by Luxx Monroe
“I can’t do this?” I said and threw her down onto our couch. “Or this?” I grabbed her hands and held them tightly above her head with just one of my hands, knowing there was no way she’d be able to break free. “Now what will you do? Show me how you’d get out of this.”
Nicole started to buck wildly and squirm underneath me. If I wasn’t so fucking turned on at that moment, I probably would have tried a little harder, but somehow her right hand came free and her finger found my eye. “Shit! What the fuck, Nicole!” I said loudly and let go of her other hand. My eye felt like a bee had just assaulted it and soon her knee came up fast, which bucked me off her body.
She tried to push me the rest of the way off, but I outweighed her by too many pounds. “You’re playing dirty, young lady,” I said when my eye finally started to feel better. “You won’t be able to get me off you.”
I reached down and tried to capture her mouth with mine, but instead of her soft lips, I was met with a rough slap and a strong jerk. Her classes really were paying off. “I am, too, and you’re going to see what a badass I am now!”
Laughing, I decided I could bump up her self-esteem a notch and let her think that she actually kicked me off her and off the couch. “Whoa, you are a badass,” I said with a laugh, which only fueled her fire.
She jumped off the couch quickly and stood in a self-defense stance. Right when she was about to do a new move on me, a loud knock interrupted our Mortal Kombat moment and brought us back to the real world. “Who could that be?” I asked, and Nicole just gave me a shoulder shrug.
I looked through the small peephole and saw Elaine standing on the other side. This was the first time she’d ever come over while I was home, and I wondered if everything was okay. “It’s Elaine,” I said, and soon Nicole was pushing me out of the way, letting her new friend inside.
“Hey, come in.” Nicole motioned for me to move so she was able to let our neighbor through.
“Hey, guys. I heard a little commotion and I wanted to make sure everything was okay.”
I looked over at Nicole and winked, which made her blush fiercely. “Oh, no. Everything is just fine. I was practicing some of my new moves on Garren.”
Elaine looked between Garren and myself, and I could tell she was in cop mode. “Okay, good.”
I walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine. “Would you like to stay and have some wine? I’ve been wanting to thank you for taking such good care of my girl here. It means a lot that you were able to get her in those self-defense classes.”
Nicole smiled brightly at me and pulled Elaine farther into our apartment. “That actually sounds great, but I’m on call. Do you have coffee?”
And coffee was what we drank. I ended up working on grading a few papers I’d recently received from my students and let Nicole and Elaine chat and gossip about some new undercover cases Elaine had taken. She even showed Nicole the fake ID that granted her access to the crackheads of the city and she was able to enter their secret world. She looked like a frail lady, but under that facade was one tough chick. I couldn’t have been happier with the new friend Nicole had found.
Chapter Ten
Nicole
“Did you get married?”
My eyebrows shot up as I looked over at the girl sitting next to me in my Biology class. Science was not my subject, and I wanted to get that pre-rec out of the way as soon as possible. “Me?”
“Yeah, I just noticed that big rock on your finger.”
Smiling, I lifted my hand up and admired my new diamond ring and thought back to an evening a couple of weeks ago.
“I got you something.” Garren almost seemed giddy, which was so unlike him. That had me intrigued. When he pulled out a black velvet box from his slacks, a gasp escaped my lips and the world around me started to spin. He’d been spewing all these romantic lines about marrying me, but I truly didn’t think he’d actually ask while I was still in school.
“Garren…” was all I could whisper.
When he knelt on one knee, I almost lost it.
“Nicole, my Nicole. I almost lost you once, and I never want to experience that feeling again. I know you’ve told me that you would like to wait to be my wife until you’re finished with college, but I need to mark you. To make you mine. This isn’t an engagement ring, but a promise. A promise that I will love you for the rest of our lives together, and that when you’re ready, I’ll make you my wife. Will you take this promise and wear it every day?”
Garren lifted the box open and all I could see was the most beautiful antique-cut diamond that was set in a gorgeous rose setting. “Garren, it’s breathtaking.”
“Just like you.” He smiled up and looked at me patiently.
“Yes, of course. We’re in this, you and me.” I squealed loudly and jumped into his arms, knocking us both to the floor. We made love right there, not wasting any time.
“No, I didn’t get married. It’s more of a promise ring.”
The girl let out a low whistle and looked my diamond over again once more. “You found a good one, girl. That’s one hell of a diamond.”
I had to agree with her. It was one hell of a diamond. I hadn’t told Garren this yet, but I wanted that ring to be my wedding ring. It was everything I loved, and it was from him. He didn’t need to buy me anything bigger or better. This one was it. “Thanks. He’s pretty amazing.”
“I’m Rachel, by the way. I saw you walking in today. That must have been your boyfriend behind you, trying to scare you or something?”
“My boyfriend?” I looked at her with confusion and really wasn’t sure what she was talking about.
“Yeah, that dark-haired guy who was following you? I just thought it was cute and was waiting to see if he was able to get you.” She smiled brightly and then turned back around to face our professor who was getting ready to start our class lecture.
