Chapter 3
Chapter Three
JADE
The hair on the back of my neck stands, and it feels like a set of eyes are burning deep into me.
I glance over my shoulder, but there’s still nothing there. No matter how many times I turn back to take a look, there’s still not a soul in sight.
At least not one that is openly watching me.
I hoist my bag higher and leave the subway station, wishing that the university was beside my building. I wouldn’t have a long walk of looking over my shoulder every couple of seconds.
The urge to put on some music and drown out the rest of the world is strong, but I can’t do that. I need to be aware of my surroundings. I need to make sure that nothing is going to happen. That whoever is following me isn’t going to come out of nowhere and snatch me out of the street.
“You’re being ridiculous. There’s nobody following you,” I mutter under my breath as I dodge several people on the sidewalk, continuing on my way.
Still, I do an extra lap around my block, darting into a couple of little bodegas and waiting to see if anyone stops outside or walks in behind me.
Then, I do my last lap and jog up the stairs to my building, as Lewis mutters to himself as he opens the door.
I give him a broad smile. “Afternoon, Lew.”
He shrugs. “Don’t see what’s so good about it. My wife is up my ass. Thinks that we should have a fifth child and if you tell her that a normal person only has two, she gets upset. Then I tell her that we can’t afford a fifth child, and she says breastmilk is free.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” I grab the couple of bills I have waiting in the mail, hands shaking when I see an unfamiliar blocky writing on the front of one of the envelopes.
There’s a light scent, like the cologne I smelled on my sheets last week after I found out someone had been inside.
As I step into the elevator, I stare down at the envelope.
What if this is pictures of me sleeping?
With a shudder, I step off the elevator and head down the hall.
My door is closed and when I push it open, there’s not a sign of anything being moved.
I breathe a sigh of relief, turning and locking the door behind me, checking it two more times before heading down the hall to my room. I drop my backpack in the corner before glancing at my bed and freezing.
The sheets are moved. The bed isn’t made this time like it was before, but the duvet is half on the floor, the pillows are moved slightly, and the same scent of cologne lingers in the air.
I suck in a sharp breath to shake myself out of the stupor and pull out my phone, dialing my best friend’s number with shaking hands.
She’s the only person I confided to about my stalker. The only person I can trust to let me handle this on my own instead of overstepping, even though she is loyal to my older brother.
“Hey, J, what’s up? I just got out of class if you want to drink tonight.” Haven’s husky voice comes down the line, sounding like she smoked a pack a day before spending her nights singing at a jazz club.
“I wasn’t thinking much about drinking, but I was wondering if you wanted to come spend the night.”
“Obviously. School is kicking my ass, and I could use a bit of a break. And I don’t have any lectures in the morning.” She pauses for a moment, people chattering away in the background. “You swear, you’d think the library would actually be a quiet place.”
“If you have studying to do tonight, you don’t have to worry about coming over, I just thought it might be good.”
She laughs. “Your voice is all tight and squeaky like it gets when you’re talking about your stalker. You know that, right?”
I sigh and strip the sheets off the bed, dragging them to the washing machine. “I know. I think he was sleeping in my bed and he broke in the other day and I just really don’t want to be alone tonight and there’s an envelope that I think might be from him and I’m freaking the fuck out.”
“Okay, I’m going to go and get ice cream. You’re going to put on some music and we’re going to dance around until we forget everything else going on in our lives and then everything is going to be fine.”
“You’re the best. I don’t know if I’ve told you that enough, but you’re the best.”
Haven laughs. “I’ll see you soon. And if anything happens before I get there, call Aiden.”
I snort and stuff the sheets into the washer, putting the call on speakerphone as I dump in some of the detergent. “I know.”
“Don’t dismiss me. We both know that you won’t call him, and you’ll pretend that everything is fine.”
“Haven…” The warning is clear in my tone.
She sighs. “Fine. But I’m changing my mind, then. If you don’t want to tell your brother what’s happening, then you’re going to stay at mine for the night. Throw the stalking weirdo off your schedule a little bit.”
“I try to do that anyway.” I grab the phone and head back into my bedroom, grabbing a bag and stuffing it full of some clothing and a gun. “I’ll meet you there then if that’s the plan.”
“Promise me you’re going to be careful and not get on the subway.”
“I promise.” I sling the bag over my shoulder and grab another gun, stuffing it in my waistband and hiding it with my shirt. After a second thought, I grab the envelope and stuff that into the bag too.
“I’m heading out now. See you soon.”
“See you soon.”
Haven belts out the lyrics into the spoon, bouncing around with ice cream melting out of the pint. When her hand tips a little too far to the side the ice cream spills out of the pint and onto the fluffy white carpet.
“Fuck.” Haven puts the pint down on the counter. She licks the ice cream off the side of her hand before shaking her head. “Mom and Dad are going to kill me if I keep fucking up the pool house.”
I glance out the paned doors at the darkness surrounding us, but for once I don’t feel like anyone is watching me. There aren’t any shadows moving on the other side of the glistening pool.
I can’t remember the last time I felt even close to safe.
But tonight, I do.
Haven groans and starts scrubbing the floor.
I grab another rag and help her clean up the stain, trying to bite back my smile.
She sits back on her heels. “Well, I don’t think they’re going to be able to really see that, and if they do, I’ll blame it on you. You know they love you and think you can’t do any wrong.”
“Which is fundamentally wrong.” I laugh and toss the rag at her.
