Chapter 41
CHAPTER
FORTY-ONE
EMERSON
Watching Holden get dressed was becoming my new favorite hobby. It screamed intimate, reinforcing the words he’d uttered yesterday. I love you.
Had it only been yesterday? The last day felt a lifetime ago, before I knew Holden loved me and after. Maybe it could finally replace my previous before and after. Because being loved by Holden Adler was life-altering. Knowing I had Colter, as well, seemed too good to be true. It felt like an appropriate way to redefine my future.
“What are you smiling at?”
“I’m smiling?” I touched my face, not believing his words. Holden snorted and pulled a shirt over his head, taking away my view of his body. He bent down and kissed me.
“I like knowing I make you so happy you’re not even aware, Wildcat.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “You do, Jockstrap.” I giggled, and Holden rolled his eyes, but smiled. He couldn’t hide his happiness, either.
“You’re making me want to skip class and study your body all day. I’m confident I can get an A in all things Emerson, if I study more.” Holden sucked on my neck, his hands roaming over my body and lighting me up. Tilting my head back, I gave him more access and spread my legs for him.
“Fuck,” he groaned, nipping the skin.
Boom!
The apartment rumbled, and Holden and I jerked, bumping our heads together in the process.
“What the hell was that?” Holden shouted, spinning around in the room like the cause was in here with us.
“I don’t know. But damn. You have a hard head. Owie.” I rubbed my forehead, my vision returning to me. Holden grabbed my face and tilted it up. He searched my eyes, and that was when I realized how frantic he was. “I’m okay. Just stunned me.” He took a deep breath and kissed my temple.
“Was it something outside?” I asked, rubbing his hand.
“Colter.” Holden ran to the window, moving the blinds to peek out. I climbed off the bed and followed.
“Holy fuck.” He took off before I could see what it was. “Call 911. Stay here,” he ordered, pointing at me before running out the door.
I fumbled with my phone, bringing it to my ear. I pulled up the blinds, the cord going lopsided and leaving them at an angle. It gave me enough of a view to see out the window. Smoke billowed high into the air. I followed it, gasping, when I realized where it came from.
My car.
“911, what’s the emergency?”
My heart picked up speed, and I searched for Colter. A body lay on the ground a few feet away, another person standing over them. My entire body shook, and my breathing became more erratic at the implications. Was it him? Was he safe? The person walked off, leaving the body on the ground.
“No! Come back!” I screamed, hitting my hand on the window. The person stopped, their head tilting up to the window. They had a hood covering their head, shielding their face, but I knew.
Monsieur Owen.
He pressed his fingers to his lips and kissed them, lifting them to me before walking off. No. No. No. This couldn’t be happening.
“Hello? Can I help?”
The words registered, and I remembered what Holden had said. “Help. There’s a fire, and my boyfriend’s unconscious. There’s a man. He’s to blame!” I blurted out. I watched Holden run around the building and rush to Colter’s side.
“First, what’s your name?’
“Em..mer..son.”
“Emerson, are you safe?”
“Yes. I’m inside. My car’s on fire. He did it. I know it,” I wailed, tears pouring down my face. I wasn’t even sure if she could understand me.
“Good. Now, take a deep breath. You can’t be any help to your boyfriend if you’re not calm.” I nodded, forgetting they couldn’t see me. I took a deep breath. “Good. Now, take another. Then tell me the address.”
“Um. I don’t know. I don’t live here. It’s the University Park apartments.”
“Okay, I have a fire unit, police cruiser, and ambulance en route. You’re doing great, Emerson. Keep taking deep breaths for me.”
Other people had gathered outside now, listening to Holden as he told them what to do. I watched in amazement, admiring Holden’s calm demeanor in a crisis. I wanted to rush out to him, but he’d told me to stay here.
“They’re almost there, Emerson. How are you doing?”
“I’m okay. There’s people out there now.”
“That’s great, Emerson. The EMTs will be there soon and can give your boyfriend medical attention. When the police arrive, it will be safe to head out there. They’ll want to get your information about what happened. You said someone was to blame?”
