13. Month 2
Month 2
Amity
W eek three of month two. Calgon take me away . This time of the year is busy without the added stress of a wedding, sexual frustration, and time management. A million and one issues have occurred for Blake and the Holdings company, causing him to miss his last two visits home, along with the brothers headed down to Brazil for a week. Someone has managed to hack their system, leaking pieces of information. Not that they have anything to hide, but clients want their information protected, as we all do. Last I heard, they tracked down the source and were given over to Blake and Clint for questioning before they pull the authorities in. Me, I am trying to push through mid-semester finals, plus grading on top of getting my top ten students placed for internships to start two months.
I have tried to help Lana with wedding planning, because I know how buried Blake is right now, but shit. She has me picking out placement cards, completing guest lists and seating arrangements. I’m still wishing Blake would just come home and whisk me off to Vegas. Matrimony under neon lights and with Elvis is my type of wedding. Not all of this. Doesn’t help Groom-zilla has me running over all the updates at night with him, and then he ends up making several more changes I then have to relay to Lana. I am on a vicious ride between the two of them. Luckily Blake is to be home tomorrow evening for a few days, so he can take over for the time being.
I’m walking up to my apartment when I notice a bouquet of wildflowers by my front door. Just then my phone rings, and I see it’s Blake. “Hey you.”
“Hey princess. Just getting home?”
After unlocking my door, I pick up the vase of flowers and walk in. “I am. You sound exhausted.” Setting the flowers on the counter, while he answers me.
“I am, but no worries. Soon enough, I’ll be back with you and can breathe a little for a few days.”
“Say hi, Hamlet.” He lets out a deep bark, getting a chuckle out of Blake, who says hi back.
“Glad to hear you are still coming. I thought you sent these flowers to say you're sorry,” I say, laughing as he hates when I tease him.
“I think your secret admirer must have sent you those flowers. You know I’d prefer to surprise you with my dick in a box than flowers.”
A slight laugh releases from me as my curiosity peaks. Putting the phone down on the counter and putting Blake on speaker, I go in search of a card. “Found the card, let’s see who it could be.” I open the envelope, slipping the little one-sided card into my hand. Flipping it over, I feel the blood rush from my face.
“Hello? Amity, you still there?” I gasp in shock, reading back over the written message. I would recognize that handwriting anywhere. “Babe. I can hear you breathing heavily. What is it?”
All I can mutter out is, “Gage.”
“Did you say Gage?”
“Y…ye…yes.”
“What does the card say?” he asks, but I’m unable to make actual thoughts, let alone words. I can’t breathe, and the walls are closing in on me as I sink to the floor.
* * *
Blake
I have never felt more useless than in the last five minutes. I hung up on Amity to call Willa for her to get her ass to Amity’s. She conferences in Tilly and Lana so they are aware and to figure out who can get to her the fastest. I have all three on the way, with Lana ahead of them being only ten minutes out. Then I call Nash to have him get security over to her apartment. My fingers keep dialing Amity back, with no answer. Clint is luckily still with me in Brazil, so I loop him in, and now I am heading to the runway to board our plane home. I’m not leaving her there without me for another twelve plus hours. Phone rings, and I hastily pick it up. “Hey Nash, any update?”
“Police are on their way with two of our security guards. They are going to stay with her until you get back. Then we can decide the next course of action.”
“Thanks. I’m headed to the runway now. Clint has everything under control. We had all our meetings this morning, plus we turned the source over to the authorities. It was going to take near murdering him to get answers, but I know we needed to turn him over.”
“What a fucking mess this all is. Right now just get home to your girl, and I’ll meet you over there. I’m actually headed over there now to meet Willa and see what we can turn up.”
“I owe you one.”
“Nah, you don’t. You have helped a million times over with Willa, plus we are brothers. Apparently in love with women who know how to find trouble.” I laugh because of the immense truth of that one statement.
“Alright, Lana is beeping in, so let me take this.” We say bye, and I click over. “Are you there?”
“About to walk in but wanted you on the phone just in case someone else is around.” My sympathy sits with Lana. She had a shitty fiancé that I think did more damage to her then she lets on, on top of that, I just tossed her into a possible Lion’s Den. Maybe we should have waited until the cops showed up. Fuck that, I need to know Amity is there and fine.
“Oh poor sweetie,” I hear Lana say. “She is curled up on the floor with Hamlet in shock. Let me see if I can get her up.” Lana puts the phone down on the floor, and all I can do is listen in on their conversation. “Amity, can you sit up with me?”
“Just leave me here. He has found me. It’s only a matter of time.”
“A matter of time until what? He let you go, Amity. Do you think he would come back and hurt you?” I hear exasperated sobs escape Amity, causing my heart to crack. “Oh sweetie, he won’t. Come on, let's get you off the floor and onto the couch.” Hamlet's paws clicking on the tile lets me know they are on the move.
“Hello?”
“Hey Tilly.”
“Willa is almost here.”
“Okay good. Can you grab her a glass of water?”
“Yeah.” Footsteps walk by the phone. “How is she?”
“In shock. Worried he is coming for her.”
“Hello!” I shout through the phone.
“Snapples! I forgot I had Blake on the phone. Can you grab it?”
“Hey, it’s Tilly.”
“I figured. Can you FaceTime her so I can talk to her?” She flips to FaceTime, facing me to a pale, scared, and shocked Amity. “Baby, you listening?” She nods her head yes. “I’m headed to you. Ten minutes from getting on a plane. Nash is headed there with security and the police. I want you to either stay at my place tonight or you go with the girls. Okay?” She nods again. “I love you, and that man will not be getting anywhere near you. I will kill him with my bare hands if he tries.” She blinks more tears away. “Tell me you understand. Use your words.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Tell me you love me and trust me.”
She sighs in annoyance, which lets me know she is going okay. “I love you and trust you, Blake.”
“Good. Now hand the phone back to Tilly.”
“Tilly, take me off speaker.”
“You’re off.”
“Show me the card.” Once in view, I take a screenshot. “Okay. I just pulled in. Call me if anything changes and make sure she gets out of there tonight. Once the police come, throw the flowers away and give the card to Nash.”
“On it. Just get home safely. We have her until then.”
“Thank you,” I slowly say before hanging up.
* * *
Once the plane took off, I ordered six bourbon shots. Downed them all to fight the edge of losing control. Now I am staring at my phone, reading the message over and over again.
My Dearest Amity,
Did you think I was gone for good? Did you not think I would not find out about your engagement? You silly girl.
I guess you finally stopped looking behind you, but I haven’t stopped watching you. I’ve had years to think about you, about us. Time has healed all my wounds except the ones that are seared into my memory of you. I’m coming for you, because you have always been mine to have. I’ve let you have your fun, renew yourself, waiting to strike. I guess the time has come. Because over your dead body, will you marry another.
See you soon, my wildflower.
A coldness washes over me with knowledge that I will need to find this man and kill him myself. Nash told me a while ago, he was in El Paso. Now I’m unsure if I need to start there or look closer to home for him. Our worlds have never crossed, but I am about to go under siege and send him to meet his maker.