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Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Swearing, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
- Part 7 Here -
—————————————
January:
Bob was going to be home in an hour. He’d called you the night before in an excited babble asking if you’d got his letter and your mind was already racing with all the things you wanted to do with and to him.
6 long months of yearning for the one man who made you feel safer than you ever had, who made you feel incredible inside and out, physically and emotionally.
The perfect man.
“When tomorrow? What time?” You giggled excitedly on the phone.
“I should get home around 7pm, and I can’t wait to do nothing but kiss you all weekend.” He groaned through the receiver, sending a delightful shiver down your spine.
But you had bigger plans for Bob’s return.
You could barely sit still at work, nervous excitement pulsed through you and made it hard to concentrate on anything other than Bob’s face and how good it would feel to thread your fingers through his glossy hair again.
About his deep timbre of a chuckle, and how it vibrated through you as he pressed his lips against your neck. About his deep blue eyes and the way they darkened and his jaw set when he looked at you, and only you.
You were so head over heels for this man, and finally you were about to see him again.
By the time 5pm rolled round, you practically sprinted to the car. You made a pit stop at the store for some things, went home to feed your dogs and give them belly rubs. You showered quicker than you’d ever showered in your life, thanking the heavens you’d had the foresight to shave and wash your hair the night before, slipped into Bob’s favourite of your sundress’, and applied some light makeup before you were out the door in record time.
You took your supplies next door to Bob’s house, bouncing on the balls of your feet as you checked the time on your phone. 6pm, and hour until you got to see him again.
You strung up the Welcome Home banner, blew up around 20 balloons somehow without giving yourself a headache, and laid out champagne.
The real surprise was dinner and what you wore under the sundress. You’d booked a table at his favourite Italian place, but you’d be his dessert.
You finished stringing up the silly balloons and made sure his living room was tidy and dust free, then with 10 minutes to spare, you darted up the stairs to his bedroom, humming to yourself excitedly as you went.
You had exactly the outfit picked out for him. His off-white Dickies T-Shirt that you loved on him for the way it hugged his chest and biceps. His favourite pair of blue jeans, and his camel Chelsea boots.
You knew he’d likely throw on one of the many caps in his collection, so you’d let him pick that out himself, and headed straight for the drawer you only hoped would house the outfit you’d concocted in your mind all evening.
The top drawer was filled with socks and underwear, you picked a random one of each, throwing them onto the bed haphazardly.
You delved into the middle drawer next, rows of perfectly pressed and folded t-shirts and button-ups, uniform rows of neatly organised colours looking back at you. Grinning at Bob’s Type-A personality shining through, you found the shirt you were looking for and threw that onto the bed next.
Now for the jeans, they would surely be in the last draw at the bottom, so you bent over and pulled at the drawer.
It was a bit stuck, so you got to your knees and gave both handles a good tug, sending the drawer flying backwards, and you had to steady yourself.
You got back up and peered in. Blue jeans seemed to be all he owned apart from his work uniform hanging neatly in the closet, so you picked a pair at random from the top and prepared to close the drawer.
But something different from the rest caught your eye. Black.
Did he own skinny jeans? The thought made you snort with laughter. You had to see this!
You pulled at the black fabric, but it wasn’t jeans at all.
It was a black hoodie you’d never seen him wear.
You turned it over in your hands, inspecting it.
You shrugged, ready to put it back, when you spotted something else black underneath. You pulled again at the fabric.
And your heart stopped in your throat.
A black ski mask.
You studied it only for a short moment, before dropping it to the ground with a startled gasp.
Dropping to your knees, you pulled out the entire contents of his bottom drawer.
Black jeans, gloves, a cap. Photos of you walking your dogs littered the bottom drawer haphazardly.
Not pictures Bob had taken while walking with you. Pictures taken candidly, from a distance, some behind bushes.
You found several pictures of you taken through your window. Glowing frames taken from low down, of you getting ready for bed. Of you waking up. Blurry pictures of your silhouette through the privacy glass window of your en-suit bathroom.
Shaking, you backed away from the drawer, the last few months dawning on you and every good moment crumbling like pastry between your fingers.
Bob. It had been Bob all this time. You couldn’t believe it.
Not your Bob.
Horror stole your breath and iced your veins as your heart stopped and then started at twice the speed. It blurred the edges of your vision but cleared your mind.
You pulled out your phone. He’d be home in 5 minutes.
Running down the stairs in a blind panic, you left his house with the door wide open and climbed into your car, locking the doors. You pulled out your phone again and stared blankly at it for what felt like forever.
And then you called Dan.
“Y/N, this is a surprise. You okay?” His voice floated through your buzzing ears, picking up clinking glasses and soft music. He was at a bar or something.
“Sorry!” You gasped, shaking hand wrapping around the wheel. “I didn’t mean to disturb you. I… I just…”
“What’s wrong?” His voice suddenly grave and low. “Hey, talk to me.”
You let in a tight, wheezy breath, “I just need to get away. I don’t know what to do. I need help.”
He didn’t hesitate, “Okay okay, where are you now? Stay put and I’ll come get you.”
You shook your head vehemently, checking the clock again. You were out of time.
“No! I need to get out of here right now.” You started your car and the tyres squealed as you tore out of the driveway. “I… I found pictures, and a ski mask in Bob’s things. I think he’s been stalking me.”
You began to sob as you drove in no particular direction, just getting as far away from your neighbourhood as you could before Bob arrived.
“He’s coming back today and… and I’m scared. I don’t know what to do, Dan.”
You suddenly felt so awful that you ever suspected Dan for stalking you, when all along Bob had squeezed his way into your home, your heart, your life. Did he have ulterior motives? You were filled with so many questions as you drove further and further away.
“Okay… shit. That’s… that’s heavy. Right, listen to me Y/N, I’m grabbing my stuff now and I’ll come and meet you. Is there anywhere you can go where he won’t be able to find you?”
You thought for a moment as you chewed your lip, “Uh… I don’t think he knows where the office is.”
You heard Dan climb into his car, slam his door and buckle in. “Great, I’m on my way, meet me there, okay?”
You hiccuped back a sob, nodding as your hands gripped the wheel tightly, knuckles losing all their colour. “Okay.”
You were about to hang up when Dan’s voice filtered through the speaker, somber. “We’re going to figure this out, I promise.”
The call ended and you turned left on the next street, making your way towards your office building as the last of the daylight dipped beyond the horizon, taking with it your sanity and the last bit of trust you had as you prepared to hand it over to Dan.
—————————————
- 11 months earlier -
It had been almost 3 months since Jordan and Mitch were sentenced, and only 3 months until Mitch’s release, and you were no closer to figuring out what you were going to do.
The abuse, the hounding, the danger was still very much present, and you’d applied for jobs all over and as far from here as possible, just desperate for a new start, a place you could feel safe.
You were losing hope quickly, tempted to change your name and dye your hair, when you received an email one morning that changed everything.
You’d been offered a job, one you didn’t remember applying for but then, you’d applied for so many you’d lost count.
The pay was pretty good, it offered benefits, but the best part was that it was halfway across the world, in a sleepy little town where absolutely nothing happened.
You thanked your lucky stars and felt like you could breathe again, and when they asked when you could start, you’d almost immediately responded with “How’s next week?”.
But there was too much still to do. You had to pack, get a court order to sell the house, find a new house, buy a car… your mind was spiralling, but you told them you’d be there within a couple of months and could do any training online in the meanwhile.
You managed to get the court order, and immediately put the house on the market. You packed what you could and put most things in storage.
The house sold quickly, and you found a beautiful craftsman home nestled in the cozy, deeply forested little town a stones throw from your new workplace, near a rugged coast where you could take the dogs to the beach any time you liked.
The dream.
Your work visa arrived and you quickly worked to get everything sorted.
The moving date was fast approaching, and with it your nerves began to ease. With every visit from Lainey and your dad, with every morning you woke up closer to your new life, you finally felt like things were actually going to be okay.
Until one day the phone rang.
The old style house phone you begged Jordan for years ago, perched beautifully on a small round table next to a single seater that nobody used.
That phone had become more of a decoration, a pretty display to soften the hard edges and modern white-wash of your home, and hadn’t rang since a year after you bought it and the novelty wore off.
You cocked your head at the almost unfamiliar sound, your hands growing clammy as you clenched and unclenched your fists at your side.
Picking up the phone, you put the cool receiver to your ear and swallowed thickly, “Hello?”
Silence.
“Hello? Anyone there?”
Silence.
You waited a second more, and lifted the phone from your ear to put it down, when a breath on the other end caught your attention.
“Hello?”
“I could have had a beautiful life, Y/N.”
Your body stilled and your limbs locked into place as Jordan’s voice filled your ear and mixed with the blood rushing painfully through it in deafening beats.
You should have slammed the phone down and ripped out the phone line, but you stayed there, stunned and glued to the spot.
He continued, “You fucked me. You ruined everything, and I’m gonna make sure I do the same to you. You’ll live to regret this.”
The phone call ended, and you sucked in a sharp, painful gasp that quickly spiralled into full on sobbing.
You knew they were empty threats. Jordan was behind bars and would be for a very long time.
But hearing his voice… it almost gave you PTSD, and you struggled to calm yourself down as you sobbed in the single seater by the phone.
When you eventually calmed, your determination hardened, and you tore out the phone line.
No one would ever make you feel this way again.
You were out of danger now even if your body didn’t believe it. No one would hurt you now.
At least so you thought.
—————————————
January:
You screeched into the parking lot at work, your cellphone buzzing non stop in your back pocket.
You’d risked a sneak peak while driving in the dark, wet night towards your office.
Bob. Now tallying 6 missed calls.
You gathered that meant he’d arrived home and found his bedroom is disarray.
Would he try and hurt you now that you knew his secret? Would he try to explain everything away?
You weren’t keen to find out right now.
Parking the car haphazardly across two parking spaces, you threw yourself out into the rain and bolted for the front door of your office. The warm glow of someone inside beckoning you to safety.
You pulled the glass door open and wiped rain from your eyes as the light of your office’s entryway temporary blinded you.
“Dan?” You called out, trudging wet footprints across the worn blue carpets.
You rounded the corner to the main office space and blinked helplessly as you searched for Dan in the sea of desks and chairs and darkened computers.
“Dan!” You called out again, walking through the rows of sleeping technology. It felt… eerie being here after hours. The usual permanent hum of computers and talking colleagues was now replaced with the steady patter of rain against the large floor-to-ceiling windows of the ground floor building.
You were just beginning to wonder if maybe they just left the lights on and the doors unlocked after hours, and Dan wasn’t here yet, when a figure stepped out of the dark kitchen block at the end of the office.
You let out a deep breath and bolted over. “Dan!”
He met you halfway and pulled you in for a hug, “Hey, are you okay? You’re shaking like a leaf.”
You shook your head against his chest. “I can’t believe it was Bob this whole time.”
Dan was quiet as he held you for a moment, squeezing you tightly.
When you eventually pulled back, Dan’s face was blank and devoid of any prior concern or care it showed before.
You stepped out of his embrace, looking up at him. “Are you alright?” Your voice hiccuped as that all too familiar sense of dread enveloped you.
Something was very wrong.
Dan looked down at you like you were merely a fleck of dirt on his shoe, stepping back out of reach of your panicked hands flailing out to hold onto him for support as your legs shook so hard you feared they’d finally give up on you. “Dan?”
“She’s all yours.” He mumbled, crossing his arms, bored expression, as though he were watching reruns of a show he’d seen a thousand times.
