9. Chapter 9
9
Sophie
My breath catches. Does he have to be even more alluring than his photo? The tattoos peeking out from his shirt are already something I’m dying to trail with my fingers. I can tell he works out too. I’m a sucker for muscles, always have been. His hair falls loosely to one side, just brushing over one eyebrow. His brilliant green eyes could easily become addicting and if I stand here long enough, I just might drown in those emerald pools.
I’m cooked.
I smile and wave with only the slightest hesitation as I make my way to the table. You’d think a porn star could act a little more calm and collected around a stupidly attractive man, but nope.
Stay frosty .
“Sophie?” He asks hoarsely.
“That’s me, which makes you Brody.”
He doesn’t seem sure of what to do, so I make a move to hug him. Oh god, why did I do that? He’s chiseled. I can feel it through the flowy shirt and I’m almost tempted to lower my hands a little and see if his ass feels as good as I think it will. I resist and pull back quickly with a smile.
I’m no better than a man.
“It’s lovely to meet you.” Brody’s voice is a little stronger than it was a moment ago. “Have a seat.” He steps forward and pulls out my chair for me .
I do my best to get my dress firmly between my thighs and the wooden chair, but there are a couple of inches of skin that will stick to the polished wood when I stand up. I seriously regret wearing a short dress. That’s what I get for being a slut, Natalie would say. She’d mean it with utmost respect for my slut status, of course, considering she’s in the same boat.
“I hope this is ok,” says Brody, returning to his seat. “I’ve been here a lot with my roommate for birthdays and things, but I wasn’t sure if it was nice enough for a first-”
“It’s great,” I cut in. Damn it. I have to stop doing that to people. “I mean I’m still new and still figuring out where to eat and what places are actually good versus what’s more of a tourist attraction. My roommate has lived here for a couple years, so she helps, but we both work a lot.” Stop rambling . “It’s nice to find new places though, you know? And I commend you on making a plan. Not everyone would be so quick. It’s an admirable trait.”
Admirable trait? First, a British socialite and now I sound like a professor.
I can’t think straight. His forearms are resting on the table and I don’t know how I’ll be able to keep my eyes off of them—one covered in ink, the other tan and veiny. I take a deep breath and hold it for a few moments like I do when trying to get rid of the hiccups.
“I’ve learned that over the years.” Brody doesn’t seem to notice my miniature stroke.
“Your many years in the dating pool?”
“Oh, no, this is my first date ever.” The serious expression doesn’t fool me and I giggle. “I’ve barely even spoken to a woman before,” he continues and a smile tugs at one corner of his– Jesus Christ –perfect mouth.
“Even your mother?” I play along.
“Why do you think I haven’t been on a date before?”
“Fair point.”
“To be clear, I love my mother.”
“Good to know,” I respond with a solemn nod, barely containing my smile.
“It’s been a while, though,” Brody mumbles softly and I see the cheery expression falter. “You know how it is, bad experiences make you want to quit dating.” He’s trying to brush it off. I have a feeling there’s something deeper, but I don’t press the issue.
“We’ve all been there,” I agree. “I haven’t been out with anyone since I moved here in February.”
“Is there a reason? Don’t answer if you don’t want to. I don’t want to pry. ”
“Honestly,” I maintain my smile, “bad relationship. It was hard to trust anyone. Still is. I’ve been on dating apps for about two months now, but nothing. I want to find someone who adds value to my life.”
“And you haven’t found anyone who does that?”
“Not enough value to offset some of the shit I’ve uncovered before we even met.” The venom in my voice is hard to miss and I hate myself for the words the moment they fall from my lips. If he doesn’t stand up and run now, that’s a major green flag. Or maybe it’s a red flag because he’d be delusional to think he could be the one to change things.
“I don’t blame you.”
“So you’ve met other men.”
Brody lets out a deep, hearty laugh.
“Yes, I have met other men. Several, in fact.”
The server approaches us then, a young woman with a messy, blonde bun piled on top of her head. She smiles warmly at Brody as she speaks.
“Good evening. I’m Alexis, would you like to hear a bit about our seasonal beers on tap or have you already decided on drinks?”
She doesn’t even look in my direction, but Brody only stares at me.
“Lady’s first,” he says and Alexis finally turns to me.
“I haven’t had a chance to look,” I admit. She smirks and I decide to bring out the big guns–literally. I lean forward, allowing my cleavage to be on full display. It’s one of the few things about me that makes other women jealous. I have great tits. “Do you have any good dark beers? Like a milk stout?”
