Every hour or so, I’d get this panicked feeling inside and imagine the worst that could’ve happened had I not arrived in time, and then it would tear me up inside as I imagine her going through the same bouts of fear and panic. I’ll never know what she really felt in those minutes before I got here, no matter how often she describes it, but I kept making her tell me over and over again as a way to lighten the impact.
The more she talked about it, the more the fear would ease, or at least that’s what I’m hoping for. Thankfully she still has no idea what he was really after or what someone else had set in motion because he’d been so high that his ramblings had made no sense to her. I don’t ever want her to know that she came that close to being defiled.
I want my brave girl to keep on being brave, to enjoy her freedom, the freedom she’d fought for and won to an extent. I’m tempted to call her parents and have them send even more security for her, but that feels too much like a betrayal, so there’s only one other thing left to do. The decision had been easy. I don’t plan to take Susie’s life, but I’m going to get close enough that she knows if she ever pulls this shit again, it would be the last thing she ever does.
I’d spent the better part of the night smiling and laughing with my friends while plotting shit in my head. While the guys were regaling the others with past game exploits, I was organizing what needed to be done and in what order. As soon as the coast was clear after I’d practically thrown them out, I’d ran Lisa a bath while Jess and Alexis went to their own rooms, excuse me, suites, on the first floor while she and I headed up to the second.
“Aren’t you getting in with me?” As tempted as the offer was, it would have to wait. Besides, I don’t think she needs me pawing at her right now after the evening she’s had. I’d felt like an animal when my body responded to her nearness all evening until I calmed myself with the fact that it’s just my natural response to being close to my mate. At least I could clap myself on the back for my manly restraint.
“Not now, baby; I have some stuff to take care of that I didn’t get to earlier.” I kissed her head and left her in there before heading for the bedroom and my phone. I looked up sleeping aids, then called mom about the tea before ordering both from the pharmacy along with some other things that wouldn’t raise anyone’s suspicions, though I had a ready excuse if anyone asked why I was ordering sleeping aids for women.
Now I saw that they’d both worked because she slept peacefully with no sign of worry on her beautiful face. I walked out of the apartment without anyone noticing and nodded to the doorman on my way out. I’d thought of slipping out unseen, but there was no way to do that in this place; first, because our apartment was about fifty feet from the ground even though it was only the second one on this side of the building that held about five apartments altogether.
Second, after Jess and Alexis ripped the other doorman a new one, I have no doubt that they’d all be on high alert this soon after the incident. If anyone asked, I was out for a run, and the fact that I was leaving the SUV parked in the private parking garage would be proof of that.
Not everyone knows that I can make it to Susie’s place on foot in less than ten minutes. I didn’t have to look that up and wouldn’t have just in case. I just know the area well enough to know which route to take that would get me there the fastest. I set out at a jog and headed for the football field, which was a great cover and the best shortcut to get to where she was staying.
Who knows, maybe that’s why she’d chosen that place, for its close proximity to the field where I spend most of my time when I’m not in class. Her obsession is something I’ve ignored for too long, and my inaction had almost cost Lisa dearly. Until now, everything Susie pulled in the past, I was willing to overlook and just let it be. To me, she was never worth it, and I figured any kind of attention on my part would only feel whatever sick need she had. So I’d overlooked a lot and let things be, telling myself that once I got out of here, it would be over, and I wouldn’t have to deal with her ever again.