Chapter 8 Ellis
ELLIS
I woke up before Adam did and just stared at him. Sunlight was streaming through the window, creating an almost halo effect where he was curled up next to me. His face was relaxed in sleep, with his lips slightly parted and one hand tucked under his pillow.
It was the perfect day. He was the perfect boy.
Knowing he was safe and warm in my bed brought me more peace than I’d known was possible. It was like something I'd been waiting for my whole life had finally arrived, and there was nothing else I needed in the world.
Just Adam.
I'd had casual hookups and a few attempts at relationships in the past, but no one made me feel as needed and wanted as this boy did. He brought out all the qualities that I’d stifled for most of my life. The sides of me that never quite fit with anyone else.
Probably because I’d been waiting for Adam.
I was falling in love with him, and every minute that passed just cemented that even deeper for me.
A year ago, I would have expected that realization to terrify me. Maybe even make me rethink things. But not this time. All I felt was like this whirlwind relationship was inevitable.
Adam stirred and yawned before his eyes fluttered open. He blinked a few times then focused on me and smiled. "Morning."
"Good morning, baby." I reached out and brushed his hair back from his forehead. "Didja sleep okay?"
"Best sleep ever." He stretched like a cat, arching his back as he twisted his hips. "What time is it?"
"Almost noon. I would have woken you but you looked so peaceful."
"Mm." He snuggled closer and tucked his head under my chin. “I was peaceful. Am peaceful right here."
"Me too." I wrapped my arm around him. "And there’s no rush to get up."
We stayed like that for a while before hunger drove us out of bed and into the kitchen. I made waffles while Adam sat at the table and told me about a dream he'd had involving a giant rubber duck that was chasing him in the ocean.
My grin didn’t drop once for the whole weekend.
Our newfound domestic bliss was natural, and we quickly fell into an easy routine.
Only working in the mornings while Adam slept was a bit frustrating to some of my customers, but most were understanding when I told them I needed to stretch out their projects by a week or two.
I didn’t need to work more than a few hours each day, and that allowed me time to spend with Adam before I took him to work. And just like that first night, I continued to park my ass at the Quik-Fuel and kept him company until the end of his shift.
Derek hadn't shown up again, but we both knew he was still out there.
On Monday evening, as we were getting ready to leave for Adam's shift, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and went pale.
"What is it?" I took a step closer so I could see what had upset him.
“It’s him.” He turned the screen toward me so I could read the message. It was an unknown number, but we both knew who it was from. I know you're with him. This isn't over.
"Block the number." I tried to keep my voice calm, even though I wanted to hunt Derek down and make him regret ever knowing Adam.
“Yeah. Okay.” Adam nodded, but I could see his hands shaking as he tapped through to block it.
The rest of the night was tense. Every car that pulled in made Adam flinch. Around three in the morning, a black sedan drove slowly past the windows, and we both watched it circle the lot twice before disappearing.
"He's toying with us." Adam’s voice cracked as he voiced his fear. “He’s never gonna stop."
"We'll figure it out." I moved closer to him and wrapped my arms around him so he knew he was protected. "You're safe with me, sweetheart."
"I know." He leaned into me and sniffled. "But I can't keep living at your place forever. Derek knows where I used to live, and now he probably knows where you live too. I need to find someplace new as soon as I can save up for a deposit."
My eyebrow cocked and I wanted to frown, but I did my best to keep a neutral expression. "You can stay with me as long as you need to."
“I know, but… I just wish he would move on and leave me alone.”
On Tuesday morning, Lisa mentioned that someone had come by over the weekend and was asking for Adam. Some guy in a black sedan who claimed to be an old friend. She'd told him Adam wasn't working and sent him on his way, but the description she gave of the guy matched Derek perfectly.
"He's escalating." Dread filled me as we drove home that morning. "Showing up during the day and not afraid to ask for you directly shows confidence that he’s in the right. He's not gonna stop."
"I’ve tried the police, but until he actually does something, they don’t care.
" Adam's voice was soft, his exhaustion showing through.
"I thought moving here would be enough to make him forget about me. It should have been, but he fixates on things and won’t stop until he gets what he wants.