You swivelled in the direction of his gaze.
Your heart fell into your stomach, and your legs finally gave out, your stomach lurched nauseatingly.
“A job very well done Daniel. You can go now.” Mitch smirked down at you, black gloved hands stretching and flexing in front of him as he stepped slowly towards you from the other end of the office floor.
“What? But… I don’t understand, what are you doing here?” You gaped, body shaking like a chihuahua in an earthquake.
“Righting a few wrongs. You see, Y/N, when you put my boy away, and myself for that short stint, not only did you waste our precious time, but you also ruined our even more painstakingly built reputation. Do you understand what you’ve done to our family? To Jordan? To me?”
You were absolutely speechless, that this man, this grown ass man, was still blaming you for something his son had done and he’d helped over up.
You forced yourself up onto your feet as he inched closer. A quick glance back revealed Dan was now nowhere to be seen.
You turned back to face Mitch, “You can’t possibly be that delusional that you think I caused this.” You spat, venom on your tongue as the pure, hot anger began to bubble.
These fuckers had ruined so much already, you were sick of it. You wouldn’t be that scared little girl anymore. That was never you. Not until all of this.
Mitch’s face contorted into an ugly scowl. “If you’d have just done what we told you to do, none of this would have happened.”
“You were trying to frame me!” You screamed, voice cracking as the lightning mimicked your movements outside the window.
A sickening smirk spread across his face as he inched ever closer, his hand reaching into his coat pocket.
“You had far less to lose than my family did. Just a girl from a struggling background, father deep in debt, mother 6 feet under. You were lucky to find my son and wiggle your way into his stupid heart and into a life of comfort. That boy never did have a thought of his own.” He shook his head in disappointment as he brandished a gun, and your whole body shook like someone had moved the ground under your feet.
He pointed the gun at you and your hands flew up defensively, “Mitch-“
“You got to live the life of luxury for years, because of me. I created that. I put years of blood, sweat and tears into giving my family the life they deserved, and you reaped the benefits.”
He was deluded, his face sweaty and manic, gun pointed directly at your face not even 10 feet away from you, you were scared silent, unsure what you could say to change the situation, and terrified if you said anything at all he’d shoot you right there and then.
Mitch continued his pacing, and you stepped carefully backwards to match his distance, the dark kitchen slowly getting closer. And then you’d be cornered.
He continued his tireless tirade.
“And you wouldn’t even do that one, little thing for us, after all we did for you. Your life is worthless compared to mine! Compared to Jordan’s!”
You stopped just before the open kitchen door, Mitch now closer but mirroring your movements, the continuous stop-start as he tried to drag out his speech. “You’re going to pay.”
As Mitch clicked the safety off, you darted back into the dark of the kitchen and threw yourself against the counter tops, fishing blindly for anything heavy or sharp. Your fingers slipped and slid over objects that were either too light or too blunt.
Mitch’s footsteps were approaching fast.
A dish sponge, paper plates, napkins, hand soap.
Your panic was in your throat as you felt around desperately for something, anything you could use, when Mitch’s hands found the hair on the back of your head and threw you violently across the other end of the kitchen.
You knocked over the contents of the counter as you tumbled painfully to the ground, glass and ceramic smashing around you and spraying you with tiny shards that sliced your skin.
Before you could right yourself, Mitch was on top of you, straddling you, pinned to the ground beneath his colossal weight.
His gun came down against your mouth and you felt the bottom side of your lip split open and the taste of iron filled your tongue. Another came down just below your eye at the top of your cheekbone, blinding pain radiating into your skull as your hands flailed to find anything to use against him.
You slapped and scratched his face and hands as they circled your neck, the gun long forgotten on the floor somewhere in the dark.
He obviously wanted to feel the life slip out of you and enjoy it over ending your life quickly, and his fingers tightened, cutting off the last bit of air you’d forced into your lungs.
He was torturing you. Dragging this out as much as he could.
You were sure your eyes were going to pop from the pressure, your face turning hot and your skull throbbing as you struggled for a breath, your nails digging into his skin as your legs thrashed behind him.
And then suddenly, you breathed
in, deep and painful, Mitch’s hands no longer cutting into your windpipe, you spluttered and coughed and gasped.
A commotion somewhere in the dark brought you back to the present, muffled grunting, thuds and something hard squelching into something soft.
Your brain couldn’t put the information together fast enough, so you scrambled to the kitchen door, using the frame as a brace to pull yourself up to your feet. Your hand slammed against the light switch.
Once the brightness flooded the small box of a kitchen, and your eyes adjusted, the scene before you almost made you double over and retch all over the now blood smeared tiled floor.
Bob sat on top of Mitch, a gun, maybe his, maybe the same one Mitch used, you couldn’t tell, in his trembling hand, the front of Mitch’s skull caved in.
A wobbly, almost hysterical groan fell from your lips as you clutched the door frame, Bob’s eyes trained on yours with manic concern.
He took in your busted lip and quickly bruising cheek, and dropped the gun with a loud clatter on the slippery floor.
Bob stumbled over to you, his work uniform, hands, face, shoes, all soaked with blood, as he cupped your face and looked you over.
“Oh… baby, sweetheart, your face. What has he done to you?” He fussed softly, thumbs and lips pressing fresh blood into your skin.
You stood there stunned, unmoving as he took you into his arms, your body shaking.
“I should have been here, I’m so sorry. I’ll never let them hurt you again. He’ll never hurt you again.” He hummed into your hair, rocking you back and forth.
Mitch was dead. He wouldn’t hurt you again. But Bob was a different story. You should feel terrified.
But you felt… safe.
“How… how did you know I-I was here?”
Bob stilled, his arms stiffening around you.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you…” he took a deep breath. “The State put me in charge of looking after you, at least… for the first few months. A special mission, not something the Navy usually do, just something to keep me occupied with while I was on ground leave. Scotland Yard notified us that you were moving here, a fresh start after everything that happened back home. There’s a tracker under your car.”
Your eyes burned and you pulled away, surprised, looking up at the man you thought you loved. Thought loved you. Was it all just business to him after all?
“Witness protection?” You mumbled, your mind racing over every incident in the last almost year.
“Sort of but not exactly. They were concerned by the growing number of people against you rather than for you. Your ex’s family were powerful people, Y/N. They lost everything, and in turn so did a lot of other people who they had deals with.”
You shook your head, wrapping your arms around yourself, “I found photos, a mask… I- I-“
“Intel. I had to report back to my superiors, keep them in the loop, but baby, I didn’t intend to fall head over heels for you.” His hands cupped your jaw gently, thumb brushing over your bloody lip, pain in his eyes that matched the throbbing in your skull. “They pulled me from the mission the moment they realised what was going on between us. They thought you were in the clear. I thought you were in the clear. I’m so sorry, I put you in jeopardy, I scared you. I’m so sorry.”
He pressed his forehead to yours and closed his eyes as he held you still.
You were numb, staring at Bob’s beautiful but bloodied face, trying to process this information.
“So you were the one at the park? Watching me?” You shook on the spot, the adrenaline waning.
Bob nodded slowly, “But it was only once at the park. Whoever they hired must have been stalking you too. While I was away.”
You nodded slowly, “Dan.” Then it dawned on you, and you gasped, clutching Bob’s arms tight. “Oh my god. Dan! He’s still out there, Bob. He was the one working with them and he got out.”
Bob nodded, pulling you into him. Blue lights flashed through the large windows. “It’s ok, we’ll find him, everything’s going to be ok from now on. I promise you.”
The cops were alerted by the security company when the office was accessed after hours unauthorised, but they were not expecting the scene they walked in on.
They took your statements and from your injuries and the evidence they found, the gun, finger prints, security footage, it was obvious it was self defence and defence of another.
Bob drove you home, bloodied and battered. He drew you a bath and fed your dogs while you soaked. He made you a chamomile tea and when that didn’t help, a large glass of red wine followed. He kissed your forehead and cleaned up your face, his own a scene of gore.
“I’m just gonna go home and get cleaned up, grab a change of clothes, then I’ll be back, okay?” He hummed against his arm which rested against the lip of the bathtub, his other hand squeezing your arm.
You nodded, forcing a smile against your split lip. “Thank you, Bob. For everything. I’m sorry I doubted you.”
Bob smiled softly, eyes sad but understanding, “I would have too.”
Bob went home and showered, pink and red swirling down the drain beneath his feet with every pass of the bar of soap across his skin.
His adrenaline had long depleted, he’d nearly lost you. His world, his everything. He felt like the worlds worst hangover had descended upon him.
Ambling out of the shower, he stumbled to his bedroom, clothes and photographs strewn across the floor and bed. He dried himself off and threw on a comfortable pair of tracksuit bottoms and a loose fitting t-shirt.
He stared down at the pictures of you, shaking his head. He’d clean this all up tomorrow.
Bob descended the stairs and made his way over to his computers. He hummed softly to himself as the computers powered on, he typed his password in and the screen lit up with your face and his as his desktop background.
Bob smiled to himself, before opening an app in a hidden folder.
8 little boxes filled both screens, most unmoving and dark. One showed Tank and Cody pacing across your darkened hallway, a soft glow under the bathroom door indicating you were still in there. One showed your dark kitchen, another your bedroom, spare room, living room, back garden from the angle of Bob’s house, the front of your house facing out.
But Bob’s attention was on the main bathroom camera. Perched on the windowsill behind your scented candle. Your beautiful, bruised face sullen as you lay between the bubbles, staring teary eyed up at the ceiling.
Bob stared for a little longer before he turned off his PC. He grabbed something out of the drawer below and jogged up the stairs.
He unlocked the guest bedroom door, flicking the light switch on. A soft light filled the small space, illuminating thousands of pictures of you, all clustered around a larger one of you and Bob together.
Your panties, tissues from your trash, a cutting of your hair from when you decided it needed a home trim, food wrappers, a spare set of your keys, your jewellery and other items of clothing, an assortment of your things neatly laid out around this alter of you surrounded by candles and dead flowers.
Bob took a new picture of you out of his pocket. One of you sleeping peacefully, taken from your bedroom not three feet away.
Taken just two weeks ago.
And he pinned it to the already overflowing shrine.
Now, he could focus on what really mattered to him.
The only thing.
You.
——————————————
The End.
I hope everyone enjoyed this series as much as I enjoyed writing it! Thank you everyone for your lovely words and also well done to those of you who figured it out from the beginning!🤣
Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Swearing, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
- Part 6 Here -
Authors Note: I realised somehow a draft of Part 6 was posted prematurely and thanks to my cruddy internet signal, I couldn’t find it anywhere and assumed it had been deleted so rewrote the entire Part 6 🤣 so if this part doesn’t make sense or if you were confused by part 6, it’s likely you read the accidentally posted draft before I deleted it! The official Part 6 is tagged at the top if you need to have a read 🥰
—————————————
November:
The months were flying by, but not because you were having fun. No, without Bob, life had taken on a bit of a dull undertone. He was all you knew, he was there from the first day and now he was gone.
No, time was flying because you kept your head down, worked hard and spent every waking second with your dogs if you weren’t reading or on the phone to your family back home or Bob when he was allowed to call.
You had received calls from Unknown Numbers over the months, sometimes once a week, sometimes multiple times a day, always the same static silence on the other end. You eventually stopped answering, you tried to block them, but somehow they kept coming through.
As for the other calls, Lainey worried about you, kept saying she’d come out for a visit when she could afford it, but as for every phone call she made to you, she asked if you could come home.
