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“Hello, Miss Elizabeth!” he answered happily.
Sam was always hanging out by the corner store. He was friends with the owner and struggled to find work. He wasn’t a striking man, but he was kind. Liz had a thing for detecting good souls and bad ones.
“Today is a ham and cheese sandwich,” she said, handing him a sandwich from her bag. He took it graciously and smiled at her.
“Bless you, Miss Elizabeth.”
She took his hand and patted it lightly. He took hers and began his nightly prayer.
“Lord, thank you for this food, for Miss Elizabeth, and for the blessings I have received today. Give Miss Elizabeth strength and protect her as she walks on in your light.”
She smiled and patted his hand once more. “Thank you, Sam,” she said as she continued to walk.
Sam always made her nights more uplifting. It was good to know that good people existed in a world that could, at times, be so uncomfortable.
Speaking of uncomfortable, that weighted feeling grazed her shoulders again. She stopped in her tracks and placed her keys in her hand again. She held her breath and listened for footsteps. She heard scuffling behind her and turned to see Ben walking toward her with a smile on his face.
Her instincts kicked in, and she quickly analyzed his eyes. A predatory look, an evil stare. His muscles flexed under the light from the corner store, and she concluded her keys would not be enough to protect her if he were to catch her.
She broke into a run, her bag hitting her back as she raced down the sidewalk. Her glasses jumped up and down on her nose, and she didn’t even think to adjust them. She didn’t listen for his steps behind her or look back to see how close he was. Any distraction could slow her down.
Her legs began to tire as she reached the blind pedestrian sign. Five minutes away from home. She ran across the street, not looking either way. A white Mercedes slammed on its brakes as she dodged out of the way and tapped the hood, not motioning to them. She continued to sprint.
Reaching her apartment complex door, she fumbled quickly for her fob. She scanned it on the black box, and the door beeped. She raced in and up the stairs. She skipped a step each time she lifted her leg, quickly carrying her to the third floor.
She unlocked her door and burst into her apartment, loudly slamming the door behind her. She locked the doorknob and latched the deadbolt. She dropped her bag by her feet and walked over to the windows, drawing the blinds. She froze and listened for any commotion in her hallway. Silence filled her complex.
She turned on all the lights and sighed, backing up against the wall. Her head felt dizzy from the adrenaline rush, and her hands shook by her sides. She looked at the picture of her and her father at the zoo years ago, sitting on the windowsill.
She tried to place herself in that moment to calm herself. The meerkats were popping their cute heads above ground. The gorillas were getting excited to see visitors. The gift shop was where he bought a stuffed panther that she still has to this day.
Her heart rate slowed, and her muscles relaxed. She caught her breath and stared at the bathroom. Taking a shower always resettled her day. Once she felt clean, she felt relaxed. She nodded to herself as she walked toward the bathroom.
She undressed and took her glasses off as the heat from the shower fogged her mirror. She entered the tub and began massaging her coconut shampoo into her head, focusing on keeping her heartbeat steady.
She began to sing her favorite song to send soothing vibes through her. Then the lights shut off. She froze, feeling the hot water dripping off her skin. Had he found her?
She shook her head. This had happened one other time when the fuses went out in her apartment. She rolled her eyes, stepped out of the shower, and walked over to the fuse box by her front door. She opened it and began fumbling with the switches.
A low growl broke the silence. She whipped around, terrified. With the blinds on the windows closed, the apartment was pitch black, except for a sliver of light breaking through the blinds. She squinted. Even without her glasses, she could make out something in the slice of illumination.
Deep emerald eyes at knee-high height peered at her. They reminded her of the stuffed panther her father had bought her at the zoo. The eyes moved slowly, strategically through the darkness as the growls continued.
Her heart raced as she closed her eyes. She refused to believe she was seeing a panther in her apartment. She opened them to see a tall figure in place of the eyes from before.
Her heart stopped as she saw Ben emerging from the shadows. His defined abs glowed in the light, and broad shoulders held his strong physique. He smiled again, the kind that spurred fear in her chest.
“Liz.” He gave her a sly nod.
Chapter5
Ben
He quickly grabbed her and pulled her in close, placing his hand over her mouth. Neighbors were too close. A scream could mean more trouble, and she would scream loudly if he let her.
“Scream, and you’ll see a side of me you don’t want to know,” he commanded.
He watched her eyes widen, and her pupils dilate. He could smell her fear from the moment he entered the apartment. Now the scent was stronger, almost stealing his attention.
