Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
BLAIR
The next couple of weeks are quiet and mundane. Emmett keeps his distance except for the occasional text. It’s left me confused on where we stand after our previous encounters and I'm not sure where the change has come from. He’s making my brain hurt.
Emmett: I’m watching you, my little obsession.
Emmett: You were such a good girl today.
But today was different. Getting home from class, I check the mailbox and find a bright red envelope, identical to the first of Emmett’s weird love notes for me.
I snatch it out of the mailbox and tuck it under my arm. Quickly , I unlock the door, step inside, and let the door close behind me. Turning the lock until I hear it click, I relax at the sound and retreat to my room.
I drop my bag, kick off my shoes, and sit at the edge of my bed. Taking my bottom lip between my teeth, I chew on it while flipping the envelope over in my hands.
Do I even want to know what's inside? Ripping open the top, I yank out the piece of paper and unfold it. My eyes widen as I read his message.
Little Obsession ,
I thought the prettiest sound was when you begged for me to touch you. You proved me wrong last night. Nothing compares to your voice whispering my name as I make those pretty eyes roll back.
- Emmett
The paper starts to shake as my fingers tighten around it. I’m not shaking with fear, though. It’s anger. I can’t even get off in peace anymore.
He fucking eavesdropped on me! I don’t know why I’m surprised, considering the nickname he has for me, his little obsession . I scoff while tossing the note next to me.
Obsession .
I let the word bounce around in my mind. I have an understanding of what obsession is, but he barely knows me. What I need to understand is how deep his obsession runs for me.
I mean… He came out of my fucking closet before he pinned me to my bed and pulled orgasms from me with his mouth. I don’t know what's more concerning, the fact that he was hiding in my room or that I’m not more worried.
Or maybe, because I let him devour me with no inhibition.
Something in my gut tells me he won't hurt me. While his actions have been stalkerish and borderline creepy, I don’t feel scared when he's around. I don’t know what’s wrong with me or why my heart seems to pick up its pace when he's near.
I even found myself trying to tamper down the smile that threatened my lips, when I saw that he saved himself in my phone as Big Daddy Emmett . I changed his contact name the next morning because I couldn’t inflate his ego any more than it already was.
Unfortunately , I added fuel to the fire when I used him in my fantasies. In my defense, it wasn’t for him to hear in the first place. Despite the clear disregard for my boundaries, I can’t help but feel my heart thump a little harder when I get his notes or texts.
I let out a guttural groan and slide my hands down my face. My time here so far has been stressful, and I need to destress. Maybe a different kind of self-care is needed.
Pushing myself up and off the bed, I make my way over to my bathroom and dim the lighting to where I want it. I grab candles and place them around the bathroom, lighting them as I go, to create a calming ambiance.
Aspen and Verena have a late class tonight, and Lorelei is always hiding in her room or at parties. Regardless , the house is quiet and gives me the perfect opportunity to relax.
After all the candles are lit, I walk over to the luxurious tub and start running hot water. Throwing in a mixture of differ ent essential oils, I take a deep breath, allowing the different scents to fill my lungs.
Traces of orange, jasmine, and chamomile waft around the space. I begin to sprinkle some rose petals in the water to give it a romantic feel. I strip out of my clothes as steam starts to fill the room.
Connecting my phone to a small Bluetooth speaker, I put my playlist on shuffle and let it play. Humming along to my favorite songs while wrapping my robe around my torso, and stuffing my feet into slippers. I quickly make my way back into the kitchen to grab a stemless wine glass, along with a full bottle of wine.
Coming back to the bathroom, I set the glass and bottle down on the counter. Turning around, I close and lock the door for good measure, then slip off my robe, letting the silky material pool by my feet.
Paper Love by Allie X plays softly while I kick off my slippers next to the door. Turning back to my essentials, I pop the cork of the wine, then bring the bottle to my nose, giving it a small whiff.
I pour myself a full glass and pad over to the tub, gently bring my legs over and slowly sink into the heat of the water. A soft sigh escapes me at its warmth. Closing my eyes, I continue sipping the berry flavor and listening to the music, letting it distract me from my thoughts.
No thoughts about class. No thoughts about Mom and Dad . No thoughts about the disappearing students. And most importantly, no thoughts about Emmett . The longer I sit, the more the heat wraps around me like a cozy blanket. I can practically feel the weight of life lift off my shoulders .
After a glass of wine and twenty minutes in the tub, I’m feeling great, and more relaxed. Pulling out the drain plug and standing, I step out of the bath and wrap the towel around myself. Drying my feet on the rug and picking up my wine glass from the bath tray, a content sigh leaves my lips.
