“Oh my god. You are really unbelievable aren’t you.”
“I’m the opposite. I’m completely believable. Everything I ever tell you I’ll do you can take it to the bank. When I tell you you’re my girlfriend that means I’m your boyfriend. You’ll never have to worry about ridiculous things like me so much as looking at another woman let alone desiring one or cheating. Just saying it out loud right now sounds ridiculous, but I need to say it this one time just so you know.”
“What if I decide I want to break up?”
“You won’t.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because I’m going to do everything…whatever it takes…to show you that there is no other man on the face of this plant for you than me.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, and it will come naturally. You’ll see. There’s nothing I want more than to make you my queen. If you haven’t figured out you’re already the center of my world, and now you’re my girlfriend and you’re about to see everything that comes with that title.”
“Such as?”
“Your steak, ma’am. And yours, sir.”
“Thank you,” I say as Julian nods to the waiter.
He reaches his long thick forearm across the table and pulls my plate back to his side.
Before I can register what’s going on or complain he’s cutting my steak into bite sized chunks.
“You going to feed me that like a mother bird?”
“No. That’s too much. But after you finish the first half I’ll cut the rest. I’d cut it all but I don’t want the other half to get cold,” he says as he slides the steak back in front of me.
That’s too much? As if cutting my food isn’t? Oh my god…again! I feel like I just keep saying that to myself, but what I’m not saying to myself is to get up and run far far away.
Is it because…this is too good to be true and my mind subconsciously knows it?
Or am I too young and inexperienced to know any better?
But I just know this isn’t normal. No way.
But I do know normal sounds entirely way too boring. And I sure don’t want that.
I sink my fork into the first bite of steak and put it in my mouth. My eyes rise up from my plate and lock onto his.
He’s watching me eat my food like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. Like it’s the most interesting thing he’s ever seen.
“We’re going to Puerto Vallarta after the summer session. Make sure to keep your calendar cleared out those days or it will be embarrassing if you don’t show up for things you scheduled because you’re on vacation.”
I stop chewing and my mouth opens…with food in it.
Oh my god. I think again and I know it’s not going to be the last time.
Chapter Eight
Julian
“Where’d that report go that I saw on your desk this morning?” the captain asks.
“I filed it in the circular file where it belongs.”
“Just a courtesy, Sergeant. And don’t underestimate what he might try.”
“I’m ready, sir,” I say.
The captain purses his lips and shakes his head as he turns to walk down the hall before stopping and putting his hand on the door jamb and looking back in.
“And Sergeant.”
“Sir.”
“I’m not saying it was wrong, but be careful when you decide to whip somebody’s ass on your off hours.”
“Sir,” I say.
“Those jerks had it coming anyways,” he says and then does leave down the hall.
And now those boys will be out of commission for quite some time. Luckily what I did didn’t blow up or blow back on the police force. The school newspaper broke the story and some of the students at the scene reported the way it all went down in a positive light for me.
But what’s not so positive is the he the captain was talking about.
That he is The Sunset Stalker. He terrorized half the country ten years ago waiting for the sun to set to begin his night’s of mayhem and violence.
Until I put him away.
I didn’t even have jurisdiction but I requested time off and went to the part of the country where he was operating. I tried to get in his head and think where he might strike next. Sure enough he chose a college campus and I was there and ready when I heard the screams.
This guy thought he was going to be the next Ted Bundy, and I thought he was going fry or go away for life at a minimum.
I was young and idealistic back then and I learned a hard lesson after it was ruled some of the evidence was tampered with and they couldn’t link him to a majority of the crimes. He got some hotshot lawyer looking to make a name for himself and the douche pleaded it down…way down.
And now ten years later he was out for good behavior. Good behavior? What the fuck?
Tell that to families of those girls he was paroled for good behavior and see what they say about that.
But it’s not those families he’s expected to torment anymore, not that what he did won’t haunt them forever.
He stood up in court and promised to come after me.
And I sure hope he does so I can finish what I started, but this time on my terms.
And that’s another reason why I’m so obsessed with Abigail’s whereabouts right now and how she looks.
That prick stalked his women based on his obsession with blonde hair. In court he described how he was infatuated by long blonde hair, which describes Abigail to a T.
That’s one of the reasons I want her to wear her hair up. I’m not afraid of this bastard but I don’t need to make Abigail a target in my own personal vendetta when he comes looking for me, and I know he will.
But it’s not just that. It’s not just that I don’t want him looking at her, I don’t want any man looking at her.
She’s mine now. My girlfriend. And what she has is mine and what I have is hers.
And have her I will. Soon.
I just need to prepare a scenario that equals her perfection.
That’s impossible by definition, but I’m going to give it a shot.
