Chapter 15 - Klaus
I could hear her voice all the way in the meeting room. Aubrey wasn’t the type of person to get flustered and start yelling.
“Is that Aubrey?” Riley asked, pausing his statement he’d been saying. “Were you expecting her?”
I shook my head. “Excuse me,” I said as I pulled myself up.
“Please!” Her voice pitched higher, and I could hear it breaking. It sent a shiver down my body, raising all the hair on my back. Aubrey hadn’t spoken like that since the hotel when she thought I was going to hurt her.
I pushed the door open and stepped outside. She was standing next to Julia, shaking her head. Her entire body was shaking, and I could see tears in her eyes.
I crossed the space and walked to her. Her lower lip was quivering, and I knew something had happened. “Aubrey?”
“He’s here,” she gasped, her voice cracking. “He’s here.”
I knew exactly who she was talking about, and she moved into my space. I pulled her close, tightening my arms around her. I looked down the hall and scanned the space. I doubted he would follow her inside, but I wasn’t taking the chance.
“Who?” Julia asked, not sure what to do.
“No one comes in,” I stated before I turned Aubrey into my office, shutting the door behind us. She started to sob, her hands tight on my shirt. “I don’t want to go back. Don’t let him take me back.”
I pulled back, cupping her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her eyes were bloodshot, and her face looked twisted in pain.
It killed me to see her so broken. She was always strong-headed and calm. I would never know what fully happened to her, but I knew I was never going to let the man near her.
“You’re safe,” I whispered, pressing my forehead against hers. “I’m right here with you. Just breathe.”
Her breaths were short, and I tried to breathe with her to calm her. It took her a moment before her body slowly started to relax.
I leaned back, looking into her eyes. I wiped at her tears and watched her take a few more breaths.
“What happened?” I asked. “Walk me through what happened.”
Her eyes didn’t focus as she spoke slowly. “I saw him at the market. I was going for a walk. Cally and Rachel asked me to join them. So, I did. I was walking around with them when I spotted him. He was standing across the street.”
I pressed my forehead against hers. “What was he wearing? I’ll send some guys out to look for him, but I need a description.”
She stammered. “Jeans and a black shirt. He’s got dark brown hair and brown eyes. A scar on his chin.”
A few tears broke free, and I wiped at them. I kissed her forehead, inhaling her scent. “He’s not going to hurt you.”
“I had a vision of him. I was walking down the street, and he grabbed me from the side. It was short but…” I could feel her starting to shake again.
I ground my teeth together. This was her second vision. If he were here, there was a good chance that her vision could come true. If this one came true, then the other one could as well.
“It’s not going to happen. I promise.” I kissed her forehead once more before I pulled back. I pulled the door back open, and Julie still stood outside looking lost.
“I want a search party sent out now. Black shirt, jeans, brown hair, and brown eyes. Has a scar on his chin. If found, arrest.”
Julie nodded and turned on her heels. I shut the door again and turned back to Aubrey. I pulled her back into my arms, plopping us onto my small couch. “You’re safe.”
She shook her head and leaned back. “I had a vision about him, and he’s here.”
I frowned. “Aubrey. Don’t overthink this.”
She wiped at her eyes. “He’s here. And my vision was him catching me. If that’s true, then the other vision before will happen. I’m not overthinking anything. I’m being practical.”
I could see the fear in her eyes. I would do everything to make sure neither of them came true. I promised her I’d keep her safe, and I was keeping my promise. “You don’t know that.”
“And you can’t keep acting like it won’t,” she whispered.
I hated this. I pulled her close, rocking her in my arms. She started to cry again, and I rubbed circles on her back. I don’t know how long we sat in there, but a soft knock broke the silence.
Cal stepped into the room. “We did a search, but we didn’t find anyone with that description.”
“Everywhere?” I asked. “You guys searched everywhere for him? Hotels? The woods? The streets?”
Cal nodded. “We looked everywhere. I had several groups out, and no one can find the guy that you described.”
I ground my teeth together. I wasn’t going to doubt Aubrey that he was here. She’d told me enough to know the man was a weasel. If he knew anything, he knew to be careful about what he did. He knew we would search for him, so he was obviously hiding out.
“I want another search party sent. I want him found. He’s hiding somewhere.”
Cal nodded, glancing at Aubrey for a split second before he slipped out of the room. I turned back to Aubrey. “I’m going to go and look with them.”
She frowned. “No, I don’t want to be in here alone.”