Walking to the counter, I decide to pour myself another full glass of wine. I do my skincare, then brush out my hair and tie it into a braid. Periodically sipping on the wine, letting it calm me further.
Feeling much better, I carry my wine to my bedroom. Before I slip under the covers, I grab a book from my small bookcase in the corner of my room.
Picking up a new read, I decide on a short novella, hoping to finish before I crash for the night. I flick off the lights and switch on my bedside lamp, crawling into bed and sipping on my wine while getting lost in another world. The bath, the wine, and now the book have formed the ultimate trifecta for my restoration. Being immersed in a universe where my problems don’t exist and real life loses its significance has always been where my heart resides.
Before I know it, two hours have gone by and I have devoured the book entirely. Something about a student and professor going at it like rabbits just does something to me…ya know? I don't know if it's the forbidden nature or the age gap that excites me.
As I turn the final page and begin reading the last line, I notice something strange at the bottom, it’s pen ink. I typically don’t annotate my books and this is the first time I’ve read it. It was bought brand new from the bookstore and has been sitting on the shelf since before attending Blackwood .
The last line of the book is highlighted and reads, “ Our hearts and souls are intertwined and tangled, to where you can’t tell where I end and he begins. I belong to him wholeheartedly, and he belongs to me.”
A couple of inches below the highlighted line, that same messy, masculine handwriting from those blood-red envelopes stain my page.
You are mine. I am yours.
- Emmett
I roll my eyes and shut the book. With a shake of my head, I place the paperback on my nightstand, shut off my lamp, and lay down. Releasing another sigh laced with heaviness, I bury myself further under my covers. Soon my mind drifts and I find peace in the unconscious void.
My alarm blares at the crack of dawn the next morning. Groggy and a little hungover, I rub my eyes and stretch, wishing I had more time to hibernate in my bed and away from the world.
I go through the motions of my daily routine. Run , shower, get ready, grab a coffee, and head to class. Walking out of Cozy Cup , I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket pulling me from my thoughts of sleep. Looking down at the screen, I see a message waiting to be opened from Emmett .
Emmett: Little obsession, you look delicious. I can’t wait to get you alone and take a bite out of you.
My nose crinkles as I look down at the message. He’s relentless. My thoughts surrounding Emmett from last night trickle back in and continue their spiraling.
When he first began watching me and sending constant messages, I was confused and slightly creeped out, but not scared. I don’t know what it was but oddly enough his presence feels… safe?
I know he won’t hurt me. I sigh at how crazy I must sound and look back at the text, unsure of how to react or respond.
Instead , I pocket my phone and continue walking. What does it say about me now that I’m starting to look forward to these texts and letters? They’re messing with my head more than I thought, but a part of me does like having Emmett’s attention.
On my walk between classes, a text from Aspen comes in, notifying me about a Halloween party coming up next weekend. I would need a costume and it’s a little late notice to buy anything, so I hope I’m able to find something good.
Just before the door to my economics class, I pass by the missing student bulletin board and my eyes roam over all the lost students. I stop and take a few steps towards the board, studying the posters closely, noticing the dates of the disappearances line up with the entirety of the current semester.
I count every face. Twenty -three students are missing within a matter of three months. They posted flyers around campus promot ing safety and the buddy system, but I hadn’t heard of any investigations that were going on. I chew on the skin of my thumb while I wonder what protocols are being followed to ensure the well-being and security of Blackwood’s student body.
My eyes continue to glaze over every face, their smiles frozen in time. I’m drawn to a familiar smile and my jaw drops open. A young woman stares back at me, with pearly whites, bright blue eyes, and dark brown, curly hair. I recognize her instantly as Natalie , one of my classmates.
My heart drops. We weren’t close but we were friendly and now it makes sense why I haven’t seen her in class this week. Goosebumps form on my arms and neck as I wonder where they are. My greatest fears run through my head, being kidnapped, raped, and tortured. There are plenty of sick people who play with the lives of others just for fun or because of some disgusting desires.
Those poor souls. Questions echo inside my head. Are they suffering? Will they ever make it home? But my biggest question, and most terrifying , who’s next?
With one last lingering glance at the board, I turn and shuffle inside the room. Finding my seat and setting my stuff down, I’m brought out of my thoughts when someone comes and sits in the seat to the left of me. Still shaken up, I give them a side eye and see it's the golden boy from the house party. Now , my guard is up and everyone is a potential kidnapper.
“ Hi , I'm Braxton .” He beams, leaning over closer to me. “ You’re Blair , right? I've hoped to run into you since that party a few weeks back. ”
Slightly confused about how he knows my name, I blink a couple of times in confusion.
“ Yeah that's me, how did you…” I trail off. Danger , my mind warns me.
