Chapter 13
Nora
W hat is wrong with me?
My gorgeous neighbor has made it perfectly clear that he wants to be with me. He makes me laugh, feel safe, and is super-hot. We had a great not-date together, and the first thing I do when I get home is put on a goddam sexy show for my stalker. I must be sick.
But I can’t deny that him watching me turns me on like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
Perhaps it’s the fact that there’s a wall and several inches of glass separating us. He can’t touch me, he can only watch. I’m the one in control.
With his eyes hungrily watching my every move, I feel like a sex goddess.
It’s been four days since Max took me out after work.
Since then he’s shown up every night to walk me home.
I think he didn’t buy my story that the masked man he saw was just a customer and he wants to protect me, to make sure I make it home safe.
I appreciate his efforts, I really do, but I’m sure he’d be horrified to know that not only does my masked man know where I live and watches me at night, I’m also encouraging him.
Why is it that the second I get home I put on my little sordid show for my watcher?
True to his word, Max hasn’t touched me since that first night, though I often want him to.
The sexual tension is still there, but he’s been a perfect gentleman, or at least as much as Max can be.
Little does he know that his dirty promises that get me all hot and horny simply fuel my boldness for my nightly performances.
A knock at my door lets me know Max is ready and waiting for me.
He’s started walking me to work too. Often, he’ll come in and read a book while I work.
I think if it weren’t for my insistence that he can’t sit there all night, he’d stay for my entire shift, much to Mike’s chagrin.
The two are still locked in a pissing contest.
“Hey, beautiful, ready to go?” Max asks with a slow grin that makes me melt.
“Yep,” I reply breezily.
We chat amicably during the journey. At one point, as I’m crossing the road, I don’t see the cab that comes speeding around the corner. Before I can even react, Max has grabbed my hand and pulled me to safety.
“Jesus, Nora, are you okay?” he asks, his brow furrowed and concern in his eyes.
“Yes, I’m fine, thanks to you,” I reply, shaken but otherwise fine.
He doesn’t let go of my hand as we continue to walk. I don’t try to pull away.
It feels right.
“I’m just gonna hang around for a bit. That book I was reading yesterday just got to a good part and I wanna see how it turns out,” he says as we enter the warmth of the library.
“Sure,” I reply with a knowing smile. I’m well aware this is simply the charade he puts on each day to have an excuse to stay longer.
However, I’m pleased to note that he does genuinely seem to enjoy reading and it wasn’t all talk to try to get in my pants.
“I’m on reception to start with, so I’ll be there if you need anything. ”
The library is busy today and I barely have time to stop.
Finally, when the customers have slowed to a trickle, I look up and notice the time—I’ve been here over five hours already.
Since he never leaves without saying goodbye, I look over to where Max usually sits in what I’m now thinking of as our spot.
Sure enough, he’s still there, though he’s finished his book and is simply watching me.
“We talked about not sitting here all night, mister,” I chide gently as I go over.
He shrugs. “You were busy. I didn’t want to interrupt, and I wasn’t going to leave without saying goodbye. I do have to go soon, though. I’m afraid I won’t be able to walk you home tonight, something’s come up,” he says apologetically.
“Oh, nothing serious I hope,” I say, worried that his grave tone means he’s received bad news.
“No, the opposite, actually. Some ex-Army buds are in town and want to meet up,” he offers.
“Oh, that will be fun! Are they here long?” I ask, wanting to know more about his past.
“Just tonight, otherwise I’d have walked you home first or arranged it for a day you’re not working nights. I’ll pay for a cab to take you home,” he generously offers.
“Don’t be silly, I’ll be fine walking home alone. I was doing it without any problems before,” I say, waving away his concern.
“That was before you had me. It’s not safe.”
“He’s right.” Mike’s voice snaps our attention to my colleague, who’s sidled over unseen during our conversation. “It’s not safe.”
“She doesn’t need your concern,” Max growls.
Mike rolls his eyes and ignores him, addressing me, “We’ve had some reports from customers about a man wearing all black and a ski mask hanging around the area at night. We’re advising people to not walk alone.”
