After crawling through the club in search of him, I start to wonder if I’ve been stood up. This prompts me to check my messages, where I see a text waiting from him.
Conrad: Sorry, I got called out to a case. Maybe we can continue this tomorrow?
I’m both relieved and disappointed—disappointed that I’m not going to be fucked senseless by him and relieved that I have a day to prepare myself.
Me: Sure, I’ll see you later.
I stop off for some dinner on the way home at another fast food place that is open all night. I can’t stop thinking about Conrad and what he wants from me. Was it really a coincidence that he showed up at my work? He’s a cop; it wouldn’t have been too hard for him to figure out where I work.
I sit down in a booth at the back of the diner with my tray of food. For five a.m., the place is surprisingly busy—mainly with young people starving after a night out partying. I quickly eat my food and then head for my car. It’s hard not to let having a stalker rule my life. Every moment I wonder if he’s out there, watching me. It’s so easy for me to freak myself out, especially when I’m alone at night.
Chapter Six
It’s Monday, and I wake early that afternoon and spend a few hours studying, aware that I’m underprepared for the exam I have next week for one of my classes. It’s nearly three p.m. when I close my books. My head feels like it’s about to burst and I’m in desperate need of caffeine.
Walking into the kitchen, I turn the coffee pot on only to realize I’m out of coffee.
“Shit,” I mutter. I weigh up my options. I either go down to the grocer’s or I walk the two blocks to the café and treat myself to a double mocha. I decide on the latter. After a quick shower, I change into a pair of jeans and a sweater then grab my purse and keys as I head for the door.
I’m lucky that one of my favorite cafés in the whole town is literally a few doors down. It’s a small place just off the main road, and walking past it you probably wouldn’t even realize what it was. I push open the door and walk inside. For midday, they’re pretty quiet, which suits me fine. I contemplate drinking here or taking a cup back home so I can keep studying. In the end I decide on the latter. As much as I want to slack off, I know I’ll regret it when I’m sitting in that room staring at my exam paper.
“Hey, Raven.”
I smile at Steven and lean against the counter as he prepares my coffee. I love that he knows my order without me even needing to ask. Yep, I’m a double-strength mocha kind of girl every time.
“How’s things?” I ask.
Steven always makes me feel relaxed—another reason why I like this place. He and his wife own and run the business, and their two little girls can often be seen running around the shop. Both are adorable and make me miss my cousins back home.
“Great. The usual chaos with two young kids,” he jokes, but his eyes are smiling and I can see how much he loves his family. “I hope you’re not studying too hard,” he warns, pushing my cup across the counter.
I smile and take the coffee, the smell of the beans making my mouth water. “Unfortunately, around exams I always study too hard,” I laugh. I push a bill across to him and head for the door. “Say hi to Kary for me.”
My coffee in one hand, I unlock the front door and walk inside, closing it behind me. The eerie silence of my apartment is freaking me out, and I find myself wishing I’d left the television on or something. I walk through to the kitchen, stopping in my tracks when I see what’s sitting on the table.
Most women would be thrilled to receive a huge billowing array of flowers. Me, not so much. My stomach turns as I approach them. They’re pink roses, my favorites. Next to them sits an envelope with my name on it.
Do I open it or call someone?
I grab my phone and dial Conrad, not wanting to contaminate any fingerprints that might be on the envelope. My heart races as his phone rings out. I sit the phone on the table, unsure of what to do now. I’m dying to read the letter, but terrified at the same time. My phone rings and I scream. My heart on my chest, I pick it up and laugh. It’s Conrad.
“Hey, what’s up?” he asks, his voice expressing mild concern.
“I just arrived home to flowers on my kitchen table. There’s a letter too. I haven’t opened it—”
“Don’t touch it, I’ll be right there. You sure you’re alone?”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I glance around. The idea that he might still be here hadn’t occurred to me. “I-I think so.”
“Good. I’m about five minutes away, okay? See you soon.”