“It’s just for a few minutes. Lock the door behind you, and I will be right back. Okay? I’m going to search the ground to make sure we can get to the SUV.”
She sniffled, and I cupped her face. “Just a few minutes.”
I pulled away and slipped out into the hallway. I headed outside and found Cal talking with the search party by the doors. I walked after them.
“Search the woods again. He’s probably hiding out there,” I stated as I reached them.
They all nodded their head, and Cal turned to me. “What if we don’t find him?”
I raked a hand over my face. “I don’t know. But I know that he needs to be found. He’s dangerous, and the last thing I want is him getting close to Aubrey.”
Cal raised an eyebrow at me. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you get concerned like this. Must be a sick bastard.”
“He’s hurt her, Cal. She is terrified of the man, so I’m not taking this lightly. I’m keeping her safe.”
Cal nodded. “Alright, well, keep looking. Are you taking her home? Do we need to search the house?”
I shook my head. “No, I have that security system. I would know if anyone was in my house. I was going to do a quick look around City Hall to make sure he wasn’t waiting in the bushes before I took her home.”
“I’m going to do another search around downtown. Let me know if anything happens.”
I headed around the building, checking each bush. I rounded the building twice to make sure. I headed inside and went to my office, but found the door open. I felt my heart stop when I saw my office empty.
No! God no!
I hurried back out and quickly looked around. “Aubrey! Aubrey! Where are you!?”
I ran across the yard, not even sure where to look. I doubted she would have gone quietly. But I didn’t hear her scream or yell for me.
I ran my hands through my hair as I looked across the streets. I looked in cars and down the road. But I didn’t see anyone.
“Ouch,” a soft voice grumbled, and I turned around quickly. I started along the building and froze when I spotted her. She was looking around with her arms wrapped around her middle as she shivered.
“Aubrey!” I yelled her name. “What are you doing?” I snapped. She jumped as she turned around.
“I heard something.”
I ground my teeth together. “Was it your sanity leaving the building?”
She crossed her arms. “No, I heard something. I thought it was one of you guys.”
“Aubrey, I told you to stay inside. What the hell are you thinking, going out here?”
“Don’t yell at me,” she snapped back. “I thought someone was out here.”
“I’m going to yell because you didn’t listen. Are you trying to get your ass kidnapped?”
Her body tensed, and I knew I’d hit a nerve. I took a breath and sighed. “Come on, it’s been a long day. Let’s get you home.”
We drove home, where Aubrey was quiet. She stared out the window, her fingers tightly wrapped together. I frowned, knowing I had only made the already tense situation even worse. “I didn’t mean to yell. I was… I just don’t want anything to happen.”
She glanced at me. “I know. I’m sorry. I thought I heard someone, and I went to look. I thought it was you.”
“Don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I was just worried. Your ex is here, and anything could happen. I don’t want anything to happen.”
I pulled into the driveway, and she looked at me. “I know that. I just… It’s hard to be around you.”
I frowned. “It is?”
She nodded. “Not because you’ve done anything. It’s just… There is so much going on. I don’t know what’s going on, and I get overwhelmed. I just…” She chewed on her cheek. “I know there is so much going on, and I don’t want to waste your time.”
“Aubrey, nothing is going to happen. I promise.”
“I’m not saying anything is going to happen or that nothing can happen. I’m just…” she stammered, talking quickly. “I just… if anything happens, I don’t want it to be labeled as because of this and not because we wanted to, or that nothing happened, and it means I don’t want anything to happen.
“Aubrey, breathe. What are you worried is going to happen?”
She frowned. “Anything. I don’t want you to think I’m broken and untouchable.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t think you’re untouchable, Aubrey.”
She swallowed, and I watched the way her fingers settled. “I know we don’t have lines in the sand anymore… and that we aren’t exactly just two people living in the house. We’ve had sex, and I’m not saying I don’t want to have sex again, but I am saying I don’t want it right now.”
I reached out and grabbed her hands. “My top priority is you and keeping you safe. Aubrey, nothing will happen if you don’t want to do it.”
She slowly nodded, and I reached up, cupping her face. “Let’s get you to bed. You need sleep.”
We headed inside, where Aubrey didn’t let go of my hand. “Can you stay with me?”
“Of course,” I said as I locked the door. I hoisted her up and carried her upstairs. I took her into my room, where she crawled under the covers. I watched her sink into the sheets, finding she fit in them perfectly.
I crawled under them, pulling her close to me. She rested her head against my shoulder and sighed. “Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me for this, Aubrey.”