Even though I knew Bracks was with me, he kept a nice distance from me, so it wouldn’t feel like I was being babysat, but towards the end of the day, that’s exactly how I felt. The constant feeling of being watched was suffocating.
If I was in a store shopping, he would stand in front of the window facing the street. Every once in awhile, he would turn in and find me. If I was at a cafe getting a drink, he would sit at a table behind me, and whenever I would glance back at him, he would always be looking around. It freaked me out.
When I finally got back into the car to head back to the hotel, my nerves were shot. We needed to find out who was threatening me, and fast, or I would soon end up in the looney bin, constantly looking over my shoulder at an invisible threat.
When I made it back up to the room, my bags brought up by Bracks, I flopped down on the bed and closed my eyes. Alex wasn’t back yet, but I knew I had to talk to him. I knew I needed the protection, even in a far away city, but I was being asphyxiated after just one day. The emotions running through me tossed me into a restless sleep.
When I came to, it was dark in the room, the sun having apparently set. The only light came from the front room. I walked out to the room and rubbed my eyes, adjusting to the light coming from the small lamp on the table. Alex was sitting in a chair with his feet propped up on the coffee table, staring at some papers concealed behind a manilla envelope.
“Alex?” I said, seeing the fear in his eyes. “What’s up?”
He looked up from the paperwork and gave me a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “How did you sleep, baby? You looked too comfy to wake you.”
“I slept terribly actually, which is why I’d like to talk to you, but first, what’s in that stack of papers? You look terrified.”
He slipped the papers into his waiting briefcase before standing up, coming to me, and depositing me on the chair next to his. “It’s nothing but work stuff, no worries, ok? Now, why didn’t you sleep well?” he asked, still holding my hand as he sat down on the chair next to me.
“I’m feeling really suffocated,” I said, putting my hand up to stop his argument. “I know it’s for my own good, but all day today, I felt paranoid and scared and claustrophobic. I’m not used to having to look over my shoulders since Robert went to jail, and now it’s not only scaring me, it’s making me insane.”
Alex stared at me, watching the multitude of emotions cross my face. I felt like a fool telling him this. Maybe I was acting like a spoiled brat. I knew he had my best interest at heart, but I wasn’t lying, I needed some space, away from the prying eyes and my bodyguard.
“I understand, Charlotte, and once the threat to you is gone, you can go back to doing things as you always have, but for now, for my sanity, please have Bracks with you. I only have a few hours in a meeting tomorrow, but after that I’m all yours and we won’t need Bracks as much.”
I nodded at him, even though I felt like telling him I couldn’t do it. I knew that he was only thinking about this upcoming week, but what would happen after we went home? As much as I loved being in his penthouse with him, it wasn’t my apartment and Danny wasn’t there. And what if something happened to Danny? The stalker obviously knew where I lived, since he had called the house. It would kill me if something happened to him.
Alex must have seen me trembling from my thoughts because he got up, lifted me into his arms, and set me on his lap.
“We’re not going to let anything happen to you, Charlotte. I won’t allow it, and nothing will happen to Danny or anyone else,” he said, reading my thoughts again.
I buried my nose in his throat and took a deep, calming breath.
“Now, come on Miss Hightower, let’s get you ready.”
I looked up at him, “Ready for what?”
“I believe I promised you dinner and a show, or would you rather stay home?” he said with a cheeky grin. He always knew how to lighten my mood.
I swatted his chest before responding, “Dinner and a show it is, Mr. Porter.”
Tuesday June 23, 2015- I’m defying Gravity!
**********
Putting on my running shoes the next morning, I slipped out of the hotel with Alex still asleep in bed. I donned a baseball cap to keep my hair back and to protect my privacy a little. I felt bad leaving like I did, but I left him a note saying I was going for a jog. I’d probably be back before he woke anyway. We had had a very long night.
I smiled at my reflection in the elevator mirrors, remembering the night before. He took me to a little Italian restaurant, a little hole in the wall. The food was exquisite, as was the wine and the company. We talked about business and some of the apps we had been working with to get into the market. I told him memories of me as a child, willful and stubborn.
I told him how I met Danny and how I had been head over heels in love with him. He told me a little bit about how he started Porter Industries with his partner, who he ended up buying out a few years later. We both shared lasagna and a caesar salad and sipped on a red wine. We headed to see Wicked after dinner and I sat, transfixed, watching the prequel to the Wizard of Oz. It was truly amazing and Alex held my hand the entire time.
We came back to the hotel and spent the next few hours taking off our formal wear and loving each other. It was one of the best nights of my life. I didn’t think about stalkers or bodyguards; I thought about only Alex, myself, and Elphaba.
When I stepped out into the cool air morning, I glanced down at my watch. It was 6:10 am, just past 3 am California time. Central Park was really close to our hotel, so I power walked my way there, needing to stretch before I started my actual jog through the park. Less than ten minutes later, I reached an entrance to the famous park and set my water bottle down so I could stretch my legs in the grass.
This early in the morning I could hear birds chirping and the wind was lightly blowing the leaves around, but most people were still snuggled in their beds. The peace and quiet was amazing. I could still hear taxis and cars driving around behind me, but my focus was on my upcoming jog. It would be nice to just let go.