Chapter Seven
“It was on the table when you came home?” he asks, examining the bouquet.
I nod, my arms crossed over my chest.
“How long were you gone for?”
“Twenty minutes, if that,” I reply. I hate this, knowing he’s been here again. If I can’t feel safe in my own fucking home, what hope do I have?
“He had to have come in from the window again,” he mutters, shaking his head. “Either that or your doorman is a fucknut.” He looks up at me, his brow creased like a thought just jumped into his head. “When you’ve called the police in the past, did they check out your neighbors?”
My body goes cold. “You think it might be someone in the building?” I squeak.
He shrugs. “Just a suggestion. It would explain how he’s getting in here unseen. I’ll get my guys to look into it, see if anyone living here stands out.”
I nod and sit down, pushing my cup away. Suddenly I’m not so thirsty.
“It might be an idea for you to stay with a friend or in a hotel for a few days. I’ll organize someone to park out front of this place to see if we can see anything suspicious, but we really have no idea what this guy is capable of.”
Nice idea, but it’s not going to happen. I can’t afford a hotel and I don’t know anyone in the area well enough to stay at their place.
“What is it?” he asks, noticing my expression.
“I don’t really know anyone and I can’t afford a hotel,” I mumble, wishing this whole mess would just go away.
“You can stay with me.”
I raise my eyebrows. After last night, that sounds like a bad idea. Getting involved with a detective is a bad idea, no matter how irresistible he is. Staying with him is only going to lead to more issues, but what choice do I have? I can stay with him or I can stay here and risk not waking up one morning. I shudder at the thought.
“If you’re worried about what happened last night, you don’t need to,” he says, his tone serious. “I was way out of line. I shouldn’t have done what I did and I’m sorry. I can promise you it won’t happen again.”
My heart sinks. Jesus, Raven, you’re upset because he wants you and then you’re upset because he doesn’t? What I need is to get a fucking grip and stop overanalyzing things, which of course is impossible for me.
“Okay.”
His eyebrows shoot up and I can tell I’ve surprised him. For a second I’m worried. He obviously wasn’t expecting me to say yes. What if it was an empty gesture, a suggestion he’d only made assuming I’d say no?
“Great,” he says. His smile puts me at ease. “Give me half an hour to tidy up and I’ll text you my address? I’m not exactly prepared for company.” His face reddens and I laugh. Typical male.
“Sounds good. Are you sure I won’t be intruding?” I ask, biting my lip.
“Trust me, it’s no problem.”
His apartment is on the other side of town. In a new complex, I can already tell his place is going to be nice—much nicer than mine. Considering how much I pay, I can only imagine how much he does. Detective work must pay better than I thought.
I press the intercom and wait for him to answer. He buzzes me up, which unlocks the front door. I walk in, past the doorman who smiles at me curiously. Already I feel safer and vow to look into other, more secure living arrangements. I can’t live here forever, after all.
Conrad stands leaning against his d
oorframe as I exit the elevator. He looks hot, and it’s hard not to notice the way his abs ripple against the soft cotton of his shirt. I raise my eyes, trying not to blush as he ushers me inside.
“You didn’t pack much,” he says, noting my small bag.
I shrug. “I don’t plan on staying that long.”
“Seriously, stay as long as you like. Here,” he says, taking my bag. “The layout is pretty simple: kitchen through there, living room, bedrooms and bathroom are down the hall. The guest room is to the right.”
The place is stunning, and I can’t help but notice how immaculate everything is. What did he race back here to do, exactly? He couldn’t have done much in the time before I arrived. Porn. And probably toys. I smirk to myself as I walk down the hall. We’ve already established he’s kinky.
He walks into the room behind me and places my bag on the bed.
“Towels are in the bathroom, help yourself to anything you need. Oh, and I’ve organized for you to park in my spot. I figured it’s safer considering your hours.”
