By Chance Box Set 1

by S A Clayton

  “Hey!” I hear yelled from the front door. I smile, making my way out of my bedroom and into the living room where JJ struggles to hold a bunch of grocery bags.

  “I got us some food. I saw we were out of…well, everything.” She gives me a look, and I smile gratefully—and a bit guiltily. Whenever I get in a zone of filming or editing, I usually forget to eat and/or get food for myself. JJ has been my savior in not letting me starve myself on accident.

  “Thanks!” I help her with the bags, and we begin putting stuff away. I can sense that she’s waiting to tell me something, so I stop what I’m doing and turn to her.

  “Spit it out,” I say, hand on my hip. She gives a confused cock of her eyebrow, and I chuckle.

  “I know you need to tell me something, so I’m avoiding the hours of you stewing over the right way to bring it up and I’m just telling you to tell me.” She sighs heavily and sits down on a stool by the island.

  “Liam asked me to move in with him.” She looks at the floor, and her fingers intertwine. I can see the whisper of a smile on her lips, and I know she’s super excited about it, but she’s hiding it for my sake.

  “Really?” I ask as her eyes meet mine again. Her expression is happy but tentative, and I give her my biggest smile.

  “I’m so happy for you!” I shout, rounding the island and bringing her to her feet and in for a hug. “You said yes, right?” I ask, pulling away from her as she nods and starts crying.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask, holding her tightly. After a few seconds, she backs up and wipes away a stray tear.

  “I don’t want to leave you,” she whispers, and I can’t help the laugh that escapes me.

  “JJ, you are allowed to move on. You found a great guy who loves you more than anyone or anything, ever. It’s sickening, really.” She smirks, but I can still see the uncertainty in her eyes, so I tug her to sit on the couch across the room. Once we’re seated, I take her hands and look at her face.

  “I know we’ve been roommates since we were nineteen, but I knew this day was coming,” I admit.

  “You did?” she asks as if I can’t see the way Liam looks at her, or the fact that she hasn’t spent more than two nights in a row here since she and Liam started dating. I cock a brow, and she starts to laugh.

  “Fine, I get it. But I don’t like leaving you all alone.” I’m grateful for the time JJ and I had together, but to be honest, I’m excited to have the place to myself. I can afford it now, and it will give me a chance to really grow my YouTube stuff and make it the business I know it can become.

  “I promise you, I’ll be fine. Plus, your bedroom can now be my filming room, and I can get my room back.” I nudge her and see a smirk on her face. She knows I love her, but I also need to know that I can do this on my own. I’ve never been alone. My parents didn’t think I could do it, and after a while, I started to believe what they said. Now? Now, I want to prove that I can do this. That I can be independent and live my dream all at the same time.

  JJ’s phone goes off, and she runs to answer it. From the way she leans against the counter, I can tell she’s talking to Liam, so I head back into my room and pull up the video I just filmed. It usually takes me a few hours to edit footage, but since I’ve never done a video like this where I just sit in front of the camera and talk, I have no idea how long this will take.

  I’m an hour in when I hear a knock on my door. JJ’s head pops in. “I’m heading to Liam’s for a bit. Wanna meet for coffee around two?” I look at the clock and see that it’s just after noon. I nod my head.

  “I should be done with this by then so, yeah, sounds good. Same place?” She agrees and shuts my door. I get lost in editing for the next hour, and when I’m done, I look it over one last time before I deem it ready. I title it: We need to talk. I hope it gets some clicks because of the mystery factor, but I really just want my followers to get what I’m so concerned about. I watch as I talk about the comments, my parents, and what it feels like to be on social media so openly. After the video is done, I upload it and wait for it to go live. When it does, I shut off my computer and head into the shower before I leave to meet JJ.

  The video is amazing. You’re amazing, and I can’t wait to see you tonight.

  I read the text when I get out of the shower, and I smile. Damon put notifications on his phone so he knows whenever I post a video, and I get a warm feeling inside that he’s proud of me.

  Can’t wait to see you. Should I bring food?

  Just bring your beautiful self, and we’ll figure out the rest.

  I can’t help the smile that crosses my face as I text JJ and tell her that I’m headed to the coffee shop. I know I’m leaving early, but I figured I could get some people-watching in before she shows up.

  Just as I shut my door, I start walking down the hall and feel that same uneasy feeling creeping up the back of my neck. As I turn my head to look behind me, something hard comes down on the top of my head.

  Everything goes black.

  SIXTEEN

  DAMON

  I’ve spent the last three hours locked in my office with Liam in my ear, wanting to know exactly what my last report meant. For a guy running an investment company, he’s acting really stupid today. But I can’t blame him. He’s been on cloud nine ever since he asked JJ to move in with him—and she agreed.

  “Dude, you need to go home,” I mutter after I explain the same thing to him for the fourth time in a row. “I know you want to go hang out with your new roommate.” He gives me a look, and I smirk. “You can’t tell me that you’re not distracted.”

  “Fine. Yes, I’m distracted. All I can think about is JJ moving all her stuff into my place. If I could move her in right now, I would. But she’s worried about Clara.” My head snaps up at the mention of Clara.