“I think we do. I can ask the bartender what the best one is.”
“Would you? That would be amazing, thank you.” My tone isn’t sickeningly sweet or threatening in any way. Brody doesn’t know me well enough not to be put off by that.
Alexis turns back to my date.
“I’ll take this Wild West IPA,” he says, pointing to the menu.
“Perfect, I’ll put that in and be right back.” Alexis turns on her heel and all but runs to the bar.
“I knew there was something about you,” Brody chuckles when Alexis is out of earshot.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I raise an eyebrow and cock my head to the side, my heart fluttering with worry. Does he already want to end the date ?
“I have three sisters. I’ve seen the tactics women pull out when they’re jealous, but this was different.” He leans back and crosses his arms over his chest. God damn, those veiny forearms. How would they look wrapped around my body?
Get a grip, Sophie. I breathe a little easier.
“First, of all,” I glare across the table, but am unable to hide my grin, “I hope you don't think I'm jealous. Second, different, how?”
“I didn't say you were the jealous one. Your confidence is stunning.”
“Careful what you say next.”
He doesn’t back down.
“I didn’t say surprising. I wasn’t lying when I reacted to your photo on KinkRink , but you know that. You know you’re gorgeous.”
“Of course I do. Men say it enough. Women, too.” I refuse to hide my confidence. If he sees it, I’m going to flaunt it.
“I don’t doubt it.” He sits up in his chair. “So what made you respond to my message on KinkRink ? I can’t possibly have asked the most interesting question.”
“It was the most interesting question. Most people just ask where I’m from or make it sexual. I liked your profile too.” I smirk. “Tattoos just do something to me. I had to give you a chance.”
“Are you glad you did?”
“Jury’s out. Ask me in a couple hours.”
“Deal,” he chuckles as Alexis returns with his beer.
She sets it down in front of him and turns to me.
“The bartender said the Spitfire is a good milk stout.”
I glance down at the menu and see that the Spitfire is a sour beer and not remotely what I was asking about. I scrunch my eyebrows, teetering on whether I should be petty or accept the suggestion–a raspberry sour beer isn’t the worst choice and it’s probably refreshing in the summer heat.
“Sounds great,” I finally respond with a smile.
Alexis smirks as she walks away.
“Intriguing,” Brody says softly, his finger on the menu in the general area of the sour beer selection.
“I don’t mind a sour and if it gives her a win,” I shrug instead of finishing the sentence. “I’ve got the guy.” I wink and then immediately flush .
“You’ve got me,” he agrees, but his tone has more weight than the flirtatious vibe from before. He clears his throat and shifts the conversation. “So, you said you were traveling for work? I don’t think you told me what you do.”
“Marketing and production,” I answer robotically. It covers a lot and isn’t technically a lie.
“Ah, but you said you made a sale or something?”
“Closed a deal,” I respond with an innocent smile. “I’m freelance, so I have to make connections and presentations myself. It’s hard work, but I love it.” That’s not a lie.
“That’s what matters, isn’t it?” He holds his beer up in a toast only to realize I don’t have my drink yet. His cheeks flush and I grin, one side of my mouth lifting as he turns to look for Alexis who just so happens to be on her way over.
“Your Spitfire ,” Alexis says, setting a very pink beer down with a flourish.
“Can’t wait to try it,” I reply with a grin. She doesn’t seem like she’s going to walk away immediately, so I lift the drink to my lips and take a sip. I hum as I set it down. “Delicious.”
Alexis’ face turns a satisfying shade of pink, similar to my beer before she turns on her heel. I screw up my jaw and suck on the inside of my lower lip to keep from laughing, but Brody stares in awe nonetheless.
“I think I love you.” His lips part in shock, the color draining from his face, and he stammers to walk it back. “I just mean-” but I’m already laughing.
“At least wait until the second date to profess your love.”
Brody cracks a timid smile.
“Yeah, that’s usually my rule. Or at least until the end of the first date.”
“A good rule to have. I personally like to wait until date number three, just to give an air of mystery.”
“Oh, so you play hard to get, huh?”
You have no idea. Even though this is the first first date I’ve been on since Caleb, I stand by the rules from before. No fucking until I see a full STI test.
