The Fidelity World: BELONG (Kindle Worlds Novella)

by Tl Mayhew

  “Lacy, are you there? Hello? Lacy?”

  “Someone’s watching me,” I whisper, my breathing coming in heavy pants as blood thunders through my veins. “I’m rushing to my car. Stay on the line, Troy. Just a sec.”

  I jerk the handle of the car door, but my hand slips off, and I realize the door is still locked. With shaky hands, the keys jingle as I pull them from my purse and attempt to depress the unlock button on the keyless entry. Out of frustration, I forcefully yank on the handle, and almost drop on my ass when the door flings open.

  Fumbling into the driver’s seat, I pull the door closed behind me, press the lock, and drop my head back as I let out a deep breath. “Troy, are you still there?”

  “Yeah, I’m here. What’s going on? Are you okay?”

  “Well, no, not really. There was a man watching me. He was just standing there, staring. It really freaked me out.”

  “Are they still there? Do you need me to fly down there and kick someone’s ass?”

  “I’m not really sure if he’s still here, but I don’t plan on sticking around to find out.” With my hands still shaking, it takes several tries to get the key in the ignition, but once I do, the engine roars to life, taking some of the edge off my nerves.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe you should go back inside and call someone to come get you. I hate that you live so far.”

  “I’ll be fine. My car doors are locked and I’m heading home now.” As I press the accelerator, a jolt from my Camaro sends gravel flying and my words come out on a stutter. “I-I’m s-sorry, Troy. I didn’t even ask what you called for.”

  The exhale coming through the phone sounds like one of disappointment. “Nothing really. I hadn’t heard from you in a while…”

  Troy’s words begin to fade as my mind drifts back to the stranger and what he was doing at Magnolia Woods. If he was there to see a patient, then he wouldn’t have hidden and there’s no way he was a patient. I’m familiar with all the patients at the facility and would have remembered one of his size. So, what was he doing there? A chill raises a series of bumps on my skin when I realize just how dangerous the situation could be. If he was there for me, he’ll most likely return to Magnolia Woods.

  “Lacy? Are you still there? Can you hear me?”

  The concern in Troy’s tone pulls me back. “I’m so sorry Troy, let me give you a call when I get home. I appreciate you checking in on me.” I disconnect the call without letting on that I hadn’t heard a thing he’d said. I’m sure I’ll get an earful later, but for now, I need to think.

  Chapter 3

  Lacy

  The image of the stranger lingers in the back of my mind as I navigate the dark underground garage of my apartment complex. My eyes dart to every corner, car, and person.

  Once I’m safe inside the elevator headed to my floor, I let out a deep breath then lean against the back wall until it bounces to a stop. My door is just down the hall, and when I step through, I push it shut with a little more force than intended. The slam startles me and my heart skips a beat. I turn back and flip the lock, then drop my purse on the round table separating the small kitchen from the living area. All I want right now is to sit down, even if it’s only for a few minutes. I pick up the remote and turn on the news, then take a seat on my couch. The worn cushions feel like a cloud to my tired ass, and it’s not long before my eyes close.

  With a jerk of my body, my eyes spring open and I’m overcome with confusion. As I scan the room, I realize I’d fallen asleep on the couch. Glancing at the screen on my phone, the large white numbers tell me I have less than an hour to get ready. I jump up and sprint to the bathroom.

  After a quick shower, I wrap a robe around me, throw on a bit of makeup, then slide on a smooth red cotton sundress before combing out the tangles in my hair and throwing it in a messy bun. I manage to make it out the door with only minutes to spare.

  ***

  When the taxi rounds the corner, my face drops at the line of people waiting for a seat in the busy restaurant. I’m hopeful my sister is already here and has a table for us. I exit the cab and weave through the large crowd, my pulse quickening at the proximity of bodies. Once I reach the hostess station, I release a deep breath and lean against the counter.