Chapter Nine
Abigail
I sit in my Women’s Studies class again blown away by the subjects my teacher is presenting.
The feminization of men. How masculinity is derided and is it true that any kind of male authority is immediately shrieked at as being patriarchal. We even explore the rape culture and whether the way it’s covered in the media makes a man being born today feel wrong…born wrong to an extent.
It’s a fascination discussion on both sides but we come back to the conclusion that women still aren’t making what men are making in the workforce so apparently gender roles haven’t changed as much as we might think.
But as interesting as class is I can’t take my mind off what I saw on the school newspaper’s online site this morning.
Innocent Woman Robbed and Beaten While Bystanders Snap Pics
That was the headline. And they even ran one of the pictures someone took.
How could that person live with themself this morning let alone have the balls to send the picture they took into the paper or post in on social media where the paper then picked it up? How could you not be embarrassed as the person who took that. You’re saying to the world it was more important to watch this all happen and take the time to get your phone out than it was to actually help that poor girl? Is that where we are as a society?
You can even see some of the boys in the background in the picture. They’re doing nothing. No backbone.
I can only imagine what might have happened if Julian had been there.
And I think back to our dinner last night.
When I try and put Julian in a box in my mind I can’t. But if I try and find one word to describe him it’s leader. He’s the one who looks out for his flock, so to speak, and encourages them to achieve their potential…just like he did me last night when he sat silently for quite some time while I told him
about my dream of becoming an attorney.
And just like a leader, after I finished he mentioned causally that he’d get the numbers of some attorneys he’d worked with and set something up so that I could shadow them if I was interested.
If I was interested? Talk about an amazing opportunity.
But he just said it so nonchalantly like it was no big deal. Like it was just something a boyfriend does for his girlfriend.
And it is true. As crazy as it seems I am his girlfriend now.
And oddly enough I’ve quickly come to terms with that and am actually embracing it.
But now that I’m his girlfriend there’s a different kind of brace that I’m interested in.
The one where he braces his arms around me and holds me tight…while he enters me for the first time.
Just the thought of his big body hovering over mine sends chills up my spine.
“Miss Adams? Are. You. With. Us?” the professor asks, or more likely repeats for the I don’t know how many-ith time.
“Yes. Could you repeat the question please?”
She exhales hard.
“Do you think the traditional male role of protector and provider will still be relevant in society in ten years time?”
I smile. “Yes. I do.”
The teacher pauses as if she’s waiting on me, but I don’t immediately reply. “And do you care to elaborate why?” she asks as if she’s tiring of me.
“Because feeling safe, loved, and cared for are basic human needs. I think there will be few men who will be capable of carrying out the traditional male role in the future, but those who do will be highly desired…almost fought over.”
“You think so?” the professor says suddenly more interested.
“I do, and I think the men who fill this role and encourage their women to do their own thing and support them in their pursuit of their personal goals will be able to have any woman they want, because these men will be extremely hard to find,” I add realizing I’m ahead of the curve and a bit future proof with Julian as my boyfriend.
“Will be hard to find?” some girl a few rows ahead of me says as she turns in her seat to look at me. “They’re already impossible to find. You find one let me know!”
“Amen to that!” another girl says.
Suddenly there’s a rumbling amongst the women in the class and I feel my back straighten in my chair realizing how lucky I am…and the pride I feel in having him and being his girlfriend.
Yeah, I’m his girlfriend all right.
And he’s my boyfriend.
Mine all mine and I’m not sharing him with anyone.
Chapter Ten
Julian
“Heard you got a girlfriend,” Corporal Nguyen says.
I put my last round in-between the eyes of the target and set my gun down and take an aggressive step towards him.
“Whoa, guy! Sorry, it was just a rumor.”
“Who told you that,” I say getting up in his face.
“Some of the guys in the break room were talking about it. We’re hoping it might calm you down a bit. You’ve been on edge like crazy lately.”
“I’m not on edge,” I say.
“It’s okay man. The Sunset Stalker got paroled. We all know. You can admit you’re concerned.”
“He’s the one who better be concerned. He comes around me I’ll finish him this time. He’s not laying another finger on any girls ever if I have anything to say about it. Especially not my girl.”
“So you do have a girlfriend then? I heard she’s really pr—“
“Yes,” I growl at him. “She is really pretty,” I say finishing his sentence, “and she is mine. Not yours not anyone else’s. Mine.”
“I got it, man,” he says taking a step back and raising his palms up to chest level and facing me.
“Your girl. Everyone respects that, you know.”
“Let’s keep it that way,” I say.
Nguyen shakes head. “F’in psycho,” he says under his breath as he walks out of the shooting range area.
