Under Your Scars (Under Your Scars, #1)

by Ariel N. Anderson

“I was on my way to the police station,” I finally admit, unable to look at him. “I was going to tell them everything about you.” Christian bites his lip and nods. “Can you even begin to understand how utterly hopeless I felt to press that tracker? To know that I hated you in that moment, but you were the only person in the world that could help me?” He looks down and then back up at me, trying to be brave and hold my searing, furious gaze. “Why would you manipulate me like that? All I think about when I look back on our relationship is how it all feels fabricated now. None of it feels real.” It’s the one question I’ve had bouncing around in my mind since he told me the truth. Why would he do that to me if he truly loved me? “It was real,” he says, and I roll my eyes. “Just…listen. I didn’t want to manipulate you. You saved my life, and from that moment, my heart belonged to you. I guess in the beginning, I thought that if you couldn’t love one side of me, maybe you’d love the other. And then when you started falling for me, for Christian, the Silencer got jealous and just…lost himself.” He takes a deep breath. “You have to understand, Elena, who I am when I put that mask on, isn’t me. We may occupy the same body, but we’re not the same person. He’s the man looking back at me in the mirror. My alter ego. The devil that wears me as his shell. I can’t escape him any more than you can.” “Why are you talking like you’re two separate people, Christian?” “Because I am!” he growl...