by Anna Brooks
“I need a ride to the airport.” Jay’s gonna kill me. Is this stupid? Yes. Do I care? No. I’ve never, not once, done anything like this. Sure, I have a stalker after me, but he’s also a smart psychopath. There’s no way he’ll do anything in public, so I’ll feel marginally safe in a crowded airport.
“Oh.” She sounds relieved like I was going to ask her something else. “When?”
“Now? My flight leaves in an hour and forty-five minutes.”
“Mellie. Shit. Um. Let me get Steven together, and I can be at your house in twenty minutes.”
“I’m actually at Jay’s. Can you park around the corner on Lincoln Avenue, though?”
“What’s going on?” Right now’s about the time she goes into mother mode.
“I promise to fill you in when you get here. But if I’m going to make this flight, I need to go. Now. And Mary, I need to catch this flight. Please?”
A brief pause makes my heart skip a beat, and I’m afraid she will say no. “I’ll be there in fifteen, then.”
“Thank you.”
I grab an envelope from Jay’s kitchen island and flip it over to write him a note.
J-
I know you will be pissed at me, and I’m sorry.
I can’t live like this anymore. I feel like I’m in prison.
I love you and appreciate everything you’ve done for me,
but it’s time I learn to live.
I don’t know if this will blow up in my face or not, but I have to try.
Please don’t come get me. My car is still there, and if things don’t work out,
I’ll come back. I need to do this.
~Mel
Disarming the security system is easy, but Jay will get an alert, so I have to move fast. I go out the back door and walk through the neighbors’ backyards until I get to the corner. My sweaty hand grips my bottle of mace. I wait behind some bushes until I see Mary pull up. I run across the street, and she screams when I tap on her window.
Once the locks click, I rush around and hop in the front seat. “Thank you so much.” I close the door and turn around to wave at the baby. “Oh, my gosh, he’s gotten so big.”
“He has.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Can I at least know the reason Jay is going to want to kill me?”
I hate lying, but I have to. Otherwise, she’ll turn the car around and call my brother. After a brief recap of the house situation (which she knew partly because Jay still talks to Brandon), I begin my fable. “I had a momentary freakout and begged Jay to pick me up. He came and got me, but now I want to go back. He’s so busy, but you know how protective he is.”
She nods, seemingly satisfied with my story, and pulls away from the curb. Because Jay lives in such a good location, we’ll only be on the interstate for a couple of minutes.
“This way I can go, and it’s not taking an entire day away—again—from the big case he’s working on. He knows I’m flying out; he just thought it was later tonight. He’s fine with it.” I can’t believe how convincing I sound. I hope she believes me.
“Then why did I have to pick you up around the corner?” Nope, she doesn’t buy it.
“His nosy neighbor, Ms. Sorenson, was out watering her plants, and if she saw me, I’d be stuck there forever.”
“You’re lying, Mellie.”
My eyes widen, but I say nothing.
“It’s a guy, isn’t it?”
I sigh, no point in continuing my façade. “Yes.”
“He’s worth it?”
My face heats up thinking about Smith. “Yes.”
“Your brother’s going to hate me. Brandon’s gonna be pissed at me, too.”
“I’m sorry.” And I am. I don’t want her to have anyone mad at her because of my foolishness.
“He can keep you safe, right?”
“He was Jay’s partner before Brandon.”
“So yes, then?” She smiles.
“Yes. Not only can he, but he makes me feel safe.”
“I understand that.” A melancholy look crosses her face, but she quickly changes it into a smile. “Keep me updated and be safe.”
“I will.” As we pull up to the drop-off, I jump out to close the door then lean into the car to grab my suitcase. “Thank you, Mary.” I jog inside and find my airline, check in, and go through security. By the time I make it through the line, I have just enough time to use the bathroom before I board.
The flight to northern Wisconsin is only about an hour, and when I land, I turn my phone back on and find nothing. No texts and no missed calls. Nothing from Smith about the floor or tiles. Jay must be busy if he hasn’t even called to check on me. I suppose he figures I’m fine with a watchdog outside.
