Chapter 18
Cas
Ok it’s official, I am a teenage girl.
That can be the only way to describe what I’m about to do. I woke to find Emmy had already gotten up and started breakfast. After a quick make-out session in the kitchen, she ordered me to go and grab a shower. Now that I’m done with my shower and I’ve gotten ready, I sit on the edge of my bed with my phone in my hand, knowing I will regret doing this. I open up the group chat with my brothers anyway.
Me
Got to the cabin ok. Emmy’s settled in well, she really loves the place. I feel good today!
I cringe at that but send it anyway.
Archie
*shocked face emoji* you totally had sex last night!!!
Me
WHAT?!?!?!?!?! That’s not what I said!
My brother has some serious freaky psychic abilities.
Archie
I know these things Casper, me thinks thy sir doth protest too much
Cole
Arch grow up it’s just sex
Nate
*heart eyes emoji* aww CJ you finally had sex? That’s so sweet
Ethan
Were you really bad at it? I could imagine you being really bad at it, did your breath smell? Did you fart?
Me
You’re all terrible brothers. I regret messaging you at all *middle finger emoji*
Rafe
I’m just thankful you didn’t have sex in my bed…that would be weird having your wiener near where mine sleeps…
Archie
Jesus Rafe what an image…gross *being sick emoji*
Nate
I’m with Arch on this one! How does your mind even work?
Me
Dude that’s just wrong! Actually, no it wasn’t bad at all…it was actually pretty amazing. At the risk of you all ribbing me to death, I really have fallen for her.
p.s Rafe…wiener? Really??
I watch as all of my brothers names pop up at once typing messages.
Rafe
Yes wiener…also I’m happy for you, she’s a really nice girl, don’t let her get away
Archie
Aww I just love love *heart eyes emoji*
Nate
that’s amazing man. I’m happy for you. I bagsy wearing blue at the wedding!!
Archie
oooh I call best man!!!
Nate
aww man I wanted to call best man! I call second best man! *Bride emoji*
I click out of the chat knowing they will argue amongst themselves, but it does get me thinking that I want all of that with Emmy. I want her to be my wife and the mother of my children. I never thought I would ever get there again after Stephanie, but she’s somehow healed that part of me.
I remember when things ended with Stephanie and how bad I hit rock bottom. My brothers were there for it all, and so were my parents. I stopped working and going out, she messed with my head and I didn’t think I’d ever get over the betrayal, but slowly I managed to get back on track. Now I realise that what I had with Stephanie was juvenile and not true love at all.
The only thing that’s getting to me now is the creep that’s fucking around scaring Emmy and wrecking our worksite. I hear Emmy call out that breakfast is ready, making my way to the kitchen, my phone beeps with a message. Assuming it’s one of my brothers, I swipe open my phone, but stop dead as my stomach plummets to the ground, it’s a picture message from an unknown number. I download the picture to find a still image of Emmy and me on the living room floor last night. You can’t see much because of the angle of the blinds but it’s enough to make my blood run hot and cold at the same time. Whoever this sick fuck is, he’s found where we are and was outside last night watching us, it makes me feel sick but most of all I feel this insane rage inside of me.
I run into the living area like a mad man and check all the doors and windows are shut all around us, Emmy starts saying something to me but I zone her out for a second, my only priority right now is to make sure she’s ok. I start checking inside the house just in case he got in. When I’m sure everything is okay, I fire off a text to the group chat.
Me
He’s here…can one of you drive up ASAP we need to leave but there is no way I’m opening that door without some backup. This is what the sick fucker sent me…
I attached the picture of what was sent to me and closed off the chat. Right now, I’m not very good to anyone, especially Emmy. I can see how much I’m scaring her, but I don’t know what to do. I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her. She strokes up and down my back and slowly soothes me, I didn’t realise how much I needed that. I pull back and put my hands either side of her face and kiss her slowly, taking my time. I don’t want to tell her what happened, but I have to. I can’t wrap her up in cotton wool; she needs to be part of this.
She smiles at me as we pull apart. I look at her in her eyes and say, “We’ve got a problem.”
Then, I hand her my phone so she can take a look.
Her hands fly to her mouth as she gasps in shock, then tears well in her eyes as she shakes her head and turns and runs to the bathroom. I get there just in time to grab her hair backwards as she’s sick into the bowl. After about five minutes, she sat back, and I flushed the toilet for her and grabbed a washcloth for her forehead.