Yeah I am crazy all right. Crazy for her and committed to keeping her safe. And if one of the guys at the station saw me out with her that means The Sunset Stalker could have too.
I leave the shooting area and rush to the lockers. Nguyen sees me and immediately leaves, pressing his body against the far row of lockers as he passes allowing me all the space to pass.
I dig my phone out of my duffel and my thick fingers carefully type the number one. I’ve programmed her number in as my number one speed dial. I got it from the campus directory and haven’t had a chance to actually call her yet. She might not pick up, but as luck has it…
“Hello?”
“You’re moving in with me,” I say.
“Julian,” she says. “Come on.”
“No come on,” I say. “How quickly can you have your things packed?”
“I’m not leaving my home. I like it here. I like living around the other students. Plus what would my parents say?”
“I don’t care what your parents would say right now. I only care what you” I say.
“Do you really? Then why don’t you ask me like a normal person would.”
I feel my fingers ball into a fist. “Abigail…would you like to move in with me?”
“One day, yes. But it’s too early right now,” she says. “But I truly appreciate the invitation and I will consider it for the future. I promise.”
“Where are you now?” I ask.
“I’m at home.”
“I’m coming to get you,” I say.
“I’m not moving into your place.”
“I know. I respect your decision. I don’t like it, but I respect it. But we’re going to go have fun today.”
“Don’t you have to work?”
“I had training this morning. Just finished.”
“Okay then. Sounds fun. I can be ready in thirty minutes.”
“I’ll be outside on the curb in twenty.”
“Why did I already know that?” she says and she laughs.
Her laugh is so damn perfect and makes me feel better already. I’m still upset and disappointed that she doesn’t want to move in, but knowing that she’s smiling relieves some of that tension.
After all that’s what I really want…for her to be happy.
And I know she can be the happiest with me.
And it’s time to show her another way I can make her happy. Very, very happy.
Chapter Eleven
Abigail
“He’s here! He’s outside parked along the curb!” Katie says to me almost like she’s the one going on a date and not me.
“I know,” I say.
“What are you doing? Get out there before I do. Don’t think I won’t steal him away from you.”
“You can’t,” I say. I laugh as I say it as I’m not trying to sound mean or competitive, but I know that there’s literally no way she, nor any other girl, can. He’s obsessed with me and I can rest assured that he’s one-hundred percent committed to me and only me and that he’s mine and I’m his.
What a luxury that is? Most of the girls at college are on Tinder wondering why guys won’t call them back after they give it up to them. Or why their “boyfriends” haven’t deleted their Tinder after they’ve already been in a relationship for a couple weeks.
Thank god I don’t have to deal with any of that. Imaging a horny guy my age trying to juggle multiple girls at once, and trying to make me one of those girls, makes me sick to my stomach.
And I’d never say it out loud but I couldn’t imagine being with a guy like Katie’s.
She’s fun and pretty and smart. I know right now when I go downstairs her boyfriend is going to be on the couch watching sports…again. Just like he does every single day.
The only real question will be whether he’s sitting, more like slid way forward on the couch, with crumbs on his shirt or horizontal with that old blanket he never washes over the top of him.
Uh…no thanks.
And crumbs it is I say to myself as I bounce down the stairs excited to see Julian today.
“Do you need to borrow a condom?” Katie asks at the last second.
“Hey!” I say. “No,” I reply, but the real answer is that I should but no way I’m telling her that.
But wait? Do I? Julian is always a step ahead and always thinks of everything. I bet he’s got a case of them in the trunk ready to go.
I hope he does at least.
Or if I’m really lucky we won’t need one. I’ll get to feel him inside me and see what I make him do when he finishes on me.
Damn, the thought of it is already getting me hot.
I open the front door and immediately he’s out of the driver’s seat and around to the passenger side opening my door for me.
“Thank you!” I say.
He nods more like he’s my security guard or bodyguard or something. And I can’t lie…I do feel like a bit of a celebrity.
This big strong guy always opening doors for me…always watching out for me.
His eyes never waver from me when we’re out. It’s like he’s got those blinders that race horses wear. He’s only focused on what’s in front of him and when we’re together that’s me and only me.
I like the attention and that it’s so focused and intense only heightens the experience.
And being with him really is an experience…an experience like no other that you couldn’t get anywhere else no matter how hard you tried.
And experience is what I’m hoping to gain today, but another kind of experience.
The kind I’ve been saving for him since I first started fantasizing about him.
And the kind I never thought he’d be interested in until lately.
And now that I know he’s interested it just makes me feel so much better that I waited and that I saved it for the right guy.
Scratch that thought. That I saved it for the right man.
Chapter Twelve
A Man Who Knows What He Wants Box Set 5 Page 27