She takes the rags and disappears down the hall for a moment, coming back without them. “Did you open that envelope?”
I stand and head to my bag, pulling it out and holding it to her. “I don’t think I can. Will you open it and tell me what he put in there?”
“You’ve decided that the stalker is a he?”
“Yeah. I keep smelling cologne. Like something dark and musky. The scent doesn’t scream woman. However, it does scream dark and dangerous. As if I didn’t already know that.” I bite the inside of my cheek, my heart clenching.
Haven slips her finger under the seal, opening the envelope. She dumps out a couple of pictures. “These aren’t of you sleeping, but I’m not sure they’re much better.”
I square my shoulders, trying to steel my nerves as I take the pictures.
My hands shake. The world around me starts to blur, and the blood rushing in my ears only makes me feel worse.
When I look down, there are pictures of me with my niece and nephew. Dominic is on my hip while Bianca is running around and laughing. I’m trying to cook. We’re in Royce’s kitchen on a night I was watching them while Gia and Royce went out on a date.
Another picture is of me holding Ellie’s ultrasound picture the day I found out I was going to have another niece.
He’s been stalking me while I’m with my family. He knows about the kids.
What if he hurts them?
Clenching the pictures tighter, I stalk over to the fire burning in the hearth and toss the pictures inside, not wanting to see them anymore.
They’re nothing but a reminder that the stalker has invaded every single part of my life. That I’m not safe, even if I can pretend I am right now.
Haven drops down onto the couch. “Okay, this is getting serious, J. This guy is escalating, and it’s only going to be a matter of time before he gets violent. They always do.”
“It’s nothing worse than what’s been happening.” I grab a pillow, hugging it tight to my chest, and drop down beside her.
“It’s worse. He’s making contact. You need to be more worried about it than you are.
I know you think you can just go out there and kill him if he gets too close, but I’ve never seen you this terrified.
And then, with all the pressure you put on yourself to be what your family expects, I don’t think any of this is good for you. ”
“Look, the family stuff is what it is. There’s nothing I can do to change that.”
“You could drop out of business school and start pursuing something that makes you happy instead, like cooking. I don’t think any of them would blame you for doing that.”
“I doubt they would, but they don’t need me to be a chef.” I toss the pillow to the side and put my feet up on the coffee table, reaching for my phone as it buzzes.
ThatsRenfieldInTheCorner: Sorry about the silence today. Big day at work coming up, and my boss is running me ragged. Finished Little Women, though. Only went through a box and a half of tissues.
Me: I told you so.
ThatsRenfieldInTheCorner: Well, what’s the next book on the reading list?
Me: Maybe Peter Pan.
Haven clears her throat and arches an eyebrow. “Tell lover boy we have a problem right now and that we’re trying to figure things out.”
My cheeks warm, and I roll my eyes. “Come on, Hav. It’s good to have someone else to talk to. Didn’t you say I had to start opening up and living my own life?”
“I did, but talking to some guy through an app all the time isn’t doing that. He might know what’s going on with you, and you send him some killer nudes, but at the end of the day, you don’t know who the hell he is.”
“Fine, I’ll get him to meet up with me.” I take a deep breath, thumbs hovering over my screen. “How do I ask him to meet me, though?”
Haven throws her hands up in the air. “How the hell am I supposed to know? I still can’t get past the talking stage with any of the women and men I’ve been messaging with lately. It always comes time for the date and then they’re like, ‘You know what, no’.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Might have something to do with living in a pool house. You didn’t put anything other than that on your profile. And since you never mention that it’s a renovated pool house, people are probably thinking that you’re sleeping with a bunch of floaties.”
Haven shrugs. “I don’t think that should deter anyone.”
I snort and turn my attention back to my phone, knowing that I’m not going to get anywhere with her. Haven is gorgeous and funny, but when it comes to letting people get close to her, she’s worse than I am.
Me: What do you think about meeting in a week to talk about the book? Maybe get some coffee?
The little dots appear and disappear over and over again. I’m about to toss the phone aside and go on with the rest of my night when it buzzes.
ThatsRenfieldInTheCorner: How about dinner instead?
Me: Dinner sounds good.
ThatsRenfieldInTheCorner: I’ll send you the details once I get my schedule for the week.
I glance up at Haven with a smile. “We’re going to be getting dinner sometime soon.”
Haven smirks and shakes her head. “Look at you, making the first step into getting your own life.”
Butterflies burst to life in my stomach at the thought of finally meeting the man I’ve been talking to.
We’ve sent countless messages back and forth, but this is it. This time, we’re going to meet, and I’m going to have one more person actually in my life who knows what’s happening to me.
It’s terrifying.
Haven tips her head to the side, staring at me. “Do you think he might be the stalker?”
I laugh and toss the phone to the side. “Not a chance. He knows all about the stalker and not once has he said anything that would even lead me to think one has anything to do with the other. Hell, I’ve been talking to this guy in the chatrooms for longer than I’ve had a stalker.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, her dark eyes narrowing and strands of her purple hair falling in front of her face. She blows them away, fixing that glare back on me. “And what’s chatroom guy’s name? Since you never told me that.”
“Jameson.”
“Uh huh. Well, I hope it all goes well.”
“Me too.” I shift to the side, sprawling out on the couch and trying to get the butterflies in my stomach to settle. “Now all I have to do is hope that he’s not some crazy killer.”
And with my track history with men, I don’t have much hope in that.