Holding it to her I say “I’m so sorry, I don’t have a clue how he found us, no one knows about this place but our family. I don’t even know how he got my number, but I can promise you he isn’t getting anywhere near you”
she nods her head and starts crying again we sit there together on the bathroom floor.
I hold her until it sounds like the front door is about to cave in with all the banging. Emmy jumps into my arms, but I say, “Shush, baby, it will just be one of my brothers. Go pack our things, and I’ll take a look,”
She nods and scurries off to our room. I get up and on my way to the door, I grab the baseball bat from the storage cupboard in the kitchen, just in case it isn’t one of my brothers.
The banging gets louder and when I get to the door my arms drop down and I huff out a laugh. Opening the door, I watch as all my brothers, my mum and dad stand outside. Each brandishes a weapon they’ve taken from one of the worksites.
My mum, though, she’s holding a bag of pastries, and when she sees I’m ok, she dissolves into tears and rushes forward and grabs me in a bear hug, she whispers “I’m so glad you’re both ok”
then she heads off inside in search of Emmy.
I turn to my family, all standing there with their chests heaving and looking manic and I can’t help it but my eyes start to sting as I realise just how lucky I am. Rafe walks over to me and grabs me in a one-armed hug, and before we know it, the rest of our brothers and dad pile in, and we stand there hugging.
When we pull apart, my dad grabs my shoulder and says, “Do you have any clue as to who this could be?”
I nod and say the first thing that comes to my mind “her ex Chad. He’s been giving her shit since we met, he’s a nasty piece of work”
my dad nods and takes off into the lodge.
My brothers stand around looking slightly nervous, and none are making eye contact with me. I say “you don’t think it was him?”
Cole shakes his head, no, “CJ I asked Charlie to do me a favour and keep an eye on him as soon as you and Emily left your house. He said he’s had eyes on him this whole time and he hasn’t left his apartment”
my mind blows, if it isn’t Chad then who the hell could it be.
As if reading my mind, Rafe says “Is there anyone else this could be? Have you had a run in with anyone from the club, it’s gotta be about you and not Emily because they’re attacking the worksites. I think they’re just using her to try and get to you,”
I shake my head because something feels off.
I say to him “, none of this fits. I have no enemies; the only person it could be is him. He’s paid for someone to do this or gotten one of his low-life friends. It feels like I already know who is doing this but I can’t seem to put my finger on it. I know I’m right about this”
my brothers look at me and nod one by one.
Cole says “we’re with you all the way, no matter what needs to be done CJ. I suggest we each take turns keeping an eye on Emily.”
I look at my brothers and am grateful to have them fighting in my corner.
By the time we got inside, my parents and Emmy had packed everything and were ready to go. My dad picks up Emmy’s bag and hooks his arm through hers. He says, "Emily dear, how would you like to go to one of the best steakhouses known to man?”
Emmy smiles her first genuine smile all day, “I’d like that very much”, and with that, he walks her out and puts her bag in the boot of my car.
As we’re all getting into our trucks, I stop dead as the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, I can feel someone watching me but I haven’t a clue where from. I survey around but can’t see anything, climbing into the car, Emmy asks, “Cas, is everything ok?”
I paste on a smile and nod, then buckle up and start the car, as I reverse to turn around, I look in my rearview mirror and sure enough, just like I thought, someone was standing just behind a tree looking out. This was the mystery man, tall but in just enough shade and far enough away that I couldn’t make out anything else. I had the urge to stop the car and get out, but I was okay with playing the long game. Knowing we were heading away from him made me feel a whole lot better.
Grabbing Emmy’s hand, I bring it up to my lips and kiss her softly, “Emmy, you’re always safe with me.”
She turns to me and smiles “, Of course, I know that Cas”
I turn to the road and follow my family to the steakhouse.
When we pull up and we all pile out, Archie comes over to us and hooks his arm through Emmy’s, “Come on, sweet girl, you can sit with the more interesting brother”
I bark out a laugh and nod for Emmy to head on without me.
Cole shouts over “CJ are you coming in?”
I nod yes, “Just gonna make a quick phone call, I won’t be long”
he dips his head and then goes inside with the rest of my family. I pull out my phone ready to call Vik, when out of the corner of my eye I spot a small, dark green hatchback pull around the corner. Something tugs at my memory, but I can’t figure out what it is. I decided not to react, so I switched my phone to camera mode and took a video of the car as covertly as possible.