I resist the urge to swoon at his consideration. It’s been a while since anybody has thought about my needs. He walks out, leaving me alone in my room. I sigh and lie down on the bed, trying to process all that has happened today.
I feel so awful thinking it, but a small part of me is happy to be here. My stalker is pushing me closer to Conrad and I can’t deny that I like how that feels. The only problem is I have no idea what I’m doing. I feel like I’m swimming, struggling to keep my head above water and at any moment I could go under.
Chapter Eight
“Raven?”
My eyes flutter open and for a moment I panic. Where am I? I sit up, my memory slowly filtering back. Conrad.
“Come in,” I call out, embarrassed that I’d fallen asleep.
He opens the door and steps inside, his blue eyes locking on mine.
“I must’ve fallen asleep.”
“Yeah, well, you probably needed it. How are you feeling?” he asks.
“Better. Less stressed.”
“Good. Are you hungry? I figured we could go out. I know a great Thai place.”
“Sounds good. Give me a few minutes to freshen up?” I ask.
“Take all the time you need.”
We walk into the tiny restaurant. He signals to the waiter, who leads us to a table and presents us with menus. My stomach growls and I giggle, embarrassed. I haven’t eaten anything all day and my body is angry at me.
“Shall we get some appetizers and get some food into that stomach?” Conrad smirks, raising his eyebrows. “Before you start eating the tablecloth, I mean.”
I narrow my eyes and give him a death stare, but I’m not really annoyed. I’m actually enjoying myself. “Appetizers sound good.”
We order a platter of appetizers because I can’t decide what I feel like. When the food is placed in front of us, my mouth is watering. I don’t wait before digging in as Conrad watches me.
“I like a woman with a healthy appetite,” he chuckles.
“Sorry, I didn’t realize this was a date,” I shoot back, reaching for another egg roll. “I was under the impression you were just a nice guy offering me somewhere to stay. I hope you’re not suggesting this is anything more?”
He grins and rubs his jaw, drawing my attention to the light ripple of stubble that peppers his chin. As if he wasn’t sexy enough…
“This can be whatever you want it to be, Raven.”
His words send a chill down my spine. I can’t deny the attraction between us, but I’m scared to rush things. What if we move this too fast and I’m not ready? “
Hey, I was joking.” He makes a face. “Well, kind of. The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable.”
“It’s not that,” I sigh, not sure what to tell him. “Let’s just see how this goes. We’ve got plenty of time, right? There’s no need to rush this.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” he says, winking at me. “Now shut up and eat.”
We leave the restaurant and drive back to his place. I’m determined to get a few more hours of study in before I go to work, but it seems Conrad has other ideas.
“Have a drink with me,” he says, leading me into the living room.
I laugh. “I can’t. I have to work, remember?”
“So have a soda. I’ll drink.” He smirks.
I roll my eyes and agree, sure he’s not going to give in until I do.
“Good. Sit down and relax. You study too much anyway.”
“I wish my grades suggested that,” I call out as he disappears into the kitchen.
He comes back a few minutes later juggling a beer, soda, and a bag of chips. Sitting down next to me of the sofa, throws the bag on the coffee table.
“Why business?” he asks. “It seems odd when you work in security. Why not law or something?”
“Because I dream of running my own club someday.” I grin.
“I’d be up for that. Would you let me in?” he teases.
“I don’t know, it would be pretty exclusive. I wouldn’t want just anyone in,” I reply with a laugh. “You might attract the wrong kind of clientele.”
“Me?” he gasps, offended. “I’ll have you know I’m a fine, upstanding member of the community—”
“With a taste for all things kinky and naughty,” I add with a devilish grin.
“Doesn’t that make me a typical guy?” he retorts, his eyes sparkling.
I laugh and lift my leg onto the sofa, tucking it under me. I could quite happily sit here all night chatting to him. The more I get to know him, the more I like. If only I didn’t have to be at work in twenty minutes.
“I’m having fun, but I really need to get to work,” I say sheepishly.