“I can’t, Lainey, you know that. Plus I’ve got a life here now, I’ve got… friends.” You explained as you unloaded the dishwasher with your phone wedged between your ear and shoulder.
“I know, but we miss you. Dad misses you.”
You chuckled, “Then tell him to call sometime. He’s been shirking my calls and texts since I got here.”
You could hear her sigh on the other end, “He’s just busy with work, you know that, he’s never been great with communication.”
You nodded, although you knew she couldn’t see you. “Plus, you know the other reason I can’t come back. At least, not any time soon. I’m sorry.”
Lainey’s voice cracked slightly but she quickly regained her composure, “Yeah. I know. Anyway I’ve gotta go honey, Duncan’s home and I’ve gotta teach him how to cook something other than oven pizza’s if I ever want a night off in this house. I love you.”
You blinked back the same sting of tears you felt every time you said goodbye to her, “Tell him to take a cooking class before you leave him for a professional Italian chef. And send him my love, please. I love you both.”
“Will do.”
The line clicked off and you took a deep breath to steady yourself as you packed away the last clean plate. It was the same every time, you missed her so damn much.
You placed the phone down on the kitchen counter just as it began to buzz again. Scoffing lightheartedly, you answered without looking.
“Lains, I know you miss me but I do have to get some housework done tonight.”
Silence.
“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. Fine we can spend another 2 hours on the phone then, but I doubt Duncan will be too pleased.” You grinned.
The crackle of static buzzed in your ear, and your brows furrowed, you pulled the phone back.
Unknown number.
“What the fuck? Stop calling!”
You hung up and slammed your phone on the counter, maybe a bit harder than you’d meant to, eyes rolling and a frustrated huff.
You made your way upstairs to shower before bed, your dogs following closely behind and climbing into your bed as they waited.
Turning on the shower, you discarded your clothes, climbing in when the stream was warm enough.
You washed your hair and had just started to lather your legs, when your dogs barked so loud it made you jump and drop the razor you were holding.
They never barked, not really, unless they saw something strange or there was someone at the door - your poor postman now refusing to put anything through the mail slot for fear of having a finger bitten off, despite your reassurance their bark was worse than their bite - so your blood stilled, and you turned the shower off, suds still clinging to your body listlessly.
You reached out and grabbed a towel, quickly wrapping it tight around your body.
Again they barked, louder and angrier this time, the deep kind of rumble that shook your bones and made the hairs on your arms stand up.
You carefully opened the en-suit door and peaked out into the dark room, hand slapping around for the light switch. The bedroom flooded with light but your dogs didn’t even turn to look, their attention focused intently on the large bay bedroom windows, obscured partially by curtains.
Their heckles were standing on end much like the hair on your arms as they continued to verbally assault whatever they thought was there.
You turned the light back off, creeping slowly towards the moonlit frames so you could better see what was out there without it being able to see you.
You prayed it wasn’t your stalker again, he had finally left you alone, and now Bob wasn’t here to protect you. A trickle of water slid down the dip in your back and made you shiver.
Reaching the windows, you shushed your dogs as you peaked out, carefully pulling back the curtain ever so slightly.
The street was lit by the almost full moon, dark silhouettes of trees and bushes a stark contrast to the grey of the moon that bathed the street and roofs and cars along the neighbourhood in their silvery light.
But not a person in sight. You waited a moment, looking for any sign of movement, but eventually let yourself release the breath you’d been holding, and you reassured your dogs that everything was fine.
You quickly returned to the shower to rinse off and finish up, eager to check the house to make triple sure you’d locked all your doors.
You dried off, got dressed in your pyjamas and made your way down the stairs.
Checking the front door first was your top priority, you quickly crossed over the living room and yanked on the handle. Locked. Checked the kitchen door and windows. Locked.
Making your way back out into the living room, however, you stopped short and your legs wobbled. Your body jolted as if lightning had struck you and and stolen the very breath from your shaking lungs.
A silhouette of a man stared back in at you through the crack in the curtain, his outline backed by the moon creating a nightmarish form of shadow puppetry against your thin curtains.
You couldn’t even manage a scream as you stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at the stranger and he stared back at you, unmoving, but still just as threatening.
You slowly backed up into the dark kitchen, hoping if you moved slowly, he’d stay right there, and not jump through your window like some crazy action movie villain.
As soon as you moved behind the kitchen sliding door, you darted towards your phone on the counter, scooping it up to call 911, but it was already ringing.
You answered again in a strangled scream without checking who the caller was.
“Leave. Me. Alone!”
“Y/N?” Bob’s voice called out on the other end, the commotion and chatter of plates and cutlery in the background and the soft hum of many voices holding conversations you couldn’t quite make out.
“Bob!” You gasped, clutching the counter.
“Y/N what’s going on? Are you okay?” He sounded panicked, desperate to reach through the phone to hold you.
You quickly ran to the living room, phone pressed to your ear. The figure was gone, your eyes swept to every window, back in the kitchen, back out, and nothing. Tank and Cody had followed you downstairs to inspect what had you so uneasy, running from room to room, ears perked and heckles raised to needle points in their spines.
“There’s… there’s a man, he was outside the house!” Your voice came out in a hiccupy wail as the anxiety began to crush your lungs. “The dogs- the dogs-“ but you couldn’t get anything out as your throat closed up and you struggled to breathe.
“Hey, hey! Baby, breathe, it’s okay. Are you hurt? Did he get inside?” Bob’s voice was a faint buzz as you leaned over the kitchen island, gasping for any small breath you could get to fill your aching lungs, he continued to speak, but his voice quickly faded to nothing by the loud buzzing in your ear and the rush of blood from your thudding heart.
“Y/N? Y/N! Baby, are you there? Tell me you’re okay!” His pleading voice pulled you back to earth, and you sucked in a desperate breath that felt like it went on forever.
You sobbed into the receiver, “He’s not- not in the h-house. I keep getting t-these phone c-calls, from Unknown Numbers-“
“What do you mean?” His voice sounded pained, like he wanted nothing more than to run to you, only he was so far away and he couldn’t.
“Someone keeps calling a-and they don’t speak, it’s just static.” Tank circled your legs as you made your way on wobbly knees back into the living room, while Cody inspected each window by hopping up with his front paws pressed to the sills and kitchen counters.
“Ok sweetheart, listen to me. I want you to call the cops, and if you feel unsafe, ever, I need you to pack up your stuff and take the dogs over to mine, hole up in there for a while, okay? Whoever this sicko is might have found out where you live but he hopefully wouldn’t know if you stayed at mine. Go through the back.”
You nodded, tears dropping freely from your chin now but at least the sobbing had subsided somewhat. “Yeah, yeah okay. I love you.”
“I love you, more than you’ll ever know. I’ll call you back later, I’ll get special clearance, just… keep your phone on you.”
You said your shaky goodbye’s before calling the cops, and you gave them a wobbly run down of your situation before pocketing your phone, doing yet another lap of the house to ensure you hadn’t left anything unlocked, petrified with every step that he’d jump out from around a corner.
Two squad cars pulled up within the hour, their blue lights casting an embarrassing glow across the street, luring curious neighbours to their windows. You were suddenly acutely aware that this type of area likely never saw the kind of action you were suddenly bringing to their doorstep, and your cheeks flushed red hot.
Several minutes later, you stood in your front garden, speaking to one of the officers, red nosed and swollen eyed, giving him an account of every single encounter you’d had since you moved in, feeling foolish and judged but relieved to have had it reported.
“Why didn’t you report this sooner?” He enquired.
“It didn’t seem like enough at first, and then it stopped for a long while, so I thought it was over. But now he’s back, and I don’t know what he wants.” You felt like sobbing again when the cop nodded, and gave you a sympathetic smile.
Suddenly, another car pulled up on the curb, one you recognised that made your stomach drop, and Dan climbed out, concern twisted across his sharp features as he took in the scene on your lawn.
The cop pocketed his note pad, “We’ll do one more sweep before we go, but it might be a good idea to get yourself some cameras, maybe an alarm system, just in case, but we think it’s likely just some harmless kid who’s taken a liking to you, probably one of your neighbours, a friend maybe. I wouldn’t be too concerned, but give us a call if anything else comes to light.”
Dan jogged over the lawn towards you as you nodded at the cop, “Thanks Officer.”
You turned to face Dan, his hand reaching out to touch your arm, inspecting your face for injuries, worry turning his lips downward and his eyes wide. “What happened? Are you okay?”
“What are you doing here?” You felt weary, rightly so, you didn’t call him, at least you didn’t
think you did?
“I was on a date, she lives up two streets over, then I saw the lights, realised it was your street and I got worried.” His brows furrowed as he gave you another once over. “Are you okay?”
You nodded, wrapping your arms around yourself. The cops were finishing up now and an icy wave of panic sloshed through your veins like a tsunami.
“Actually,” you let out a single sob, “I’m actually really, really scared.”
“Hey, hey… what happened?” Dan’s arm wrapped around your shoulders as he directed you to your porch steps and helped you to sit down, he sat next to you.
“Someone’s been watching me, calling me, I just feel on edge all the time.”
Dan’s head moved like it was on a swivel as he looked around your quickly darkening front lawn and porch, the blue lights of the cops cars quickly disappearing down the road. He noticed the lack of Bob’s truck in his drive.
“Your boyfriend not here to keep you safe?” His voice was disapproving, snarky for just a moment.
You shook your head glumly, “Away with work.”
“For how long?”
“Another couple months maybe, potentially more.” You sighed, wrapping your arms tight around your knees as you sat on the dim porch.
Dan sighed deeply, then took a tissue out of his pocket and handed it to you, once again wrapping a strong arm around your shoulders supportively. “Want me to keep watch in my car tonight?”
You let out a wet, surprised chuckle, more like a honk than anything, “No, that’s okay, thank you, that’s sweet of you to offer though. I think I’ll be okay, it was just a scare.”
Dan chuckled next to you, rubbing your arm reassuringly.
“Okay, well, if this happens again and Mr Hero next door isn’t home, I want you to call me, alright? You have my number. Or even if you just need to talk.”
You turned your head to look at Dan, to try and gauge if he had any ulterior motive, but his expression was nothing but concern and kindness. Maybe, just maybe, you and Dan had gotten off on the wrong foot. Maybe he was genuinely just a nice guy, and you read that as creepy or as having a motive purely due to your dark past.
You nodded.
“Thank you, Dan.”
———————————————
- 12 Months Earlier -
You spent days - or weeks, you weren’t sure anymore - just sitting in a small cell or in interview rooms with your lawyer and the detectives going over and over your version of events, trying to convince them that you couldn’t possibly kill someone.
You ran them through how you’d come home early to pick up your contraceptives, then you’d caught them in the woods, they’d knocked you out, tied you up.
“We’ve checked the house, there were no ropes Miss Y/N.” The detective argued in a bored monotonous voice.
Your lawyer, a middle aged blonde woman with perfect makeup and a perpetual frown slammed her hand down on the table maybe a little too hard for what the situation warranted.
“My client said she was carrying a pill packet in her back left pocket, have you checked for that? That should corroborate at least some of her version of events. Her sister also confirmed her whereabouts that night until she dropped her off at home, and the next thing Mr Donovan was instructing her to leave the property and that Miss Y/L/N was not feeling so good, and had gone to bed. Now in my mind that doesn’t seem like a great plan to have made if my client were preparing to bury the body that night. Her sister said she had also consumed a rather large amount of alcohol prior to being dropped off at the property. Do you think this all sounds plausible?”
The detectives took a deep, irritable breath as they leaned back against their chairs. “For all we know, she may not have been planning the burial that night, it could have been a drunken, spur of the moment decision.”