“Yes. I’m supposed to call Detective… I forgot her name, but I have a card.”
“You can give it to Officer Smith when he arrives, and he’ll notify the detective.”
“Okay. Thank you.” Emergency vehicles pulled in, jumping right into work. I watched as they efficiently and confidently took control, slowing my heart rate. “They’re here. They’re putting out the fire and placing Colter on a gurney.”
“You did great, Emerson.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I mumbled.
“Yes, you did. You called and got help while keeping yourself safe. If you’d run out there, you might’ve gotten hurt and help wouldn’t have arrived as quickly.”
“Oh. I, um, didn’t think about it that way.”
“We all have our parts to play. It doesn’t diminish the others.”
“Thank you. That makes me feel better.”
“You’re welcome. I’m going to release you to the professionals on the scene.”
“Bye.”
The line went dead, and I stared at the scene below like a spectator far removed. Numbness had seeped into me, and I watched above myself as I pulled on my shoes, pants, and grabbed my bag before locking the door. The noise greeted me when I stepped out of the apartment corridor. The smell of burnt rubber and metal permeated the air, and I returned to my body, no longer able to stay detached. I pulled my shirt up to cover my nose, and my eyes watered from the smoke. Wafting my hand before my face, I tried to dissipate it.
“Wildcat!” Holden shouted. I turned, searching for him. When I spotted him by the police officer, I ran to him and threw my arms around his middle. He held me tight, and my face smashed into him. He smelled like smoke, and I hated it.
“Colter?” I asked, pulling away to search for him.
“Being transported to the hospital.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “Is he okay?”
“I don’t fucking know. I’m scared, Wildcat.” Holden’s eyes watered, and I squeezed him tighter.
“Once you finish, you can head to the hospital to check on your friend,” the officer said.
“Oh! Wait.” I dropped my arms from Holden, but he kept his hold on me. I pulled my bag around and pulled the card out of my pocket. “911 said to tell you to notify this detective.”
The officer took the card and scanned it. He grabbed the walkie on his shoulder and spoke into it. Holden pulled me closer. His body shook, so I tried to give him some of the comfort he’d given me. I rubbed his back in soothing circles and breathed in deep so he’d match my breathing. The operator had been right. I might freeze in a crisis, but I could do this.
“Detective Jennings said she’ll meet you at the hospital. You’re free to go.”
“Thank you,” I said, taking the card back. Holden took my hand and led me over to his truck. He lifted me in the seat and buckled in my seatbelt before he cursed.
“Fuck. Get out, Wildcat.” His hands fumbled as he tried to undo the seatbelt he’d just fastened. His breathing increased, his movements jerky and forced.
“What’s wrong, Holden?” I unfastened my belt, and he scooped me into his arms and moved us away from the truck.
“Not safe,” he mumbled, carrying me back to the officer. “Officer Smith!”
“Something wrong?” he asked.
“My truck needs to be checked, too. He might’ve tampered with it. ”
Officer Smith nodded and spoke into his walkie again. “You need a lift to the hospital?” he asked when he was done.
“Yes, please,” I asked, taking control. Holden squeezed me in response, following Officer Smith to his patrol cruiser. He gave a few more orders to the people on site before opening the back door for us. I slid in, and Holden followed.
“Should we call his parents?” I asked
“No, not right now, not until we know more. They don’t care about Colter. They’ll only make it worse.”
I nodded, trusting his judgment. I knew Colter didn’t get along with his family, but I didn’t know the full extent of his problems.
“Sandy!” I gasped and pulled out my phone. I sent her a message. She immediately responded to keep her updated and tell Colter not to worry. I sent messages to Cody and Jenny and then emailed my professors, and Colter’s, thankful we’d shared our schedules. I got Holden’s professors next and sent them and the football coach messages.
“Thank you, Wildcat,” Holden breathed into my hair. He hadn’t taken his arms from around me.