I wish he'd just get bored and leave me alone. "
I reached across the console and squeezed his knee. "This isn't your fault, Adam. You haven’t done anything to encourage him."
He shrugged and looked out the window, utterly defeated.
Adam went straight to bed and crashed hard.
He was physically and emotionally exhausted, but I was too amped up to sleep for more than a few hours.
Needing to burn off some energy, I dropped a quick kiss on his cheek and then headed to work.
I had been spacing out my clients so I only needed to work a few hours each day.
It was fine for the short term, but hiring a few workers was rising to the top of my list of priorities if I wanted to expand my business and continue to be available to Adam when he needed me.
One of my favorite jobs when I needed to get out some stress was my contract with the park service.
I was on retainer to do ground clearing on a monthly basis.
That meant I got to pull out my flamethrower and burn down any overgrown shrubs or trimmings to ash.
It was oddly cathartic to watch the dead, invasive weeds go up in flames and leave a clear path for new life to grow behind it.
My shoulders weren’t so tight when I was driving home. But when I pulled up to the house, something felt wrong.
There was a piece of paper tucked into my front door that definitely wasn’t there when I left this morning.
As I got out of the truck, I scanned the street for Derek's car but didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The neighborhood was quiet, just like always.
A lump formed in my gut as I pulled the note free and read it.
Nice place you've got here. Would be a shame if something happened to it. Tell Adam to call me. -D
My vision went red at the same time that my heart started racing.
Derek had been at my house. Where Adam was supposed to be safe.
I unlocked the door and rushed inside. "Adam?"
There was no answer.
"Adam!" My heart was pounding as I checked the living room and the kitchen. Both were empty, so I ran down the hall to the bedroom.
I found him curled up in the middle of my bed, clutching his blankie and a stuffed bunny I got him at the swap meet.
His whole body was shaking as he rocked himself.
"Baby." I crossed the room in three steps and climbed onto the bed so I could pull him into my arms. "I've got you, sweetheart. You're okay."
"He was here," Adam whispered against my chest. "I was sleeping, and I heard someone banging on the door. I peeked out the window and he was just standing there, waiting for me."
"Did he try to come in?" I was gonna fucking kill that guy for violating the only place Adam could feel safe. “Did he see you?”
"No, he stood there for a while, then he put something on the door and left." Adam's voice cracked as he pressed close to me. "I didn’t want to bother you at work, but I was so scared, Daddy."
"I know, baby. I'm so sorry." I held him tighter and squeezed back tears of my own. I hated knowing Adam was afraid and I wasn’t there to protect him. "You’re never a bother. You can call me at any time, and I’ll always pick up if I can. But I'm here now, and we're calling the police."
"Ellis." Adam looked at me with sheer terror in his eyes. “A piece of paper isn’t gonna stop him. It’s just gonna piss him off more.”
"The video of him on the patio should be enough to get some kind of restraining order." I reached for my phone and dialed the non-emergency number. "He threatened my property, and he's been harassing you for weeks. This ends now."
Adam was still trembling, but he didn’t argue as I made the call.
The dispatcher was sympathetic and promised to have an officer out within the hour. If nothing else, having a harassment report on file would help us build a case for a protective order of some kind.
By the time I put the phone down and could focus on Adam, it was clear he had regressed and was deep in his Little space. He clutched his bunny with a death grip and had the edge of his blankie in his mouth.
"Looks like that guy got here just in time?" I nodded at the stuffed bunny.
"Mr. Hoppers helped me stay calm while I waited for you."
"He's a smart bunny." I kissed the top of Adam's head and then his ear. "And he's doing a great job of keeping you company."
Adam looked at me with big tears on his lids. "I was so scared that he was gonna break down your door to get in here."
"I know, baby, and I’m so sorry I wasn’t here. But you're safe now." I rubbed slow circles on his back. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."
The police came and took our statements. They collected the note as evidence and said they'd try to locate Derek for questioning. It wasn't super reassuring, but it was something.
After they left, Adam was still withdrawn and quiet. He picked at his dinner but didn’t have much of an appetite. When it was time to get ready for work, he went through the motions on autopilot but barely seemed awake.