I’ve mentioned this to other men on KinkRink before, when still in the talking stage. I like to see their reactions because nine times out of ten, they throw a tantrum. Imagine. A grown man getting angry that I want to make sure it's safe to have sex. Absolutely insane. I don’t even have a chance to explain what I actually do for a living, which would probably be the final nail in the coffin .
I’m not sure why I let Brody get this far without mentioning either. Something–Natalie would say it’s my intuition–tells me he’ll react differently. Something tells me he won’t judge me for my job. I hope I'm right. I hope this won’t blow up in my face.
“I can’t be too easy,” I throw back.
“Easy is boring.”
“So,” I take a sip of my beer, “three sisters? What was that like?”
“What, are you an only child?”
“Yup.” I nod, making the movement large and dramatic. “Only child with parents I rarely talk to anymore. So if you want a big family, it’s gotta come from your side.” Parents who rarely talk to me is more accurate.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Brody’s expression falls and he reaches out to brush his fingertips on the back of my hand where it rests beside my glass. Sparks explode along my skin where he makes contact.
“It’s ok.” Is it? No. But can I change it? Also no. “But stop distracting. Three sisters. Go.”
“Well I like to think I have a better understanding of women, having been one of the middle kids, but that’s probably not true.”
“Uh oh, what does that mean?”
“I think I repressed a lot of memories.”
I have to laugh at that. Natalie has an older brother and I’ve heard horror stories. I haven’t had the pleasure–or misfortune–of meeting him yet since he lives back in New York, but Natalie paints a vivid picture when she takes a stroll down memory lane.
“Are you sure you weren’t the problem?” I ask with raised eyebrows.
Before Brody can respond, Alexis returns.
“Are you ready to order?” She has dropped the customer service voice, I notice, suppressing a smirk.
“You know, we haven’t had a moment to even look at the menu,” Brody admits. “Sorry, we’ve been talking. Can you give us a few more minutes?”
“Sure thing.” She turns again and dashes away.
“We should probably order before she gets pissed and spits in our food.” I grimace at the thought.
“Good idea.”
We peruse the menu in silence, but I already looked online to prepare. The place has some amazing food, a lot of which uses local ingredients, but the nerves of a first date will always win out. I need something easy and familiar.
“What looks good?” Brody asks.
“I’m gonna be boring. Caesar salad with chicken.”
Brody eyes me skeptically, as if uncertain whether to call bullshit or accept my decision.
“You sure?” he asks. “This place is good. They’ve got a lot of great stuff.” He’s treading lightly.
“I promise, a salad actually sounds really good. I spent last week eating like crap because I couldn’t cook. I feel like I’m still recovering.” One reason I hate traveling for long periods for work is that it messes with my diet and as a woman who does butt stuff regularly on camera, I can’t afford for that to happen.
“So you cook?”
“I love to cook, but I find I’m too busy a lot of the time or too tired from work.”
“I’m not the best. My roommate’s better, but I have a few recipes I can do pretty well. I actually thought about offering to cook for you tonight, but… Well, I didn’t want to send the wrong signals or make you uncomfortable.”
He looks back down at the menu and I smile. He’s clearly nervous, so perhaps he won’t even try to invite me over after dinner. I can’t decide if that’s disappointing or if I should be relieved. We’ll go with relieved. God, how cynical am I that I automatically assume I’ll have to say no to an invitation?
“I can’t tell you how refreshing that is.” I meet Brody’s eyes when he glances back up. “Seriously, you made a plan, you thought about my comfort.” I squint at him. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I have a roommate?”
“You mentioned that. It’s LA. I think most people do. Next.”
“Do you ?”
“Of course. Next .”
“I don’t have much of a life.”
“So?”
“Well, how often do you go out with friends?”
“Once or twice a week, but it’s usually with my roommate. What about you?”
“Once or twice a month and it’s always with my roommate. ”
“Ok, fine. One thing and it’s not even bad. You're an introvert. That's not a hanging offense.” I push, “So what’s your actual flaw, here?” A shadow passes across his face. It’s fleeting, barely noticeable. I’m dying to ask what it means, but I refrain. It's way too early to trauma dump.
“I think I’ll let that remain a mystery.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Ready?” Alexis saves Brody from answering, notepad out and pen at the ready. She’s going to make us order now, whether we’re ready or not.
“Er, yeah,” Brody stammers. He meets my gaze and gestures to me. “After you.”