“You’re welcome. This is something I can do.” He kissed my hair and sighed into me. When we got to the hospital, we weren’t given much information, and I debated lying that I was his sister. Instead, I called Rose, and she showed up with my dad and took control.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t thought about the detective also arriving while they were there.
“What’s going on?” Dad asked, worry etching his face.
“Um, do you remember Monsieur Owen?”
“From Dance Expressions?” he asked, his brow scrunching in confusion.
“Yep.” I nodded, but Detective Jennings cut in.
“We’ve not ruled he’s the perpetrator at this time.”
“It’s him. I saw him. ”
“When?” Holden asked, his face hard. I rubbed his thigh to soothe the tension.
“After you ran out the door, I called 911 like you said and went to the window. He was standing over Colter and then walked away. I smacked the window and shouted for him not to leave. He stopped and blew me a kiss.”
“Motherfucker,” Holden said through clenched teeth. His hand gripped the chair, and I heard it crack.
“Can you describe what he looked like, Miss Adams?” Detective Jennings flipped out her notepad, eyeing me.
“Um, he wore all black and had a hood up.”
The Detective’s pencil stopped, and she lifted her eyes to mine. “So, you didn’t see his face?”
“It was him.” I lifted my chin, my eyes hard. I was so sick of people not believing me. She sighed like I was the most significant inconvenience of her life.
“I’m not saying it’s not, Miss Adams, but without solid evidence, I cannot charge someone.”
“Have you found him? Is he out?”
Her nostrils flared, and my gut sank. “His whereabouts have not been verified. He was released in May on early parole.”
Unadulterated fear overtook me. He was out and coming after me. The police might not believe me, but I was right. I didn’t know if today was just a message or if he’d actually tried to kill me.
“My daughter isn’t a liar. What will you do about her safety?” my dad asked sternly.
“We’re doing all we can to ensure everyone’s safety, sir.”
“Detective Jennings,” Officer Smith said, walking into the lobby. “They found something.” The officer glanced at Holden and me, then back at the detective. Worry lines were etched across his forehead, and my gut sank at the implications.
“What is it?” she asked, rubbing her temple .
“There was a device placed under Holden’s truck. It had a note attached to it.” He cleared his throat.
“Well, out with it. What did it say?”
“Stay away from what’s mine or you’re next.”
The color drained from my face, and spots appeared in my vision. It was my fault. Colter was hurt because of me.
“Forensics is still going through the debris, but they were able to find this.” He turned his phone around to us. On the screen was a picture of a doll in a dance uniform, her face partially burned and the pom-poms singed. He moved to the next photo, showing what had been scrawled on her uniform: HC Dance. The next photo showed the back with the name Norton on it.
“Why Norton?” I asked.
Detective Jennings looked at me, her brows dipping. “You don’t know?” I shook my head. “That’s Owen’s last name.”
“Oh.” Dread swirled in my belly, and I felt faint. Why was he so obsessed with me?
“There’s a theory that since he fixated on you before he went in, he got stuck on you.” Shit, had I said that out loud? “His fixation has increased over the years since he hasn’t been able to fulfill his desire, ultimately making him more dangerous. He can’t be reasoned with. He’s operating off a perceived belief that whatever bond you had with him at seventeen is stronger than it was. You mustn’t approach him at all. Do you understand?”
“Why would I go near him?”
“Some people have a hero complex and want to sacrifice themselves once people they care about have been targeted.”
“Not me. I’m fully aware of my limitations.”
“That goes for you, too, Mr. Football Player.”
Holden didn’t answer, just gripped the chair harder.
“So, what do we do?” Rose asked.
“I’ll assign a cruiser to watch you. Do you have somewhere different to stay? ”
“They can come home,” Rose said.
“Home?” the detective asked, glancing between the four of us.
“Holden is my son, and Emerson is Milton’s daughter.” Rose lifted her head, daring the Detective to say something. Holden had been wrapped around me the whole time, so there was no way she’d believe we had a ‘sibling’ relationship.
“Very well. I’ll be in touch when I have more information.”
I sank into the chair, exhausted. I just needed to see Colter. I needed to know he was safe.