  “Why would she be worried about Clara?” I ask a little too forcefully. Liam chuckles and starts walking toward my office door.

  “Calm down, big guy. She just wants to make sure Clara is okay on her own before she moves to my place. They’ve been roommates since their first year of college, so it’s a big deal that she’s leaving,” he says, shutting my office door behind him.

  I never thought I would be jealous of Liam. I’ve known him all my life, and never once have I envied his life over mine. Except right now. The idea of Clara and I living together sends a burst of warmth through my body, something that jerks me back to reality. We’ve only been seeing each other for a few weeks, it’s way too early for this…right?

  My phone goes off, letting me know that Clara’s video has gone live, and I get up and lock the door to my office. I want to watch the whole thing with no interruptions and, knowing Liam, he’ll burst in any minute to talk about how excited he is to move in with JJ.

  I open my computer and load the video. “Hello, everyone! As you probably noticed, this video is a little different than usual. I’m not testing any makeup or doing a tutorial, but I am sitting here, needing to get something off my chest.” Her face goes ashen, and I can tell from the look in her eyes that she would rather be talking about anything but this. My chest constricts as she continues.

  “I have always loved the YouTube community. You all have been so supportive through everything in my life, but I have to admit, there is a darker side of this life that no one really sees or acknowledges.” I take a deep breath along with her.

  “Lately, I’ve been getting some pretty despicable comments from some viewers regarding my body. I understand that, in this business, there will be certain people that will not agree with my way of life, but that doesn’t give anyone—and I mean anyone—the right to discuss my body or how it is used.” She’s shaking, and I can see the moisture behind her eyes. She’s trying her hardest to keep her composure, and I’m so damn proud of her.

  All of a sudden, my phone goes off. I look and see that it’s JJ.

  “Hey, what’s up?” I ask, pausing the video and scrolling down to read some of the comments.

  “Is Cla
ra with you?” JJ yells the second I stop talking. My back straightens and my eyes catch a comment that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

  God, you look so hot today. Can’t wait to see that smile in person.

  “Why would you think Clara’s with me?” I ask, looking at the comment again and feeling the panic rise.

  “She was supposed to meet me for coffee an hour ago. She’s never this late.” I stand and open my office door and wave Liam over. The look of concern on his face makes me think he has a bad feeling about what’s going on.

  “You call her?” I don’t know why I ask the question, I already know the answer, and the pit of dread grows with every second.

  “It’s going straight to voicemail.” I can hear the panic in JJ’s voice, and I know she’s thinking the worst. To be honest, so am I. My eyes drift toward my computer once more, and my gaze lands on that comment. The one that sets my teeth on edge. I tell JJ to go to Liam’s and that I’ll meet her there. Once I hang up, Liam’s at my side.

  “What’s your plan?” he asks, leaning against the side of my desk while I scroll through my phone, looking for a specific number. I catch his eyes, and his eyebrows rise.

  “You’re calling in the big guns, aren’t you?” I just nod, pressing the call button, hoping that I can get to Clara before something horrible happens.

  SEVENTEEN

  CLARA

  Fuck.

  My head throbs as I struggle to open my eyes. As they adjust to the dim light, it takes me a moment to realize that I have no idea where I am. The damp, stale air seeps into my skin, and I shiver, looking around to see if I can figure out what the hell happened. I can tell I’m in a basement or something similar. The concrete floor under my bare feet give that much away.

  Wait, where are my shoes? I look around and see nothing around me.

  My eyes struggle to focus as I try to remember what happened. I remember leaving my apartment and heading down the hall toward the front door, but that’s it. I shake my head, wincing at the blinding pain that pierces through me. I raise my hands to my head, only to find my wrists bound together.

  What the hell?

  The plastic ties dig into my skin as my fingers probe the gash on my head. I wince, lowering my hands only to find blood on my fingertips, as I wipe the blood on my pants. I notice for the first time that I’m lying on an old mattress with blankets surrounding me. I don’t see any ropes or chains, so my guess is that my captor thinks these plastic ties will be enough. I look around the room once more, trying to figure out where I am, only to come up empty.

  A chain-link fence separates me from the rest of the space, almost like an animal at the zoo. There is a door within the fence that locks from the outside and, for a moment, I wonder if I can pick it. I quickly think better of it since, you know, I’ve never picked a lock in my life. There are two small windows on one wall, one of which is on my side of the fence, letting me know it’s still daylight outside. There is junk everywhere, mostly on the other side of the fence, but I see a scattering of boxes in the corner and a bucket that I do not want to have to use. My eyes adjust to the dim light of the room only to see a set of stairs on the other side of the fence that must lead up to the rest of the house.

  What have I gotten myself into? God, I hope JJ figures out that something’s wrong when I don’t show up for coffee.

  I shut my eyes and fight the tears that threaten to fall. I will not cry, I will not give whoever took me the satisfaction of breaking. I know I’m stronger than my tears, so I close my eyes. Damon’s face appears in my mind’s eye. God, I might never see him again. I shake my head, feeling my tears start to fall. I can’t think about that right now. I have to figure out a way out of this.