“Let me drive you,” he suggests, getting to his feet.
“No, you’re already doing too much for me,” I protest.
“Seriously, it’s fine. I was on my way there anyway,” he says with a chuckle.
I raise an eyebrow but don’t question him any more. To be honest, if he’s headed there to fuck other women I’m not sure I want to know about it. “Okay. But that means you’ll have to pick me up too.”
He cocks his head and smiles. “Who said I was planning on leaving?”
Chapter Nine
It’s been nearly a week and I’ve heard nothing from my stalker. I was sure the fact that I was staying with Conrad would annoy him into acting out, but I’m relieved that I might be able to go back to my own place soon. Not that staying with Conrad doesn’t have its perks. He’s a hell of a cook and it’s been great getting to know him.
“I think I might go home tomorrow,” I say, sitting down at the table with my coffee and toast.
“Sounds reasonable. We haven’t heard from him and the guys turned up no leads with the people living in your building.” He shrugs and stands up, clearing his plate and cup. “I guess we wait until he does act out again and go from there.”
It makes sense. I’m not stupid enough to think that he’d moved on, but a small part of me hopes that on some level maybe he’d gotten the message how spooked his actions had made me.
After Conrad leaves for work, I pull out my books, ready for another long study session. I only have two days until my next exam and I’ve done next to nothing to prepare for it. I open my textbook and try to focus on the words in front of me, but I’m struggling.
I reach for my phone and search for my aunt’s number. I haven’t been in contact with her for a while and I feel bad. Pressing call, I wait for her to answer. She does almost immediately.
“Raven, hey!”
“Hey, Carmel, sorry I haven’t been in touch.” I wince, wondering why I didn’t find the time to call a month ago, or even a week ago.
“We were worried about you, Rave.”
“I’m fine, I just…” My voice trails off. I don’t want to burden Carmel with my problems, especially with her being so far away. As far as my family knows, getting away from home h
as meant the end of my stalker.
“What is it? Are you okay, baby?”
“I’m fine, just homesick I guess,” I fib.
“We’ll get up there and visit you soon, I promise.”
“That would be good.” I sniff. “How are the girls?”
“They’re good. They miss you.”
“I miss them too. I’ll try and call after school one day so I can speak to them.”
“They’ll like that, sweetie. They know you’re busy with college. How’s school?”
“It’s good. Hard, but good,” I laugh, pushing away my books. I stand up and walk over to the sofa and sink down into the cushions, setting my feet up on the coffee table.
“Well, don’t study too hard. Make sure you get out there and have some fun, okay?” she chastises gently.
I laugh and wipe away the tears rolling down my cheeks.
No sooner have I hung up the call than my phone rings again. I don’t recognize the number, which immediately puts me on edge. Taking I deep breath, I press answer.
“Hello?” I say carefully.
“Miss James? This is Paul Stojer, your building manager. I need to let you know there’s been a disturbance at your apartment.”
“Disturbance?” I repeat, my heart racing. What the hell does that mean?
“Yes, a neighbor noticed your door wide open and notified us. We’ve called the police, but you should get here as soon as you can so you can file a report.”
“Okay,” I mumble. My hands shake as I set down the phone. I was stupid to think this was all over. I text Conrad to let him know, asking him to meet me at my place. Grabbing my purse and my jacket, I switch off the lights and head outside, locking the door behind me.
Arriving back at my apartment holds mixed emotions for me. I’m nervous about seeing what the damage is this time. Is he angry I’m staying with Conrad? What if he directs his anger toward him next in an attempt to push him out of the picture?
The place is mess. There is stuff everywhere, and everything breakable has been broken: vases, photo frames, lamps. I shiver, thinking about the anger he had to have been feeling to do this. I walk over next to the sofa, where a smashed photo of me with my parents has been discarded. I crouch down to examine the damage. It’s one of the few things I brought with me to remind me of my family.
Hidden Obsession Page 3