Afraid in the Dark (Stalker Series Book One)

by Rita Hestand

"There are a lot of nuts out there Mel." Neely told her.

  "But why me?"

  "Don't know. Maybe you unintentionally set someone off."

  "Not that I know of."

  "What about that boyfriend you broke up with?"

  "Brad. He's in Chicago, with a fantastic job. He wouldn't risk losing his job to be here to spook me. No, it's not him. I wish it were that simple."

  "Wow, I just don't know what to say."

  "People like this usually slip up…."

  "You be careful, you hear me. We all like you on the floor and you have no enemies here that I know of." Neely told her. "But I will keep my eyes and ears open for anything that doesn't fit."

  "Thanks. I do feel pretty comfortable here."

  "Good."

  "So, they called you to ER huh?"

  "Yeah, they were short a nurse. It sure is different."

  "I'll say, you are coming back up today?"

  "Don't know, but if I can't make lunch will you or Heather tell Dex for me where I am?" Mel asked.

  "Oh yeah, don’t worry about that. Did you tell Julia you're down here?"

  "Yeah, she's was fine with it."

  "Good. Say you and Dex are getting pretty thick aren't you?

  Melanie smiled, "I really like him Neely."

  "Yeah, I can see that. Well, I gotta run, but if you need me for anything, here's my cell number, call me. Any time Mel."

  "You are just so sweet Neely." Mel kissed her cheek.

  "Just made a new friend, don’t' want to lose her. I'll tell Heather, if that's okay."

  "Alright, Heather's cool."

  "What about Julia?"

  "I don't want the hospital to know about this, unless it's absolutely necessary. No scandals."

  "Yeah, you are probably right about that. She don't need anything else going wrong."

  Mel nodded and went back to ER. She didn't understand a reason to tell Julia. Dex had told her that Julia didn't like drama. So why involve her in it?

  ER was a hard place to work and unfortunately, she didn't get a chance to even see Dex. She missed him, but while working she couldn't indulge in fantasies.

  By the time she got off, it was late in the morning and she knew she's have to walk home.

  She wasn't looking forward to that. She'd had a long day and she was weary from all the emergencies she had faced, a knife wound, a heart attack, a gunshot wound. She wasn't used to so much sadness. The guy that was knifed, died and that made her nearly ill. He'd been cut in two major places, one around the neck, cutting a main artery, one near the stomach causing a lot of blood loss. By the time they'd patched the artery, he'd bled to death.

  The gunshot wound had been messy, but the bullet went clear through his body and was easy to patch. The heart attack victim wasn't expected to live through the night.

  Mel never imagined having such an emotional reaction to it all, but as she walked through the parking lot to the sidewalk, tears were streaming down her face.

  Dex was behind her in his car and honked.

  She jumped.

  He saw the tears immediately and got out of the car to comfort her. "What's happened?" He asked holding her close.

  "Just not used to dying patients I guess." She cried openly now.

  "Aw babe, it's hard, I know. But you just can't wear your feelings on the outside. It takes a while to get used to that. I'm sorry you had such a rough day. Come over to my place and relax, I'll order pizza and we'll cuddle a while."

  She looked up at him, "Sounds wonderful."

  "That's my girl." He coaxed her in the car.

  "I need to go take a shower first, then I'll come over." She told him.

  "Sure honey, just make it quick."

  "I will," she murmured when he leaned over and kissed her.

  Needing his comfort, she let him lead her into a passionate kiss, until someone honked for him to go, the light had turned green.

  She chuckled.

  When she went to take a shower, she threw her phone on the bed, and went to the bathroom, it rang.

  She hesitated to answer it.

  "H-hello…"

  No one said a word.

  "Who is this?"

  Nothing.

  "It's not funny!" she cried.

  Nothing.

  She hung up and threw the phone on the bed.

  "Stop it!" She yelled.

  She went to dress and looked in the mirror. She looked a mess.

