Chapter 16

James placed his hands on his waist, his gaze lowered.

“I didn’t kill them,” he breathed.

“You won’t fool me twice, James.” I let out a dry laugh.

“You know what?” He looked up, then back down again. “I’m sick and tired of putting up with you.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes.” His chest rose and fell sharply. “You never have time for me. You’re always worked up… always hard to reach.”

“Where the hell is all that coming from? What’s that got to do with the fact that you killed those girls—every single one of them you went out with?” My voice rose, sharp and loud, as I jabbed my finger at the pictures. “Every single one of them you cheated on me with! I don’t know why you haven’t tried to kill me yet, but I’m sure Jessica was supposed to be your next target. But you’re not leaving this room, James. This time I have enough evidence that you are SK.”

“There we go again!” James ruffled his hair in frustration. “I AM NOT SK!” His breathing grew heavier. “I tried to tell you many times, but you never listened—you were always on my back. You never trusted me.” He paused, eyes narrowing. “I don’t know why SK is going after the girls I’ve dated. But I can tell you this… I. Am. Not. SK.” His gaze locked with mine.

“I don’t want to hear any more of your bullshit. We’ll both stay locked in here until the cops arrive. Don’t try anything stupid, or I’ll blow your balls off.” I glared at him, locked the door, and slid the keys into my pocket.

“And put your damn trousers on.” My voice dripped with disgust.

He sneered but obeyed, grabbing his trousers and pulling them on.

I sat on the couch, keeping my eyes on him the entire night. While he slept like an idiot, I stayed awake, watching him, making sure he didn’t slip away to commit another kill.

I must have dozed off close to morning, because the blaring ringtone of his phone startled me awake.

“Shut the damn thing off,” I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

James jumped up from the bed, grabbed his phone, and quickly silenced it.

I checked the time, it was morning already.

“The cops should be here any moment now.”

“Ariel—”

“Don’t say a word. Sit right there. I’m watching you.” I carried the keys with me into the bathroom, freshened up, and came back out.

James was still sitting where I’d left him. Good.

“Well, I guess you’ll stop suspecting me now.” He held out his phone toward me.

“What’s that?”

“Just take it.”

I glared at him before snatching it from his hand.

The headline on the screen made my stomach drop: A body was found early this morning near a hotel.

The same hotel we were in.

I stared at the blurred photo of the victim. The clothes gave it away—Jessica. No doubt.

My hand flew to my mouth.

“Do you see now?” James took his phone back. “I told you, I had nothing to do with this.”

I slammed him against the wall, fury exploding inside me. He groaned in pain, but I didn’t care. I pressed the cold muzzle of my gun against his forehead, my breath ragged.

“There is no fucking way this is just a coincidence! Why does he go after every girl you’re with?”

“I don’t know!” James said desperately. “And it’s not every girl I go out with. He hasn’t come for you.”

“Shut the fuck up.” I shoved the gun harder against his skin.

“I never dated Sarah, and he came for her. The girl at the bar—I never met her, but he went for her too.”

I released him, pacing, trying to breathe.

“SK is trying to turn us against each other. He’s framing me.”

“I said shut your mouth!” My voice cracked, the gun still trained on him.

“Don’t you feel ashamed?” I hissed. “You cheated on me.”

His eyes fell to the floor.

“Every girl you go out with ends up dead. Didn’t it ever occur to you to ask why?” My hands trembled with rage. “You’re a fucking bastard.”

“I had no choice!” His voice broke, breathless. “Okay? I live with the guilt every day, knowing I those girls died.”

“Then why keep going out with more?” My voice shook. “You should’ve stopped the moment you noticed!”

“I only realized it after the woman in that abandoned factory. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but now I see it. SK is framing me. And it’s working—because…” he sighed, his voice low, defeated. “…because you believe him.”

His words sank deep. I hated that he was right. At least last night proved he couldn’t have been the killer. He’d been with me the whole time.

But that didn’t mean I forgave him.

I lowered the gun. “This changes nothing.”

We left the hotel and went straight to the station.

After I told Mrs. Jones everything, her face hardened. She was furious that James had kept information hidden and pretended not to know the victims. Finally, she dismissed him from the case and announced I’d be assigned a new partner.

“Yes, ma’am,” we both muttered before leaving her office.

As I walked away, James caught up to me.

“Ariel, I’m sorry.”

“Shove that in your ass.” I shot back without looking at him, then walked off. His regretful eyes followed me before he returned to his desk.

I burned inside. Angry. Bitter. He thought being “busy” excused everything. He could’ve talked to me, and we could’ve worked it out, but instead, he cheated.

“Hello, ma’am.”

The unfamiliar voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

I looked up into warm brown eyes.

“I’m your new partner,” the man said with an easy smile. “Nathaniel.”