Your lawyer shook her head and continued with a scoff, “I don’t understand why it’s only her you’re looking into. I may have to open an investigation into Malicious Prosecution, maybe check that nothing untoward is going on… financially.” She lifted her eyebrow expectantly.
The detectives looked at one another uneasily, and one took the bait. “Fine.” He slammed his hand down. “We’ll speak to the farmer again, obtain a warrant for the fathers house, will that make you happy?”
And it did, your lawyer, the brilliant woman she was, grinned from ear to ear.
If it weren’t for her, they wouldn’t have bothered to check Mitch’s home, or do a full sweep of your home. They were quite happy to put you away for the crime, whether because it was easier that way, or because they had received a pay off from the Donovan’s, you weren’t quite sure. You figured your lawyer was just saying that to kick them into action.
But your lawyer obviously knew something you didn’t, because she did file for further investigation, and it turns out the lead detective went to school with Mitch, had some sort of debt owed to him which Mitch promised to release him of if he just turned a blind eye or two.
More was done after that to properly investigate, new detectives were brought on who actually wanted to find out the truth, and upon further investigation, rope fibres were found in the bedroom carpet and wedged between the joint in the nail clippers, just as you’d said they would be.
During a search of Mitch’s property, however, rather taking him by surprise, they found the nail in his and Jordan’s coffin. An array of shovels and spades with dirt that matched the burial site, and a scarf. A scarf that was about to set you free and put Jordon behind bars for a very, very long time.
The scarf was used to strange Katie, the murder weapon, some of her skin cells were found within the fabric, her hair caught within the twist Jordan had made, and Jordan’s own knuckle hair.
You were finally let go, and after a rather gruelling but short court case, Jordan was found guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter and sentenced to only 17 years, and Mitch, who now denied having any involvement until after the body was buried and merely agreed to keep their secret and hide their tools, was merely given 6 months in prison on account of not being able to prove that otherwise beyond reasonable doubt.
He played the distraught father to a T.
It turned out that Jordan had met Katie on a night out months prior, they’d started seeing each other. Katie’s friends and family testified that she’d spoken time and time again how she had loved him desperately, and would have done anything for him to pick her, to leave you.
She had gotten pregnant, excited that this may be the push Jordan needed to finally leave you and be with her, but it had gone the other way entirely.
She told Jordan a week before the burial, while you were out at work, and he’d lost it, fuelled by alcohol and drugs and a bitter rage you had no idea he had brewing inside, he’d strangled her to death with her own scarf.
The rest was the sloppy shitshow you had somehow been unlucky enough to get yourself dragged into.
The media onslaught after that was relentless.
Headlines like “Blind to Love: How She Lived With A Murderer” or “A Good Actress Or Just Plain Dumb?” covered every newspaper for weeks, you couldn’t even leave the house without someone hounding you with questions, hurling abuse or trying to befriend you for the limelight.
“How could you not realise she was in your freezer for an entire week?”
They weren’t wrong, it was insane you hadn’t accidentally stumbled across her in the deep freezer in your shed between the week she was murdered and the weekend after when she had been buried.
“But surely you knew he was having an affair, right?”
You wished you had, but truthfully you had no idea. Other than him being somewhat quieter than usual, he was still Jordan, he acted no different towards you. Still fucked you, still happily ate the dinner you cooked him after working all day, still the same, day in day out.
Soon, Jordan’s friends began to harass you, threaten you. Nasty notes through your front door, texts from different numbers which would block you no sooner than the message had been opened.
You had rocks thrown through your windows and sausages laced with rat poison thrown over your back fence.
You feared every day for your life and your dogs, and so you made the decision to move.
Little did you know, that wouldn’t be the end of your troubles.
——————————————
January:
The last couple of months had been very up and down. Bob called as often as he could, talked to you for as long as he was allowed and managed to brighten your mood. He even told you all the filthy things he couldn’t wait to do to you when he got back, driving you wild and impatient as you waited the weeks away.
You still got ghost calls, and your dogs barked on and off every so often, spiking your blood pressure to the point where you’d had to start doing yoga to calm the now almost constant anxiety that threatened to swallow you whole. But you didn’t see your stalker again, and that was a blessing at the very least. Even if he still saw you.
Work had gotten better, with you and Dan now building an easy friendship out of the ashes of an uncomfortable start. He didn’t pressure you, or make you feel uneasy anymore, he didn’t try and flirt and the plastic smile was long gone and you realised you liked his genuine one way more. He was actually a pretty nice guy once you got past the layers.
You told him about Bob, and he told you about his new girlfriend, and you gave each other advice. It was easy, and it helped the burden of going home alone, even if not by much.
He still reminded you, time and time again, that you could always call if you ever needed anything.
But you hadn’t needed to. Bob still managed to quell any fears and offer you a comfort nobody else could ever replace whenever he called, and not to mention the letters.
Every week, without fail, you could almost set your calendar by them. You didn’t know how he found the time when he was busy doing all the mysterious, heroic things he was doing, but he did somehow.
They were in essence, love letters. He called you often enough to keep you up to date with things he was allowed to discuss, but the letters, they were so much more.
He poured his heart out in those, and you never took him for a paper and pen kinda guy, but they came together like a perfect symphony of words that floated through your head at night and lulled you off into a peaceful, secure sleep.
You pulled your car up on the drive and darted over excitedly to your mailbox, like you did every Thursday.
Your stomach did the usual somersaults when you pulled the white envelope out and turned it over in your fingers, your name and address etched in Bob’s perfect handwriting on the front.
You skipped inside the house and ripped the letter open eagerly, unfolding three pages thick with writing, front and back, as the dogs bounded up to you excitedly.
You fussed them without taking your eyes off the letter, reading Bob’s beautiful words as he proclaimed his love for you, how he yearned to see your beautiful face and hold you through the night again. He promised dinners, arcade days, adventuring on hikes and beaches and travelling, he promised to never let you feel unsafe again a day in your life, and you believed him.
But it was the last page that really had your heart thundering in your chest.
In his neat handwriting, right at the bottom were three, simple words you didn’t think could ever make you happier.
Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Swearing, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
- Part 5 Here -
——————————
July:
It was nearing the end of the month and Bob had become more brazen, come out of his shell. He was still his same shy self, but you noticed Dark Bob would make his appearances every so often.
Maybe he was always there, who knows, but you hadn’t noticed before, and now you knew what to look out for.
Darkening eyes, a certain look you’d catch after bending over in shorts or tights, or if you walked into the room wearing a particularly nice dress for one of the many dates he took you on. Like a starving wildcat ready to pounce.
You pretended not to notice, but you’d be lying if you said it didn’t thrill you. You were growing more and more certain with each day that passed that you had somehow, somewhere along the way, fallen in love with this shy, complex aviator that lived next door.
One morning in late July, your alarm clock blared alerting you that it was time to get up for work. Your arm draped over Bob’s teasingly hard torso made it all the more difficult to get up, but when you sighed and eventually rolled over to get out of bed, two strong arms wrapped around you and pulled you back against him.
Bob groaned into your hair as he pressed his face against the back of your neck. “Can’t you just call in sick and stay here with me all day?” He pleaded half jokingly.
You giggled as his breath tickled the back of your neck. “I’d love to, but you’ve also gotta go to work big guy.” But as you said the words, you felt yourself relaxing back against his body, moulding into him and taking the bait. Work could wait.
Bob inhaled sharply, and he stilled for a moment, getting used to the feeling of your body pressed flush against his. Your hand moved to rest on his as they lay splayed over your t-shirt on your stomach. “Bob?”
He was silent for so long you worried he’d fallen back to sleep, but then he let out a shaky breath, hands sliding under your shirt and fingers exploring the bare skin of your stomach and ribs.
You tried to suppress the shiver of pleasure but you think Bob noticed by the way his lips pressed against the back of your neck.
You stifled a moan that came out more as a choked exhale, your ass pressing back into him involuntary. He was already rock hard, and you realised you were quickly soaking your panties under the thin linen shorts you wore.
He kissed your ear, your neck, grazing his teeth against them as his fingers skimmed the hem of your shorts experimentally.
You slowly gyrated your hips, and Bob hissed in your ear as his cock jumped against you.
That same thrill had returned. Teasing him this way, trying to lure Dark Bob back out into the open. It filled you with adrenaline and turned you on at the same time, a potent combo.
His hand slowly slid up from your stomach to your breast, capturing your hard nipple between his fingers, testing your limits before he lost himself completely. When you let out a soft moan, Bob knew he was free to let himself go.
Bob squeezed your hip with his free hand and growled in your ear as he pulled you flush against him, your bodies couldn’t be more closely moulded together without removing your clothes.
You wiggled your ass again, putting pressure against his aching cock, but his hand stilled your hip before it lifted and swung back down in a stinging slap. You gasped and your whole body heated up with excitement.
“Bad girl. If you want me, you need to use your words.”
Dark Bob was back. Finally. You bit your lip and grinned into the pillow.
“I want you, Bob.” You mewled breathlessly.
Bob’s hand slid from your hip as the other continued to paw at your breasts, and it slipped under the waistband of your shorts.
The second his deft fingers slid over your panties, your whole body jerked and you moaned, hips rising to meet his hands which danced teasingly over the soaked fabric.
He hummed as his teeth grazed your jaw, putting more pressure against the little bundle of nerves that was throbbing for him.
But you needed more, desperately. Your hands lifted and tangled behind you in Bob’s hair.
“More.” You whimpered.
Bob tutted in your ear, “Tell me how bad you want me.”
“Badly, really badly, I’m so wet for you.” Your words were no more than a breathy whisper as he rubbed dizzying circles into the wet fabric and his other hand squeezed and palmed your breasts in turn.
“Good girl.” He growled, slipping his fingers beneath your underwear.
The second his fingers rolled over your desperately aching clit, a bolt of electricity racked through you so hard you thought you would lose it right there and then, but then his fingers opened you up and pumped in and out as his palm continued it’s assault above, his lips pressed to your neck in a dizzying array that had you quickly cresting. You couldn’t think of a time you’d ever felt this good before.
But you still needed more. You were greedy for him, you needed all that he could give you.
Your hand shot out and you stilled Bob just before you could crest that hill, both breathy and panting so hard you’d warmed up the previously chilly air conditioned bedroom.
“Bob I need you. I need you now. All of you.” You practically cried out.
Bob froze, the confidence Dark Bob instilled in him having now run away to hide in some dark corner of his mind. You thought you heard him audibly gulp.
He gently manoeuvred you to lay on your back and hovered over you, one had cupping your jaw softly, like you were a porcelain doll he might accidentally break.
“Are… are you sure?” His voice was low, shaky. His blue eyes still dark but now filled with uncertainty.
You nodded, threading your fingers into his hair. “Never been more sure of anything in my life.” You whispered.
Bob’s brows pulled together at those words, and he kissed you like you’ve never been kissed before. There was more emotion, passion, need in that one kiss than there was in your entire relationship with Jordan, and it shook you to your core. You kissed him back deeply, and a tear slid from the corner of your eye and down onto Bob’s hand.
He pulled back, looking into your eyes with concern, “What’s wrong sweetheart? Did I do something?”
You shook your head with a genuine smile as the tears began to fall. You finally felt safe, for the first time since you can remember, you felt like you belonged to someone and they belonged to you. “No, nothing at all. Make love to me Bob.”
And he did, he kissed you, peppered your face with them and kissed away your tears. You could taste them on his lips as he slowly removed your clothes and you removed his, carefully exploring every inch of each others bodies inch by inch.
