26. Madelyn #3
My blood runs cold. The phone slips from my hand and lands in my lap as I stare at the screen, frozen. Then, without thinking, I’m on my feet so fast it feels like the chair beneath me was set on fire.
My phone falls to the floor with a sharp crack. Morgan and Kaitlin both jump, immediately looking at me with concern. They’re saying something, probably asking me what's wrong, but their voices sound distant, like they’re coming from underwater.
I can’t hear them. I can’t hear anything except my own heartbeat pounding violently in my ears.
He’s here. He’s fucking here.
The realization tears through me. I scream for Miles and take off running toward our bedroom. The girls call after me, their voices frantic, but I don’t stop. I don’t even think. I just move.
That motherfucker is here, and he’s here for me. I don’t even make it to the stairs before I slam directly into a solid chest. A scream rips out of me before I can stop it. Strong arms immediately wrap around me, holding me tightly, and the second I realize it’s him, my body gives out.
Miles. My safe place.
I collapse into him, gripping onto his shirt like he’s the only thing keeping me grounded.
“Shhhh,” he whispers, his arms tightening around me. “It’s okay, baby. I got you.”
My tears spill over before I can stop them.
“He’s here, Miles,” I choke out. “He found me. He’s here.”
I look up at him, and his hands immediately come up to hold my face, wiping away the tears falling down my cheeks.
Miles’ expression immediately shifts. The calm, protective man I know disappears, replaced by something darker and dangerous.
Pure rage consumes his eyes, turning them cold and merciless.
Kaitlin and Morgan rush over to us, their faces filled with panic.
“What’s going on?” Morgan asks.
“What happened?” Kaitlin adds, her voice frantic.
I barely manage to get the words out.
“He texted me.” My voice shakes. “He said I look beautiful when I’m scared.”
The room goes silent and I swallow hard, gripping onto Miles tighter.
“He’s here,” I whisper. “He’s watching me.”
Hudson and Nate run down the stairs with pistols in their hands and toss one over to Morgan. She catches it and immediately moves into action, the three of them already knowing their positions without any orders from Miles.
“Maddie, you and Kaitlin go up to the room and hide, we’re going to do a sweep of the property,” Miles says, his voice laced with urgency. “You stay in there no matter what. Do you understand me?” He cups my cheek, forcing me to look at him. “You stay there until I tell you it’s safe. Only me.”
I nod and grab Kaitlin's hand before running upstairs to our bedroom and locking the door behind us. A sinking feeling started at the pit of my stomach and I hate the way it feels. I’m once again a scared child, desperately searching for a safe space.
Always needing the protection of other people to save me.
I’m sitting on the bed that Miles and I share, knees up to my face as I sob. I feel small, cold hands rub circles on my back, and I try to cringe away from them. Something feels wrong.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’m sure it’s nothing. He’s probably just trying to scare you.”
I pull my face out from where it’s buried against my knees and look over at Kaitlin. My hair sticks to my cheeks from the tears that have soaked through them, but she looks completely calm. Too calm all things considered.
A chill crawls down my spine.
Why is she so fucking calm?
“Why would he do that?” I ask, my voice shaking. “He’s never just tried to scare me, Kaitlin. If there’s one thing about my stalker, it’s his consistency.”
Her expression changes instantly. A look of pure irritation crosses her face as she gives me a venomous glare before sitting back on the bed.
“I was just trying to make you feel better, shit,” she snaps. “You don’t have to be a bitch about it.”
For a second, I just stare at her. She can’t be serious. There’s a dangerous man out there stalking me. A man who has threatened mine and Miles’ lives, might I add. And she’s calling me a bitch? Does she not understand how terrified I am right now?
This isn’t like her. Kaitlin has always been the person who stood beside me. The person who made me laugh when I didn’t think I had it in me, reminding me I wasn’t alone. So why is she acting like this? What kind of best friend doesn’t care that her friend is scared for her life?
The adrenaline rushing through my veins takes over before I can stop it. Every ounce of fear, frustration, and anger I’ve been holding in comes crashing to the surface.
“I’m being a bitch?” I snap, my voice rising. “Are you fucking kidding me, Kaitlin? That guy has threatened Miles’ life. How could you say something like that?”
My chest heaves as I stare at her. “Miles was right. I should’ve never let you come over here. All you’ve done is put my fucking life at risk!”
The second the words leave my mouth, everything changes. Before I can even react, a sharp sting explodes across my cheek. My head snaps to the side from the force of it, silence filling the room.
Slowly, I turn back toward Kaitlin. She’s standing there with both hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide. She looks horrified, like she can’t believe what she just did, but something about her reaction feels wrong. It looks forced.
Tears fill her eyes, but I don’t feel sympathy. I don’t feel anything except disgust.
I take a step toward her until I’m standing directly in front of her.
“If you ever put your hands on me again,” I say quietly, my voice trembling with rage, “I will make you fucking regret it.”
Kaitlin just stares at me. For the first time, I see fear in her eyes. She’s never seen this side of me before. The girl who used to shrink herself and apologize for taking up space is gone. Everything Miles and Morgan have taught me over these last few weeks comes rushing to the surface.
I’m tired of feeling small and afraid. This shit ends here.
The doorknob suddenly starts twisting frantically. My head snaps toward it, and my stomach drops.
Miles told me not to open the door for anyone. He said he would come get me when it was safe, and he hasn’t.
The doorknob stops moving, the room going completely silent before Kaitlin starts walking toward it.
My eyes widen. Oh, so this bitch really is crazy.
I move quickly, grabbing her wrist before she can reach the handle. She looks back at me and I shake my head, mouthing one word.
No.
I bring one finger up to my lips, silently telling her to be quiet, and for the first time tonight, I don’t know who scares me more. The person standing outside the door, or the person standing beside me.
Slowly, I walk over to the bedside table and quietly pull at the drawer.
It slides open without a sound and I grab the gun that Miles keeps in there.
I don’t know if the gun is loaded or not.
Checking to see if it would be too loud, so all I can do is hope.
I hold the gun up and point it towards the door.
I can feel the sweat gather in my palms as I hold the gun firmly in my hands like Miles showed me. My stalker is on the other side of that door. I don’t know how he found me or how he managed to get inside the house. All I know is if that door opens, I’m pulling the trigger.
The other side of the door remains quiet and I try not to panic. Why can’t I hear anything? Is he just listening for me? There’s no footsteps, no hushed whispers, nothing. Just silence.
I don’t dare let go of the gun. For all I know, that’s what he wants. What if he can see me somehow? All these insane and disturbing thoughts start hitting me all at once as the weight of the gun grows heavy in my hands.
Suddenly, we hear what sounds like struggling outside the window from down below and Kaitlin and I both turn to look in that direction. I look back at the door and remember my place. I have to pull the fucking trigger. Kaitlin runs to the window and gasps.
“Oh my god, Maddie, come here!”
I look over at her and then back at the door, conflicted on what to do. What if this is what he wants? To catch me off guard so he can attack me?
Fuck it.
I run to the window and see two people rolling around in the grass fighting. I can’t tell who it is because it’s too damn dark. They keep rolling around and grunting until we hear a loud pop.
And then another.