Page 1 of Burn Me Down

Derek

I watched her walk down the sidewalk to her car, taking in everything about her. Her hips swayed as she walked, and her hair bounced against her back with each stride. She was digging around in her purse, looking for keys. Didn’t she know that was dangerous? When did they stop teaching women to have them out before stepping outside so that someone like me didn’t take advantage of the situation? It annoyed me that even though I planned on kidnapping and most likely burning her alive, I wanted to protect her from anyone else hurting her. No one other than me would ever touch her.

I’d been watching her for months and knew all her habits, including the thorough nightly skincare routine she did religiously. Her favorite colors were turquoise and purple, like her mermaid tail when she swam for the shows at the aquarium. I’d even picked up a part-time job as a janitor, watching from the darkened corners of the room just so I could see her swim. She was captivating. I never thought it would be so erotic seeing her twist and turn in the water with her hair flowing around her.

I didn’t understand why someone with an important job as a nurse bothered with the aquarium as a mermaid. But the shows had become my relaxing time, and I imagined another life where I was normal, and people didn’t look at me like I was the exhibit on display. I could see it so clearly, watching her shows, then grabbing dinner and going home together, where I’d make her scream my name but for reasons other than killing her. It was all a fantasy. The reality was that I was a criminal, a serial arsonist, on the run from the cops, my brother, and his girlfriend.

She slipped into her car, and I waited until she’d passed my hiding spot before I pulled out with my little white car and followed from a distance. I’d never understood shows where the follower got close to their prey. It seemed unhelpful, like they hoped to get caught in the act. I watched her taillights and could stay further back than most because I’d spent an entire evening changing out one of the bulbs, so when she pushed on the brakes, they glowed two different shades of red.

I hit the app on my phone, and the listening device picked up her singing loud and clear. She loved to sing while driving, and I once more found myself doing shit like singing along as if we were dueting at karaoke. My only goal was to use her to get to Asher and Violet, or it had been. It was hard to tell anymore. I could’ve taken her days ago, but here I was, still following her around like a fucking dog hoping for attention.

Her phone rang and just like that my mark was calling.

“Hey, Vi,” Beck said.

“Hey there, are you almost home?”

Beck sighed. “Yes, Mom. I’m almost home.”

“I’m being serious, Beck. Derek is still out there, and we don’t know what he’s planning next.”

“Oh. My. God. Are you seriously going to call me every day, twenty times a day? I get he’s not locked up, but I don’t understand what that has to do with me?”

It had everything to do with you, Beck. You really should listen to your friend. She was right to be concerned.

“Beck, he’s dangerous. He tried to burn Asher and me alive, faked his death to torture his brother, and then sent a cryptic text that the police couldn’t track.”

“I’m not saying he’s not dangerous, Vi. I’m saying that I think you need to chill out a little. I swear you’re becoming a stalker.”

“I need to be because you’re too blasé.”

I could hear the frustration and anxiety in Vi’s voice, and that alone was a sweet piece of revenge.

“No, I think Derek is misunderstood,” Beck said.

“What?” Vi practically screamed but took the words right out of my mouth. Even I had to give the phone side-eye. Had the sexy woman lost a few marbles? Did she ingest too much tank water or take a few drugs from work?

“Here me out, Vi. This is a man who has been through literal hell with an abusive home only to feel abandoned by his brother and end up in another abusive situation. I’m just saying try looking at it from his side.”

My brow lifted. It wasn’t often that people surprised or confused me, but Beck was doing both. Even I thought she was ridiculous, and it was me she was defending. I was a straight-up killer. It didn’t matter why I did it. Call it vigilante justice all you want. I had a higher body count than Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer combined.

“Beck, he killed my parents.”

“I haven’t forgotten,” Beck said, her voice soft with a touch of sadness.

“And he killed a whole bunch of people around town.”

“I know, but didn’t you say it was more like vigilante work?”

“He still killed them. No matter the reason, it’s not right, and…did you forget about the entire asylum he burned to the ground with all the patients inside?”

“No, of course not, but everyone has a good side. He didn’t kill you or Asher even though he wanted to, right?”

“Oh my god. It’s happened. My friend has turned into the person who will stop for a wounded aligator only to get eaten. You need to lay off the dark romance books because there is nothing redeemable about Derek West.”

Beck sighed like Vi was the one being unreasonable. If she only knew what I had planned for her. Then, she might not feel the same way. It almost felt gentlemanly to warn her first. It was so easy to take her that it was kind of sad.

“This is why you hunt the bad people, and I take care of people. Now, is this the only reason you called?”