I popped in my headphones and turned my music up high, jamming to the new Bruno Mars song. Bending over to pick up my water bottle, I experienced an alarmingly intense pain in the side of my head, and then, nothing but darkness.
Chapter 33
“And do you, Charlotte Anne-Marie Hightower, take this man, Alexander Michael Porter, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.”
Oh my goodness. I’m getting married? But wait, no, this feels wrong. I don’t remember planning anything? Did I pick my own dress? Why is everything so fuzzy? I must be dreaming. Well, at least this is a pleasant dream. Why does my head hurt so much? There’s the blackness again.
**********
“Damn, Stan, how the hell hard did you hit her? She’s been out for almost 12 hours.”
The black lifted and was filled with red as I listened to his voice. I knew that voice, that was Robert Nelson, the man who ruined my life. I struggled to keep calm and not let them know I was awake. I knew that the longer I could stay inconspicuous, the faster I could come up with a plan. Where’s my cell phone? I needed to call Alex, but doing that without them knowing was virtually impossible.
Instead, I focused on my breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. The panic rising up in my throat threatened to expose me.
“Hey, she’s breathing different Robert. I think she’s waking up.”
“You’re right, Stan, I think she is.”
I winced as soon as he grabbed my hair and slapped me, but the realization that I couldn’t defend myself because my arms and legs were tied down again had me retching open my eyes and screaming.
“Scream all you want, Charlie,” he sneered, “No one will hear you,” he said with smug satisfaction.
After a few moments, in which no one spoke, I regained my
composure. If I wanted to even think of a way to get away or call for help, I needed to be thinking clearly and letting my thoughts wander to my bound limbs would only hinder my resolve.
Since I was laying down, I couldn’t straighten my posture, but with the strongest mask I could possess, I lifted my aching head, “What the fuck do you want, Robert? Haven’t you ruined my life enough?”
“I ruined your life? Bitch, you had me thrown in jail!” he screamed.
“You and your buddies gang raped me, crashed into my car, and killed my unborn child. Yes, Robert, YOU ruined MY life,” I levelly told him. My anger was rising, but I was the one bound and needed to remain as calm as I could.
“You put me in jail for SEVEN years. I’d say you got the better end of that deal,” he growled at me.
“Ok, Robert, fine. What do you want?” I sighed, not wanting to argue anymore. The pounding in my head was giving me slightly blurry vision.
“My dad has cut me off, thanks to you, so now, you’re going to call your little boyfriend and have him bring me ten million dollars. And, if he doesn’t, or if he calls the cops, he’s going to have a dead girlfriend on his hands.” His sinister smile almost made me vomit.
I tried to figure out his end game. If Alex came here, he might get hurt, and I couldn’t handle something happening to him, but with Alex here,we might be able to escape, and honestly, I was just thinking about how I could get ahold of him. My mind reeled with information. I didn’t want to necessarily involve him, and even though I had no idea how much money he actually had, ten million was a lot. This was my fight and I couldn’t drag him into it. But how would I tell Robert that?
Just then, Stan walked back into the room. I’d forgotten completely that he was even here. “I’ve called him, Robert, from the disposable phone. He knows, no cops, ten million, and he can have this little slut back.”
I couldn’t hide the shock as I watched Robert backhand Stan across the room. “No one calls Charlotte a slut but me.”
Stan stood, grabbing his cheek. “Sorry, Rob,” he said, although the apology was insincere. Robert either didn’t notice, or didn’t care, because at that moment, he decided to focus his attentions back on me.
He sat down on the bed next to me and leaned in. I could smell the alcohol coming from his breath and the smell of stale cigarettes permeating his clothes.
“I’ll tell you a little secret, Charlie. When that money is in my hands, I’m not giving you pack to Alex Porter, I’m gonna slit both of your throats and dance in your blood.” He leaned back his head and laughed a deep belly laugh.
I felt the color drain from my face. He was going to kill Alex, and I knew I couldn’t let that happen. But what could I do to stop it? I was tied up and powerless. The only thing I could do entered my head. I begged. I begged this crazy man to spare Alex.
“Robert, no, I’ll do anything you want, please don’t kill Alex, please.” I let the tears fall from my eyes. I knew Robert well enough to know they wouldn’t do any good, but I had to try. “Robert!”
He looked at me and his eyes truly terrified me. There was nothing in them but dark, glassy pools of hate. The contempt radiating from them stopped my tears in their tracks. There would be no pleading with this man. His was insane. I don’t know how I figured it out, but I was, without a doubt, positive, that there was no sanity left in the man in front of me. If it wasn’t for the fact that I knew I was going to die, I might have even felt a little pity for him.
I flinched when he leaned back down towards me and fingered my long hair. “Your hair looks so much better than the last time I saw you. Maybe I should rectify that. I know how much you love that mane.” I watched and whimpered as he pulled a knife out of the back of his jeans and grabbed a tendril of my curls. When he cut off a small lock and twisted it around his fingers I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from crying out.