I politely give my order, looking up at Alexis who seems not to hate me anymore. Her expression isn’t quite as icy as before. She jots down a few words and looks at Brody.
I watch his expression as he orders his chicken dish, trying to penetrate his mind and figure out what it is he wants to hide. I’m not getting the warning bells I would expect from that kind of exchange, so maybe it’s only something he thinks is bad. Maybe it’s not even a flaw in my eyes. Maybe he has a big dick and he’s worried it’ll scare me.
Alexis disappears again and in the awkward silence that ensues, I go for another sip of my beer. Brody matches my movement, staring at me over the glass with those deep, green eyes.
I could get lost in those eyes.
I could get into trouble for those eyes.
My phone rattles in my purse and I have to tear myself away. It’s Natalie’s emergency call. I’m usually the one calling her for it, even though she ignores ninety-nine percent of them.
“Do you mind?” I ask though I have already decided to silence it. “It could be work.”
“By all means.” He knows. He has to know. He has sisters and how many women have used this sort of tactic on him? Depending on the answer to that question, that could be his flaw.
I smile when I see the screen and confirm that it’s Natalie. With a quick tap, I silence the vibrations and slip the phone back into my purse. I want to see where this goes.
“Not work?” asks Brody when I turn back to face him.
“Nope, just my friend. I’ll call her back later.”
“Wait, you grew up here?” I ask in shock. He doesn’t seem like an LA native, but I guess I don’t know what LA natives are like. “I thought that was a myth! People only ever move to LA, they’re not from here.” Brody laughs, the corners of his eyes crinkling.
“Yeah, I grew up here,” he says, a little out of breath. He downs what’s left of his beer. “My roommate and I went to the same middle and high school. We moved in together a few years ago.”
“I’ve been here 6 months and I hate it. How do you do it?”
Brody shrugs and looks around for Alexis, I assume to order another beer. I finished mine several minutes ago and have been sipping on my ice water, hoping to avoid a hangover in the morning. When he catches the server’s eye, he holds up his glass to save her the trip to the table and I see her nod.
“I don’t know,” he says in answer to my question. “I just… I just like it here.”
“You don’t have seasons,” I point out.
“True, but I travel when I want seasons.”
“How do you get through a dry, boring Christmas with no snow?”
“There are plenty of places in the world with no snow at Christmas. Hell, the entire southern hemisphere.” He’s right.
“Ok, but it, like, never rains here.”
“I don’t want to live in the rainforest,” he counters. “Or Florida.”
“Well, who does? It’s Florida.”
“You get it.”
“But… LA ,” I say again with an exaggerated shiver. Brody chuckles.
“Well, what makes Oklahoma so great?”
“Who says it is?” Sure I lived there for nearly 28 years, but I never liked it.
“Have you lived anywhere else?”
“No.”
“Every place has its pros and cons.”
“But you’ve always lived here,” I remind him. “How do you know there’s not something better out there?”
“I don’t.” He shrugs. “But I’m happy here. I’ve got my best friend living under the same roof, a good job where I get to work from home, and now I’m on a date with a beautiful woman.” I feel my face flush.
“Oh, you’re good.” I squint at him and lean back just as Alexis silently sets down another round on the table and clears our empty glasses .
“I’m well aware.” Another wink.
“ There’s the flaw.” I shake a finger at him. “Arrogance. I found it.”
“Damn it, you discovered my secret.” Brody feigns frustration, but I see the smirk on his face. “I guess I shouldn’t have ordered another round. You probably want to just end the date now.”
“I can chug this if I need to,” I tease, but raise the glass to my lips and only take a normal swig.
“You do that and I’ll have to call you a cab.” He raises his glass to his lips.
“Or take me home yourself.” I catch myself before my eyes widen but stammer my next words. “I didn’t mean- I just meant- Take me to my own home.”
Brody tries not to laugh, but I catch his eyes as they darken, the pupils dilating just the tiniest bit. Barely anything, but I notice. I know that look. Shit, maybe I messed this up.
“Enjoy yourself, Sophie,” he assures me with a warm smile. My name sounds good on his lips. “If you need help getting home, I’ll make sure you get there safely.”
Full.
On.
Blushing.
I can’t stop the heat in my cheeks and it’s not the alcohol. I trust this man not to take advantage if I end up in a mental state that wouldn’t allow me to consent. I feel safe with Brody.
“I’m going to slow down anyway,” I finally respond, grabbing the ice water.
