Chapter Thirteen
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
GEMMA
I’m in a daze driving back to my apartment on my motorcycle. An absolutely maddening daze.
Tell me it’s you.
A playlist blended with metalcore, emo rock, and punk plays in my helmet at a deafening level as I zig-zag around traffic, the wind whipping around me. All I want to do right now is go to her apartment, curl into the cool black sheets, and inhale her lingering scent.
Tell me it’s you.
Every touch replays in my mind. I’m high, drunk with the knowledge that she knew it was me on the couch with her, and she still wanted more. She knew it was her stalker touching her. It wasn’t just the thrill and adrenaline of a masked stranger in dim lighting. She woke up and was soaking for me .
I can hardly breathe at how overwhelming this realization is. The only reason I’m not crashing into a light pole right now is the thought that maybe, just maybe, she’ll do that for me again.
I drive home purely on memory and instinct. The lines on the road are a blur. The oncoming traffic and blowing horns fueling the thrill rippling under my skin.
By the time I’m nearly home after the longdrive from the studio, the sun is just beginning to rise in layers of orange and purple highlights strewn across the cloudless sky.
I take my hands off the handles and hold them out at my side for the last stretch of road, fully taking in this weightless euphoria.
Hell yes.
The engine’s purr echoes as I enter my building’s parking garage. I park in my designated space near the entrance, cut the bike off, and start removing my gloves—well, glove .
I still can’t believe I left it. It must have fallen behind her when I jumped over the back of the couch.
My phone vibrates before I can move. I take it out, finding a message from Liam.
LIAM
Mads just came by asking us to look into why his cameras were glitching last night.
Shit.
That’s the last time I’ll be sneaking around there.
He’s up early.
Had the dog with him. He said he would call you or Kade later, but I told him I’d let you know to check on it. You’d have an update this afternoon when you came by.
Thanks. I’ll be back over after lunch so you can go get some sleep.
Bonnie or Zeb awake yet?
Nothing yet.
I’m okay. No rush.
Just started a new book.
I smile.
Okay. Let me know if anything changes.
He sends back a thumbs-up emoji, and I sigh as I push my phone into my pocket. Shit . Of course, Mads noticed. I should have known he would.
I grab my bag and finally get off the bike, cursing myself the entire short walk to the apartment. Amber overhead lights illuminate the cement all around me, while daylight dares to peek through the gaps in the fencing that separates the garage from the street.
The night security guy, Josh, gives me a warm smile as I pass him and use my keycard to unlock the sliding doors. At least it’s quiet so early like this, peaceful enough to breathe and think.
Mornings before sunrise have always been my favorite.
Shower. Coffee. Run. Nap.
That’s what I need to clear my head.
I take the elevator in Building A to Bonnie’s floor, my body beginning to droop the closer I get to her door. I feel like I’m about to crash, possibly flop on her bed for a quick power nap even before I go on that run—
However, the sight of her door completely sobers me up.
There are scratches around her lock.
My heartbeat immediately picks up, hair standing on the back of my neck. It was not like this when I came back for the key earlier last night.
I take my phone out to turn on the flashlight so I can better see, and my stomach bottoms out at the dent in the metal and missing paint.
Shit.
I try the handle, pull my phone from my pocket, and slide the new key into the lock, trying to stay quiet just in case.
Someone tried to get to my girl.
It’s all I can think as I dial Kade’s number.
“Yeah?” he answers, his voice groggy.
“I need a camera in her hallway,” I hiss, closing the door behind me.
“Easy, killer,” he mumbles, and I hear the bed squeaking.
“I’m serious, Kade,” I go off.
“Ugh, I just got to sleep,” I hear him mumble. “Aren’t you tired? I’d be tired after all your sneaking around this morning. Oh wait, I am.”
He continues speaking, but I’m too focused on looking for any sign of a break-in or tampering.
The kitchen looks clear. Nothing is amiss that I can tell. I move on to the living room, picking up a few shirts from the floor and stuffing them into a hamper at the edge of her bedroom door as my heart pounds in my ears.
She’s safe at the studio.
You just saw her.
She was just in your arms.
I hear Kade clicking a few keys on his computer. “What am I looking for?” he asks.
“Someone was fucking with her lock tonight,” I say. “I’ll send you the photo. And no, it wasn’t just the maintenance guy. I checked it when I came to pick up the key after the gym.”
“So…”
“So, find out where the fuck the trackstar asshat lives and what he wants,” I snap, ready to panic.
“Whoa, whoa—easy, Gem,” he says. “Let’s take a breath—”
“Fuck breathing . What if she had been here? What if—”
“ Gemma .”
Kade’s voice is harsh, harsher than I’ve heard him use on me for a long time. It prompts me to sit on one of her barstools, put the phone on speaker, and sink my head into my hands.
She’s okay.
She’s safe.
Just find out who it is. It could be anyone—not just the trackstar guy. He’s one suspect.
“Yeah,” I concede, finally sighing. “Yeah, okay. I’m breathing.”
Silence staggers on the line for a beat before Kade finally says, “It could be a regular burglar, Gem. ”
When I don’t answer, he sighs heavily into the mic.
“Yeah. Right. Stay there. I’m coming,” he gives in. “One hallway camera coming up.”
“Thank you.”
It’s all I can manage as I steeple my fingers beneath my chin and stare around the quiet room.
Everything looks fine. It looks just as it did a few hours earlier.
And something about that makes this even worse.
Because now I have no clue where to even fucking start with figuring out who might also have an interest in getting to her, or why.