Watch Me
Stalked
Alaska Angelini
Watch Me
Stalked
Alaska Angelini
Copyright © 2014 by Alaska Angelini
ISBN: 9781938076350
All Rights Reserved
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and is punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Prologue
Michael
Blood is the root of all human life. Without the substance, it’s impossible for us to exist. When Anne infused hers with mine and vowed she would always belong to me, I held her to that eternal vow like a binding contract. Always. Forever. There was no breaking her oath. I’d bled for her, crimson warmth running down my chest in a slow river of death. I had been dying from the moment she sliced the tip of the blade down my skin, forming the letter A. The sweet burn had been only for her. I’d thrived from the pain. Was proud that she’d been the one to do the honors of branding me as hers. Our secret ceremony was the happiest moment in my life. I’d finally found someone who’d accepted my monster. Embraced me for my dark, fucked up, sadistic ways.
As I had cut the first letter of my name into her chest, right over her fucking heart, she’d moaned with desire. The evidence of her arousal enveloped my fingers, all hot and wet, just for me. I had placed the knife down and pulled her body into mine, infusing our life force, sealing our bond with a kiss, and forever making us one. One. Not fucking two. One.
I lazily leaned against the wall, hidden in the shadows, and stared across the dimly lit street as she pulled the knee-length, dark trench coat tighter around her waist and rushed up the stairs to her new one-bedroom apartment. New apartment, because she’d ran from ours. Disappeared from my penthouse while I was on a business trip, leaving with nothing but a handful of the clothes I’d bought her. Why? I had no idea, but I would find out. Anne was mine. No one stood a chance of coming between us. She was my heart. My God damn life! Shit, I was still bleeding for her. The thick substance was filling me up, pushing against my insides, ready to burst free in an explosion of sweet, agonizing release.
Light flooded the window overhead and her silhouette shifted through the blinds as she shrugged the trench coat off and placed it down on what I knew to be her leather sofa. I’d searched that small space up and down, desperate for the answers. Nothing. Where’d she get the money for the place? The furniture? The closet full of clothes? The cash didn’t come out of our account. Not one fucking dime. Nothing about what had happened made sense. But I’d find out. It was only a matter of time, and I had plenty of that. My Anne once loved to play games. Perhaps it was time I started one of my own.
Chapter 1
Anne
Marriage. In my opinion, it was the epitome of doom. In the last nine years, I’d been a part of six weddings and only three had survived the first two years. What was the point of signing a paper and saying you belonged to someone until death? I didn’t understand it. These days, no one cherished the words that so easily fell from their lips. It was sad and disheartening. The whole point of the act was routine. A stereotypical finalization into adulthood and one big ass excuse to live out your childhood fairytale of wearing the ballroom gown and finding prince charming. Screw that. I’d never get married. I didn’t need a hero. I’d been saving myself my entire life.
Cheers burst through the cathedral with the impact of a cannon blast. The smile plastered on my face as I stood as the maid of honor and tried to show support to my sister was as fake as the nails she’d made me get in honor of her big day. I’d tried to tell her how perfect her and Frank’s relationship was, how the title husband and wife wasn’t going to do anything but cause them grief in the long run. I hardly ever spoke my mind, was naturally quiet and reserved, but I couldn’t help but want the best for Cassandra. Needless to say, she didn’t cherish my advice and told me to keep my opinions to myself. Had I said it too harshly? I hadn’t thought so.
Blonde curls bounced down Cassandra’s back as she untwined her arms from around Frank’s neck. They began to make their way out of the church, all the while hugging and shaking peoples’ hands.
I couldn’t help but sigh. I truly wanted to be happy for my sister. She was all I’d had since our parents’ death. Times had been hard over the years. I had tried to become the mother mine had never been. Another reason I was against marriage. At one time, my mom had been happy, but I watched it fade; disappear throughout my childhood. The unfortunate death of my parents had come right after they’d declared they were getting divorced. The unfortunate car accident that took their lives happened only two days later.
The loud hum of voices echoed off the high stone walls and I rolled my eyes before I could catch myself. My stare fixed on a man still sitting in the third row on Frank’s side. He was alone on the pew, everyone else already filing to the back to offer their congratulations. The side of his mouth was lifted into a mischievous smile. Although it spoke volumes about him knowing where I stood on this marriage, there was something underlying the expression. Something dark. Something that sucked me in and made my breath hitch.
Black hair fell to the side of his face as he tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. The power behind his stare had me shifting my feet. The overwhelming dominance that radiated from him couldn’t be mistaken. I suddenly felt naked as he raked his eyes down my form, as if he could see the real me as well as every curve of my body he came in contact with. He didn’t even try to hide what he was doing, which made me even more uneasy.
On display. Exposed. Every twisted desire I harbored jerked against my core while he drew them out with some unknown force; exorcising them from the black padlocked box I kept hidden from all I knew. Exposing those evil cravings right here on the main stage of the church. Perhaps if I repented, they’d go away…again. Fuck, I wasn’t so sure. My feet wouldn’t move as I was faced with all of my sins. How did the stranger strip me of everything I’d spent years trying to push away in one look? I’d done so well at getting myself under control and I suddenly felt like I was spiraling back in the wrong direction. Falling into the one place I knew I should never go.