“Good girl.”
Fuck .
Brody realizes what he said. I see it on his face, but he doesn’t take it back, doesn’t stammer like me. He lets it sit there, hanging between us, and I try to focus on how to bring the water to my lips. I think I’ve forgotten how to swallow.
“You mentioned something about streaming.” Brody is the one to break the silence.
Shit .
“Did I?”
“Yeah, I mentioned watching video game streamers when I’m bored.” He looks a little embarrassed by the confession. “You said you like doing live broadcasts.”
“Oh, yeah. I do some streaming. Not much,” I’m quick to add.
“I’d love to watch you play sometime.”
I’ll bet you would, pretty boy .
I have to make a different suggestion or he’s going to ask for a link to my Twitch, which doesn’t exist.
“Or maybe we could just play in person.” This word play is going to be the death of me.
“Sure, what’s your go-to?” He seriously has no clue that my mind is filled with entirely different images of ‘streaming’.
“How silly does it sound if I say I like the Lego games?” At least I can pivot with something truthful.
“Silly?” Brody repeats. “I love those. Low-stress, perfect for relaxing.”
“Exactly!”
I haven’t played video games in years, but Natalie’s ex had a console of some kind and he made me play one of the Harry Potter Lego games with him. He wasn’t great, so I’m glad he didn’t stick around much longer, but at least he provided me with a good answer to this line of questioning.
“I have a couple on an older console,” Brody muses. “Maybe I should get some updated ones.”
“If you’re going to have a pro like me playing with you, then you probably should.” Really, Sophie? A pro?
“I’ll be prepared.”
“Besides video games,” I say, moving on, “other hobbies?” Please say something that gets you out of the house. I need an extrovert in my life.
“I travel,” he says slowly. “One of my favorite things is touring vineyards wherever I travel. I’m not an alcoholic,” he adds quickly and I nod. “I just like to try local places and no matter where I go, there’s always a vineyard with a view.”
“Always?” I ask, fixing him with a gaze that says I’m unconvinced.
“Ok, 99% of the time.”
“I find that difficult to believe.” I cross my arms over my chest only to immediately realize my mistake. Brody’s eyes drop to my cleavage. Damn, he was doing so well.
“Name a state or a big city.” He drags his eyes back to my face.
“Missouri.”
“There’s one near Colombia that’s on a bit of a hill, so their patio looks out over a lot of fields and trees. Stunning view on a sunny day, even in October when I was there.” He smiles, lost in thought, before coming back to the conversation. “They had live music, too.”
“Florida,” I toss out .
“A little harder because I only went to a couple, but there’s one just north of Jacksonville that I loved. You can look right out over the vineyard and you’re just surrounded by nature on all sides.”
“Uh.” What other states are there? Brody’s eyes are hypnotizing me into speechlessness and I find myself wanting to be in one of these places with him. As if we’re not already on a date.
“Just two states?” He smirks.
“I believe you,” I finally say, going for another swig of water.
“That was too easy,” he shoots back. “What’s on your mind?”
“I wish I could travel for pleasure more often,” I admit. One could say I already do, but there’s a distinct difference between porn and sex.
“Workaholic?” Brody asks. I nod. “My roommate is that way too. I’d say on average, the guy works 60 hours a week or more. He needs a life.”
“He and I would get along well. The plus side of freelance work is I can work when I want, but the not-so-great thing is that I end up working a lot because I don’t have a set schedule.”
“Yeah, that’s more or less what he’s said. We were supposed to see the new Marvel movie on Wednesday, but he’s working in the middle of the day with a new c-… client.” It’s as if Brody has to correct himself. I brush off the feeling. His roommate is not important. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mad. I just think he needs to take more time for himself.”
“My friend would say the same about me.”
“Is she single? Can we set them up?” Brody chuckles.
“Single and has basically sworn off men for the foreseeable future.”
“Ah.”
“You know, I’m having a great time. I want to be clear about that. But,” I cringe, “I have to work tomorrow and I need some rest.”
Brody looks down at his watch.
“Oh shit, yeah. It’s getting a little late, isn’t it?” He glances around for Alexis. “You should have told me sooner, I could’ve asked for the tab when she brought the last round.”
“I honestly wasn’t thinking about it,” I admit. “Like I said, I’m enjoying myself.”
“Well, that’s good.” He catches Alexis’ attention and she hurries over. “Would it be possible to get the check, please?” He smiles warmly at her.