The front windshield has some wrap on that gives it a tinged pink colour, making it impossible to see inside. As it turns out, I see the windows are tinted, but I can make out a silhouette of someone driving. The car passes slowly, and I focus intently on my phone, making it look like I’m texting someone. When the vehicle passes by and doesn’t stop, I hit the stop recording button and re-watch it. I fire the video off in a message to Vik and then hit ring on his number.
“How’s Emily doing?”
is the first thing he says to me when I answer the phone, making me smile.
“Yeah, she’s okay. She's a bit shaken up, but she’ll be okay. Do you have anything for me? I’ve just sent you a video, if you can work your magic?”
He sighed as he said, “You’re not going to like this CJ, but I don’t think it’s her prick of an ex. I know you said your brother pulled in a favour at the police station, but I had one of the guys keep tabs and he’s clean. A piece of shit but he’s clean. When I went digging around, I found some sealed records, but it will take a while to un-seal them if you get my drift.”
I shake my head, but laugh, “Vik, you’re so dodgy, I don’t even know how that happened”
he’s been my best friend for years, and I know no matter what, I have him and his dodgy connections to rely on.
He laughs right back at me “Oh you know me, wrong side of the tracks so to speak, it never leaves you. Now leave this video with me and I’ll see what I can…”
suddenly there’s a muffled noise over the phone and it sounds like he’s grappling with someone for the phone. Worry fills me as I imagine the mystery man going for Vik.
“Vik!”
I shout down the phone but instead I get Birdie shouting “Fucking hell CJ deafen me why don’t you? I just wanted you to pass on my love to Emily and let her know if she needs me to knee cap the prick then I will”
I hear the phone shuffle again.
Vik’s back as he says, “Sorry about that, she was earwigging”
he covers the phone and says something else to Birdie. Still, I can’t hear what, he comes back on “I’ve gotta go CJ, all my love to Emmy”
he clicks off and it isn’t until I look at my phone that I realise Vik and Birdie wouldn’t be at work for a few hours now but they were together. I smile knowing that she will either make him or break him.
Entering the steakhouse, I find my family have taken over three tables and pushed them together like one long table. My brothers have waitresses flitting around them, asking if they need anything while giggling and blushing at the flirting between them, Ethan and Nate.
I zero in on where Emmy sits next to Archie, a waitress is hovering around them trying to get his attention but he’s listening intently to whatever Emmy is telling him. I’m grateful for that; he always has a knack at making people feel at ease, which is something Emmy needs in spades. I make my way over and sit down on her other side. Her hand moves behind her, and she grabs mine under the table. I give her hand a squeeze and bring it up on top of the table. I look over to see my mum watching us, she gives me a warm smile and I see the twinkle in her eye. I take a quick look at Emmy as she talks to my brother and notice she’s blushing ever so slightly and my chest fills with pride at the sight of it.
Our food arrives not long after and Emmy starts laughing at the story Archie is telling her about the time he pranked our dad that he’d scratched his beloved E-type Jag, my dad’s laughing along and mum has tears in her eyes as she remembers.
Cole nudges my side and I turn to him, he always looks so serious but right now he looks deadly as he whispers “I just got a text from Charlie. Not long ago someone ransacked the office at work, luckily I don’t keep anything there. Anything of importance I bring back home with me or keep in the lock box in my car”
I shake my head but he isn’t finished “the thing is CJ, they did more than ransack the place they…”
then he stops what he's saying and abruptly sits up and when I turn around I find everyone watching us intently.
My dad asks, “What the hell have they done now?”
My mum puts her hand on his arm as if to calm him. I look at Emmy and see the worry in her eyes.
Cole straightens his tie and clears his throat, one of his nervous ticks as he carries on: " They’ve spraypainted the outside of the office and inside…well, inside Charlie said they found a…”
His eyes nervously flicker to Emmy.
Still, she steels herself and looks right back at him as she says “Cole I need to know. I don’t want to be kept in the dark about any of this.”
He nods and carries on, “Ok. Inside they found a dead cat wrapped in a plastic bag. Someone had taken the poor cat's head.”
