Page 66 of Heartbreaker

KNOCK KNOCK

Looking over at the door, I crawl out of bed, if that is Jackson I’m calling the police. Peeking through the peephole and seeing who was on the other side, I open the door, “What are you doing here?” I ask Ethan as he walks into my apartment.

“I wanted to make sure that you’re okay, I mean you left so fast.” He pulls me in for a hug and holds me there for a little longer than he needs too. “You’re too good for him, and he will realise that now.”

I walk over to the kitchen to get myself a glass of water. “I’ll see. I know that I’ll have to talk to him sooner or later, and…”

“And nothing Ashley, he lied to you. I mean how can he even look you in the face and…” Ethan stops and walks over to me. “You deserve better, I bet there is someone out there right now, that is perfect for you.”

I lean on the counter and drink my water and I watch Ethan leaning on the fridge watching me. There is something different about him, and I can’t put my finger on it right now.

“I need to talk to him first,” I tell Ethan.

His eyes narrow at me and I wonder what he is thinking. “I will always be here for you,” he says, my heart catches in my throat, is Ethan my stalker?

“I know you will, I appreciate that,” I tell him, walking to my bedroom. I’d left my phone in there, but Ethan follows me, and stands by the door, his expression is hard to read, and it makes me apprehensive. Something seems off, but I can’t put my finger on what, for the first time since I met Ethan I feel uncomfortable with him.

“Did...I just…” He wants to say something, but he's not, and I turn my phone on and send Taylor a quick text, telling her to come over. Just before I hit send my phone flies out of my hand, crashing into the nightstand as Ethan’s body barrels into mine. What the fuck? My hip is on fire where I smashed into the footboard on the bed and I am pinned to the bed by Ethan. Heart beating at an alarming rate I try and twist my head to look at him.

What I see chills me to the bone, gone is the kind, funny man I know. He has been replaced by the sick, twisted gaze of someone obsessed and it looks like I am the target.

“You,” I breathe as my mind tries to comprehend what is going on.

“I’m sorry Ashley, but I just can’t let you keep making these mistakes.”

My fear is almost palpable now as I look at him. “You’re hurting me,” I say trying to wriggle out from under him. He moves back but only enough so that we are not touching, not enough for me to make a run for the door. He sees me eyeing the door and closes any gap with his body.

“See, you’re still not listening to me,” he says scolding me as he stands and starts to pace a little. “I tried to show you I care, sending you gifts, but he kept getting in the way. Subtlety is wasted on you it seems.”

He walks over to me, kneeling in front of me. My hands are shaking so much that I ball them up into fists, as he leans his head onto my stomach. What should I do? I can’t reach my phone as I see it on the floor, from when he hit it out of my hand. I close my eyes, and take in a deep breath, I have to get through the night, Taylor will open the shop in the morning, and when I don’t come down to bake the cakes, she will come up see if I’m okay.

“Ethan, it’s been a long day, I was hoping to get some sleep,” I say in a quiet voice. I’m too scared to say anything just in case he turns violent on me.

“I know Jackson really messed up and I know that you need some time.” Ethan stands back up and cups my face. “Get some rest, and then we can talk about us,” he says kissing my forehead.

Okay, he doesn’t want to hurt me, he wants to love me in his own sick way, wants to make me happy. So, he won’t hurt me unless I do something to annoy him, so I’ll play along with him for the night.

“Right, let’s get some sleep, and in the morning, I thought maybe we can go out for breakfast or something.”

“We can see in the morning,” I tell him taking a step away and pulling the covers off the bed. “I have a spare blanket in the closet if…”

“Yes, I’m on the floor next to the bed. When you’re ready we can take the next step.” Why can’t my body stop shaking? I can’t believe that Ethan has been doing this for so long. I would never have thought it was him, he never gave off the vibe he liked me, or that he wanted anything from me.

Pulling the cover over myself, I turn to the side Ethan is sleeping on, there is no way that I can sleep, how does he think I’ll sleep?

I can try to get my phone when he falls asleep, but at the moment I’m too scared to do the wrong thing, in case I upset him. I mean at the moment he’s being normal with me, so if I stay awake until morning and wait for Taylor to come I should be okay.

*~*~*

I hear the door behind me closing, and Ethan comes out of the shower. I am tied to the bed with a paisley pink scarf that he had seen on the chair in the corner of my room. He took my phone in there with him, so I couldn't call for help, now my only hope is that Taylor comes to find me.

“Do you want a shower?” Ethan walks around the bed to me, I give him a nod, and look over at the door as I hear a knock. Inside I’m so happy, I knew that Taylor would come to check up on me.

“Ashley it’s me, just want to see if you’re okay,” I hear her shouting, and Ethan looks over at me.

He grabs one of my scarfs and ties my mouth, and leaves the room, I listen to him tell her that I’m in the shower.

“Well I’ll wait to see her.”