are, you let me slip right past your radar. And don't get me started on the cop. He questioned me. Twice. But instead of actually asking me questions that would've probably given him a clue, he was too caught up in trying to make me look like a nobody. He wanted you and he couldn't look past that to see the truth. Idiot."

My throat closes and I can barely breathe as he continues.

"All along I was there, right in front of you, and you didn't see it. I knew I'd break you, but I must admit I didn't think it would be me that did the deed. I tried your husband, but you overcame that; I tried your best friend, but still you wouldn't crack; and then it came to me  …  it came to me and I knew. I knew exactly what it was that would destroy you."


      ///
       
         
       
        

He leans closer and chuckles.

"It was me. It was simply knowing that you let me into your world, and your friends' worlds, and how close I was the entire time  …  that's all it took. And now look at you-pathetic, broken, on the floor with nothing. You're exactly where I want you, Hartley. Now the real fun can begin."