Bob dipped to capture each of your nipples between his teeth as he squeezed the other, your back arching into him. Your hands slid across his lean muscles, the veins that trailed his strong arms and down to his v-line.
Your fingers tangled in his hair every time he returned to your lips and your bodies pressed together in a tangle of limbs and beating hearts.
Finally Bob notched his thick head at your entrance, before sliding up through your slick folds. You bucked against him desperately, needing him like you needed oxygen to breathe.
He kissed you hungrily as he pushed inside you, inch by inch, pulling out and pushing further back in slowly to give you time to adjust. You moaned and gasped against his lips as his strong hand grasped your thigh, lifting it higher against his waist as he pushed further into you. He let out a ground shaking moan as he became fully seated and took a moment to relish in the feeling of being completely and wholly connected to you.
Then he began to move, slowly at first, careful so not to break you, but you scratched his back and panted out a series of “oh yes! Yes Bob, yes!” which spurred him on. He moved in and out of you like a man possessed, grunting and growling and moaning with every flutter and squeeze you offered.
Your back arching into him every time he hit that perfect spot inside you, desperate to capture this moment in your mind forever.
Your bodies were sweaty, sliding across one another as every inch of skin was touched and kissed and bitten in a desperate attempt to become one, sheets tangling between your limbs and moans.
Bob brushed your hair back and gazed down at your face longingly, his hips slowing to a steady pace that filled you with comfortable pleasure.
His eyes were so full of emotion you couldn’t understand how one man could hold it all.
“I’m in love with you, Y/N. I think I always have been.” He breathed out, gripping your thigh as he thrust and out of you with intent, the friction of his thick cock against your slick walls sending you into a drunken stupor, threatening to send you catapulting into earths orbit.
Your breathing hitched, your entire body clenching with pleasure and the sudden urge to burst into tears, you tensed around his cock and he shuddered, his breath breaking and faltering, you were both so close.
“I love you too Bob.” You whispered, “I don’t think I’ve ever meant that more in my life.”
Bob’s mouth hang open in a silent moan as your words sent a bolt of pleasure through him. His forehead pressed against yours as he picked up his speed again. You wrapped your legs around him and bucked to meet his thrusts, moving together in a perfect unison, two slick bodies pressed together in a tangle of limbs and sheets, moans and heat tainting the air as a pleasure you had never felt before took you high and threw you over the edge.
You cried out as you climaxed, hard, tensing around him and your nails scoured his back, your breath temporarily stolen by the desperate kiss Bob pressed against your lips, tongues meeting to tangle in an eager embrace.
Your legs wrapped even tighter around him and Bob wasn’t far behind, his movements clumsy and uneven as he crested, a series of lewd curses you’d never heard him make mixed in with an untethered moan as he unleashed ropes upon ropes of his essence inside you. You were still reeling through waves of pleasure which felt nowhere near stopping, sliding against one another as you both rode out your earth shattering orgasms.
Eventually, the pleasure subdued to sleepy bliss, and you lay against each others sweaty bodies as you waited for your breathing to return to normal.
“I must be dreaming.” Bob hummed. “There’s no way that just happened, it was too perfect. You’re too perfect.”
You let out a breathy laugh, lifting up on your arm to look down at him.
“If that was a dream, I don’t ever want to wake up.”
————————————————
- 8 months earlier -
Your eyes blinked opened slowly, barely a crack and blinding white lights burnt your retina. You thought for a moment that maybe you were dead.
You opened your eyes wider, and lifted a hand to rub them, but your hand stopped about halfway and didn’t seem to want to move any further.
You blinked heavily in confusion until your eyes cleared painfully.
You looked around and realised you were in a hospital room. Steady beeping, and a strong scent of disinfectant singed your nostrils, and it all started coming back to you, along with the rise of panic you’d felt consistently for the last few days… weeks? You weren’t sure anymore.
“Hey, you’re awake.” A voice hummed softly, and you turned your head to the source.
“Lainey.” You breathed out in relief, “You’re here.”
You wanted to sob, you hadn’t seen her in so long.
She moved over to stroke your hair, giving you a sad smile. “How are you feeling?”
You lifted your hand to try and cup hers, to hold that moment still for as long as you could, so you knew it was real. But your hand stopped about halfway up again with a sharp clink.
You winced, looking down, and your blood stilled.
“Lainey, why am I cuffed?” Both arms were cuffed to the metal rails of your hospital bed. Was that normal?
Lainey looked at you sympathetically, but there was something else there you couldn’t quite place. She didn’t say anything.
“Where’s Jordan? Have they arrested him and Mitch yet?” Your voice was small, confused, scared.
Lainey took a deep breath, “Honey there are police here who want to speak to you, are you up for it?”
You wanted to tell her no, that you were exhausted and in pain, but you needed to know what was happening and whether Jordan and Mitch were safely behind bars and staying there.
You nodded solemnly.
Lainey took your hand and squeezed, “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
She got up and left the room, and after what felt like forever, two police officers entered. A tall man with sandy hair, and a shorter dark haired woman.
“Ma’am.” The female officer nodded at you from the foot of the bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Have you arrested them?” You blurted out.
She took a deep breath, and then moved over to sit down next to you, as the male officer remained at the foot of the bed, notepad squeezed between his fingers. He looked impatient.
The female officer gave you a polite smile, taking out her own pad and pen, and adjusting her body cam.
“What’s going on?” You spoke on a trembling voice, desperate to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill.
You were supposed to be safe now.
“We need to take your statement, to hear your side of the story. Mr Donovan and his son have been down at the station and are being held there until we stitch this thing together.” She said in a soft, comforting voice.
You felt slightly more at ease, just a statement, that’s fine.
You nodded eagerly.
She continued, “Now, we received a call early this morning from a Mr Burns, he and his father found you on their property line with Mr Donovan having what appeared to be a row, is that correct?”
You shook your head vehemently, “It wasn’t a row, he was… hunting me. Look, what have they told you?”
She cleared her throat, “Hunting you? Mr Burns said there was some altercation, he had you by the hair, is that right?”
“Yes, but I mean what has Jordan told you? Has he confessed to everything yet?”
The officers shared an awkward look, before the female officer took a breath and leaned forward.
“Look, Miss Y/L/N. I’m going to be straight with you. It’s not looking good for you right now. Mr Donovan and his father have confessed to helping to hide the body, and-“
Your body froze over, your heart plummeting into the cavity where you stomach should have been.
“Helped me hide the body?”
The male officer spoke up, “Yes ma’am, we dug up the body this morning. All we need to understand is why you did it? Was it a crime of passion? Mr Donovan says you caught him cheating, lost it completely. Or had you known about it for a while, been planning this?”
Your eyes bulged and you ogled at them in disbelief.
He spoke up impatiently again, “Ma’am, would you like a lawyer?”
You shook your head, “I didn’t do this!” You almost wailed, “Jordan did, his dad and friends helped him bury her, I just… I just walked in at the wrong time! Look-“ you tried to show them the burn marks on your wrists from the ropes.
“They tied me up, tried to convince me I did it but I remember everything, it wasn’t me!”
The male officer visibly rolled his eyes, but the female officer took a more kindly approach. Good cop bad cop, you realised.
“Look, I understand, I get it, I’d be fuming if I found out my husband was seeing someone else, but murder is never the answer. Now if we could just determine whether this was premeditated or more of a-“
“No!” You snapped, fury and panic overwhelming every nerve in your body, “You’re not listening! I didn’t kill anyone, I didn’t bury her, I was tied up and-“
“We found your prints on the shovel that was used to bury her.” The male cop spoke up.
You stilled, that wasn’t possible, you hadn’t touched a shovel.
“That’s… that’s not possible.”
The male officer continued, “Katie Jones was murdered by way of strangulation. Now that, to me at least, seems like a crime of passion, someone so upset by what they walked in on that they lost it. Typically you’d receive a kinder sentence if you confess to crime of passion and not premeditated murder if we cannot prove otherwise, Miss Y/L/N, you just need to cooperate with us.”
You let out a deranged laugh, high pitched and hysterical, which probably didn’t help your plea of sanity. You’d watched enough true crime to know when you were being coerced. They needed to put someone behind bars, and maybe they were being bribed.
“Jordan killed her, not me.”
“Why would Mr Donovan kill his lover? He was a mess at the station earlier, he really seemed to love her. It just doesn’t add up to me.” The female officer asked you, her impatience now also becoming evident.
“I don’t know, I wasn’t there for Gods sake! You really think I could strangle someone? And why would they help me hide the body if he loved her so much?” Despite the hatred you had for him, the pain of hearing that felt like the ultimate betrayal. You were the perfect fiancée, you did everything for him, all for him to find a younger model and pin you for her murder.
The female officer stood from her seat, “They were scared, they said you held something against them, something that could ruin their family and everything they built. They haven’t told us what yet, but we’re working on that.”
Both officers stood at the end of your bed, realising you wouldn’t cooperate. The male officer cleared his voice and produced hand cuff keys.
“Y/N Y/L/N, you’re being arrested for suspicion of murder of Miss Katie Jones, blackmail and obstruction by means of concealing a body.”
Your whole body went numb as he un-cuffed you and re-cuffed your hands behind your back, helping you out of the hospital bed.
Nothing you could say or do would help now.
Not when you came from the background that you did.
Turns out you did need a lawyer.
—————————————
July:
You showered, dressed, fed your dogs and got ready to head out to work in record time. You kissed Bob goodbye and the feeling made you giddy.
“See you later Aviator.” You grinned over your shoulder as you made your way down the drive, Bob following close behind in his uniform with a similar grin.
He looked so handsome, he always did, but you saw him in such a different light now.
“I’ll be looking forward to it all day.”
You got in your car and pulled out of the drive as he opened his truck door.
“Hey!” He called out and you rolled down your window. He grinned at you and seemed to just take you in for a moment. “I love you.”
You let a little chuckle fall from your lips and tried to tamp down the excitement that bubbled inside you. “I love you too, Bob Floyd.”
You drove the short trip to work and pulled up in the lot, gathering your hand bag and some trash you’d been meaning to throw away.
There were some dumpsters behind your office block that you usually used to empty the work waste bins into, so you thought you’d quickly stop there and get rid of your car trash before starting work.
You made your way through the narrow alleyway between the two buildings, your shoes crunching softly against the grit and dirt that lined the alleyway, but came to an abrupt halt as a voice sounded not too far away. Your nerves began to buzz as you recognised the voice.
You peaked your head around the corner and watched as Dan paced slowly up and down next to the dumpster, phone pressed to his ear, his back to you.
“Yeah. Yeah I know. Mhm, yeah there’s someone else but I’m working on it.”
You watched him, unsure if you should just turn around and leave him to his privacy, but something about his demeanour peaked your curiosity.
A long pause and Dan rubbed his face with his free hand in frustration before returning it to his hip. “Yeah, I will, I promise I’ll give you something more soon. Ok, yeah, bye.”
He pocketed his phone and you ducked back into the alleyway just in time for him to turn.
There was no way you were about to be caught in a creepy alleyway with creepy Dan, so you ran as fast and quietly as you could back to the front of the building, stuffing your trash into your handbag.
You made it to your desk before Dan entered the building. He looked overwhelmed, stressed, more so than you’d seen before.
His eyes met yours and he quickly shot you a forced smile, and you returned it awkwardly, before turning to your computer and starting your day.
