Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Matt
Nick followed me home that night, even though I told him I was fine, I would lock up, and my Ring camera was installed. He wouldn’t be dissuaded.
What was worse was the fact that after I got home, he wouldn’t leave. He came upstairs with me, the whole time looking here and there like some crazy clown was going to pop out.
“Here’s my door. Thanks for coming.” I slid the key in and…yep, he was joining me. “Nick, it’s all good, no one tried to break in.”
“Hey, Matt.”
I peeked over Nick’s shoulder and saw Nicole. She smiled at me and then eyed Nick strangely. I mean, he was gorgeous, but her expression wasn’t lustful.
“Hi, Nicole, what are you doing up so late?” It was now one in the morning.
“Oh, I got up to get some water, heard voices.” She shrugged. “Safety is important.”
I gestured to her and glared at Nick. “See, safety. I’m okay; you can go.”
Nick grinned and winked at Nicole. “Have a nice morning.” And shut the door in her face.
“Nick! That’s my landlord.”
“She was freaking me out.” He moved farther into my apartment and poked around, opening cabinets, drawers.
“Yeah, sometimes people hide in those and jump out when you least expect them to.” I crossed my arms and leaned against the archway between my living room and kitchen.
“Funny,” Nick deadpanned. “You don’t have cameras on your fire escape.”
“Why would I?”
“What if your biggest fan tries to get in that way?”
I hadn’t thought of that because it was madness, and why would anyone do that for me or anyone?
“No one is climbing up the fire escape, Nick. Besides everyone would hear that, and then if they broke the glass?” I shook my head. “My landlords are nosy.”
Nick didn’t say anything, just made his way down the hallway and right into my bedroom.
“Get out of there.” I chased after him.
He was staring at the pictures on my dresser. “Who are all these people?”
“Friends.”
He nodded. “Good friends?”
“They aren’t doing this, Nick. Try again.”
“I’m going to hack into The Alibi’s security feeds and see what I can come up with.”
“What?” Was he nuts? “That’s illegal.”
“It is, but you won’t say anything because you want to know who’s doing this, right?” He placed a frame back and looked at me.
“I do, but legally, Nick.”
He pursed his lips, and the way he was regarding me made me think he was figuring something out.
“Monday, once you’re done with JJ, come find me, and I’ll tell you what I found.”
He made to leave, but I grabbed his arm. “This is a company you want to work with. Why are you jeopardizing that for this…for me?”
He smirked, and I hated how butterflies fluttered in my stomach. “It’s cute that you’re worried about me, but it’s not necessary. I won’t get caught, and they’ll never know.” When I didn’t release him, he glanced at my hand.
“Oh, sorry.”
I walked him to the door, glad Nicole wasn’t still standing there.
“Lock up and stay safe, Matt.” He shot me a wink and sauntered away. Fucking sauntered. And yep, he had a great ass.
Monday I did exactly what Nick asked, even though I’d repeatedly told myself I’d just leave after my session with JJ. I went looking for him, not knowing at all where he was.
“Matt?”
I spun on my heels, and there was Noel. The twins, while identical, were easy to tell apart.
“Hey.”
“Are you okay? It’s like you’re sneaking around.”
I chuckled. “Sorry. Nick said he wanted to talk to me, and I was trying to find him. I never went to his room when I was staying here.”
The side of Noel’s mouth kicked up. “Is that right? Well, he’s the second door on the left.”
“Thank you.” I peeked over my shoulder as soon as I got to the door. Noel’s brows rose and he laughed before walking away.
I lightly knocked but no one answered, so I was more forceful. The door flew open, and Nick stood there with no shirt on, headphones covering only one ear, his blond hair perfectly tangled, and of course he smiled when he noticed my perusal.
“Hey.”
“Hi. You told me to find you after I was done with JJ for the day.” I made sure not to stray from his eyes… What a lovely brown .
“Right.” He peeked to his side. “The day got away from me; come in.”
“Do I have to?”
He snickered, walked across the room, and dropped into his desk chair. “Close the door.”
I sighed, stepped in his room, and did as he asked.
He jutted his chin to the right. “Grab that chair and come here. I’ll show you what I found.”
Whatever Nick had done, it was illegal and I struggled with that, but I was also really curious about the whole situation. So, I dragged the chair over and sat beside the man who smelled like heaven. Seriously, what was he wearing?
“I went through the footage of Friday night, and here.” He paused the screen. “See this red-and-black bagger bike?” I had no idea what a bagger bike was, but he pointed it out and it looked like a motorcycle to me.
“Yeah.”
“Fifteen minutes before you left, this person came out, went to their bike, then moved to your car and placed the note.”
“Okaaaay…who is it?”
“I checked the license plate?—”
“Because of course you can do that.”
“I so fucking can.”
I rolled my eyes. “Go on.”
“It’s registered to a Greg Morgan.”
“I don’t know anyone by that name.”
He clicked a few keys. “I decided to go back to the night a month ago when you were at the club, and sure enough.” He paused the video and pointed again. “Same bagger bike.”
“Maybe he works there? Nothing happened that night, no notes or gifts.”
Nick shrugged. “Ran him through the employee list at The Alibi, nothing. Are you sure you never had a client by that name?”
I went through my list of clients, but nothing rang a bell. “No. I’ve never heard of him.”
“Maybe this will help.” More clicking—he moved so fast, I couldn’t follow him. The screen was going from one thing to the next in the blink of an eye. Then it stopped.
It was a picture of a license. “Is that…”
“Greg Morgan. Recognize him?”
“Did you hack into the DMV?” I stared at him, wide-eyed.
“Focus, Mattie. Have you ever seen this guy?”
Nick was trouble, that was for certain. But he was doing me a favor, so I looked at this Greg Morgan’s license photo.
“Seriously, I don’t know who he is. And don’t call me that.”
Nick hummed. “Well, they do say stalkers are sometimes people who just passed you on the street or you held the door open for them and the act of kindness sets something off.”
“Who are they ? Who says this stuff?”
He spun in his chair, his right leg bumping mine. “Don’t you watch documentaries and shit?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not relying on Netflix to teach me criminal behavior or psychopathy.”
“You’re missing out, but if you don’t believe me, talk to Aziza.”
I’d heard that name but couldn’t remember where. “Who is that?”
“Dr. Aziza Bakir. She’s the one helping Four and working with Two at the facility. She could tell you all about stalkers and their behavior.”
“Look, Nick, I appreciate all you did here—illegal, but still, thanks. I don’t think I have a stalker. Perhaps an admirer, someone who wants to ask me out but is too shy. Nothing violent has happened, and I don’t want to bring other people into this right now.”
“Okay, Mattie…for now. But please, if it gets worse, escalates in any way, promise you’ll tell me?”
I didn’t know why he cared so much or was so invested, but it was oddly sweet. “Yeah, I promise.”
Then he smiled, and I knew I was screwed. He was stunning, sexy, and if I could guarantee I wouldn’t get rejected again, I’d slide onto his lap.
“Anything else, Mattie?”
I shook my head and stood. “No, thanks…and stop calling me that.” I went to the door and looked over at him. “I do appreciate all you’ve done.”
I stepped out, and right before it closed I heard him say, “I’ll keep you safe, Mattie.”