“See? Please take a cab,” Max insists.
“You’ll have a nightmare trying to flag down a cab tonight; there’s some big event in town nearby starting just after we finish, and the roads are gonna be gridlocked,” Mike says, almost proudly, something which confuses me until I hear the next words out of his mouth.
“Seeing as your friend here can’t, I’ll walk you home and make sure you’re safe,” he declares smugly.
“No,” Max growls, “I will.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Max, you just said you have plans and can’t. This is the perfect solution. Mike can walk me home, so you know I’m safe. There’s no way I’m going to stop you spending the one night you can with your friends,” I insist.
Max opens his mouth to protest, but I interrupt before he can say anything. “Don’t try to argue. I’m a big girl who can look after herself and decide what I do. If you do, I swear I’ll never let you walk me home again.”
Max must sense that I’m serious, as he reluctantly agrees. “Fine,” he grunts.
“Perfect,” Mike says gloatingly, giving Max one final triumphant look before walking away.
“If you need anything, or if that prick tries anything funny, you call me and I’ll be there as fast as I can, okay?” Max says, narrowing his eyes at Mike’s back.
“Max, I—”
“Please, don’t argue with me on this,” he insists.
“I wasn’t going to. I was going to say you’ve never actually given me your phone number.”
“What a grave oversight on my part. Allow me to rectify that,” he says, his voice light and teasing compared to the menace it held when talking to Mike only moments ago.
Instead of pulling out his phone, he grabs a pen. “Give me your hand,” he demands, holding out his own.
“What?”
He doesn’t reply, simply raises an eyebrow and gestures with his fingers for me to do as instructed.
I do as I’m told, savoring the skin-on-skin contact and the warmth of his touch, the way it sends little lightning bolts through me.
He rolls up my sleeve slightly, flipping my arm over to write his number along my forearm.
He delicately places his lips to my wrist when he’s done, and I swear I might faint.
“I could have typed it into my phone,” I say, trying to ignore the marching band inside my stomach.
“Sure, but this way your friend over there will have a nice visual reminder of who you belong to,” he says with a wink.
Sneaky bastard. Somehow, I’m not even mad.
“Call me if you need anything,” he reiterates before leaving.
I spend the rest of my shift with a giant grin on my face, so much so that my cheeks hurt.
“Ready to go, Nor?” Mike says.
“Yep, just grabbing my coat.”
He spots the scrawl of Max’s brand still tattooed on my pale skin and shakes his head. “Hasn’t he ever heard of phones?” he says condescendingly.
Although I pretty much said the same thing, I don’t like Mike talking shit about Max.
“I think it’s cute. We’re too reliant on our cell phones nowadays,” I insist.
“And I think it’s possessive. He might as well have branded you like cattle. This isn’t the fifties anymore. Women don’t want macho bros who treat them like fragile dolls.”
“Oh, and you’re the authority on what women want?” I reply sarcastically.
“Face it, Nora, you wouldn’t be giving this guy the time of day if he was some weedy little guy. You’ve picked up the shiny new book with the striking cover, but halfway through you’ll realize it’s purple prose, all style no substance,” Mike confidently declares.
“You know nothing about Max. You’re the one who is judging the book by its cover, and you know what, I don’t need to explain myself to you. Who I date is none of your business,” I snap, picking up my pace.
“I’m just trying to look out for you. I don’t want to see you get hurt by some jerk who’s only after one thing,” Mike says. “You deserve a nice guy who’s going to appreciate the wonderful, intelligent woman you are.”
“Thanks, Mike, you’re a good friend,” I reply, wary that Mike will soon make a case for how he’s the nice guy I should be with. “So, read anything good lately?” I ask, wanting to steer the conversation into more neutral territory.
Mike takes the bait, as I knew he would. He can’t resist talking about the latest books he’s read, showing off his intelligence and literary knowledge. I zone out as he drones on, telling me about a book he’s decided to write since he thinks he’d do such a good job.
I’m grateful when we approach my building. “Well, this is me. Thanks for walking me home,” I say, coming to a stop outside the front entrance.
