Page 53 of Savagely Scarred

“Olivia.”

His stern voice makes me flinch and my eyes lock onto his. They’re full of fear and anguish.

I caused that…

And then the dam breaks and a violent sob rips from my throat.

He yanks the gun from my hands and tosses it to the floor. Grabbing my forearms, he pulls me up from the floor and back out into the kitchen. I collapse into his chest and he wraps his arms around me.

“I’m so sorry,” I squeak out. His grip tightens around me. “I thought you were him.”

“You’re okay,” he whispers into my hair. "You're safe."

My cheek presses against his cold chest, into his rain soaked shirt. He holds me until I stop crying, rubbing my back. When I open my eyes again, the lights are back on. He pulls back slightly and brushes the hair away from my face.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone? I tried calling you. I was worried.”

I glance around the room, not remembering where I set it down at. But it wouldn’t have mattered because I was zoned out after leaving the park. I don’t even remember the drive home. One second, I was putting Sadie in the back seat and the next, I was pulling into the driveway.

“I—,” I startle at the garage door opening and Sage gives me a soft smile.

“It’s just Dorian. He waited in my car until the power came back on to put his bike away,” he says and my shoulders drop.

“What’s this?” He grabs the piece of paper from my bra and opens it. His eyes snap to mine. “Liv, when did you get this?”

I play with my fingers nervously. “Today. At the park. I found it in my book.”

“Fuck,” he breathes, tossing it on the counter. He slashes his hand out in front of me. “You are done. You don’t go anywhere alone anymore.” He points at Sadie laying on the marble floor. “I don’t care if the dog is with you or not.”

I drop my arms to my side in defeat as he takes away the last ounce of freedom I had left.

He throws his arms out wide and yells, “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I don’t know!” I snap, balling up my fists. “I was panicking.”

He waves a hand towards the panic room. “Clearly.”

Tears well up in my eyes again, but I refuse to let them fall.

He curses under his breath and rubs the back of his neck.

“Actually, I don’t want you setting foot inside another park at all. You can run on the treadmill here or at work.”

“But—,”

“SOMEONE IS KILLING WOMEN WHO LOOK LIKE YOU!”

My breath hitches and I take a step back. “What?” my voice trembles.

Sage sighs and runs a hand down his face. “It’s a serial killer. All the women resemble you. There has been one a week for the past three weeks. They are posed in a certain way and in a different park each time. That’s where I was before I came here. The last one was today, so when you didn’t answer your phone… I thought it was you.”

“How long have you known?” I ask him calmly.

“What?”

“How long have you known?” I repeat with irritation.

“Roberts showed me the file last Monday.”