I flag a taxi and have it drop me off at Smith’s house. A nervous rhythm assaults my heart beat, and my hands become sweaty again. I set my suitcase down. Knocking on his door, I’m met with silence. I peek into the house and see a couple of lamps on but nothing else.
Since he doesn’t know I’m coming, I don’t expect him to be waiting for me. It’s already six at night, so I figured he’d be home by now, but he could still be keeping those long hours. I sit on the top step and wait for about a half hour before picking up my phone. I’m debating whether to call him, when a car turns into his driveway.
A set of red stilettos, long legs, and a short skirt emerge. Long brown hair, curled to perfection, and breasts that sit so high they practically touch her chin. A pair of perfectly smoky eyes narrows at me. The nerves in my stomach sink even further, and tears burn behind my eyes, threatening to tell the tale of my utter embarrassment.
“Do you need something?” she asks, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. Then it hits me. This is the woman he was getting into a cab with that night. The one he said he stopped seeing because of me. Apparently, I was easily replaced.
I stand and try to form words, but I can’t seem to regain that particular function.
“Smith will be here soon, if that’s who you’re looking for. He’s running a few minutes behind.” She clicks her tongue, and she looks at my skinny jeans, off-the-shoulder sweatshirt, and hair in a messy bun before meeting my eyes again. “Can I give him a message?”
I shake my head, and with as much dignity as I can, I walk down his driveway. As I turn down the sidewalk, I almost run into a garbage can. How could I be so fucking stupid? God, I’m an idiot. I grab my phone and call an Uber with what little battery life I have left. When they pull up a few minutes later, I give them the directions to the house. A worker might still be there or something. Hell, I’ll break a freaking window if I have to. My funds are dwindling, so I don’t have the money for a hotel right now.
Besides, what else am I supposed to do? Call Jay and tell him I fucked up. Let my big brother lecture me on how stupid I am. How I have a madman after me, yet I put my life in danger. Ask him to borrow money so I can get a flight back home.
When the car drops me off, I curse under my breath because clearly, no one is in the dark house. Shit, does the power even work? I need it, since my phone is dead. Thank God I thought to bring my charger. Frustration mounts, and I walk up the porch, only to remember what happened last time I was here.
Oh, my God. I’m a damn moron. Norman is free and roaming around and wants to finish what he started. And here I stand like a sitting duck. Nobody knows where I am. Great. Just great, Mellie. I almost want to laugh at the situation, but fear prevents it.
The neighbor pulls into the driveway and waves at me when she steps out of her vehicle. I half-heartedly return the greeting with a shaky hand.
She walks over and scrunches her eyebrows at me. “Are you okay?”
“Um…”
“Do you need anything? Can I help you with something?”
“I don’t know.” I need to get somewhere safe and then call Jay. He’s right. All the times he told me I needed him to protect me. He’s so right.
“Why don’t you come over and have some wa
ter or something?”
What other choice do I have? “Yeah, sure.” I briefly shake some of the haze away and follow her to her house. When the door swings open, I hesitate. I don’t know her... and her husband is scary, but I only saw one car in the driveway so I’m hoping he’s not home. My lungs slowly deflate as I gain courage. Once inside, I’m assaulted with dozens of pairs of glass eyes. Some matching, some missing, others the same color. Another mark to check off in my stupidity—going into a stranger’s house.
“Sorry about the dolls. I know”—she leans in closer—“they creep me out, too.”
“Umm…” Why does she have them if they creep her out?
“They’re not mine.”
That’s right; her husband gave off that creepy vibe. She’s pretty, and I know I shouldn’t judge, but she doesn’t seem like the kind of woman who would be with such a... dweeby, weird guy. “Your husband’s?”
She closes the door and gives me the same confused look as before. “I don’t have a husband.”
Am I losing it? “That man, though, with the glasses. He came over and said he was your husband?”
The beep of a car startles me, and I jump.
