Chapter Twelve
I watch him closely as he leaves his dorm.
He almost stumbles to the coffee shop; clumsy and unaware, his movements are clunky and unnatural.
As he pushes inside, his demeanour changes when he sees her, the barista, his non-girlfriend.
His posture straightens, his smile widens, his cheeks flush, and I snarl at the interaction.
He leans closer, whispers something to her, and she gives him a tight smile, rolls her eyes, and turns away.
He hovers a little, waiting for more of her attention, but when he doesn’t get it, he takes his drink and heads to uni.
I follow every step he takes until he’s inside his class. I get my guy to meet me there and keep an eye on him while I head back to his dorm.
Walking in through his door, the room is dark.
The curtains are still closed, and both beds are in disarray.
You can clearly smell the alcohol. I’m not happy about that.
The disgust washes over me that he lives like this.
That’s something we will address at a later date.
I can’t bear to see the bed like that. I like order.
I straighten the covers and place a gift on the pillow as I smooth out the fabric.
I check through his drawers. I go through the cupboards in the tiny kitchenette, and I go through the bathroom cabinets.
I sniff all the products, taking note of which belong to Leonardo.
It’s my routine every time I come here. I check everything.
I want to know all there is to know about him.
I step back into the main room. I look around and want to take him away from here.
I want to give him more. I want to give him everything.
I hear a rustle from the corridor, and I turn and pull my gun from under my trench coat.
A corner of a page pokes under the door before being followed by the rest of the note.
I step towards the door, staring through the peephole to see the girl from the coffee shop, the so-called girlfriend, frantically looking around before stepping away and scurrying down the hallway.
I lean over and pick the paper up from the floor.
Leo
This isn’t going to work.
Lexi
I’m livid. I should wring her scrawny neck, but then she did what I told her, so I shouldn’t be as mad as I am right now.
I fold the page and lay it on the bed as I smooth the now imaginary creases from the duvet.
I look over the bookshelf. Pulling random books down and flicking through the pages, getting to know him as much as I can.
I already have his schedule. I’ve researched his friends, and I don’t care for most of them.
The roommate has to go; the drinking alone will not fly with me.
I root through the remaining drawers and cupboards until the alarm on my phone goes off, alerting me that he’ll be home soon. I’ve followed him since the wedding, and the one thing I’m sure about is that for him, I will eradicate my father. To have him be mine, I will burn it all down.