  It’s not long before a lanky blonde with a set of perfectly straight, blinding white teeth greets me, “Good evening, ma’am. How many in y’all’s party?” Her Southern accent comes across as forced, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

  I raise up on my toes and glance over her shoulder, scanning the restaurant for my sister while asking, “I’m actually meeting someone. Tracy James. Do you know if she’s here yet?”

  “Well, let’s have a look.” Thumbing through her register, she scans the pages, then stabs at a name with an index finger. “Yes, ma’am. Looks like we’ve seated Ms. James already. Charlotte here…” she extends her arm to a petite brunette, “will escort you to your table. Thank you for dining with us.”

  As we approach the table, I take in my sister’s appearance. Her hair has been smoothed back into a low bun and her wrinkled clothing replaced with a sunshine yellow maxi dress that’s accented with a wide floral print hem. She looks beautiful, but her put together exterior doesn’t reach her eyes. The transparent blue orbs swirl with emotion.

  I lower in the seat across from her, and my eyes drop to her neck where faint purple lines mar her skin. I nod toward the marks. “Are you okay?”

  A hand goes to her neck and her eyes lower to the table. “I’m okay now. I will admit though, the whole thing freaked me the fuck out, and when I saw the bruises, I cried.”

  I move next to her and give her a tight squeeze. “We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.” She meets my gaze when I lean in to get her attention. “We can grab a cab and order in. I have wine.”

  She shakes her head and waves away the idea while pulling away from me. “No, no, it’s okay. I want to stay. As you said, we could both use a drink.” With a weak smile and a nod toward the surrounding tables, she whispers, “Everyone is looking at us.”

  I turn and scan the room. “They sure are. Well, all except that couple who looks like they could have a quickie right there on the table. I wonder if they even realize they’re in a restaurant.”

  We both giggle, but our smiles fade when the waiter approaches.

  His scowl and posture give off an arrogant vibe that thickens the air. When he begins reciting the specials, his monotone voice is robotic. My lips curve up when my sister stops him with her raised hand and gives him our orders. He turns on a heel and retreats to the kitchen.

  “So, I had something interesting happen to me today,” I say, while swirling the ice in my glass of water.

  “Oh yeah, what’s that?”

  “Well…” I shift in my seat, “on the way to my car this afternoon after work, I saw someone—a man, I think—staring at me from the trees. I couldn’t see his face because of the shadows, but shadows or not, I could tell he was huge—like bodybuilder huge.”

  “Wow, that’s creepy. Did you call the police?”

  “I really didn’t think to call anyone. When he caught me looking, he ducked behind a tree…” I shiver at the thought, “and I didn’t stick around.”

  “Yeah, it’s probably good you didn’t. If you see him again, you should definitely call the police.”

  I nod in agreement, then move back to the seat across from Tracy and let the subject of the stranger drift to the back of my mind.

  Once our food does arrive, the savory scent of steak fills my senses, but after revisiting the events of the day, my appetite is minimal, and I end up pushing around the contents of my plate. “I’m heading over to the bar to get something stronger to drink. You want anything?” I stand and wait for her answer. Nothing. When I glance down, I see she’s on her phone, so I reach across the table and tap her on the head. “Tracy?” When her eyes meet mine, her brows are raised in question. “I said I’m going to get us some drinks.
Do you want something different?” I tilt my head toward her glass of water.

  “Oh…um, a vodka and tonic? Make it a double.”

  Weaving through tables, I reach the bar where I find every barstool full and a line starting to form with people waiting to order drinks. I take a place behind an older gentleman, then pull out my phone and scroll through the screen.

  “Who’s next?” the bartender yells.

  As I step forward, my face still in my phone, I don’t have time to react when the older gentleman comes into view and I bump into him, almost knocking both drinks out of his hands. “I’m so sorry, sir! Are you okay?”

  With roaming eyes, he looks me over from head to toe. “I’m as fine as you are, miss. Would you like to join us for a drink?” he asks, pointing across the bar to a table where two men with thin grey hair and creased skin sit. I offer them my flashiest smile, then return my gaze to the older gentleman, and find him staring at my boobs.