  When she knocked on Dex's door he opened it and pulled her inside.

  He took her in his arms and kissed her solidly on the mouth. It started sweet and warm, but it quickly grew into passion. She couldn't stop the sweet passion that swept through her. She needed him, for the first time in her life, she needed a man. She welcomed his kisses, his love.

  "I got off late, what were you doing still there at the hospital?" She asked when they came up for air.

  "I was waiting for you. Neely told me you couldn't make it for lunch and where you were. I knew you'd be bone tired when you got off. I just went to sleep in the car for a while. I wanted to be there. I didn't want you walking home after working in ER all night."

  She touched his cheek, "That's so sweet of you."

  His eyes glittered into hers. "God, you're a temptation girl."

  "Am I?" She smiled.

  "Do you know how bad I want you?" He asked her.

  "As bad as I want you…." She confessed. Her smile faded, but her mouth opened just a tad, and she drew breath quickly.

  Then he kissed her again, this time leading her to the couch and as he pushed her down gently, he followed, on top of her. She sighed with a slight smile. "Dex, oh God, I need you."

  "I'm here, baby, right here." He whispered.

  His hands went to her t-shirt and in seconds he pulled it from her. His hands went to her breast, she practically melted into his arms she wanted this so badly.

  He pulled her shoes off, then her pants and she was lying there in her underwear. He stared hotly at her.

  "You're so beautiful…" He whispered.

  "Take me…. take me…. before I forget to be a lady…"

  "Oh baby, yes…." He cried and he started to take her bra off. But feeling her stiffen up, he decided to woo her a bit first so she would relax. "I'll be gentle…."

  That was it!

  She came awake and pushed him off her.

  "I-I'm so sorry. I'm not a tease…but…I can't." She grabbed her clothes and began putting her pants back on.

  She had felt his full erection as he lay on top of her and it finally dawned on her what she was submitting herself to. She grabbed her t-shirt, and pulled it on. She was crying, he was staring with disbelief.

  "What the hell…?" He looked completely perplexed.

  "I wanted it. I truly did. But—I'm not on the pill Dex. And I'm sane enough to know that I don't want to get pregnant before I marry. I have to leave now."

  Then the doorbell rang.

  "Oh geez, pizza. Great timing." Dex sighed.

  She stood there, her face red as an apple, her body shaking with needs unspoken.

  He got up and paid for the pizza and set it on the table.

  He looked at her with question. "Are you ready to eat?"

  She stretched, sighed, and nodded, "We better."

  There was an admission to those words, and she knew it. So did he. He gave her a long look.

  At the table, she told him about her night and about talking to Neely. And the strange phone calls she'd been getting.

  "Now you're getting phone calls too?"

  "It would seem. I blew it off as someone pranking me, but they've called numerous times." She told him.

  "Oh, God babe. This is getting serious. Some nut is stalking my girl, and I feel helpless to defend her."

  She warmed to his calling her his girl. Fact was, she was very much his girl. She had wanted him just now and was just as disappointed as he had been, but more embarrassed than anything. What happened to waiting? She
had to be stronger than this.

  "I'm not going to take my phone to work. I can't have them bothering me there too." She announced.

  "Do you think that's wise?"

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean, if something happened, you couldn't call me or let the police know or anything. You'd be totally alone, honey."

  "Well, I can't be answering my phone all day."

  "How many times have they called?" He asked frowning now.

  "Five or six." She told him.

  "Take your phone, but turn it off while you work. That way it won't bother you, but you'll have it when you need it."

  She nodded. "I guess that's wise."

  "I'm going to program my number into it so you can call me anytime."

  "Not when you are working I won't."

  "Even then, if you are in trouble."

  "But…"

  "Dammit!" he reached for the back of her head and pulled her close to kiss her. "I'm worried about you, baby."

  After a mind-blowing kiss she tried to smile, "I'll be okay, Dex. I promise."

