6. Don’t Worry, Princess
Don’t Worry, Princess
Bree
S ince I realized my mystery texter was Nolan a week ago, it’s gotten worse than it ever was before. He knows I know it’s him, and while he’s still staying in the shadows, he’s amped up his game, and I know why. He’s letting me know that I can’t stop him. He’s showing me that he can do what he wants without consequence, and he knows, cop to cop, that it’s eating me alive.
When I opened my front door the morning after the incident in the grocery store, I felt sick to see the bottle of wine I had abandoned right there on my doorstep. There was no condensation left on the bottle, letting me know it had been there a while if not all night. My heart raced as I backed up and locked my door. For all I knew, he could have been watching me through my window as I pieced the truth together. The messages have become daily—observations about my life, my movements around town—but he was nowhere to be seen—he is nowhere to be seen.
Dropping to my knees, I stare at the box on my porch. Since I opened the door to find the wine, I’ve found flowers, chocolates, perfume, and now this: a white box with a silver ribbon tied around it and a card with my name on it. I swallow hard and reach for the card.
You’re going to look beautiful tonight. I’ll pick you up at six. Nolan x
‘What the fuck?’ I say softly, confused, as I lift the top of the box and sit back on my heels in shock.
Emerald green satin sits underneath the jewel-strapped high-heel sandals and long box that I already know contains a bracelet or necklace. There’s another card, so I pick it up and turn it over to see the fancy invitation to the annual police department gala. Detective Nolan Joseph & Chief of Police Breanne Campbell is printed onto the invitation.
‘No!’ I drop the card, slamming the box closed and picking it up before rushing to my car and throwing the box onto the passenger seat. I’ve had it. I’m done. This stops today.
I drive—way too fast—to the city and pull into the parking lot of the police department. My heart beats hard against my ribs as nerves and anger course through me. Pushing open the door, I’m relieved I was ready for work when I found the box as my uniform earns me some respect from the guy at the front desk, and he doesn’t laugh the crazy lady back out of the door.
‘I need to see the chief,’ I say, not explaining further.
‘Um—’ he looks around like he doesn’t know his next move.
‘My name is Breanne Campbell. I’m the Chief of Police for Forest Falls. I have a complaint about one of your detectives, and I would like to take that directly to Chief—’ I lean back to look at the portrait on the wall and the plaque underneath, ‘—Cane, please.’
The officer nods and picks up the phone, placing a call before buzzing me through and directing me where to go.
When I reach Chief Cane’s office I take a breath, then knock, entering when I hear the call.
The somewhat portly man behind the desk stands, smiling and holding out a hand to me, which I take.
‘Chief Campbell, good to meet you.’
‘You too, Chief Cane.’ I offer a small smile as he gestures to the chair in front of his desk.
‘How can I help you today?’
‘Well, I’ll talk plainly.’ I exhale, then dive in. ‘I am being harassed by Detective Nolan Joseph.’ I see his eyes widen but don’t give him room to question. ‘We dated very briefly, and I ended it, and now he is harassing me, following me, texting me constantly, leaving gifts on my doorstep, and now this.’ I open the box and put it on his desk, then watch as he pulls on a glove from his desk drawer before he inspects the contents, turning over the card and reading the invitation.
‘Can I see these texts?’
I open the messaging app so he can see the multiple threads and hand him my phone.
‘These are all from different numbers.’
‘Yes, every time I try to trace the number, he changes it.’
‘Miss Campbell…’
‘Chief,’ I correct, a sinking feeling forming in my stomach at the turn up of the corners of his mouth, his ruddy cheeks rising.
‘My apologies, Chief Campbell.’ He fully smiles at me now as he pulls off and disposes of the glove, and I take a slight step back. ‘From what I can see, none of this, other than the invitation, links back to Detective Joseph.’
My lips part but he doesn’t give me a chance to speak as he picks up the phone on his desk and dials.
‘Come down here for a second, would you?’
‘Chief Cane, you must see how this all adds up,’ I plead with him to see what’s happening.
‘We’ll get this cleared up, honey.’ I’m about to argue the ‘honey’, when the door behind me opens, and that scent surrounds me. I’m nauseous as Nolan passes me to stand next to the chief and smiles wide.
‘Bree? What are you doing here?’ Then he turns to the man in the chair. ‘You lining up your replacement, old man?’ He slaps the chief on the shoulder, and they both laugh. ‘Well, you can’t go far wrong with Bree.’
