My Ruthless Kidnapper

Fear

Finn POV

When my gaze locked on Cheryl, standing frozen at the top of the staircase, her wide, tear-filled eyes and parted lips focused on the TV showing her father, her town, her people, everything about her disappearance, I became dysfunctional.

She'd just found out about me. About who I truly was. The reality was hitting her hard, and I could see her battling to breathe. Her chest rose and fell in uneven waves. She was pale, trembling when her eyes finally drifted over to me.

It was like she had surrendered. I knew it then, I'd lost her. No one could ever want someone like me.

I knew this day would come. I just hadn't wanted it to happen this soon. But she was bound to find out, that was what Liam had feared when I wavered at Mason's revenge and kept her.

To her, I was a monster. A ruthless, heartless man. And she was right. I was everything I appeared to be. Finn Hayes, the brutal murderer who terrorized her town, and slaughtered men without mercy. I was the nightmare that haunted her detective father, the fear that gripped every child. Unforgiving. Every victim of mine wears the same mark to assuage me that I finally succeeded.

When I kidnapped Cheryl, I left my mark like always, scrawled across the mirror. I couldn't bring myself to hurt her as I did with others. Piercing her finger for her blood was the hardest thing I've ever done, but I needed her blood to send a message to her parents.

God, I wish things were different, Cheryl!

As I swallowed the bile rising in my throat, her fragile body gave way. I bolted to catch her, but she was on the second floor, and I was too far away. By the time I reached her, she had already fallen, blood spilling from a gash on her head.

I was fucking too late. Too late!

The sight of her blood stopped me cold. I've seen blood. I've witnessed death. But seeing Cheryl lying there in a pool of her own blood, tore me apart. It was a sight I couldn't handle. I froze, feet away from her, helpless as I watched her suffer with nothing I could do.

I am useless. I am creaking useless.

She wasn't moving. Her body was limp, her face streaked with tears, and her hair matted with blood.

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't speak. I couldn't hear anything. I was paralyzed. Numb.

It might be April 21st, but the curse of April 20th had a grip on me.

~

Cheryl POV

"She—maybe—don't—hate—fine—fuck—son." The voices were loud, but the words were scrambled, like they were echoing in an empty space, far away, bouncing around in my head over and over.

I tried to blink. I don't know if I succeeded. I attempted to wiggle a finger. Still, I couldn't tell if I managed that either. Everything just stopped again, and it was quiet, blank.

It kept happening like that. I would struggle, trying to open my eyes, trying to make sense of the muffled words swirling around me.

But my body wouldn't listen. My heart and brain were on one side, but my body refused to follow. I was stuck in this void where there was no pain, no feeling at all.

***

"The long feared murderer who terrorized residents and left bodies at their neighbors' doorsteps has kidnapped eighteen-year-old Cheryl Mason."

"These men make a total of 108 victims of the ruthless killer. Our prayers go out to their families, and we hope to find Cheryl Mason before it's too late."