He was tormenting me and he loved every second of it. I needed to keep him talking, so he wouldn’t cut the rest of my hair. I knew deep within me that, if he did, I would be forever broken by this man. I was just starting to feel whole again being with Alex and a mental breakdown would push us over the edge.
“How have you been stalking me so well? You have a police tail.” It probably wasn’t smart to mention Officer Collins and Hartmann, but they were the police, they could handle themselves.
“Oh, Charlie, you’re much smarter than that, I’m sure you can figure it out.” He folded his arms over his chest and glared at me. “She was so easy to manipulate into doing my bidding.”
She? Sarah? No, that didn’t seem right. What other “she” could he be refering to that would know about my comings and goings, and knew about my trip to New York. A lightbulb went off in my head and my heart plummeted to my feet. “Brigitte!” I murmured.
He nodded his head and continued talking, “I was the perfect gentleman. I told her my name was Steve Nelson, and since I figured she had never heard of my dad, I continued the ruse. We went on a few dates where I wined and dined her, flowers to her desk, the whole nine yards, and when I started getting distant with her, she passed my test with flying colors.”
“Test? What test?” I stammered.
“I told her about our past, well, my version anyway. How you seduced my best friends at a party and forced me to watch your orgy, how you got pregnant with my kid and then, had an abortion. The tears I shared with her really pushed her over,” he said with a satisfied grin. “By the time my story finished, she wanted revenge almost more than I did. She was the one who secured the voice changer and called your home phone. I was so proud.”
Brigitte, I thought, all of this was Robert and Brigitte. She gave me the mail with the photos of me, hell she probably took the photos. She must have slit my tires, holy shit, she was the one who drugged me.
As the realization hit my face, Robert just stood and smiled at me. “Truly Charlie, I didn’t do anything to you, Brigitte did everything, and I have enough evidence to save my name and throw her under the bus. See this knife?” he said, brandishing it in front of me. “This is her pocket knife, with her fingerprints all over it.”
I hadn’t noticed the gloves he was wearing, until now. I gulped, feeling truly terrified down to my toes. If I ever got out of this mess, I would promise to be the best person I could be.
“When the police finally find you and Porter, the only evidence of the murder will aim right back at her. God Damn, I’m a smart man.”
My brain wheeled from this new information. Brigitte wasn’t my friend. Alll along, she had been playing me. Not in the beginning, I’m sure, but shortly after. I tried to remember when she had changed. When I noticed something might have been off, but I couldn’t think.
I was pulled from my musings by a knock at the door. I tried to scream out. I knew it was Alex, but Robert smacked me, effectively silencing my scream. He then pulled out a scarf of some kind and shoved it into my mouth. My eyes widened in terror.
Stan walked over and looked through the peephole to confirm Alex’s identity.
“He’s got a duffel bag with him, Rob,” Stan said, leaning back into the room.
“Tell him to open the bag and show it to the peephole,” Robert said
Alex must have done what he asked and passed Roberts test because Stan looked back over and nodded. Robert nodded back, indicating Stan should open the door.
When Alex walked in, he scanned the room, stopping momentarily at Robert and growling, before his eyes found the bed and traveled up my strapped down body. When he got to my eyes, his anger burnt through me, giving me the strength I needed to not cry. He was going to save me, I could see it in his intense gaze.
I watched as he threw the money on the floor in front of Robert. Robert immediately bent down to open the bag and run his fingers over the money. While Robert was busy playing with the stacks of cash, Alex made his way over to the head of the bed and removed the gag from my mouth.
Stan took a step in his direction and, before I could rea
lize what had happened, Alex’s fist connected with Stan’s jaw and sent him flying across the room into the wall. He landed with a hard thud and crumpled to the floor, not moving. Now it was just Alex and Robert, who had stood up and kicked the money bag away from his feet.
“Alex, he has a knife!” I warned him.
The next second, the wood door splintered and Bracks charged in, gun in hand, pointed at Robert. Robert didn’t even flinch. He really was off his rocker, with his knife gripped in his gloved hand. The gun should have terrified him, hell, it terrified me, but Robert didn’t seem to care at all.
Alex took that moment to untie both of my wrists and my ankles, rubbing each one to restore the blood flow. He knew I was going to need to move quickly and, when he looked into my eyes to confirm. I nodded with steely reserve. I was going to survive this.
“Awww, look at you two lovebirds.” Robert crooned. “Too bad that’s all going to end soon.”
I found my voice with Alex’s strength by my side, “Robert, don’t be an idiot, it’s three versus one and we have a gun. Give it up and let us go. You can go back to jail.”
At the mention of the word jail, his eyes became even more crazed and his body hummed with fury. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. He gripped and spun the knife around in his hand, thinking about his options. When his anger turned into a smile, the bile rose in my throat.
“You haven’t told her, have you, Porter?” He sneered, looking back at me to gauge my reaction.
“Nelson, don’t do this,” Alex pleaded.
I don’t know what? I thought. When I looked up at Alex, his eyes showed an amount of terror I’d never seen before. He wouldn’t meet my gaze, but the fear in them radiated through me, sending shivers up my spine.
Just A Man (The Porter Trilogy Book 1) Page 26