“That’s just Richard. But he doesn’t wear glasses.”
When the door she just closed opens, a man comes through.
“Hi,” the woman says.
He doesn’t even look at her and makes a beeline upstairs. I swear he’s the same one who scared the shit out of me with the pliers. And here I am in his house. This fact reminds me why I’m here in the first place.
“Sorry—”
“Can I—”
We both talk at the same time and laugh. “I just need to plug my phone in and make a call.”
“Of course. Have a seat.” She ushers me to the kitchen where I grab the charger from my purse then plug in my phone. I sit in an old worn-out wooden chair while she takes a bottle of water from the fridge. “I’m Polly, by the way.”
“Mellie.” I smile.
“So are you moving in next door? What’s going on with all the construction?”
I explain how I inherited the house, and just as I’m finishing the story, Richard walks into the kitchen. He doesn’t acknowledge me but looks at Polly. “Did you forget to do something today?”
She stares at him for a second and then frantically runs to the living room. “Shit, I’m sorry. I’ll go get it; the pharmacy is still open. Sorry, Mellie. Nice meeting you.” Before I escape with her, she slams the door, and I’m left alone with her... Richard.
He’s leaning on the counter directly in front of my phone, and every molecule of my body is on alert.
“Hi, umm, I just need my phone, and then I’ll be out of your hair.”
“It’s okay; you can stay.”
I swallow and try not to look into his eyes. I swear those are the same eyes. “Have we met before?”
“No,” he snaps.
“Can I have my phone, please?”
He grabs it from the charger and powers it on. As soon as it chimes, indicating a message, he slides his finger across the screen. What a nutcase.
I stand and reach out for it, but when he whips his head in my direction, I step back until I’m against the wall. His ominous expression is now one of anger.
“Who’s Jay?” He holds up the phone and shakes it. “And Smith?”
“Excuse me?”
“Why are all of these men looking for you? They don’t know where you are, do they?” He drops the phone on the table and walks closer. My legs are the first thing to shake, then my stomach quivers, and my finger form a tight fist. He reaches up, and I squeeze my eyes shut, but when I feel the absence of his presence, I open them to see a fly between his fingers. “I don’t like insects.” He smooshes it between his fingers, and I gag a little in my mouth. “What’s the matter?”
He tilts his head, and I shake mine. “Can you move so I can get my phone and leave, please?” Yep. Definitely the same guy as before. I have to look away from his beady, almost yellow eyes. “Please,” I whisper. I regret looking down, because now he’s rubbing his fingers together, turning the guts of the fly into liquid.
“Not quite yet.”
Chapter 10
Smith
I pull into my driveway and wish I could just slam the door on Vivian. She’s the last person I want to see today or ever, really. She’s never been to my house before; I have no clue why she’s here now and don’t want to find out.
I was looking forward to coming home to my empty house and drowning my sorrows in beer and a ridiculously fluffy cat. Mouse is my hostage. Mellie’s gotta miss her, so I know she’ll at least come back for her. My lame excuse about samples came to me last minute today. I have no fucking samples. I was standing in the kitchen, the first place I saw her, and was overwhelmed with the damn memories of her. So I grew a vagina and called her with a lie just to hear her voice.
The man who assaulted her on the porch hasn’t been found. Jay’s convinced it’s this Norman guy, but from the description he gave me, I don’t think it was. This guy wasn’t as tall as Norman, which freaks me out even more. My urge to go get her and bring her back to protect her is so strong I’ve even driven south on more than one occasion. But if she’s comfortable and safe at Jay’s, then I’m not going to ruin that.
Missing someone is a routine feeling for me. Feeling empty isn’t unusual. But being helpless over a woman… I’ve never experienced it before, and I fucking hate it. Life isn’t controllable. And until I met her, I thought I’d at least be able to control who I fell in love with. But she’s turned that theory to shit.
When I get out of my truck, Vivian presses her body against mine, but I give her a small shove. “What do you want?”
“It’s been a while, Smith.”
“I know.”
