Chapter One #2
“I will come by and see you tomorrow,” Em assures Jennifer.
I look from Em to Jennifer. I watch her look at me, then back at Em. She slowly nods and gives Em a small smile.
Em nods and quickly turns around and makes her way over to Shawn. She opens the door and slides in, closing the door. Shawn wastes no time stepping on the gas and heading back out of the parking lot.
I know he was worried about Em. We are all always worried about her. She will do anything for her clients, even if that means staying here until 3:00 AM to make sure they are okay.
I take a deep breath as I stand still. Jennifer is standing still in front of me, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
I slowly turn and make my way over to the table, grabbing my jacket that I left here yesterday. I turn around and make my way back to my spot. I gently reach out my arm with my jacket.
Jennifer stares at the jacket for a moment and then releases her hold on herself. She reaches out and grabs the jacket. I feel her cold fingers brush against my skin as she takes the jacket from my hand.
The touch of her skin on mine makes my heart stop for a moment.
Jennifer looks up at me as she quickly puts on the jacket, once again wrapping her arms around herself.
“Let me show you around.”
She nods and takes several steps back, ensuring that there will be plenty of space between her and me when I step out of the doorway.
I calmly walk through the doorway and stop a few feet away from her.
“What would you like to see first?”
“I would like to go to the apartment, please. I am tired.”
“Yes, of course. I can show you the rest of the grounds tomorrow if you would like me to.”
She doesn’t respond as I slowly make my way over to the gate and begin putting in my code. I can feel Jennifer behind me. She is close enough that I can feel her without touching her.
I take a deep breath and watch the metal gates open wide.
I slightly turn and look at her. Her eyes are on me.
“This way,” I state as I turn back around and start to make my way toward her new apartment.
The apartment complex we have created has two levels.
The top level apartments are for those that want more space from the others.
We place new people in the bottom apartments in case they need us.
She is on the button floor in one of the newest apartments.
It was just finished a few months ago. Apartment 615.
As I make my way to her apartment, I can hear her behind me. “Emory gave you your code, right?” I ask softly.
“Yes,” she states with confidence in her voice. The first time I’ve heard confidence from her.
“That will open the gate and your apartment along with the other buildings,” I tell her, looking around at the apartments. Everyone is asleep by now, safe and sound.
“No, keys?” she asks in a surprised voice.
When we started making these apartments, Shawn, Emory, and I talked about the safest way of letting people in and out. Keys are too easy to make copies of, so Shawn thought of the idea of codes, and so far, it has been working.
“Nope. We thought it would be safer with codes. The only people that have all the codes are Shawn, Emory, and me,” I reply, trying to reassure her that her code is safe—safe with me.
“Okay,” she says softly once again. I can hear the confidence leave her, replaced with fear and sadness.
I stop in front of her apartment and put in the code. I open the door and step inside, turning on the living room light.
I turn around and look at Jennifer. She is standing right outside the door, looking into the apartment. Her eyes stop on me. She is fucking terrified.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, tilting my head to the side.
“I can’t,” she states in a low, shaky voice. I want to go to her. I want to take whatever fear she has away, but I know if I try, I will scare her, and that is the last fucking thing I want to do.
“Can’t what?” I ask, taking a small step toward her, which causes her to take a step back.
“I can’t go in until I have permission to,” she whispers, keeping her eyes on me. My heart sinks with her words. I take another small step forward and reach out my hand to her, my heart now racing as she continues to look at me.
She searches my eyes. I don’t know what she is looking for. “You don’t need permission anymore, Jennifer.”
She takes a deep breath, slowly releases her hold on herself, and reaches out her hand to me. I gently grab her hand and take a step back, forcing her to take a step forward.
She is now in the door frame. She keeps her eyes on me as I take another step back, forcing her to take a step inside. Her breathing is unsteady, her eyes are filled with fear and sadness, making my heart fucking break for her.
I release my grip on her hand, but she keeps her hand in mine as she takes a small step towards me. Now, standing in front of me, she is close enough that I can smell her, our bodies almost touching as she takes her hand from mine.
“I will be close. if you need me, okay?” I tell her softly, her scent fucking taking me over.
“Okay,” she whispers.
I feel my heart racing as I step around her and make my way to the doorway. “Ethan,” she whispers. I stop but don’t turn around.
“Jennifer,” I reply, wanting to turn around but not giving in to my urge.
“Thank you,” she says kindly. I don’t know her story, but I do know whatever she has been through has conditioned her, and I don’t like it. I don’t fuck like it at all.
“You’re welcome,” I answer as I step out of her apartment and close the door behind me.
My heart continues to race as I quickly make my way back through the open gate. I turn around and start to put in my code to make it shut. I look up as the gate starts to close and see Jennifer looking out of her apartment down at me.
I nod to her because, honestly, I don’t know what else to do. She makes me nervous, but I do know one thing.
I need to fucking talk to Emory and find out more about this girl. This girl has somehow made my heart stop beating. This girl is so scared and shattered.