  When I clear my throat, he brings his eyes back to mine. “I’m actually here with someone. Thank you for the offer, though.”

  He shrugs, then turns to walk away, but not before tossing over his shoulder, “Your loss.”

  I place my order with the bartender and lean against the counter, staring toward the older gentlemen’s table. My lips curve into a smile. It’s not as though I haven’t been hit on before, but generally, it’s by men well below the age of retirement.

  When the drinks slide before me, I turn back toward the bar and present my card to pay, but the bartender waves my hand away.

  “It’s already been taken care of by the gentleman sitting over there.” She points to the corner of the bar.

  I expect it to be the table of older gentlemen, but she taps me on the shoulder and I follow her finger.

  The way the sun’s casting shadows in the bar, I’m not able to make out his face, but from the angle of his body, it’s easy to tell he’s looking directly at me. And even though he’s sitting, his size is very similar to the guy from Magnolia Woods. That thought alone raises the hair on the back of my neck. When he lifts his glass, tilting it in my direction, my hands begin trembling and I almost drop the drinks I’m holding.

  Chapter 4

  Clayton

  I sit at the high-top table, tucked in a corner of the busy bar, poking at the ice in my scotch and wondering how it’s possible my past and present just collided.

  The last time I saw Lacy, she was a senior in college interning at a well-known Denver newspaper. The paper had requested the bureau allow her an interview to help earn her college credits. When I learned the story would be about me, I was more than just hesitant—I flat out refused. It wasn’t until my captain had insisted that I eventually agreed.

  As I let out a heavy exhale, I lean back in my seat, memories of the first day we met flooding in.

  In the empty conference room, the silence weighs heavy and I start to have second thoughts about being interviewed. That is…until the door opens.

  With tentative steps and darting eyes, she makes her way into the room. Everything about her exudes innocence, and it makes my dick twitch as she approaches.

  I stand and extend my hand. “Hi, I’m Clayton. Clayton Andrews.”

  She hesitantly places her hand in mine. When our skin connects, there’s an energy, a spark, that surges between us. Snapping her hand away, her eyes fly to mine and I know she felt it too.

  Our eyes are glued for several moments before she lowers hers and mumbles, “I’m Lacy. Nice to meet you.” She pulls out her chair, legs scraping across the concrete floor, and the horrible screeching noise disintegrates any moment we may have just shared. Pink tints her cheeks as she starts to fumble with her notebook, and my lips curve up at her embarrassment.

  As she begins reading through her questions, the first few come out choppy and stuttered, but she quickly settles in. The questioning lasts for close to an hour, and by the end, I find myself both surprised and impressed by her abilities.

  Silence fills the room, and even though my gaze hadn’t moved from the mesmerizing way her dimples appear then disappear as she speaks, it takes me a moment to realize she’s stopped talking. The long pause becomes almost unbearable, and I run my hand over the stubble on my chin, wondering if I missed a question.

  Just as I’m about to ask, she releases a deep breath, and says, “Okay, last question.” The slouch in her posture and thumbing at the edge of her notebook gives me the impression this is not a question she wants to ask. “Inquiring readers want to know…are you single?” She drops her gaze, waiting for my answer.

  My brows raise at her question. It’s unexpected, but not something I’m unwilling to answer. In fact, I’m eager for her reaction, just not yet. I want her eyes on mine when I respond. The chair creaks as I lean back, cross a leg over my knee, and wait. It doesn’t take long before her vivid emerald eyes meet mine. With a cocky smirk, I say, “Yes, I’m single.”

  There’s the slightest hint of a smile as she writes something down, then slams the tattered notebook closed and stands. I follow, and extend my hand to shake, but she shrugs it off. “Thank you so much for your time. The paper will email you a draft for your approval before they post it online.”

  “I’m sure it will be perfect. Let me walk you to the door,” I say, stepping around the table and placing a hand on the curve of her back. Her body stiffens, but she doesn’t move out of my reach. The heat still radiating from her body warms my palm, but the energy—the spark from earlier—is masked by her clothing.

