Under Your Scars (Under Your Scars, #1)

by Ariel N. Anderson

The Meridian City Silencer. A serial killer in a red mask that patrols the streets at night, beating up criminals and dishing out bullet-shaped justice to anyone he feels deserves it.

He leans closer to me, lifting a gloved finger to lightly touch my chin. “Everything that happens to you is a big deal. Say the word, and I’ll take care of him.”

Christian Reeves is a fucking masterpiece, all hard muscles and charming smiles, effortless swagger and a panty-melting voice.

“I don’t want to kill you, angel. I want to keep you all to myself. You’d better take off those rose-colored glasses and accept that the only place you belong is in my black heart.”

Not killing them is a very important part of the equation for me. I like to play with my food.

I love making them feel helpless, like I felt all those years ago.

Eight. I’ve given him eight souls since September sixth. It should have only been one. It should have only been me.

“Baby, we’ve got somewhere to be in a few minutes and my dick thinks that somewhere is buried inside you.”

It’s a shame I’m already destined for Hell, because it’s not where angels belong. But I’m not going anywhere without her.

“Don’t worry, angel. I’m going to send you straight back to heaven.”

I whimper in equal parts fear and ecstasy, and by the time he’s done with me, he’s fucked me so hard I can feel him in my soul.

It’s easy for him to stand up when he didn’t get railed all night by eight inches of steel.

“I am painfully, catastrophically in love with you.”

I’m coming for her, and nothing will fucking stop me.

“Listen to me,” I plead. “I love you. I will love you forever. Even when we’re nothing but bones in the ground, I will find you in the afterlife and cherish you like I always have. I will hold you and kiss you and fall asleep with you wrapped in my arms. I will spoil you and give you a wedding ring with my last name to match. I will buy you yachts and islands and mansions all over the world so you can feel safe. I will do all of this even if you fight me because you know better than anyone that boundaries have never stopped me. One day, only when you’re ready, I will fill you with my love again, and I promise I will do it so thoroughly you will forget all that pain you went through for me. You’ll forget about the secrets and the lies and how betrayed you felt when you found out the truth. I will chase away all your demons because you know I’m scarier than they’ll ever be. I’ll do everything for you until the only thing you know how to do is love me back.” I take a deep breath and wipe away her sorrow with my thumbs. “But I can’t do any of that if you leave me, Elena, so I am begging you to stay.”

If they’re dead, they’re free, and I’m not. I’ll never be free again.

I undress slowly as he watches, my cheeks turning red under the blue heat of his eyes. After all, blue flames are the hottest.

I can give an angel her wings. But I can clip them, too, if it means I get to spend forever with her.

“How do you know me better than I know myself?” “Because I see more than you think I do. And I see an angel who just got her wings.”

“Whatever you want.” “You’re always so quick to say that.” “That’s because I’m thoroughly pussy-whipped for you.”

“Now break me so you can love me back together.”

“I think that’s the harsh reality of being a woman,” my mother continues, “we’re always so focused on everyone else, that we forget we need to take care of ourselves, too.”