You kept an eye on Dan for most of the day, his stress didn’t ease up, and you wondered if it was perhaps a new relationship he was having issues with. A wife he never told anyone about? Money trouble? You knew it wasn’t your place, but you were curious.
You got up around midday to grab a coffee from the office kitchen, and Dan followed not long after.
You shot him a polite smile, “Hey, everything okay?”
He pulled his mask of ‘Hunky dory! Nothing can get me down!’ on.
“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” His plastic smile made you as uncomfortable as ever, but you reminded yourself like you did every day, that he was harmless.
“You just seem a little stressed is all, hope everything is alright?”
Dan chuckled bitterly, moving next to you to pour himself a coffee. “You Brits really are so polite even when you don’t actually care.”
You took a step back, offended by his unnecessary bristling. “Know many Brits, do you?”
His mask slipped for a moment and his smile faltered, before returning to his plastic smile, “I’m sorry, that was rude of me, you were only being polite. You’re right, I am going through a hard time at the moment and I’m taking it out on everyone. Thank you for checking in, I’ll be okay.”
You nodded, forcing another uncomfortable smile, and you excused yourself from the kitchen. Something was definitely up, but you knew it was none of your business, so you did your best to put it to bed.
You avoided looking at Dan for the rest of the day.
5pm struck and you hightailed it to your car, eager to see Bob and your dogs.
On the way to the car your phone rang, and you slipped it out of your handbag.
Unknown number.
You answered anyway, against your better judgement.
“Hello?”
Silence.
You wedged the phone between your ear and shoulder as you fished around for your car keys.
“Heeeello? Anyone there?”
There was nothing but static on the other end, so you hung up and pocketed your phone without another thought, before getting in the car and driving home.
You were elated to see Bob’s truck already in his drive as you pulled up. You quickly went home to say hello to the dogs and let them outside for wees, before making your way over to Bob’s house.
You opened the door and walked in like you’d done countless times at this point. Like you owned the place.
“Honey, I’m hoooome!” You sing songed jokingly, but your smile fell and you stopped dead in your tracks.
Bob sat on the couch with his elbows resting on his knees, face in his hands, and he looked up at you slowly, his expression of dread and sorrow making you nervous.
“Hey.” He barely croaked out.
“Bob? What’s going on?”
He reached over and picked up a yellow padded envelope from the coffee table.
“Deployment Papers”
You covered your mouth to stifle a groan, before moving over to sit next to him.
“How long?” You whispered, your heart plummeting. You were just beginning, and now he was leaving?
“At least 6 months, we could get extended though. Worst case I could be gone a year.”
You squeezed your eyes shut, “Okay.”
Bob found your hand and intertwined his fingers with yours. “What do you want to do?”
You looked up at him, his big blue eyes holding enough emotion and hurt for the both of you, but you were sure yours held the same. “I’ve never felt safer than when I’m with you. If I need to wait a year, I’ll wait a year.”
Bob let out a relieved chuckle, cupping your cheek in his warm hand, “Good. For a moment there I was worried you were about to break my heart.”
Bob left the following week, his assignment wouldn’t be for a few months but they had to undertake physical exams and psych eval’s before they started training, so he wasn’t given a great deal of notice, but you spent the week at each others side and made the most of it.
You walked the dogs together every day, went on a couple of dates in candlelit restaurants, you went to the arcade, cuddled up on the sofa watching movie after movie, and you made love every chance you got.
You struggled to keep your hands off of each other, especially knowing it would be months before you were together again. You had sex in the shower, against the wall, on the dining table and on the couch. You even did it in the middle of cooking dinner as Bob pulled you away from the stove with a desperate, hungry kiss that had nothing to do with the food cooking, but you quickly realised that despite the mind blowing climax, you probably had almost caused a fire and you burnt your dinner to a crisp.
“I’ll write to you all the time, and I’ll call you whenever I can.” Bob said as he threw his bag in his truck and turned to say goodbye.
You wrapped your arms around him and he squeezed you tight, kissing your head.
“You better, or I’ll find out where you are and I’ll come whoop ass.” You chuckled through the tears that had began to drop onto your cheeks.
Bob pulled you back and gazed down at you adoringly. He forced a weak smile, “I’m gonna miss you, kid.”
You stood on your tip toes and pressed a long kiss to his lips, memorising the way he felt, the way he tasted as he kissed you back.
He climbed in his truck and backed out of the drive, blowing you a kiss through his open window. You blew a kiss right back.
Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Swearing, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
- Part 4 Here -
————————————
- 7 Months Earlier -
Little by little, the rope began to fray, the small bite of each clip slowly working to untether you limb from limb from your bedpost.
After each snip, you waited a painfully long moment to listen out for footsteps, making sure no one could hear the sharp metallic twang that rang out with each pained press of your thumb and forefinger.
Once your first arm was free, it all went much quicker, but with it the panic began to overtake you. There was no turning back now, no hiding what you’d done. If anyone walked in, they’d see the tattered remains of your bindings and you were sure it would be your end.
You began to clip feverishly, barely even phased by the small cuts and scratches left behind by the sharp lip of the clippers as they slid across your skin beneath the rope. You just had to get out, and get out fast.
When both arms were free, you untied your legs, and you sat there for a long moment holding your breath. You were out, and somehow no one caught you. But you were now struck with immobilising fear at the prospect of escape. You considered just tying yourself back up, but you knew deep down that they didn’t really plan to let you go.
They didn’t truly believe that you believed you had killed that girl, they knew you’d remembered, and that made you a liability.
This spurred you to get up and pad over to the bedroom door. You pressed your ear up against it, and you heard nothing.
Taking a deep breath, you reached slowly and carefully for the door handle.
Then you heard them. Hushed voices in another room behind another closed door. Angry, frustrated, scared, the voices were arguing about something, devising something.
You had to go, and you had to go now.
Slowly, you pulled down the door handle, holding your breath against the squeak you knew the old metal made, the one you’d heard countless times over the years of living in this house that was once a home but now felt like a prison.
The squeak came, but this was subdued from the slow way in which you pulled, and you carefully opened the door a crack.
You peered through the crack, careful not to expose yourself too much in case someone was standing guard behind your door. You let out a soft breath when nothing but a darkened hallway, dimly lit by a light under the guest bedroom door stared back at you, and you pulled the door open wider.
Barefoot, you padded out onto the cold wood floor, tip toeing slowly out into the hallway.
Ahead of you was the main bathroom, and the guest bedroom, stairs leading up to the next floor, and stairs leading down. You edged carefully, step by step, agonisingly slowly towards the stairs leading down.
“You promised me it wouldn’t come to this!” Jordan hissed in a whisper, and you startled.
“She knows!” Mitch hissed back, “There is no other way, it’s her, or it’s us!”
Your heart thudded painfully in your chest, and you were almost certain they were about to storm out of the room and drag you down the stairs to your certain death. But as you waited, body frozen with fear, the door remained shut.
After a pregnant pause, you heard Jordan’s voice again, softer now, “I know. I know, dad, I just… I love her.” He sounded woeful, and for a split second you felt a pitiful pang in your gut.
“Then why were you with that girl in the first place? Why have you caused all of this shit for us to clean up if you loved her?”
You were suddenly overcome by anger, this time for you as well as for the girl in the ground. He’d betrayed you, somehow killed someone, and now he wanted to shift the blame to you. That wasn’t love.
With renewed determination, you edged down the stairs, faster but still quiet.
Your feet hit the landing across from the front door, and relief started to fill your veins.
But then the guest bedroom door flew open.
—————————————
- July -
A few weeks passed and Bob expressed no interest in letting to be alone for longer than absolutely necessary, and to be honest, you didn’t mind it.
You both went to work during the day, and in the evenings you congregated at one or the others place.
Work was now the only place you really felt uneasy. Dan’s dark eyes never failed to track your every step around the office, and despite the fact that you never spoke anymore, you still found yourself looking over your shoulder every afternoon when you walked the short trip to your car, only to find that now familiar sense of peace the moment you pulled into your drive and Bob’s truck was already there waiting.
You felt more at ease than you had in the longest time, and you were finally sleeping well again, nightmares a thing of the past.
You took turns sleeping at each others houses, and Bob always took the couch. You felt bad and kept offering him the bed, at yours and at his, but he shot the idea down each time, and claimed the couch helped with his back pain and he really ought to replace his mattress.
You laughed it off and tried not to feel bad, but you knew this couldn’t go on forever.
“Bob?” You asked during a lull in the movie you were watching in the comfort of your cozy lounge. Tank and Cody lay with their heavy bodies draped across yours and Bob’s laps, and you were suddenly filled with the feeling that Bob was meant to be here, he was meant to be part of your life.
He looked over you with a sweet smile, his glasses reflecting briefly in the lamp light, his caramel hair pushed back and allowing his sharp features to be shown off.
“Yeah?” He hummed, comfortable and content.
You felt your body begin to buzz with nerves, “I’m tired of you sleeping on the couch. I think we’re both adult enough to share a bed without it being weird. You know… just until things go back to normal?”
Bob’s eyes widened, darting between yours, searching for any hint that this might be a joke. When he found none, his mouth popped open but no sound came out. His jaw opened and closed as if he wanted to say something but at the same time had no idea what to say.
You chuckled softly, cocking your head at him.
“You okay?” You laughed, suddenly growing embarrassed. What if he actually really didn’t want to sleep next to you, and he was trying to come up with a way to tell you?
“You don’t have to if-“
“No!” Bob blurred out loudly, startling the dogs briefly, and causing your eyes to widen in humoured surprise.
“I mean…” he chuckled awkwardly, running a hand through his silky locks, “I mean, I’d love to. Not… not love to, but like-“
“Bob-“
“I mean that would be mighty fine if you don’t mind me being there, I just don’t want you to feel-“
“Bob I-“
“- like you have to let me in the bed because you feel bad because I’m really fine on-“
“Bob!” You grabbed his arm and shook. His mouth snapped shut, his face red and eyes wide like a startled animal. You burst out laughing and Bob watched you in surprise, his lips turning up at the corners as if he was missing some big joke.
“Bob, I want you to sleep in the bed, I’m not offering because I feel bad, I would like it if you were there. Like a sleep over.” You smiled at him softly, squeezing the arm you had just shaken.
Slowly, Bob’s look of surprise morphed into one of relief, and then a shy grin overtook his face as he nodded softly. “A sleep over. I’d like that.”
You smiled and your hand lifted to stroke his cheek endearingly. “It’s settled then. Hope you don’t mind me snoring.” You winked jokingly at him and he chuckled in surprise.
You turned back to watch the movie as if nothing had even happened, but Bob couldn’t help but stare at you for just a little longer.
That night you got ready for bed and slid in under the fresh sheets, as Bob lingered awkwardly next to it.
You laid down on your side and sighed, patting Bob’s side eagerly. “I don’t bite.”
Bob chuckled and glanced at you like that statement wasn’t true, and you took a moment to really admire his face. It was slightly overwhelming, this combination of drop dead gorgeous with a shy personality.
Bob made his way over tentatively, his white t-shirt moulded to his perfect figure and highlighting every lean muscle in the soft lamp light.
You tried to keep your eyes there and not on the grey sweatpants he wore. You couldn’t imagine how uncomfortable he must have felt in this heat wearing all those clothes just for the benefit of your comfort. You suddenly thanked your lucky stars that this home had AC.
Bob crawled under the sheets, leaving as much space between you and him as he could and practically cradling the edge of the bed. You chuckled internally and reached over to turn off your lamp. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Bob replied in a shaky voice.