  Once we’re standing at the threshold of the door, I remove my hand and immediately miss her warmth. With the proximity of our bodies, she cranes her neck to meet my gaze and my eyes lower to the perfect plump bow of her lips. I resist the urge to lean down and run my tongue along their seam to see if they taste as sweet as they look.

  “Clayton, my man!” Martin belts out from only a few feet away.

  I tense at the interruption, but don’t take my eyes off Lacy. The annoyance in my tone is clear. “Martin.”

  The big-ass grin on his face fills my peripheral and he decides to poke the bear. “Who is this pretty little lady?”

  Her gaze leaves mine to glance in his direction before she lowers her eyes, the pink shade tinting her cheeks again.

  My response comes out in a frustrated huff. “This ‘young’ lady is Lacy. Lacy, this is my soon to be ex-partner, Martin.”

  He extends his hand to her, his tone less coy as he says, “It’s nice to meet you, Lacy.”

  Jealousy pinches at my chest when she places her hand in his. The unsure gesture not only makes my dick come alive, but also has me silently questioning whether they’re experiencing the same connection we shared earlier.

  We’ve been partners for a long time; we both took the same training and know how to read body language. With her wide eyes and knees bent, Lacy’s is screaming fight or flight. She’s either going to take a chance at knocking over two cops for her escape or faint. I step toward Martin, my gaze narrowed and back straight, silently warning him I’m close to kicking his ass.

  He glances at me, then back at Lacy. With a quick shrug, he releases her hand.

  I place my hand on her back, pressing slightly so she knows it’s okay to go. “Lacy was just leaving.” Her eyes meet mine for a brief second before she heads down the hall, and I’m left standing here to deal with Martin.

  Always one to get the last word in, he yells out, “It was nice meeting you.”

  I shake my head and give him a hard shove, knocking him against the wall as I head in the opposite direction.

  His lighthearted laughter fills my ears as he trots up next to me, matching my stride.

  That was the first and last time I saw her until today, and even then, I hadn’t recognized her. With my thoughts on overdrive, I don’t realize the dark liquid is gone from my glass.

  I glance over to the bar, while looking for the waiter, when my breath catches. She’s here. I’m not one to believe in
luck, fate, or any of that superstitious crap, but the fact that this is the second time I’ve seen her in one day makes me think I should reconsider.

  She’s leaning against the bar, her attention on her phone, giving me the opportunity to get a better look. With her hair piled on top of her head, the smooth, light skin of her neck is exposed, taunting me to walk up behind her, grab her jaw, tip her head back, and devour that lovely neck.

  While she’s distracted, I wave the waiter over.

  “Yes, sir.” His voice comes out on a yawn.

  “Please inform the bartender to put whatever drinks the lady over there is having on my tab. And make sure she knows where they came from.”

  “Yes, sir.” He nods, then heads directly to the bar.

  A few moments later, the bartender is pointing in my direction and I’m raising my glass to a beautiful lady with the worst case of “deer caught in headlights” look I’ve ever seen.

  Chapter 5

  Lacy

  The burn in my throat from my mixed drink is a welcome sensation as it takes my mind off the stranger. Unfortunately, once it’s gone, the vision of a shadowed face comes rushing back and the thud of my glass hitting the table startles us both.

  “Lacy? What happened to you? Why are you so pale?” My sister’s perfectly plucked brow arches and her questioning tone is full of concern.

  “The guy…the one from today—he’s here, and he bought our drinks.” Once I’ve reclaimed the seat across from her, I meet her gaze and wait for my words to sink in.

  Tracy’s jaw drops, and her gaping mouth matches her wide eyes as she moves her head from right to left, scanning the restaurant for the mystery man. “What! Where?”

  “Over at the bar. He’s sitting at a corner table by himself,” I mutter.

  Glass clinks on the table as she bumps it when she jumps to her feet. “Well, let’s go. I want to find out what his deal is—why he seems to be stalking you.” Just as she passes, I catch her wrist and pull her back, but she continues tugging in the direction of the bar. “Come on. Don’t you at least want to know his name?”