Free Keep Me Safe by Maya Banks Page A

from Ramie. Even though he knew . And it was a stupid question.
    â€œMe,” she whispered. “His end goal is me. And until he gets to me, countless other women will suffer horrifically because of me. How can I save myself knowing that other women have to die in order for me to stay out of his grasp? How can I live with that on my conscience? That he won’t stop torturing and killing other innocent victims until he finally achieves his ultimate goal? Me .”

NINE
    CALEB stared at her in a mixture of what the fuck and absolute disbelief. “You can’t possibly think that the deaths of his past victims and any future victims he tortures are your fault. You’re not a stupid woman, Ramie. Even you have to recognize the idiocy of such an assumption.”
    She looked angered by his statement. Her cheeks flushed with color and impatience flared in her eyes as though he simply wasn’t getting the point. Oh, he got it all right. And it didn’t make a goddamn bit of sense to him.
    Her fingers curled into tight balls and she pressed one fist down on top of her thigh, repeating the motions as she spoke.
    â€œWere he not so focused on me, and were I not so hard to pin down, then he wouldn’t be so hungry for his next victim. The longer I keep him at bay, the more frustrated he’ll become and he’ll utilize substitutes for me. Because I’m the only woman who manages to evade him at every turn. Not because I’m smarter than he is or that I somehow am able to outwit him. I’ve just been lucky . But my luck won’t hold out forever. And part of me wishes he would catch me because I know exactly what I’m dealing with and if I died I’d damn sure make sure he goes to hell with me.”
    â€œThat makes no goddamn sense ,” he said, voicing his earlier thoughts. “I swear I want to shake you. That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard. You are not responsible for the decisions a maniac makes. You are not responsible for him torturing, degrading and ultimately killing his victims. Do you honestly think he would just quit after you? Hell, he’d think himself invincible if he managed to bring down the one woman who’s proven to be his biggest challenge. And I’d be willing to lay odds that’s why he’s so obsessed with you. Because other victims are easy. They offer him no challenge. He enjoys the chase and the fact it has proven so difficult. It will only make him that much more egotistical if he does succeed in killing you. He’s going to believe he’s invincible. God of his own twisted universe. Because after you, how could he fail to bring down his next target? He’s become obsessed with you because you’re his Holy Grail.”
    He knew he’d scored a point with his logic. Ramie frowned, her gaze thoughtful. Her hand went still, her fist pressing hard into her thigh. She chewed on her bottom lip and then let out a long sigh, closing her eyes as fatigue and stress marred her forehead.
    â€œI guess I never imagined beyond him being able to capture me.”
    She nodded slowly as she said the next, opening her eyes and fixing her gaze at some distant point beyond him.
    â€œBut no, you’re right. I think he would only get worse, grow bolder and more confident once he managed to do away with me for good. I’m a thorn in his side. No one has ever come as close as I did to capturing him, or even figuring out who he is, and there seems to be no connection between his victims. No similarities, personality traits. Nothing. Just a thirst for torture and degradation that has his victims wishing for death.”
    â€œDo you know his name? Any identifying information?”
    She threw him an impatient look. “Don’t you think if I knew how to find him that I would have already done so? I’d kill him myself and damn the consequences if it meant eradicating his presence on earth. I’d willingly spend the