“You’re not home yet. I’m not leaving until I’ve seen you go inside your apartment,” Mike insists.
I don’t even bother to argue. Mike follows behind me as I head inside, and the first thing I see is that my apartment door is wide open, the hinges splintered from where it’s been kicked in.
“Oh my god!” I say, rushing inside. “Josef!” I cry hysterically, terrified they’ve hurt my cat or that he’s gotten out.
The rush of overwhelming relief I feel when he climbs out of his hiding place in the cupboard to wind around my legs is overtaken by shock and fear when I look at the rest of my apartment.
“Shouldn’t you call the cops? The intruder could still be here,” Mike hisses from the doorway.
I ignore him, surveying the ransacked apartment. Strangely, nothing seems to be missing. Whoever it was, they didn’t find what they were looking for. I can’t shake the thought that what they were looking for might have been me.
“There’s no one here,” I call out, but Mike doesn’t move.
Could my stalker have done this? If he did, he’s escalating. But he knows my movements well enough to know I wasn’t in.
A random burglar would have taken stuff. There’s a small amount of cash still in my bureau, and the TV and my laptop are untouched.
“I don’t think they took anything,” I call out as I continue to search.
That only leaves one possibility. My father sent someone.
As the realization dawns on me, I start to shake, and to my mortification, huge sobs erupt from me, and I break down.
The uncharacteristic display of emotion seems to finally give Mike the courage to move and he comes over, pulling me into a hug. I try to pull away, but he holds me firm.
“Shh, it’s okay, I’m here, no one’s going to hurt you.
We’ll call the cops, and they’ll find whoever did this, and insurance will cover anything that might have been taken.
You’re safe, and I’m here for you, that’s the main thing,” he soothes, thinking my upset is because this is a standard break-in.
I can’t tell Mike why I don’t want the cops involved, he’ll ask questions. I just want him out of my apartment, and most importantly, I want him to let me go. Being this close to him has replaced my fear with revulsion.
“Thanks, Mike, I feel much better, I’ll call the police later,” I say, hoping he’ll release me.
“You know I’ll always protect you, I’ll always be here for you,” he promises, whispering in my ear, which only makes me more uncomfortable.
He cups my face in both his hands, and before I fully register what he’s doing, he kisses me in a slobbering feverish passion.
I try to pull away, but he snakes his hand around my waist, pulling me close to him.
I can feel his erection pressing into me and I place both of my hands firmly on his chest, finally managing to push him away from me enough that I can speak.
“What the fuck, Mike? Let me go!” I yell in shock and disbelief.
“Come on, Nora, stop fighting this. You know this is right,” he says before burying his face in my neck and kissing it.
“Get off me!” I say, my voice strangled and panicked.
He doesn’t seem to be paying any attention to me. He’s not stopping. He squeezes my breast and moans, the other hand fumbling with his belt. With numb horror, I try to contemplate what’s happening.
Finally, my survival instinct kicks in. I’m not going to let another man touch me without my consent. I bring my knee up with as much force as I can muster, hitting him where it hurts. .
“What the fuck, Nora?” he says incredulously, doubled over in pain.
“I told you to fucking stop!” I yell, slapping him across the face, my hurt and betrayal bubbling to the surface. I always knew Mike had a thing for me, but he seemed like a nice guy. Not the sort who’d try and take advantage of me when I was scared.
His eyes darken and he rounds on me, furious. Mike might not be as big as Max, but he still far outpowers me and I realize I’ve gotten myself into a bad situation. With Max out with his Army buddies there’s no one to hear my screams.
“You fucking bitch,” he snarls, grabbing me by the throat.
“You’ll fuck any meathead that comes near you, but you won’t go for the nice guy who’s actually good for you.
The guy you’ve been leading on for years!
Well, I’m done being Mr. Nice Guy. You’re going to learn that you can’t be a fucking cock tease without there being consequences. ”
He squeezes my throat, and I’m worried I’m going to pass out. I can’t breathe, and as much as I struggle, he’s too strong.
I can’t stop him.
Stars dance across my vision as I slip into blackness.