“You must be so excited for Cassy.” The loud shrill from my cousin Nancy tore my eyes away from the one person who could have probably held them captive forever. I glanced back over, noticing he was now standing…and still staring.
“Yes, she seems happy. That’s the most important thing.” But how long would it last? That was my biggest fear for my young, naïve sister. Twenty-two, and she swore Frank, this frat boy, all-star football player, was the one. Yeah, sure. If she said so. As for me, I didn’t trust him not to throw himself at the first woman to spread her legs. But who was I to say? My ex sure as hell wasn’t Mr. Right. More the rock star wannabe who was greedy to get his hands on my inheritance. How he had ever found out was beyond me, but I knew the moment he hinted at needing an outrageous amount of money for new equipment so his band could excel to the top, he’d somehow discovered the truth. Too bad Cassandra had hired him and his friends to play at the reception before we’d split.
Nancy pulled me toward the main aisle, right past the stranger whose eyes were eating me alive. I glanced back, my light brown curls swooshing over my shoulders at the force with which I turned. Damn, I was going to break my neck trying to look at him. What was wrong with me? I needed to ignore this man and stay as far away as I could. Something told me he was dangerous,
and I couldn’t deny…it drew me to him even more.
“Hurry, we’re taking pictures.” Cassandra waved from the front door, curls blowing around her head like a halo. Nancy hooked her arm through mine, pulling me faster. Cobalt blue silk caught against my legs while I jogged in the matching high heels. The top of the strapless gown hugged to my chest tightly, constricting my generous breasts, keeping them from bouncing as we increased our speed even more. The moment we broke through the entrance of the church, I could have cursed.
Wind whipped against my body angrily. The thick, dark storm clouds covering the surface of the sky threatened to soak us and I knew if we didn’t hurry, we were all going to be drenched.
A huge crowd covered the distance between the grounds of the church and the long, white limousine that waited for the happy couple. I looked down the ten steps that separated us and the group. Thank god there was a barrier. If they would have been directly closing us in, I might have felt the panic of claustrophobia. People weren’t my thing. I’d always been socially awkward. After the last few weddings, I would have thought I’d gotten over this anxiety.
Blue and white balloons blew back the antenna of the limo and I tried to keep my focus on the floating orbs or the photographer as he bounced around the steps and clicked away. Anything but on the on-lookers. My sister wasn’t going to be too happy, but sweat was starting to cover my skin the longer I posed.
My mind raced with nothing in particular and then, as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my skin, I suddenly felt it. Prickling at the back of my neck. Something told me the stranger was near and I wanted so badly to turn and find out.
The ache in my cheeks from the fake smile increased and I licked my lips to alleviate their sudden dryness. Tingling raced its way from my scalp, past my nipples and clit, all the way to the tips of my toes. The feeling of being resurrected from a deep sleep left me alive for the first time. A moan tried to surface and I was baffled by the inexplicably heightened sensitivity. I’d never reacted this strongly to the presence of a person before. Yet, I didn’t even have to see him to know he was there. Watching.
Minutes passed, each one dragging out torturously. Cramps contracted my stomach from the constant arousal that was hammering my core. A large gust of wind took my breath away and I turned my face to the side to give me cover from the assault. Then, it happened. The moment our eyes connected, I was sucked down some dark hole that I knew I’d never return from. He kept me fixated, under a spell only he controlled. And, from the step he took forward, I knew he determined how long he kept me hostage.
“Anne.” Cassandra nudged me, but I was powerless to break the stranger’s hold. I kept staring into the bottomless depths of his eyes. So dark…like an endless abyss of black nothingness, with something altogether alive in the even darker shadows. Calling me. Whispering seductive words for me to come closer. Yes…closer. My shoulders turned more in his direction.
“Anne.” The sharp pain in my bicep from my sister’s pinch had me whipping my head around to her, angrily. I hadn’t wanted to leave the comfort I’d felt. Couldn’t stand the sudden emptiness in my chest that reminded me how hollow I truly was. “Smile,” she whispered. “We’re almost done.”
It took me a few seconds to adjust, but the mask settled into place as I obeyed. It didn’t stop me from wanting to cloak myself back in the temptation that I’d conjured from his stare. I had to be losing my mind.
Droplets of water began to fall and I said a silent prayer as the photographer took a few more shots and nodded. My sister and Frank made their way down the cleared path between all the guests, ducking as blue and white confetti rained over them. I spun around to look back in the entrance of the church. My mystery man was gone. A ghost, for all I knew. Where did he go? My curiosity led me through the threshold and goose bumps raced down my arms. Such a wicked thing I sought in such a holy place. I wasn’t ignorant to that fact. I was past intrigued by what else he could do to my psyche. He’d already extinguished the numbness that had plagued me for so long. Curiosity led me deeper within the sacred walls until my body was shaking from the pounding of my heart.
A touch brushed my arm, causing me to jump. “We’re going to have to hurry before the rain falls even harder.” Nancy pulled me back toward the door and I hated having to leave. Would I ever see him again? For some reason there was a fear on both sides of that answer, but I knew which one outweighed the other.