  "Until we find out who is doing this, I'm not so sure." He told her.

  "Dex you're scaring me." She wailed.

  "You've got to be on your toes. Alert. This is getting serious, baby. That bathroom incident scared me silly. It meant someone had a key to that door. How could that be. Someone wants to terrorize you. I'm thinking seriously of buying a gun, and you too."

  "Me too, what?"

  "A gun."

  "Oh Dex!" She yelled. "It won't come to that, surely."

  "I'm not so sure."

  "I don't know how to use a gun." She declared.

  "Not to worry, we'll go out on a gun range and I'll show you all you need to know." He promised.

  "You're serious."

  He stared into her sparkling eyes, "Honey, I don't want to scare you, but Neely was right, there are a lot of nuts out there these days. You've got to be careful. Now that I've found you, I don't want to lose you." He declared.

  She was really staring now. That statement took their relationship to an even higher level. She trusted him, she was half in love with him, why couldn't they be together?

  He threw his pizza in his plate, took her hand, guided her back to the couch and planted a more than amorous kiss to her lips. She was swooning now.

  "I know it's too soon. I know that. But, I'm falling in love with you, Mel. And you probably think I’m playing you, but I’m not. I'm serious. I've never met anyone that I connected with so deeply, felt so completely lost without. So, bear with me on this, you are important to me. Understand?"

  She nodded, speechless.

  A tear slipped down her cheek.

  "Don't cry baby. It's a good thing that we've got between us."

  "I know…" she barely uttered.

  "You believe me?" he asked incredulously.

  "Yes," she took a quick breath. "I feel the same way, but…. you're right, it's so soon. I went with Brad four years and he never once said the things you've said to me. I went with Jesse and he never even said he cared. Now this…."

  "I'm crazy about you Mel. And I won't let some idiot out there hurt you. I promise. My next day off we'll go look at some guns. Okay?"

  She thought about that a minute. "You think I’m going to need one?"

  "I don't know. But I want you to have one, just in case."

  "Alright, but you sure will have to show me how to use one. I've never owned a gun before. Never had a reason to buy one."

  "It'll be alright, I'll show you everything you have to know about them. We'll practice. If someone is going to try to hurt you, I want you to be prepared for it. I won't lose you now, Mel. I think we might have a long future ahead of us."

  His words shocked her, and yet pleased her no end. He as thinking marriage. She had been too.

  "Hold me…" she whispered.

  He curled up with her on the couch and they kissed endlessly, then went to sleep, his arm securely around her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  A couple of days later, Melanie was measuring her apartment for better furniture when a loud thud from above made her jerk about. Whoever moved upstairs above her was making a lot of noise now and Mel had thought about going up there to tell them to keep it down a little. But they probably were just moving in, and moving furniture and stuff, so it would be rude to complain so quickly. Still, it was all hours of the night and day and every day. She'd never heard her next-door neighbors, never a sound, but whoever was up there wasn't considering neighbors.

  Mel told Dex about it. Not that she wanted to complain, but she had a habit of telling him almost everything now. She trusted him.

  "I thought about going up and introducing myself just to get a glimpse of what was going on up there, but I backed out of that idea. It would be downright noisy of me." Mel told him with a chuckle.

  "Want me to?"

  "No, at least give them a couple of weeks to get moved in, then if it continues, maybe…"

  "Alright, but they should think about their neighbors a bit. Earl really discourages people from making so much noise. I'm surprised he hasn't been up there to tell them to be quieter."

  "He may have for all we know." Mel smiled.

  Later that same day, Julia called her in her office and was complimenting her on her progress. "You'll take the test soon and start working on the floor as a regular RN.

  Julia was quiet for a long while. She glanced around the room, then outside, then shot her pointed glance.

  "I can't help but notice you've been a bit jumpy lately. Is there any cause for it?"

  "No, I'm just nervous about the test, that's all." She wasn't ready to tell Julia. She hoped Neely hadn't said anything to her about it.