Emmy and my mum gasp in shock, and the rest of us are shocked into silence. Rafe bangs his drink down as he growls out “motherfucker”
my mum is too shocked even to reprimand him on his swearing.
Cole carries on “Charlie seems to think this situation is directed at you Emily. CJ is just collateral damage. He says he thinks you have a stalker and more specifically a rejected stalker”
his eyes flick to mine, my blood boils with everything he’s saying and I feel like I want to rip apart whoever this freak is.
My dad asks, “What the hell is a rejected stalker?”
I turn to look at Emmy and see her face has frozen over.
Cole says, “Charlie said that it’s usually someone that believes they’ve been rejected or humiliated by the victim, and in most cases is usually a former sexual partner”
My brothers mutter swear words under their breath.
Emmy has turned white, but she finds her voice and says, “But you said that it couldn’t have possibly been Chad, and he’s the only ex-boyfriend I have”
I pull out my phone and type a message to Vik.
Me
Vik, I need something. Cole’s contact think this is aimed at Emmy and she has some sort of stalker, are you sure that it isn’t Count Dickless?
I wait for his message back, turning to Emmy I say “I’ll fix this, whoever the fucking creep is he won’t get anywhere near you. I’ll do whatever it takes ok?”
she nods at me and smiles, a real smile that reaches her eyes. My phone pings.
Vik
CJ this isn’t CSI where things are done in an episode. I’m good but not that good. As for the stalker I am 100% certain Count Dickless isn’t doing the deed himself so he’s either paying someone but from his bank records I don’t know how OR it isn’t him. As soon as I have anything I will send it over. I promise brother.
I sigh in frustration because everyone is offering me information but no solutions. Banging my phone down on the table, I put my head in my hands. My dad says to us, “Nothing will be solved tonight. Let’s make a move back home. CJ, Emily, you’re staying with us tonight.”
I jump out of my skin when Emmy shouts out next to me, “OH MY GOD! Scruff!!”
She has tears in her eyes, and I know what she’s thinking, but my mum calms her.
“Emily dear, don’t worry about Scruff, we left him with Lacey. He’s perfectly alright and currently being spoiled rotten.”
She gives Emmy a warm smile.
Emmy relaxes and wipes her eyes “Thank god for that, I love that little guy.”
Just then Archie decides to be his usual inappropriate self as he looks at me and says “ouch, must hurt your girl saying she loves the dog before you”
Emmy blushes a bright red. I shake my head at him, I pick up a cold chip and fling it right into his forehead as I say “big mouth”, he shakes with laughter like the immature little boy he is, but I have to admit he does make me smile.
Rafe pays for our meals. I don’t know how he makes his money, but I’m not complaining about it. The rest of us gather our things and head out ready to make the journey home. We get into the car, I lock the doors, and as I’m turning towards Emmy, she grabs my head in her hands and kisses me fiercely, I kiss her back, and before we know it, we’re both panting.
Looking at each other, she says, “Promise me Cas, that this won’t get between us? I’m sorry it’s happening and you’re getting dragged into this mad drama but I want you to know that I do care about you…a lot”
I slide my hand along the side of her face and gently rub my thumb over her cheek. I want to tell her I’ve already fallen hard but I don’t want this freak to force my hand or for her to think that I’ve only told her because of this situation we’re in and so instead I pull her in for a kiss and I pour my heart and soul into her that way so she knows.
When we break apart, I whisper, “Wild horses wouldn’t drag me away, Emmy, always remember that no matter what, I’m yours and nothing will come between us, ok?”
She nods at me, and with that, we set back off home.
Entry #59
I have another little helper, only they don’t know it.
The information they blabber on about is nothing short of fucking irritating most of the time.
Not today.
Today it was just the kernel of truth I needed.
****
Entry #60
I fucking hate the woods.
I hate this pricks cabin and his stupid fucking family. They’re always in the way.
How am I ever going to get to her when one of those brothers is always in the way?
Not out here. Out here it’s just them and me.
It’s night and the one good thing about this place is there are no lights to show where I am.
Entry #61
The shutters are closed up tight, but I find a sliver of wood missing from one.
It isn’t enough to see much, what with the grime on the windows behind.
Still.
I know what they’re doing.
Fucking. He’s rutting her like the fucking animal he is.
I didn’t think she would stoop this low. Sully herself.
WHY DID SHE HAVE TO RUIN THIS?
Now I have no choice.
Now I have to…………..