  All of a sudden, the door at the top of the stairs creaks, and I hear footsteps descending toward me. Heavy footfalls echo in the small space as Converse sneakers enter my line of sight, followed by faded blue jeans and then a loose-fitting Rolling Stones t-shirt. I don’t even register his face until he bends over to look me in the eyes.

  “Recognize me?” he snarls as my eyes widen. It’s the guy from the coffee shop, the one that gave me the creeps. My brows crease in confusion.

  “Little confused?” he growls as a shiver runs through me. The tone of his voice makes my body recoil as my back hits the wall behind me. I say nothing, not wanting to anger him more, even though I have no idea why I’m here, or why he’s looking at me like I’m the scum of the Earth.

  “Let me tell you a little story,” he starts, taking a chair and straddling it to sit before me. “I came across a video one night of one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen doing a makeup tutorial. I knew immediately that she was it for me.” I cringe, and his eyes flare in anger when he sees my reaction.

  “So I did what any sane man would do, I searched for you online. I’ll tell you one thing, you hid your real identity well, but I found you eventually.” I think of Damon and how the thought of him searching for me after our one night together made me feel wanted, sexy even. This? This just makes me feel dirty.

  “Once I found you, it didn’t take me long to discover your routine. Once I found out you went to the same coffee shop almost every day? It became a no-brainer…”

  I shake my head in disbelief. “So…what? You thought stalking me and working at a place I go to often would make me fall in love with you?” I can hear the attitude in my voice, and I know if I don’t rein it in, it will come back to bite me in the ass.

  He laughs, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “You’ve been the one watching me, haven’t you?” He just smiles, and I know I’m right.

  “All those days, I thought I was going insane. It was you….”

  “I have to admit, I loved watching you look around, wondering what was causing that uneasy feeling inside you.” My wrists burn as my hands twist in my lap. It takes everything I have not to lunge forward and try to pry his fucking fingers from his hands.

  “What did you think would happen? Did you think I would see you and fall in love?” I ask, genuinely perplexed as to what he thought would be the outcome of all of this. He smirks, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

  “I hoped for that, yes. And I was getting so close. You smiled every time I gave you your order, and I even caught you staring at me a few times.” I should tell him I wasn’t looking at him, probably just trying to read the menu behind his head. But I decide against it.

  “But then I saw you come in with that lug, and I knew I had to make my move.”

  “You mean Damon?” I ask, and before I know it, the chair is across the room, clattering against the concrete wall, and he’s right up against the cage.

  “NEVER say that fucker’s name around me…got it? He doesn’t love you the way I do!” he yells, and I nod slightly, hoping he calms down enough to talk more. From my extensive watching of Criminal Minds, I know the more the bad guy talks, the more you can learn.

  “I can’t believe you would choose someone like him…” he snarls, and I stay silent. “You know you would be happier with someone like me. I watch all of your videos. I even left you comments, telling you how hot you are.”

  I keep my face impassive but inside, I cringe. Does he really think telling me how hot he thinks I am is the way to get me to fall in love with him?

  “Why did you take me?” I ask with more force than intended. “If you claim to love me, why hurt me?” My fingers trace the outline of the gash on my head, feeling the dried blood flake with every pass of my fingertips.

  He sighs, his body visibly relaxing as his hands rub over his face in frustration. “I didn’t mean to, but I knew you would never come with me, not with him in your life. So, I did the next best thing.” I can’t believe he’s talking like what he did was nothing but an inconvenience.

  “I’ve been waiting for you for months. It might take time, but you’ll find we’re perfect for each other.” He gives me one last look before he turns around and makes his
way back up the steps. Right before he disappears from sight, he looks back, giving me a smile that I feel down to my bones.

  “I’ll be back, beautiful.” With that, he opens the door and leaves me in silence.

  What the hell am I going to do?

  EIGHTEEN

  DAMON

  “WHERE IS SHE?” I yell into the room full of people I love, yet the most important one is missing. Clara’s been gone for over three hours, and I am no closer to finding her than I was when JJ called to tell me that she never showed up for their coffee date.

  “Damon,” Mama Jenn whispers, her hand on my arm. “You need to stay calm. Yelling at everyone won’t bring her back any quicker.” I roll my eyes, knowing if I yell enough, people will work quicker, and that’s exactly what I want.

  “What I need is for someone to find her!” I yell again, hoping to God someone has some good news. I look around the room and see all eyes on me. Liam’s holding JJ close to his side while she wipes at her tear-stained cheeks. Both look equally as worried as I feel, but it’s Mama Jenn that pulls me out of my head and brings me back to reality.

  “Did you call Jamie?” she asks, knowing he’s the only one I would trust with this. I nod, feeling the anger turn to desperation in my chest.

  “I called him over an hour ago, and he’s still looking into it.” Jamie’s one of the best in the business when it comes to finding people who don’t want to be found. He’s the one I had on the back burner to use if I wasn’t able to track down Clara on my own.

  “You need to stay calm, getting angry at everyone is not the way to make things better…you know that.” She gives me that mom look that I’ve become so accustomed to, and I sag in defeat.