I close the door and cross my arms. If my words aren’t enough to show her how much I don’t want her, then this might help. I can’t be any more closed off than I am right now.
She runs a finger down her chest and between her fake tits. “I miss you.”
“God,” I groan. “I told you I didn’t want to see you again, Vivian. You’re a beautiful woman,” I lie. She’s fake and way too desperate. When I told Mellie I was questioning my morals, this is what I was talking about. Why the hell I thought it’d be a good idea to buy this woman dinner before I fucked her... I have no clue. But after the first time, I did it again. Then again. She was convenient. Nothing about Vivian has been enjoyable. Not her company, not her body, nothing. Even without Mellie, I would have ended it with her. I was going to do the right thing and do it face to face, but that stuff at the hotel happened with Mellie, so I ended up just calling Vivian to break it off. “I’m sure you won’t have trouble finding someone else.”
“I don’t want anyone else.” I don’t even have time to deflect her before she grabs my dick through my jeans.
“Stop, Vivian.” I uncross my arms to push her away again, but she drops to her knees and rips at my zipper. “Woman.” I don’t want to hurt her, so I try to pry her hands off me. Amidst the fumbling, she gets her hand into my jeans, and when she gets a hold of my dick, I lose it. “Get your fuckin’ hand off my dick before I hurt you.”
She stops and looks up at me but doesn’t get to her feet. I grab her arm and yank it out of my pants. “But—”
“But nothin’. Get the fuck outta here and reevaluate your life. Damn, woman, desperation doesn’t look good on you.” I zip my jeans again and wait for her to leave. Of course, she’s crying. “Stop with the tears. If I just did that to you, I’d be in jail for assault. I told you from the beginning it would never be anything more. You agreed. Don’t make me seem like the villain here.”
I can’t bring myself to feel sorry for her and I make my way to the inside door.
“Wait. Smith.”
Without turning around, I answer her. “What?”
“Some girl was here earlier, but she took off when I told her I was waiti
ng for you. She seemed really afraid.”
That has my attention, and I turn on the toe of my boot. “What did she look like?”
“Young, pretty... blonde hair.”
It’s gotta be Mellie. What the hell is she doing here? A quick glance confirms her car is still parked in the other side of the garage. “What did she leave in? A cab?”
Vivian has the nerve to look guilty. “She walked... or ran, more like it.”
“Are you kidding?” I hiss. “You’d better hope to fucking Christ that nothing happened to her, since you chased her away like a catty bitch.” I yank my phone out of my pocket and dial Mellie, only for her phone to go straight to voicemail. “Fuck!” I scream and head to my truck. “Leave!”
Vivian scurries away, and I hop in and reverse, squealing the tires as I peel out onto the street. I have no clue where else she could have gone besides the house, so I head there, all while calling her phone with no luck.
I slam on my brakes as I veer into the driveway and run to the house. From what I can see from out here, it’s dark inside. “Fuck!” My fingers practically shake as I put the key in the lock. I know she still doesn’t have a key to the new door, but I need to check to be sure.
“Mellie!” I run around the house and scream her name, as fear, frustration, and anxiety mix with my anger. I open every single door and cupboard looking for her. “Goddammit!” When I search every inch of the house and still find it empty, I go out back.
A motion over to my left catches my eye, and through the window next door, I see her. Pressed against the wall, with a guy hovering over her. Smoke flies from underneath my boots, I’m running so fast to the house. I don’t knock but turn the knob, luckily finding it unlocked. Stepping inside, the freaky dolls make me do a double take. I continue to scan the area until I can see into the kitchen.
He’s too close to her and has her caged in, so I can’t see her face. I only hear her soft whimpers, pleading with him to let her go, and as much as I’d love to let her know I’m here, I have to stay unnoticed. Stealthily, I creep up behind him, put him in a headlock, and bring him to the ground. He gasps for air as I flex my arm tighter around his neck. As he flails and grabs at my arm, I look at my Mellie. She’s still standing in the same place. “You okay?”