  "No, need to be nervous. It's not that difficult, and you will know all the answers. A smart girl like you. Is anything else bothering you?"

  "No, not really."

  "Well, I'm sure you'll do fine. Are you anxious to work on the floor?"

  "Yeah, I think it will be great." Melanie tried to train herself to concentrate on the conversation. She just didn't feel comfortable confiding such a thing to her boss. She wasn't even tested yet and already there were problems. Besides, Dex said she didn't like drama. She needed to keep this to herself.

  Feeling a bit more secure, Mel went back to work and kept her mind busy so she wouldn't dwell on it.

  But three nights later Dex had dropped her off at work that mid-day and he had to work late, so she had to either wait for him or walk home.

  She texted him telling him she would wait in the lounge.

  But two hours later he texted her and told he was about to go into emergency surgery with the doctor he worked with and would be another two to three hours.

  Since it was almost dawn, she texted him she would walk home.

  "I'd rather you wait," he texted her.

  "It's almost dawn now, honey. I'll be fine." She texted back.

  He didn't answer.

  She got her belongings and headed out.

  But she wasn't on the street more than five minutes and she got that feeling.

  She hurried her pace.

  She was only about three blocks from home when a black car, with very dark windows rolled up just behind her. It was obvious whoever was in there was following her.

  The car was a big black Cadillac, an older model. She hurried her step. Sweat peppered her forehead. Fear made her heart pound. She wanted to turn around and face it, but she was afraid what she might find. Then when the car got closer, she decided it was time to run.

  She ran like crazy and she heard the car burn rubber and speed off on an off street.

  Whoever it was, wanted her to know they were stalking her now.

  As soon as she got home she lay across her bed and cried. Who would want to hurt her?

  She had no idea.

  She knew no one that drove an older Cadillac. She was sure of that.

  She went to sleep.

&nb
sp; When she woke up her stomach hurt. She grabbed it.

  She realized moments later there was someone at her door. She shook herself awake and went to answer it. It was Dex. He was still in his scrubs. When he saw her expression, he reached to pull her in his arms.

  "Baby, what's wrong?" He asked kissing her cheek.

  "A car followed me home. It was a big, black Cadillac, an older one. It had black windows so I couldn't see inside. It followed right behind me while I walked. It got so close, I finally broke into a run. That's when it burned rubber and drove off on a side street." She cried, her lips going to his neck.

  "My God, in broad daylight?" Dex moved so he could see her face.

  "No one was around, that was for sure."

  "Did you ever see the car before?"

  "No…never. Couldn't see inside it either. I don't know if it was a man or a woman."

  "No. We have to report this to the police."

  "But why? They can't do anything."

  "Did you get the license?"

  "No, but as they sped off, I turned and saw it was a dealer's license on it."

  "From a used car lot, no doubt."

  "Dex, before I only felt things. Now I'm seeing and hearing things. What am I going to do?"

  "We're going to look for a couple of guns, today." He told her in no uncertain terms.

  She nodded and hugged him to her.

  Then he kissed her again and she was lost to the sensations rocking her body, to the awakening he created in her. Could she stave him off this time. She needed him. The kiss was heated and she sealed her lips to his, giving her heart to him in the kiss. They were so close, and she felt the bulge at her abdomen. She sighed. She so wanted to be with him.

  When they came up for air, she kissed his neck, "I'm sorry about the other day. I wanted it as much as you did."

  He shook with his needs now.

  "Oh Dex…"

  He carried her to her bed, and kissed her all the way. When he pulled away, he started unbuttoning her shirt. "We've got to get you on the pill, baby…"

  That brought sanity back. Like throwing a bucket of ice-water on her.

  She sat up, pushed him away and walked back into the living room.

  "I thought you wanted me…" He said following her, his hands on her arms.

  She was panting, hot, full of lust for him, but she pushed him away. "Not without protection. I at least have to have that, Dex."