I couldn’t get Rachel’s comment out of my mind. The dark-haired guy who was following you. Was Garren following me to campus? Maybe he was more worried than I thought. I looked down at my book bag and quickly reached for my phone while my professor was turned around towards the front board. A huge lecture hall had its perks, and this was one of them.
Seventeen missed calls from Garren. What the hell was going on?
I’d had an eerie feeling lately that I was being watched, but I chalked it up to being paranoid. My nerves were on overdrive, and I was hoping that Chad’s letters weren’t coming true. I hadn’t received one in the past few days, and for some reason I was hoping that his little game was through. Elaine had been a huge help, contacting other detectives in my hometown, asking them to keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior. Even though that really didn’t do me any good since I was in New York, I loved that she was trying for me. She also mentioned to Garren that we should install this new security system that you can access through your phone. She said it’s very secure and she highly recommended it. Garren was going to make that happen this week. I loved that man.
I’d just sent Garren a text asking what was going on, when I had that feeling again that someone was watching me.
“Oh, who’s that hunk?” Rachel nudged my arm and motioned to a guy who had just walked through the door to our lecture hall.
Garren. What was he doing here? “That’s my boyfriend,” I whispered, and I noticed a look of shock flash across her face.
“Oh, that’s not the guy I saw following you then.”
Panic coursed through my body and I knew something was very wrong. Garren’s and my eyes met, and he apologized to my professor, saying something about an emergency.
“Garren, what’s going on?” was all I got out before he grabbed my hand and ushered me out of my classroom.
“I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.” His tone was clipped and short, making me even more nervous. Trying to keep up with his pace was hard, but soon he pulled me into a corner and turned me to face him. “You’re okay, though?”
He looked f
rantic. “I’m fine. What’s going on?”
Garren leaned his head down and raked his hand through his hair. I got a call from your parents. Chad got out, Nicole. Somehow he got out. They can’t find him, and the cops think he may be coming here. I was losing it not being able to get a hold of you. I’m sorry I had to take you out of class, but this is more important right now.”
Chad was out. His stupid, childish poems flooded my mind. He’d told me he was breaking free, and it had come true. I didn’t know what to say, so I just lay my head against Garren’s chest and tried to hold in my tears. “He’s not going to stop until he finds me, Garren.”
“I know, babe. I know. That little fucker better run and hide, though. I should have killed him when I had the chance.”
I couldn’t help it and began to cry. “Don’t say that. That would have been an awful thing to live with. I don’t what that to be on you.”
“I’d do anything for you, Nicole. I’ll protect you from him.”
“What about your conference this weekend in Jersey? Your agent said you have to attend.”
Garren looked like he was in physical pain. “You’ll come with me.”
Shaking my head, I knew that wasn’t a good idea. “I can’t. I have my final interview for the paper on Saturday. You know I’m a final choice and I can’t miss this. I’m not going to let that asshole ruin my life.”
Garren wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed me against his chest. “We’ll figure it out. Maybe Elaine can stay with you. We’ll figure this out together, I promise.”
I buried my face in his jacket and took in his scent. “I know we will. I just hate that he’s doing this to us. Why can’t they find him? How did he get out?”
“I don’t know. The whole thing is absurd and makes me so angry that I see red. Our justice system is a pile of crap. That little creep should have been locked away in a real prison, not some mental institution.”
I don’t know how long we stood in our corner together, wrapped in each other’s arms. We finally moved when I heard a door open and students started to fill the hallways. Garren and I both called in sick for the rest of the day. He didn’t waste any time and installed our new security system.
Little did Garren know that I was forming my own plan in my mind. I was tired of being scared. I was going to fight back, I had to. Being afraid wasn’t an option anymore, I was ready to face my demon. I was ready for Chad to find me.
* * *
“I don’t know, Nikki. This is a really bad idea, and I don’t know if I’m comfortable with it.”
Looking across my kitchen table at Elaine made me even more sure about my plan. “It will work, and then I won’t have to live in fear. You’re the pro at this. Please help me. I need you in on this.”
Elaine stood from her chair and started to pace around our kitchen and living room. “Garren really should be in on this. You know he’s going to fucking flip his shit when he finds out that you orchestrated all of this. You know he wouldn’t approve either.”
I did know that. What she said was one hundred percent true. “That’s why he can’t know. He’ll try to stop us, and I can’t live like this anymore. You just told me the other day that it’s hard for police to find stalkers, and that ninety-nine percent of the time they end up hurting their victim. Chad’s hiding in the city, and I know he’s been following me. This building might be secure, but I haven’t felt safe in a very long time. Help me, Elaine. Please.”
Elaine had made her way over to our large window that overlooked our adorably cute neighborhood. Sure, we lived in a fairly safe area, but that wouldn’t stop Chad from coming to me. I knew he was close, but I also knew that I could take this problem into my own hands. I could do something about it.
I could hear her take in a deep breath and then slowly let it out. “We have to do this right. It has to be flawless.”
