Chapter 3 #2
“I just sent you a voice note… No, don’t stress.
” Another musical chuckle escapes her. “I’m fine…
My day sucked… I snuck out of the office and got manhandled by an overgrown ape before almost being run over by a car…
No, I’m fine. I promise…. Oh, yeah, Heather’s being extra bitchy lately…
Ugh, I wish we could win the lottery and buy an island where we can sip mimosas all day long.
” More laughter bubbles over her lips, which makes a rare smile tug at my mouth.
Christ, she’s exquisite.
When the train finally arrives, I wait for Laurie to get on before I follow. She takes a seat near the door, and as I pass her, I keep my face turned away.
I sit down between Laurie and the other guy and listen as her conversation with her friend continues. Only when the train begins to move do I glance in her direction.
Once again, I’m instantly captivated by my little butterfly.
How am I going to handle this?
I could kidnap her right now.
Fuck she has beautiful eyes.
My thoughts jump from one thing to the next as I continue to stare at the woman who has me mesmerized.
She’s completely oblivious to her surroundings.
A frown forms on my forehead because I don’t like that she’s so vulnerable.
When we near her stop and she gets up, I rise to my feet and move dangerously close to her, wanting to check if she has any survival instincts.
Once I’m close enough to reach out and touch her, Laurie glances partially over her shoulder, enough to signal she’s aware of me.
The train stops, and the moment the doors open, Laurie flits away from me like the little butterfly she is.
I keep my pace slow, even stopping to check the incoming message on my phone.
Little Ricky: I’m to your right.
I glance at the SUV and give him a chin lift before I follow Laurie down the street.
The breeze comes from the front, and I get a whiff of her perfume. Something gentle and sweet.
With it being so late and the roads quiet, I fall back a little more.
I hate that Laurie has to commute at night. The amount of shit that could happen to her flashes through my mind, and it makes me clench my jaw.
She stops at a mailbox to check it before cutting across a lawn toward a house with a truck parked in the driveway. Just as I walk past, I see her clearly as she turns to shut the front door.
There’s a despondent look on her face.
She should be relieved to be home.
But she isn’t.
I glance around, making sure no one has spotted me, before I walk closer to the house.
Luckily for me, the curtains aren’t closed properly, and when I peek through the opening, I see a man asleep on a couch, the light from the TV flashing over him.
Rage shoots through me like a destructive force.
The fucker could’ve picked Laurie up after work, but clearly cares so little about the masterpiece he gets to call his own that he’s sleeping soundly at home.
It would be easy to make him disappear.
Laurie comes to stand by his feet, and when I see the disappointment on her face, I have to suppress the urge to kick down the front door and take her right now.
“Thanks for getting me something to eat,” she mutters, her tone bitter as she bends to pick up empty food containers.
Every muscle in my body tightens when I realize the man only takes care of himself, and he clearly doesn’t give two shits about Laurie.
When she leaves the living room, I walk to the other side where the kitchen is. Finding a hiding spot between shrubs and a tree, I have a clear view of her as she moves around.
Instead of fixing herself something to eat, Laurie washes the dishes.
I stare at her face, watching as a look of hopelessness settles over her features. Her chin begins to tremble, then she glances up and blinks, trying to stop the tears while taking deep breaths.
The sight makes me feel downright murderous, and I whisper, “Once you’re with me, you won’t struggle like this, la mia farfalla.”
Laurie whispers something and seems to calm herself, and when she pulls the trash bag out of the bin, I move deeper into the shadows.
I hear a door open, and a moment later, Laurie throws the bag into the large garbage can before dragging it down the driveway to leave it on the curb.
My impatience and anger keep growing as I watch Laurie do household chores until one a.m.
When she moves to the back of the house, I can’t see her anymore, but outside the bathroom, I can hear the water running, and once everything grows quiet and I’m sure she’s in bed, I walk to the street where the SUV is parked.
As I climb into the backseat, Little Ricky asks, “Did you get your fill of stalking the woman?”
I shoot him a glare that makes him grin. “Her lazy piece of shit boyfriend doesn’t do a damn thing around the house.”
“I didn’t hear any gunshots,” he says as he pulls away from the curb. “Did you kill him?”
“Not yet,” I mutter, the anger still coiled tightly in my chest.
“So what’s next?” Little Ricky asks.
“I want to watch her a little while longer before I make my move.”
“And what will your move entail?”
“I’m not sure. Right now I’m thinking either kidnap Laurie or make her a deal she can’t refuse.”
“I vote for the deal. Enough money can buy anything.”
“Yeah,” I murmur as I stare out the window.
For now, I’m liking this little game where I get to watch her without her knowing.
It’s a pity I have to work, and I can’t stalk her twenty-four-seven.