AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But your car is here.” Dag furrows his brows for a moment before the realization dawns on him. “He was here?”
I nod, feeling a shiver run down my spine at the thought of Loren lurking around our clubhouse. “Yeah, he must have been. I’m not sure when, though.” I shrug, feeling so helpless.
Dag’s gaze sharpens as he stares right at me. “You said us. Who was with you today?” His tone is serious and demanding.
“Magnus,” I answer honestly, bracing myself for my brother’s reaction. It’s going to go one of two ways: perfectly fine or horribly wrong.
Dag sucks in a deep breath and nods grimly. “Follow me.”
He leads me through the dimly lit clubhouse, past rooms, and hallways I’ve never been through before. We finally come to a stop in front of an office-like room, which he quickly unlocks and leads me inside. He flicks on the light and shuts the door behind us with a loud click. The room is small but functional, with a desk and some chairs scattered around. Safe from prying eyes, we can finally speak freely about this frightening situation.
A chill creeps up my spine as Dag’s words sink in. His intense gaze pierces mine, and I can’t help but feel a sense of unease wash over me. “Have you noticed him lurking around? Any strange things that might indicate he’s been following you?”
I shake my head, trying to push away the sudden wave of anxiety building inside me. “No, not at all. I always make sure to have someone with me when I’m out, so I haven’t been as vigilant.”
Dag’s expression softens, but his tone remains serious. “It’s understandable, but you should never let your guard down. We know Loren is unpredictable. You think he’ll do one thing, and then he surprises us all with something else.”
My mind races as I realize the gravity of the situation. “You’re right. I should have been more cautious. But after all this time, I foolishly thought we were in the clear. I thought Loren had moved on to another obsession.”
Dag shakes his head sadly. “You should know better than anyone that Loren only has one goal—revenge. And he will stop at nothing to get it.”
I shake my head in frustration, hating the constant threat that looms over us. “Why won’t he just leave us alone? He’s free and should want to start a new life, one where he leaves all of this behind.”
Dag scoffs, “You’d think so, but he doesn’t. All he wants is for us to suffer for putting him behind bars in the first place.”
He can’t keep getting away with his manipulations and threats. The notes are signed ‘Daddy’, a sick reminder of his hold on us. Maybe we could use them as evidence to get him thrown back in jail?
“Is there anything we can do? A restraining order, perhaps? Or take the notes to his probation officer?” I search desperately for a way to protect ourselves and finally put an end to this nightmare.
“Unfortunately, no. The note doesn’t mean anything without concrete proof. Unless we have video footage of him dropping it off, it’s useless. I’ll check and see if the clubhouse has cameras on the side of the parking lot where you park your car. If they do, I’ll ask Vanir to pull the footage.” Despite my efforts, it seems like our options are limited, and I feel helpless against Loren’s ruthless antics.
Dag’s expression shifts abruptly, and a deep furrow forms between his eyebrows, causing me to wonder what is running through his mind.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my voice laced with curiosity and concern.
“Loren would’ve had to really think about how to evade the gate to get to your car undetected. But I can’t fathom how he could’ve done that in the first place. The security measures here are extensive—everyone needs a keycode or a QR code to gain entry,” Dag explains, his tone tinging with frustration.
The clubhouse, an abandoned warehouse left to decay in the middle of acres of untended land, looms over us like an ominous presence. I remember overhearing one member boasting about its sprawling size—nearly a hundred acres, or maybe more.
“I hate this feeling,” I confess, my voice betraying my fear and vulnerability. “It’s like being that scared little girl again, hiding in the dark confines of a closet.”
Just saying it out loud takes me back to those endless days when safety was a foreign concept. My mother and Dag would always do what they could to protect me, to keep me away from Loren and his antics.
There were far too many times when I heard the sounds of Loren’s fist hitting my mom’s face. It became as normal as hearing a bird chirping outside of my bedroom window.
His presence was like a heavy weight, suffocating and unbearable. We all endured it for so long, the tension in the room palpable.
“Where is Mom?” I ask, my voice slightly trembling as I realize she hasn’t been around since I got back. Normally, she would have been in the main area doing something. She tends to put together puzzles on the tables in the main area. The absence of her warmth and love only adds to the stifling atmosphere.
Dag sighs, his shoulders slumping before he lets out a small chuckle. “She’s out apartment hunting with Esperanza,” he says, his tone oozing with both amusement and frustration.
“She wants a bigger place since hers is just a one-bedroom, but I’d rather have a house. I think Mom is going along to support her but also makes subtle comments that will make Esperanza realize apartment living isn’t the greatest thing. She’s been content living alone, but now it’s more than just her. The decision affects the two of us. A house would give us more space.”
“You mean more space to grow into?” I raise my eyebrows, grateful for the distraction from this hellish day.
Dag smirks, “Exactly. Apartment living isn’t really feasible if we’re eventually going to have kids. And we’ve talked about it—we want them. Just not yet. Maybe in a year or two.” He shrugs nonchalantly, but there’s a glint in his eyes that tells me he’s looking forward to their future together, starting a family and creating a real home for themselves.
I want that for my brother, and someday, I might even want it for myself. The sad part is I can’t even think about it right now. Not with the constant hell looming over me.