I tried my best not to startle her with my excitement that I was finally doing something about Chad, but I could tell she was on board. “It will work, Elaine. I just know it. There’s a reason I met you. You’re going to be my saving grace.” I ran over to her and embraced her in a tight hug.
“You know, I didn’t grow up around any family, but I’d like to think if I had a little sister that she’d be just like you. That means I care about you, Nikki. We do this my way, and that stays between us. I could lose my job for this.”
I smiled over at Elaine and knew our plan had to work. If it went well, Chad would be out of my life and I could finally move on. Asking Elaine to help me with this was risky, but I also knew she was the only person who could help me get rid of my stalker.
“Nikki, I have to tell you that I’m also only doing this because I’ve been in your shoes before.” I lifted my eyes and watched as Elaine walked over to my couch to have a seat.
Following, I sat across from her on a very large, plush chair. “Really? I didn’t know that. You’ve never mentioned anything to me.”
Elaine closed her eyes and laid her head back against the cushion on the couch. “It was a long time ago. His name was Mike and he worked at a Home Depot in my hometown. Apparently I went through his checkout line and he said I flirted with him. He became obsessed and was a full-blown stalker. He’s the reason I became interested in law enforcement.”
I admired how nonchalantly she talked about her former stalker. That made me wish one day that I would be able to talk about my experience without hyperventilating or freaking myself out. It wasn’t going to happen anytime soon, but Elaine gave me hope. “What happened?”
“He took it too far and broke into my house. Went through my things and stole some of my underwear and other personal items. He was way off his rocker. They put him in an institution, and he actually sent me an apology letter a few years ago. I wasn’t his only victim, but it made me feel better that he’d gotten help.”
“I’m glad it turned out okay for you. I wish Chad could get some help and that he could see that I’m really not all that wonderful. The thing is, he was a really nice guy before he lost it on me. It makes me sad really.”
Elaine stood up and walked over to give me a reassuring hug. “We’ll find a way to get him to where he belongs. I hope he has a happy ending, but you never know when you’re dealing with a psychopath.”
“I know, but I just really wanted to thank you for doing this. Garren will be back on Sunday, so we only have this weekend. You know he’s going to be checking in like crazy, so we’ll have to keep our cool.”
A quick nod let me know that while she might not be on the same page as me, she was going to help the way I wanted her to. Garren had the hardest time leaving me behind, but he also knew that I was in good hands with our feisty new neighbor.
She was right about one thing, though. I did not have any idea what the hell was going to happen when I saw Chad again. I was tired of being afraid; it was time to face my greatest fear.
Chapter Eleven
Chad
There she was. My Nikki. I couldn’t believe she didn’t think I wouldn’t find her, that I wouldn’t be able to know exactly where she was. That’s what soul mates did, they never lost sight of each other. Her living with Mr. Mitchell wasn’t what I wanted to see when I did finally find her in New York City, but that was just a minor hurdle. I knew once she saw me again that our lost flame would be reignited. It had to be. If not, well, then I was prepared to do the only thing possible. Bring us together for eternity. Maybe that’s where we were meant to be together anyway. Forever.
I laughed when I thought about the young little nurse I’d gotten to fall head over heels in love with me at the crazy house they stuck me in back in Arizona. She was too fucking easy, but I did it for us. For Nikki.
Getting letters out to her was the easy part. The hard part was convincing Veronica to let me free for a night so I could take her on a date. They hadn’t found her yet, and they never would. I didn’t want to hurt her, but everything I did was done so I could be with my one true love.
I also knew that tonight was the night that I finally went to get what was mine. I wasn’t blind. I knew that fucking asshole was gone for the weekend, but I also knew I was taking a risk when I’d found her new cell number and sent her a text. Hope pumped through my body when I pushed send. Maybe my love poems changed her heart. Maybe she would see I was the one for her, and then I wouldn’t have to hurt us both. We could live in this world together. Her having my children, who would get her bright blue eyes. The bluest eyes I’d ever seen. I dreamt about those eyes. What they would look like when she’d look up at me while sucking me off. That vivid dream played over and over again in my head, and tonight was going to be the night that I would be able to see her reaction in person. I had to see her face before I made our final plans. I hoped and prayed that she’d see it my way. That’s why when I received a text back from her, I was fucking dumbstruck. Was that really her? Was it a trick? I couldn’t help it and was about to call her number to hear her sweet voice tell me the truth.
I pushed the last digit of her number and listened to the abnormally loud shrill of her ring tone. Finally, it was her.
“Chad, is that you?”
I let out a deep breath and couldn’t help myself. Just hearing her voice made me fucking hard as a rock. I walked farther into the alley that was just a few blocks from where she was, and I crouched down in a dark corner. My dick was so hard in my hand when I pulled it out of my jeans, but the relief I felt when I started stroking it instantly made me feel better. “Yes, Nikki. It’s me. God, it’s so good to hear your voice. Keep talking to me.”
Hearing her clear her throat just made my pre-cum start to drip down my dick. “Are you really here? Really in New York City?”
