AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Go,” Iris urges. “I’m going to leave soon, too. My boyfriend is off work today, so we’re going to go into the city for a nice dinner.”
Well. I guess I can’t feel too badly about leaving, then.
Before I head out to my car, I send Ben a message.
Just leaving work. I want to get to the pickup line early. I’ll text you once we’re out shopping.
A minute later, his reply flashes on my screen.
Okay, sweetheart. Have fun. Love you.
As I step outside, I pause to send one more text.
Love you too.
When I leave the library, I’m smiling again.
Walking across the parking lot is a lot different from that night months ago, when everything started.
Today it’s still daytime, and the lot is almost empty—just a handful of cars scattered here and there. It’s bright and there’s residual noise from the surrounding buildings; nothing remotely scary about it.
I laugh to myself, somewhat ironically. Back then, I thought the dark parking lot was threatening. In reality, the real danger was at my condo, where Stella must have been lurking, waiting for me.
Nothing scary here. I give myself a stern reminder when a little shiver runs down my back. The danger is gone, safely in jail, and she’ll soon be in prison for the rest of her life.
It’s sad, really. Even though things didn’t end well with Liam, I cared about him. We spent most of our senior year together. He was an immature teenager who hurt my feelings, but he was a good person. And I know he would have been so upset to find out what his mother did.
I’m nearly to my car when someone calls my name, and I let out a little screech of fright.
“Sorry!” Alec comes jogging over, his face creased in apology. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I was passing by, and I saw you here; I just wanted to say hi.”
It’s only Alec. As my pulse starts to return to normal, I smile at him. “It’s okay. You just startled me. How are you?”
He moves closer, lightly touching my arm. Which is a little odd; he’s never done that before, but I’ve found that people have been more touchy-feely since I was injured. Like they’re trying to comfort me or something.
“I’m good. Better now that I see you’re doing okay. I heard what happened with the fire and”—his tone dips—“that woman. Just crazy. Really. What people will do.”
“Yeah…” I take a step toward my car. “I know. But I should get going, Alec. I have to be somewhere by three, and I don’t want to be late. It’s been really nice seeing you, though.”
“It’s nice seeing you, too.” He smiles, chuckling dryly. “And it looks like you’re without your security detail, finally. That must be a relief.”
“It is.” Something about him is off. My alarm bells are clanging. Is it the way his gaze is skittering across the parking lot, or the rings of perspiration under his arms? Or am I just being overly paranoid, conditioned by months of living with stretched nerves?
“Anyway…” I force a smile while I reach for the door handle. “I’m sure I’ll see you in a few weeks, once the library is open again. If you’ll excuse me—”
“No.” His voice hardens, all geniality gone. “You’re not going anywhere.”
What?
A dangerous expression slides across Alec’s features. “You’re coming with me.”
And something presses into my belly. Hard. Round. And—oh, God—so chillingly familiar.
“Remember this?” A sly smirk appears as he looks at me. “You got away once. You won’t get away again.”
No.
Heart jackhammering, lungs squeezing, I open my mouth to scream.