“ Your coffee cup.” He smirks and points. I slowly nod my head.
I forgot not everyone is some crazy, obsessed stalker who sneaks into my room and waits in the shadows to give me mind-blowing pleasure.
Shaking out my thoughts of stalkers and kidnappers, I give Braxton a friendly smile. “ Yeah , that's me. Nice to meet you.”
There are continuous vibrations in my pocket that are no doubt caused by Emmett . Ignoring them, I give Braxton my attention as he speaks.
“ So … I was wondering if you would be open to tutoring me? I noticed you get into the lectures and I haven't been doing too hot on the past few tests. I'll get kicked off the football team if I don't get my grades up.” He flashes a boyishly charming smile.
Maybe he is just a regular student. Relief runs down my spine at the realization that I’m probably just overthinking everything that's going on.
“ Yeah , I can help you study. We can meet up somewhere on campus or you can come to my place?” I give him a sugary sweet smile, also hoping Emmett gets the hint to back off. He can take his possessiveness and shove it up his ass.
Fuck him, I don’t belong to anyone.
“ Take my number and we can set something up,” Braxton says while nodding and displaying his perfect, white teeth.
As we continue to make light conversation while we wait for Professor Monroe , I feel another surge of incoming texts. Turning back to face the front of the room, I pull my phone out under the desk to see what demands my attention. It's not a shock to me when I see the multiple texts from Emmett .
Emmett: You can ignore me but you’ll talk to that fuck?
Emmett: Stop talking to him.
Emmett: Does he know You’re. Mine.
Emmett: I. Don’t. Share.
Emmett: Little obsession… You’re playing a dangerous game.
Rolling my eyes, I ignore his texts and switch over to my conversation with Aspen and send her a message.
Me: Hey. Want to go pick out Halloween costumes tomorrow? I need something cute, but sexy. Definitely sexy.
Aspen: Yes! I have an idea of what I want to be. Meet me after classes today?
Me: Sounds good! See you then. ??
I drop my phone into my bag while continuing to disregard the ball of scorching hot anger sitting a few rows back.
The rest of the class drags on. I chew on my pencil while attempting to focus on the lecture and not Emmett staring at the back of my head or my phone once again vibrating inside of my bag.
The moment Professor Monroe starts going over next week’s assignment and wrapping up class, I’m quickly packing up and heading out the doors.
As I’m leaving the lecture hall, I dig through my bag searching for my phone so I can message Aspen and let her know my classes have ended. Pulling it out, I see I have multiple new messages from my shadow. One in particular stands out from the rest, though.
Emmett: Strike Two.
What the hell is that supposed to mean? I have no energy to try and dissect what he’s talking about. I throw the phone back into my bag, hoping it makes its way to the bottom and stays there.
Walking out of the building, I see Aspen sitting on the bench at the bottom of the stairs. She jumps up when I get closer and grabs my wrist while squealing with excitement.
“ Let's go!” Dragging me down to where her car is parked, we get inside and head off campus to downtown Devil’s Lake . We park and I look around at all the shops lining the strip. Aspen must see the store we came for because she grabs my arm and yanks me in its direction.
We enter the costume store, Booze . Making our way down the aisles, we look at all the different creatures and outfits, laughing while we try on different masks and wigs.
Coming up to an angel costume, I freeze in my tracks. Emmett's words ring in my head from when he called me an angel. Playing with the white fabric of the skirt and corset, I run the silky fabric through my fingers. Going to pull the hanger off the shelf, I pause when a dark inky costume catches my eye. The same silk skirt and corset paired with a halo is sitting behind the white costume but bathed entirely in black. The tag reads, “ Fallen Angel .”
I instantly know this is my costume. A small smirk starts to sneak onto my lips as an idea forms in my mind. I'll be sure to show Emmett what an angel I am.
Aspen leans in and whispers, “ This is my favorite Halloween store because they sell booze, hence the name. I wanna pick something up before we leave.” Her eyes shift from me to the costume in my hand.
She takes the garment bag from my hand and holds it up, her voice returning to its normal volume. “ Oooo , fallen angel. Definitely not what I had pictured for you. But you will look so hot!” She squeals while beaming at me. “ I am going with a sexy classic, Catwoman ! Meowwwwww .” She motions with her hands as cat claws.
Laughing , we grab our new costumes and grab a few bottles of wine before making our way to the register to pay for our stuff.
The ride home is filled with more laughter and I realize how much I enjoy being in Aspen’s presence. She has taken me under her wing and shown me love and friendship like I’ve never known before. This was exactly the afternoon I needed to pull myself out of my head, away from my obsessed stalker and the missing students.