22. Madelyn #2
“Shhhh, it’s okay, baby. We’re going to end this, alright?” he soothes. “He's not going to get away with this.”
Pulling away from his chest, I look up at him with watery eyes.
I can feel the flush crawling up my neck to my face.
Knowing the way my face swells when I cry, I can’t imagine how awful I look.
Despite all of that, Miles wipes away my tears and kisses me deeply.
He grabs my phone and opens the message where we can both read it.
Unknown: Come out, come out wherever you are…
The night didn’t go at all like I expected it to.
After my stalker sent me that last message, I had a panic attack and tried to leave again.
Miles assured me that the grounds had security along with cameras, and there was no way the stalker could step foot on the property without us knowing about it.
I’m still scared he’ll find us. It’s me he wants.
I’m the target. I just don’t know how I could protect Miles from the monster that haunts me.
I fell asleep in Miles’ arms last night.
He held me while I cried and stroked my hair until I finally relaxed.
There’s something so comforting in the way Miles plays with my hair.
Normally, I don’t like anyone touching it.
It’s a weird boundary I hate when people cross, but Miles is different.
When he plays with my hair, I feel a sense of peace and comfort wash over me.
We woke to Julius’ light taps on the door. He let us know breakfast was ready, and we slowly dragged ourselves out of bed, but not before Miles kissed me until I forgot how to breathe.
I love the way he kisses me. Each time is filled with so much emotion, almost like he’s afraid it’ll be the last. I know he’s worried I’ll try to leave him again, and I don’t blame him for it.
My track record isn't exactly something I can defend. I just don’t want to paint an even bigger target on his back than he already has.
We make our way back down to the dining area, and I’m surprised to see the amount of food that’s already laid out buffet style on the table. I expected breakfast to be like supper, where the plates were brought out to us, but I’m glad I get to choose my servings this time around.
Plates full of french toast, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, a variety of toast and fruit options line the center of the table with multiple plate settings set around them.
I’m about to question why there’s six of them when two large men and a petite woman walk into the dining room, Julius following right behind them.
They all sit down around the table and I immediately throw up my walls and close in on myself, my social anxiety kicking in. I try to put up a strong front. But Miles notices my discomfort and pulls me into his side immediately.
“Hey, it’s okay, they’re here to help us,” he whispers, but I don’t let my guard down. “Guys, this is my girlfriend, Maddie. Baby, this is Hudson, Nate and Morgan. They’re our security team.”
I know Miles mentioned we had security before, but this wasn’t what I expected. I was thinking more of a security system where you punch in a code and it arms your house. These are huge men that look like they’re about to murder more than just the food.
Even Morgan is intimidating. I don’t care how petite she is.
The three of them nod their hello’s before taking their seats on the opposite side of the table. Miles pulls my chair out for me again, and I take my seat.
Unfortunately, I’m too nervous to even think about eating now.
Miles takes the seat next to me, and before I can wonder who the sixth seat is for, Julius sits down next to Miles. He grabs his plate and piles food onto it, along with the rest of the security team.
I'm so glad I’m not the only woman at this table. I think I would have felt uncomfortable if I was, but it still feels a little awkward since I don’t know any of them.
Part of me wishes Esmeralda was here to sit with us. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so alone. I may not know her at all, but from our brief interactions last night, she made me feel comfortable and welcomed.
Miles places his hand on my thigh under the table, giving it a gentle squeeze. When I glance over at him, I notice he’s watching me with a concerned look on his face.
I give him a small smile, hoping it’ll ease his mind just a little bit.
He kisses the top of my head and grabs my plate, filling it up with a little bit of everything.
I can’t help but notice him skipping over the large plate of eggs.
He must have remembered the one time I told him I wasn’t a fan of the way they tasted.
Damn. He’s really been paying attention to all the little things. The things I like, the things I don’t, stuff I probably haven’t even noticed about myself.
The thought sends a swarm of butterflies through my stomach. I’ve never experienced love like this before. Not the kind where someone notices the smallest pieces of me and remembers them simply because they matter.
Miles places the plate back in front of me and squeezes my thigh once more before filling his plate with food.
I look up to see Morgan staring at me with a look I can’t quite place.
She looks away and goes back to eating her food, and I don’t know if I should be worried or if I should let the uneasy feeling go.
Maybe she’s just trying to get a feel for me now that I’m supposedly high on her list of priorities. Or maybe she’s upset that I’m on the list at all. I wouldn’t blame her if she was upset about having to watch over a grown adult. I think I would be upset too.
Miles pours himself a large cup of hot coffee and takes a hefty gulp before clearing his throat.
“Alright, so we need a plan. Maddie’s protection should be your first and highest priority,” he demands.
“This guy has been stalking her for months now, and I want to find him. I want more cameras along the perimeter of the property. I need everything to be motion censored. If he steps foot on this property, we’ll know about it. ”
Everyone nods their heads, their mouths full of food.
“What would you like us to do when we catch him?” Hudson asks.
Not an if, but a when. They intend to do what they’ve been asked to do, and something about that makes me feel so safe. Like I’m completely untouchable within these walls.
Miles’ eyes darken and he smiles a grin so evil it sends chills down my spine. “You bring him to me.”