He grins, and I shake my head, disbelieving. What the fuck is happening right now?
‘Nolan, Miss Campbell here has some concerns she wants to clear up.’
‘ Chief Campbell,’ I snap, ‘not Miss, not Bree, and not honey.’ The two men look at each other, and I see it, that look, the ‘ Uh oh, somebody is hormonal ’ patronizing look that some men have a habit of giving when a woman gets upset, or angry, or any emotion that has us expressing ourselves. ‘I know you’re stalking me, you know you are, so I’m here to make it stop. The messages, the gifts, this—’ I gesture to the box, and he has the balls to look confused. ‘It’s breaking me, Nolan.’
‘Detective Joseph,’ the Chief sasses, and I want to punch him in his smug fucking face.
‘I can’t sleep. I can hardly eat. Please, stop.’
‘Bree, sorry, Chief Campbell, I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
‘Nolan,’ I sigh his name.
‘Bree,’ he shrugs, ‘I sent you the dress and shoes and the gala invite, yes, because I thought it would be a great networking opportunity for you, and I wanted to do something nice. But the rest of this stuff, I’m lost. I would never stalk you. We’re friends.’
Son of a bitch. I hold his stare, and if I didn’t know better, I’d fucking believe him, so I’m not surprised when the chief does exactly that.
‘Well, looks like we got that cleared up,’ Chief Cane says, leaning back in his chair, and I feel the exaggerated rise and fall of my chest as my blood heats and my breath quickens with the anger coursing through me.
‘Bree, if you need me to investigate the concerns you have, I will absolutely help you figure out who’s doing this to you.’ His voice is so caring, so sincere, and I shake my head.
‘You asshole.’ My voice trembles as I stare into his eyes, and he fucking smirks, just for a second but I don't miss it. ‘I’m going to prove it’s you. I hope you know that.’
‘Now, Miss Campbell, don’t make me have you escorted out.’ The chief stands and meets Nolan’s now sympathetic-looking gaze.
‘I’ll walk her down, chief,’ he offers, tapping the chief’s arm in a friendly gesture that tells the older man he has this situation under control.
‘Fuck you!’ I snap as I turn, yanking open the door and rushing from the room.
I head for the corridor and the stairs but don’t get far before a strong hand grabs my wrist and pulls me back. He pushes me to the wall and pens me in with his body. I’m frozen as I look up into his hard, cold eyes, and he gazes down at me, the heat and mint of his breath on my nose and lips.
‘This is my place of work, Breanne. What the fuck do you think you’re doing coming here and saying these things about me?’ His voice is hard, cold, and unlike anything I’ve heard from him before. A sob threatens to lurch from my throat before I push it down. I won’t cry, not now, not in front of him.
‘You’re ruining my life, Nolan.’
‘Shut up,’ he snaps, and I freeze, considering my options for getting out of this situation. ‘You’re delusional.’ His voice lowers to an angry hiss before he smirks again. ‘I’m not doing a damn thing.’
I fight against my emotions, not wanting him to see my fear even as it races through my veins. I’m trapped. I can’t pull my head back enough to headbutt him with any force because of the wall behind me. Both of my hands are pinned against the wall beside me, and his body, pressed hard against mine, leaves me no room to use my knees.
He was fast, pinning me in a way that left me no defense, and he’s stronger than me. For the first time in my life, I feel helpless and defeated, with nowhere left to turn, but I can’t let him know, I can’t show him my weakness.
‘You’re a psychopath,’ I hiss angrily, forcing the little strength left in me into my voice. ‘You can choose to stop this today, or I will stop you, Nolan. I’m giving you fair warning of that.’
Nolan’s jaw ticks before his mouth turns up to one side in a menacing smile, and then he laughs. A low, slow chuckle that turns my stomach.
‘You’re making a fool of yourself, Bree. This is embarrassing, you should stop.’
I exhale as I drop my head forward, knowing he’s enjoying this.
‘Nolan, please, just leave me alone,’ I beg, my voice smaller now, and he leans in, pressing his cheek against mine. The short stubble there scratches my skin as his inescapable scent surrounds me.
‘Don’t worry.’ I swallow hard at his whispered tone, it feels like confirmation that it’s him, it’s really him. ‘I won’t ever hurt you.’
He releases me, stepping back away from me and giving me space, but I no longer have any fight in me, and I sag against the wall.
‘Go home, Bree,’ he says coldly, then heads back up the stairwell and leaves me there as I drop to the floor, weak, drained, and terrified of his next move.