“Absolutely.” Is that a hint of a smile on her lips? “Together or separate?”
Brody silences me before I can offer to help with the bill by covering my hand with his .
“Together.”
I watch Alexis walk away before I speak.
“Ten bucks says she writes her number on the bill.” I grin. “Thank you for dinner, by the way.”
“No trouble at all and you’re on. There’s no way.”
I shrug and take another sip of beer. I’m not going to be able to finish it and part of me feels guilty about that, but the safety-conscious part of me knows it would be a very bad idea to drink the last two-thirds. The tingling in my fingers has decreased a little, at least.
Alexis brings the bill, folded into a little black booklet, and smiles at Brody. She doesn’t spare a single glance at me.
“I’ll be back in a sec.” She dashes off.
I stare at Brody’s hands as they reach for the check. A knowing smile spreads on my lips. He slowly opens the booklet and I watch his expression change to one of utter disbelief. He holds up the paper, discreetly in case Alexis is watching. Along the top, in cutesy handwriting, is her phone number and a heart.
“I win,” I chirp with a big grin.
“I won’t be underestimating you again.”
Sure, you won’t, pretty boy.
Brody pulls out his wallet and after setting a credit card down in the booklet, he pulls out a ten-dollar bill.
“I was kidding.” I hold my hands up. “You don’t have to pay up. You already paid for dinner.” But Brody continues holding out the money.
“You won, fair and square.” Then he pauses. “Well, maybe not fair. You’re a woman, you have experience here. But still, a bet is a bet.”
“I’m not taking your money, Brody.” I cross my arms over my chest yet again and this time, when his gaze drops, I see a sharp intake of breath. His eyes meet mine again.
Brody leads the way out of the restaurant and holds the door for me when I follow.
“Are you parked in the lot over here?” He motions to his left and I nod.
We walk slowly and I steer us toward my car. This is the most awkward part of any first date–do I expect a kiss? A hug? Is he going to invite me home with him or expect me to invite him over? Just because I said I have to work tomorrow doesn’t mean I’m off the hook here.
I swiftly pull out the keys and unlock the door, but as I reach the driver’s side handle, I turn to face Brody. He’s closer than he was just moments ago and I gasp. My eyes are at chest level and I have to crane my neck to meet his gaze. Sitting at dinner, I forgot just how tall he is. I swallow hard when our eyes lock because those emerald depths are definitely staring down at me with something akin to lust. Even in the near dark of the parking lot, I can see it.
Brody brings his fingers to my chin, tilting my head up just the slightest bit more. My lips part and he leans down, his lips just ghosting over mine. He doesn’t kiss me, instead touching his forehead to mine, and this is somehow far more intimate. My eyes close and I feel his warm breath on my chin.
“Sophie,” he breathes my name and it sounds like a prayer. “Can I kiss you?”
In response, I move just enough to bring our lips together. The kiss is a lot more chaste than I intend it to be and lasts just moments. What I really want to do is wrap my arms around his neck and pull him tight against me, but I hold back.
When Brody pulls away, I can feel the hesitation. His breathing is ragged as he stares down at me.
“I had a great time,” I say with a grin before lifting on the balls of my feet. I give him one last quick peck on the lips and turn back to open my car door. He holds it for me while I slide in.
“Let me know when you get home safe,” he says. “You’re ok to drive?”
“I’m good.” I force myself to sound normal as if I wasn’t about to jump his bones seconds ago. “Drive safe Brody. I’ll text you.”
“Good night, Sophie.”
The whole drive home, I can’t wipe the grin from my face. Parking my car, standing from the driver’s seat, rounding Natalie’s car next to me to get to the front door. Smiling the entire time. Grinning like a goddamn idiot.
My smile falters when I see the front door. Stuck to the dark green wood with a small steak knife, is a piece of paper with two large, crudely written words.
My heart stops. Or does it speed up? I don’t know. I can’t hear anything. My world is spinning. Nothing else exists except that door and that note.
I can’t touch it. If I don’t touch it, it’s not real. If I don’t touch it, he was never here.
I have to touch it, though. I have to take it down.
My whole body trembles and I reach up to pull on the note, ripping it the rest of the way through the blade. The paper shakes in my hand as I study the letters, trying to glean something from them, but I know who did this.
Caleb is in Los Angeles.
He knows where I live.
He’s coming for me.
He wants me terrified.