Chapter 16 Ethan
Chapter sixteen
Ethan
Icould hear her moans as I set out the takeout boxes on the table with drinks and silverware. This was the best thing ever. Everything felt like it was falling into place. So why couldn’t I settle down.
Despite having everything I could ever want, both my Rosebud and my Songbird, I couldn't stop thinking about that fucker who had tried to hurt her. How he had hurt my things and currently thought he was getting away scott free about it. How wrong he was.
I knew I couldn’t rest, couldn't properly bask in the light of having both my obsessions in my arms, until Seth Newgent had paid the price.
His life.
Malcolm came into the dining room first with a wide grin on his face as he took a seat. Blake was close behind, moving slowly like she didn't trust her legs.
At my raised brow she blushed and lowered her head. “They feel like Jello.”
“I see.” I chuckled. We did kinda work her over. “How's the ankle?” I ask, coming over and picking her up, sitting her next to Mal.
“Not bad. More like an annoying throb.” She shrugged and looked at the food. Her tongue traced her lips and her eyes rolled back, a groan leaving her throat. “This looks incredible. I'm starving.”
I motioned for her to go ahead and smiled. I'd ordered her favorite after all. Tofu pad Thai, extra spicy, extra peanuts, extra eggs.
As I was sitting down my phone chimed and I checked it.
Unknown Number: I know what you did
I frowned, staring at my phone, frozen in a mid-seated position. My mind going over every possible thing they could be talking about.
“Bugsy?”
“Oh, sorry. Candle shop is having a big sale. I was trying to remember how many I have.” I brushed off his concern, putting my phone down, ignoring the text as well. There was no way anyone could know anything.
I focused on enjoying dinner with Blake instead. I loved her happy face so much. Almost as much as her blissed out face.
Dinner came to an end too soon and it was time for Blake to go home.
“Can I drive you home?” I offered, not wanting this to end, the text dancing in the back of my mind, sending warning bells and putting me on edge. I didn't want her to leave. “Or you can always stay the night. “
She laughed softly. “I drove, Ethan. I can't stay the night. I don't have any of my stuff.”
“That's a fixable problem.” I teased.
She shook her head with another laugh and headed for the door. With each step she took, she took one in her wake.
“Ethan!” Blake chortled as she turned around.
“I'm sorry, I'll behave. You can go.” I sighed, my hands in my pocket. I didn't want to scare her.
As soon as she was out the door, Malcolm cleared his throat. “Want to explain that?”
“Nothing to explain.”
Malcolm tapped his fingertips on the table and sighed. “Okay.” He stood and started cleaning up.
“I'll get that.” I said, waving him off.
“Least I can do.” He muttered and walked to the kitchen.
I sighed and took out my phone to check the tracking on Blake when I saw I had an unread text.
When I opened it, it was a picture of me watching Blake at the library.
She had her headphones on and had been working on a report for work.
She had been so cute with the tip of her tongue poked out, her brows furrowed as she thought.
Unknown Number: Does she know?
My grip on my phone tightened and it almost cracked. Someone had been following me, taken a fucking picture of Blake and I without me noticing in the slightest. I was pissed.
Ethan Bugsy: Who the fuck is this?
Unknown Number: Your worst nightmare, bitch
I growled lowly and put my phone away. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening.
When it started vibrating repeatedly signaling a call, I grabbed it again, glad I did when I saw it was Blake.
“Hey, Rosebud.”
“My door is open.” She said softly.
“Uh, okay? Is that a… are you asking us to come over? I don't understand. “
“No! No, I just got home. I know I locked my door. It's open.”
That had me straightening up. “You haven't gone inside yet?”
“No, I just called you.” Her voice trembled a bit.
“Good girl.” I hummed. “We're on our way. Stay in the hall or go to the front office with people. Don't tell them anything, we don't want the police involved yet. Okay?” Even though I was the police, I still wanted to look around without others calling all over the place.
“Okay.” Came her voice, low and timid. I hated it like that. I was gonna skin whoever did this to her.
I hung up and called down the hall for Mal.
“What's up?”
“Someone broke into Blake's apartment. We gotta go.”
“Is she okay?” He came running down the hall. “Did she call the police?”
“She didn't go inside and I told her to hold off.” I huffed, pulling on my coat.
“Why the hell would you do that? Ethan, you're a cop, why tell her not to call?” He frowned, following me to the car.
It wasn’t a simple answer. I couldn't tell Malcolm about the texts I'd gotten because I had it under control. I had a sinking suspicion that the texts and Blake's break in were related too. I just wanted to scope the place out before involving outsiders.
“I can handle it.” I said softly and drove the few short minutes to her place before calling her again. “Where are you, Rosebud?”
“In the hallway.” She sniffed.
“What apartment building again? We're on the way up.” I knew it by heart, but she didn't know that. When she texted the address for dinner earlier, it didn't have the apartment number on it.
“F, upstairs to the back.”
“See you in two shakes.” I smiled softly, hoping I was giving her some kind of comfort from my voice.
Mal ran up the steps ahead of me. “Blake.” I heard him say while I was still on the steps.
He had her in his arms, smoothing down her hair. “We got you, E's here now.”
“Did you go inside?” I asked again.
“No, and no one's come out.” She said, hugging Mal.
I smiled and kissed her head before taking my gun from my waist band, flipping on the flashlight. “Stay out here, both of you.” I didn’t want her alone and I trusted Malcolm to keep her safe.
Walking into her apartment, I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but ransacked wasn’t it.
She has a small studio apartment that she kept clean, everything had a place.
Now though? Her couch cushions were not only cut to bits but thrown around the room, stuffing littering the floor.
Her coffee table was flipped, books torn to shreds and thrown around the room.
Her bed was much like the couch, slashes in the fabric and tossed around like trash.
Her kitchen cabinets were all open and all their contents scattered across the floor, glass and porcelain scattered the walkway.
Whoever did this, wanted to crush her. Blake had worked so hard to get here, to be able to be on her own and someone came in and destroyed everything she worked for.
I turned my flashlight to her wall, assessing for more damage and my blood ran cold.
“WHORE” was written in blood red letters across her wall.
I swallowed hard, my mind reeling. I had missed something, an ex out for blood, another stalker, someone who wanted to hurt her.
I’d missed it and I was pissed. Whoever thought they could do this to her and get away with it was added to my list. Right after Seth.
Hell, maybe even before. I needed to find out.
First thing first though, Blake wasn’t safe here. Not anymore.
“E?” Malcolm called from the doorway.
I ran a hand through my hair, grunting and went to the door, staring at him. “Call the police; she needs to make a report.”
“How bad is it?” Blake asked, biting her lip, arms wrapped around her middle.
“Bad. Someone wanted to hurt you, it's not safe to stay here, you can stay with us.” I said, putting my gun back in my waistband and wrapped her in my arms, my jaw set. How had I missed this?
“Can I look?” She asked.
“I don’t think that's a good idea, Rosebud.” My head shook and I hugged her tighter. “Theres nothing salvageable.”
“What?” She gasped, her lungs pushing out air.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Malcolm go into the apartment, phone to his ear.
Blake was shaking in my arms, crying silent tears when my phone chimed.
Unknown Number: Catch me if you can.
Rage boiled in my veins. I was being toyed with by an unknown person and trust me, once I found out who it was, they would have a slow and painful death. No one went after my Rosebud, my obsession.
I’d fuck her in their blood just to prove a point.
A menacing grin spread across my face as she shook in my arms. A beast was being awoken within me; and God help anyone who goes after my obsessions.
TO BE CONTINUED….