Two steps down, I nearly lost my footing on the wet surface. A firm hand wrapped around my waist from behind out of nowhere. Air was impossible to take in as I looked over my shoulder and watched him move more to my side.
“Thank you,” I whispered. With the wind, my words were stolen almost immediately.
Nancy pulled me faster and I watched as he came to a stop on the last step while we made our way further down the sidewalk. He stared, unmoving, even as we climbed into my white sedan. The sound of the door was deafening as I fumbled to put the key in the ignition.
“Who is that?” I glanced at Nancy, but went back to the tall, dark haired man whose black suit was drenched. The rain was starting to pick up, so much so that it was hard to see him clearly out of my windshield. Yet, he hadn’t moved.
With a flicker of impatience, she looked toward the steps. “You don’t want to know.”
The sound of my engine turned over and I couldn’t help but bring my attention back to her. “Why not? Who is he?”
The casual stroll he began to take in the opposite direction had me throwing the car in drive. If I could just get closer, even temporarily…
“That’s Michael Barnett, Frank’s older cousin. You’d be smart to stay away from that one. Cassy says he’s a ladies man, if you know what I mean. Complete manwhore. Richy-rich, too. He owns a business here in the city. Not sure what it is exactly, but Cassy said he rakes in the dough. That’s who’s lending them the jet for their honeymoon. Can you believe it?”
Why hadn’t my sister told me any of this? Well, it probably had to do with me not supporting her marriage as much as I should have. I suddenly felt bad. “No, I can’t…that’s crazy.”
Nancy started up again, but I barely heard her as we passed him. It should have been no surprise that he was walking toward a black, two-door Bentley. The expensive sports car said enough. Combined with Nancy’s comment on his casualty toward women, I felt myself withdraw. The heaviness in my chest was a combination of disappointment and sadness because I knew I wouldn’t pursue this thing I felt for him a moment longer. The chance of something coming out of it for me was too risky. And with his reputation, I’d be stupid to think I’d stand out amongst the other women who probably frequented his bed.
The wipers pushed the rain away, but I barely saw the road. My mind was wrapped around the enigma of Michael Barnett. Of who he was. What made him tick? What he did when he wasn’t attending weddings and watching women make complete fools of themselves, ogling over him. That’s what I’d been doing, and I suddenly couldn’t stand the thought. He probably thought I was throwing myself at him, just like all the others.
Four blocks and twenty minutes later, I fought through the traffic and pulled into the busy parking garage of the upscale hotel. My walls were up good and high. I was back to the old Anne, the one who didn’t need a man. It was time to get a few drinks in and ignore not only the stranger who threw me for a loop, but the desperate ex-boyfriend who kept trying to get back together with me in hopes of getting his greedy hands on my money.
The dress stuck to my legs as I climbed from the car. I pulled at the slightly damp material, loosening the hold it had. Nancy and I headed toward the elevator, pausing as lights rounded the corner, spotlighting us. I threw up my hand, blocking the brightness as the car came to a stop to let us pass. A few steps and I saw that familiar smile through the windshield. The one that sent my body into overdrive and gave me the impression that he had me right where he wanted. In self defense, I narrowed my eyes and kept going.
The elevator ride to the main floor didn’t take long at all. Before I knew it, people were surrounding me and Cassy was pulling me to sit next to her at the long table that held everyone who’d stood up in the wedding. I knew my role. I stood, clinking the wineglass before me and watched as the people in the large room turned in my direction. I didn’t see Michael, which I was thankful for. Had I, I might have felt even more intimidated. After a deep breath, I let my speech flow, surprised at how flawless it came out considering how nervous I was. My sister grabbed my hand and I kissed her cheek. Gregory, Frank’s best man, took his cue and before long we were toasting, cutting the cake, and the music began playing. Cheers went up after the first dance, but I refused to stare at the stage.
I stood in the back of the large crowd, my arms hugging my chest. Couples walked out onto the dance floor as the guitar and drums began to sound. The fast tempo sent some shouts throughout the room. I probably should have recognized the song, but I’d never heard Liam’s band play it before. They had to have learned it during the last three months we’d been separated.
A waiter walked by and I reached out, grabbing a glass of wine. My lips parted and my hand froze, stopping the drink just outside of my lips. Slightly narrowed, Michael’s stare pinned me to the floor. I couldn’t figure out if he was angry or ready to devour me. It probably had to do with the look I’d given him in the parking garage. The smile he’d sported was long gone, replaced with…something I couldn’t figure it out.
His damp hair fell over one of his eyes as he leaned against the far wall, his jacket pushed back on one side with one of his hands shoved in his pant’s pocket. My heart jumped to my throat. Fuck, he was sexy. And if what Nancy spoke was the truth, he knew it. I forced myself to take a drink and then challenged him with a look of my own. One that clearly said I wasn’t amused with whatever message he was trying to give me. The slight tilt of his head accompanied with an even darker look almost had me regretting my actions. Were we playing some silent game? It sure felt like it.
Watch Me Page 1