————————————
- 8 Months Earlier -
Your bare feet slapped against the hardwood floors as you bounded for the front door, pulling hard against the handle as two sets of feet thundered down the long windy stairs behind you.
Your shoulder jarred from the resistance as you threw all your weight backwards into opening the door that was locked, and your body shook with the realisation that the keys had been hidden and Jordan and Mitch were closing in very very quickly.
“Hey!” Jordan yelled as he came into view, his legs carrying him quicker down the stairs towards you now.
You pivoted to look at him like a deer in headlights.
Cody barked at the commotion from his dog bed in the adjoining living room, snapping you out of your stupor just in time to slip from Jordan’s outstretched hand, Mitch following closely behind.
You lunged towards the kitchen to the left of the stairs, your feet now sliding across the cool tile as they grew slick with sweat despite the early November chill.
You skidded to a wobbly halt as your hand landed on the sliding door handle and flicked the lock with practiced speed, using all of your strength to slide it open quickly.
The dogs darted out the door behind you just as you stumbled out into the frigid night air, their bulky bodies and confused stances saving you precious seconds as they blocked Jordan and Mitch’s path momentarily, before they all darted off after you.
You ran towards the woods, the only direction you could go with so little space between you and your captors, you just had to keep going straight.
Tank and Cody bypassed you, tails wagging in the night, thinking it some late evening play time, and you felt a pang of pain to leave them behind, but you knew they’d only give you away if you had to hide.
“Stay!” You demanded sternly, breathlessly. “I love you but you have to stay.”
They sat down obediently, watching with sad eyes as you breached the tree line and disappeared into the inky darkness beyond without them.
“Get back here!” Jordan roared, voice a mixture of pure blind panic and fury as he chased after you. Mitch had stopped in the garden, sure you wouldn’t make it out there anyway, and he knew this was Jordan’s mess to fix, and he’d leave his son to do the dirty work.
Your breath left you in white puffs as your legs worked hard to carry you further and further into the dense woods. You had no idea where you were going in the dark. You’d get lost in the day walking the dogs routinely, using your phone’s maps to guide you back home, but you had neither a phone nor the day light this time to aid you.
Footsteps grew closer and closer, the crunch of frosty leaves giving you and him away to one another and doing little to aid in your escape.
You had to stop and hide, just long enough for him to pass you and get far enough away that you could sneak off quietly.
Your eyes scanned the dark woods for anything, but with the moon obscured by clouds, you were running blind only for the ever so slightly darker silhouettes of trees stopping you from running full force into them.
The footsteps were right behind you now, so you dropped to the ground and crawled behind a tree, laying as low as you could and praying your light green pyjamas wouldn’t give you away.
You held your breath as the footsteps slowed, walking carefully not even 4 foot from where your head lay partially hidden in the frost-tipped leaves, until they came to a complete stop and you could hear his laboured breath as he scanned the dark woods.
You dared not even blink, not even let out the breath that was burning your lungs, until finally Jordan receded further into the woods, and he was far enough away for you to safely exhale.
You lay there in the burning cold for what felt like forever, until you built up the courage to get up and keep moving.
You trudged for a long while on sluggish legs, the chill starting to make you shiver through your thin clothing. You wrapped your arms around yourself tightly and kept going in the direction you could only hope was to the nearest town, and you suddenly hated that you lived in the countryside and far from any substantial towns.
You kept hearing rustling, or you thought you did, and it made you stop dead in your tracks, halting your progress.
You’d listen with bated breaths and shaking limbs, until you convinced yourself time and time again that it must have been a deer or a fox and not the ones hunting you.
By the time the sun began to rise and the forest floor lightened enough to see where you were going, you were exhausted, freezing, and hopeless.
You trudged on, determined to make it somewhere with a phone, somewhere warm where you could safely wait for the police, but before you could take a step further, your hair was yanked back forcefully and you fell onto the ground with such force that it knocked your breath from your lungs.
“You bitch!” Jordan roared, “After everything I’ve done for you? I was going to protect you!”
He hovered over you, reaching down to grab your arms just as your breath returned in a painful gasp.
“No no no! Stop!” You wailed as you tried to fight him off, but his hands twisted in your hair and around your arm, barely flinching as you swatted and scratched at him with your free hand.
“Fuck you!” He yanked your hair so hard that your neck snapped back painfully and you were momentarily stunned. “I know what you were planning to do you stupid cow. You should have stayed in bed.”
He began to drag you by your hair back through the woods, sharp twigs and roots scraped up your bare feet and clothed knees as you clawed and slapped with all your might at his hands. You let out a belting scream that burned your lungs and startled him so much that he stopped to look at you. He raised his other hand and swung it back down across your face in a slap that stunned you again, and he continued to drag you through the dirt.
“Hello? Who’s there?” A man’s voice rang out not far away.
Jordan froze, scanning the slowly brightening forest for movement. You let out a raspy cough as you gained your bearings again. Jordan’s free hand covered your mouth and you clawed at that one too.
“Hello?” The man called out again and you saw movement somewhere off in the distance.
You screamed as hard as you could behind his hand and the figure turned towards you. You could make out an older man in plaid, wearing wellies and holding a hunting rifle. You must have made it to one of the farms that surrounded the larger village several miles from your home.
You screamed again and the man lifted his rifle as he spotted you and Jordan. Jordan dropped you and ran, as the man let off a warning shot that pierced a tree nearby.
You couldn’t help the thought that rang through your mind as you watched Jordan running away.
‘Coward’
But relief made your bones jelly as the adrenaline began to dissipate, and you sagged into the cold ground as the man ran over to your bruised and battered body.
“Bloody hell, are you okay sweetheart? Hello? What’s your name darling?”
But you were fading out of consciousness now, finally allowing yourself to succumb to the stress your body had been through now that someone else was here to shoulder that burden.
“Toby! Over here, call 999!” That was the last thing you heard the man say before everything went black.
But the nightmare was only beginning.
————————————
- July -
You lay next to Bob, wide awake, with a giant space between you that sat empty and taunted you until the late hours.
Bobs breath was steady, and you couldn’t tell if he was asleep, but you had quickly realised sleep was not finding you that night.
You glanced over at the bedside clock that read 2:41am, and let out a frustrated sigh. You were frustrated in more than one way. It had been a long time since anyone had made you feel good, and now there was a handsome WSO in bed with you, and you weren’t tearing each others clothes off.
You grunted and threw the covers off of you, shuffling over to the bedroom door and out towards the main bathroom. You wouldn’t be caught dead peeing where Bob could hear you, so for now the en-suite was out of the question.
You flicked on the bathroom light, and startled as a shadow shifted behind the shower curtain.
You shook your head and blamed the lack of sleep, and threw the shower curtain open.
Nothing. Just your imagination.
You wouldn’t let yourself lose it again, not after you’d finally found yourself in such a good place.
You straightened up and turned towards the bathroom mirror.
You let out a loud yelp as a face appeared behind you in the reflection.
“Bob! Jesus! You gave me a heart attack!” You chuckled, doubled over and clutching your chest.
Bob didn’t say anything, he just stared back at you, panting ever so softly, his eyes darker than you’d ever seen them before.
You straightened, your smile falling. “Bob?”
He strode forward with a low growl, his big hands wrapping around your face and neck as his soft lips crashed down on yours.
You gasped against him, your first instinct to stop and protect this friendship with your life, but your frustration was at an all time high, and you threw caution to the wind. You could regret this tomorrow if it came to that, but tonight, you desperately needed this.
You kissed him back like it was the last thing you’d ever get to do, your fingers curling into his t-shirt to steady the wobble in your legs.
One of Bob’s hands shot down and his fingers circled your waist, pulling you flush against him and pivoting to pin you against the cold bathroom wall.
For a moment he broke contact and moved his lips down to your jaw, peppering soft, open mouthed kisses down your neck.
“Bob, what’s gotten into you?” You panted breathlessly, a huge grin plastered across your face until you bit your lip to suppress the groan that rose up inside you as he gently bit down on the skin of your neck.
“I’ve been laying there all night, and I couldn’t think about anything other than tasting you, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t stop my heart from racing knowing you were right there.” His voice was lower now, far more sure of himself, and you couldn’t help the wetness that pooled between your legs at his words. You moaned, and that got Bob’s attention.
He stopped his assault on your neck and straightened to look down at you, face so serious you could almost see the months of pure need finally coming to the surface.
He took both of your hands and pinned them roughly above your head.
“You have no idea how many times I’ve dreamt of this moment.” He growled, his once Cobalt eyes now a dark Cetacean blue.
You opened your mouth to speak, but Bob’s free hand covered it, and he leaned in to whisper in your ear, “I know you have too.”
His hand slid down your throat, fingers exploring every ticking pulse and thudding heartbeat as he trailed down over your tank top, thumb rubbing the fabric over your peaked nipped. You whimpered and arched into his hand, his other tightening around your wrists with a delicious burn.
His fingers traveled further south, until they landed on your pyjama shorts, and slipped beneath your waistband. You let out a surprised moan as they slid between your already soaking folds, and Bob shivered, cracks finally showing through this dark facade and revealing the Bob you knew as his mouth hung open in awe and disbelief.
Your eyes connected as he circled your entrance and collected your wetness, sliding his thumb up to circle your clit expertly. You cried out at the feeling, it had been so long since anyone had made you feel this kind of pleasure and your legs began to wobble.
“Bob!” You cried, but his lips were back on yours before you could protest, your arms released and you wrapped them around his neck just as he slid the first finger inside you. Your legs buckled but he held you steady against the door, curling his finger as he pumped in and out of you slowly.
His tongue begged for entrance and you allowed him the privilege as you opened up for him, kissing him deeper and more urgently.
Slowly, Bob added a second finger, and continued the infuriatingly blissful assault on your clit with his thumb, beckoning you over the edge.
Your breathing became erratic, your whole body shook with pleasure as you threw your head back against the wall and with one last roll of his thumb you were crashing into that peak like you’d never done before. Wave after wave of pleasure rolled through you and you gasped and cried his name as he slowly worked you down.
Eventually once your breathing had calmed, and the last embers of pleasure finally subsided, Bob pulled his fingers out of you, and licked them clean, all the while maintaining eye contact.
You stared back at Bob in awe and surprise, legs still trembling as he held you.
“I didn’t realise you had a dark side.” You panted with a smirk.
Bob grinned, a slight pink tinge in his cheeks as his eyes returned to their pretty clear blue.
“Yeah… neither did I.”
——————————————
- Part 6 Here -
Sorry this has taken me so long you guys! I’ve been going through the wringer lately but I’m hoping to be posting a bit more regularly soon, hope you all enjoy!
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Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
- Part 3 Here -
———————————
June:
“Thanks for letting me and the dogs stay over, I know it’s silly.” You sighed exhaustedly as you placed your overnight bag on Bobs sofa.
His place was immaculate, and housed none of the organised clutter that yours did. It was almost a mirror image of your own home, but where your bookshelf was, he had a desk and several computer monitors, which you could only imagine was for some unmentioned computer game hobby or for work, his own books stacked neatly against a nearby wall.
“It was my idea, you really don’t have to thank me. I’d feel better with you here too, or I’ll just be up worrying about you all night.”
You rubbed your eyes tiredly, nodding at him with your best smile, “I appreciate it, I don’t think I’ll get any sleep at home otherwise.”
“Come on, I’ll get you set up upstairs.” Bob picked up your bag, which housed pyjamas, a change of clothes, a toothbrush and some makeup for work tomorrow, so you didn’t have to go back to your house first thing. It also had a bag of dog food and their bowls inside, some toys, small blankets, etc.
You stood to follow him in protest, reaching out to grab his hand, “Bob, please, I’m fine on the couch, I don’t want the dogs in your nice hairless bed either. Just grab me a blanket and I’ll be out of your hair.”
Bob turned with a raised eyebrow, squeezing your hand lightly, “If you think I’m letting you sleep on the couch, you clearly don’t know me very well.”
You huffed a laugh out of your nose and followed him upstairs. The upstairs hallway was identical to yours. A bathroom directly ahead of the stairs, and then a bedroom to the left and to the right.
The door to the bedroom on the right was closed, and Bob lead you to the main bedroom facing the front of the house.
His bedroom was tidy and simple. A double bed made immaculately, not a crease or wrinkle in his duvet. He had a wardrobe and chest of drawers, and a model airplane stood proudly above it. There were a couple of lamps on his bedside tables accompanied by an alarm clock and some books, but other than that the room seemed empty, neat.
“Wow you make me look like a hoarder, Bob.” You joked, looking around the sparse bedroom.
Bob chuckled, stopping to stand just next to you, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Yeah I moved in about a month before you did, most of my stuff is still boxed up in the spare bedroom. I haven’t had much need to make it homey yet.”
You turned your head to look at him curiously, “Yet?” You raised your eyebrow playfully.
Bobs cheeks burnt bright red as he tried to hold back a smile, “Well all I mean is, it’s just me here. And I haven’t got a decorative bone in my body, so…”
You grinned in amusement, you loved it when Bob got flustered around you. “I just so happen to love decorating, so… just say the word.”
You were barely a foot apart now, just staring at one another, cheeks flushed and soft smiles. Hearts hammering to replace the earlier fright and anxiety. Your hands were twisted behind your back because you were sure if they weren’t you wouldn’t be able to fight the urge to touch his arm, or brush that curl of hair away from his eyes.
Bob took a step back and cleared his throat, “I’ll… uh, leave you to get ready for bed. Can I get you a water or tea?”
You shook your head in thanks with a soft smile, and Bob nodded, showing himself out.
You heard him go downstairs, you heard kibble filling your dogs bowls, you heard the hallway cupboard open and close. By the time you’d brushed your teeth in the en-suit, washed your face and hopped into bed in the cozy lamplight, you heard the bathroom tap running down the hall, and footsteps making their way back.
A soft tap on the door echoed through the nearly empty room.
“Come in.” You said softly.
Bob cracked the door open, contacts now removed and those adorable dorky glasses back where they belonged, he opened it wider to let Tank and Cody in. You cringed as they jumped up on his immaculate bed, but he didn’t seem to care. “Hey, just making sure you don’t need anything before I head to sleep?”
“I’m fine, thank you Bob, really. You really don’t need to go through all the trouble you have for me.”
Bob gave you a soft, sincere smile, his eyes displaying an emotion you couldn’t quite name, “I would do a lot more for you than you realise, Y/N. Goodnight.”
You smiled back at him, your body forcing a deep breath at the sense of relief and safety you felt suddenly, “Goodnight Bob.”
—————————————
- 7 Months Earlier -
As the days passed, bound by itchy rope to yours and Jordan’s bed, your head began to clear, little by little, snippets of that night coming back to you as your bruises began to fade.
Your hands and feet were tied to the bedposts, and Mitch had ahold of your phone. He’d texted your work, telling them you’d had a bereavement and needed some time off, to which they’d offered there sincerest condolences and told you to take as long as you needed. He’d also texted your family to tell them you were fine but that you and Jordan had some things to figure out and you needed time.
Jordan and his friends took turns checking in on you every few hours, bringing you food and water, and Jordan would escort you to the bathroom when you had to go, or needed to shower.
At least they allowed you that luxury, and promised to let you go once you were no longer a danger to others, once you had your story straight in case the cops came knocking.
“I killed her in a blind rage, I was drunk, I buried her myself, and burned the shovels. My fiancé had nothing to do with it.” You repeated monotonously for what felt like the thousandth time to Mitch on one of his daily visits.
“Good. A few more days, then we’ll see where we’re at.” Mitch nodded, and left the room.
You knew though, you knew the truth now. You remembered seeing them in the woods, burying her. You remembered coming home to fetch your pills, and catching them in the middle of discarding their dirty deed. But you still didn’t know why, or how, or who did it. You had to know.
Jordan entered with a glass of water and placed it on the bedside table. “How are you feeling?” He asked sheepishly.
You didn’t answer, staring bitterly at the wall ahead of you.
“Babe, please talk to me. I know it was a mistake, I forgive you, it’s all going to be okay and we can move on from this.” He plead.
You wondered if the part about him cheating was true, and if maybe he did something to the poor girl, and they just wanted to pin it on someone else.
“I need to go to the toilet.” You mumbled, tugging at the rope that was quickly making your skin raw just to scratch the incessant itch it gave you.
“Yeah, okay.” Jordan nodded, untying you rope by rope.
You knew the drill by now. Don’t struggle or you’ll get knocked the fuck out again, let him take you by the arm, you’ll pee, he’ll stand with his back turned. Any commotion, trying to climb out the window or escape it anyway, and he’ll turn around.
Anything heavy had been removed and the lid on the back of the toilet had been taped down. There was no way out, even if you thought you stood a chance.
You let him lead you into the bathroom, he turned his back (even after all these years, he still hated the idea of watching you pee) and you sat down.
You’d been holding it all night, so you took a while, and your eyes scanned every inch of the bathroom for anything new you could use.
Then you spotted it. The nail clippers sat on the sink edge, within reaching distance. Jordan must have forgotten it out when cutting his nails, but the problem was, you had nowhere to hide them, he would notice you clutching something when he tied you back up, and the waistband of your pyjama bottoms were far too loose to hold an object that small.
You finished up, flushed, and Jordan lead you back to bed.
“Before you tie me back up… my arms have been really cold suspended up in the air like that. Could I wear a long sleeve top?” You put on your most innocent voice.
Jordan paused for a moment, and then nodded. He lead you by the arm over to your wardrobe, and pulled out a sage green long sleeve pyjama shirt. He helped you change into it, then tied you back up.
“I’ll be back in a little while.” He said as he stopped by the bedroom door. “I love you.”
You felt the nausea building, and you gulped it back. You forced a smile, “You too.”
—————————————
June:
Laying in Bobs bed, you tossed and turned, the hours ticking by and sleep refused to find you.
The dogs kicked and yelped in their sleep, chasing tennis balls and counting sheep, but the same kindness was not on your side.
You just couldn’t stop thinking. Thinking about the past, thinking about your Watcher, thinking about Bob.
Bob, who was just downstairs, so close you could just…
You peeled the duvet off of yourself and climbed out of bed, careful not to wake Tank and Cody, and padded over to the bedroom door.
You carefully opened it and tip toe’d down the hallway, down the stairs, and you paused as the lounge came into view.
Bob lay facing away from you, one arm up over his head, the other hand gently resting across his torso, with one leg bent and resting against the back of the couch. You couldn’t tell if he was sleep, but you crept down the rest of the stairs and over to him anyway.
When you rounded the couch, you could see he was sleeping peacefully, long eyelashes almost touching his cheeks, lips ever so slightly parted as puffs of air made their way rhythmically into the night.
You leaned over and placed a hand gently on his hand that lay on his torso, curling your fingers around his. “Bob.” You whispered softly.
His eyes fluttered open, and he was suddenly alert, propping himself up on his other arm. “Hey, what’s happening?” He reached for his glasses on the coffee table, but you stopped him.
“No nothing, I’m sorry to wake you, I just…” you didn’t really know why you were waking him, and you suddenly felt guilty. “Sorry.”
Bobs face softened, and he lay back down, looking up at you, he moved over slightly and patted the gap for you to sit down.
You did, and Bob’s warmth immediately soothed you. You couldn’t help the pull you felt around him, it was magnetic.
“You wanna talk about it, or do you just need some company?” He asked gently, his voice raspy with sleep.
“Just company.” You admitted.
Bob smiled, nodding without another word.
You didn’t know why you did it, but you got up and repositioned yourself so that you lay against him, leg slotted between his and your head comfortably on his chest. His heart beat was fast but steady, and the rhythm felt like a nice distraction from the racing thoughts in your head.
Bob was holding in a breath, like this unexpected contact was about to end in you jumping back in disgust, but he finally let it out in a long sigh when he realised you weren’t going anywhere, and his hands circled your back, chin resting against your head.
He drew patterns into your back for a while, silence comfortable, but something you both wanted to say was building at the back of your throat.
You wanted to tell him everything. To you, Bob felt more like home than Jordan ever did. But you were scared that telling him would complicate things. Scare him away.
“Y/N?” Bob hummed, perhaps sensing the shift. “Are you okay?”
You propped yourself up to look at him, lost for words you just stared into those cobalt eyes in the semi darkness.
Bob brushed a strand of hair behind your ear. “Talk to me.”
But you couldn’t. You couldn’t bring yourself to say the things you so desperately needed to let out. So you leaned in instead, pressing your lips against his in a fiery, hungry kiss.
Bob inhaled sharply through his nose in surprise, but after a moment he recovered, seeming to come back down to earth. A grunt left his lips as he kissed you back feverishly, his fingers tangling in your hair, the kiss deepening and making you feel things you didn’t think possible.
You wanted to whimper, you wanted to cry, you wanted to smile, you were overwhelmed by all of these emotions, and then suddenly… fear.
You pulled away after a moment, breathless and flushed, pressing your forehead to his, you closed your eyes and relished in the ghost of the feeling of his lips against yours. “Is this a bad idea?”
He shook his head vehemently, “I’ve wanted you since the moment you moved here.”
You grinned, eyes still pressed closed as you stroked his cheek softly. “Really?”
Bob chuckled low, nodding again, “Yeah, of course I have… That’s why I’ve been watching you.”
Your body ran ice cold, and your eyes shot open as you sat up slowly. “What did you say?”
But the face staring back up at you wasn’t Bob’s at all. It was Dan’s.
You woke with a start, nearly falling out of Bob’s bed. Your heart hammering in your chest.
It was still dark out, Bob’s alarm clock reading 04:23 in bright red letters, your dogs still fast asleep at your feet.
You got up and sat at the edge of the bed, trying to shake the dream from your head, telling yourself over and over that you were being paranoid, and although Dan was a little eager, he wasn’t a stalker, surely.
You were wide awake at this point, and you suddenly regretted not taking Bob up on his offer of a glass of water. You tiptoed downstairs, careful not to wake Bob as he snored lightly on the couch. Part of you shivered at the Deja Vu, but it was just a dream and it was Bob on the couch, not Dan. Not Dan.
You made your way into the kitchen and rifled through cupboards to try and find a glass, quickly giving up and bending over the sink to drink straight out of the faucet.
Suddenly the kitchen light flipped on and you spun around in surprise.
Bob shielded his eyes against the brightness, and chuckled at you. “Thirsty?” He asked, moving over to a cabinet and pulling a glass out.
“Ah, the one place I didn’t check.” You chided yourself awkwardly.
Bob grinned in amusement and walked over to give you the glass. “Couldn’t sleep?”
You shook your head, filling the glass with water. “Nightmare.”
Bob stood next to you with his back pressed against the counter, arms crossed, “Wanna talk about it?”
You blushed hard at the memory of his lips on yours, even if it was just a dream, and one that ended badly. You shook your head.
“Okay.” Bob nodded, giving you a soft, understanding smile. “Well I was thinking maybe you should stay a couple more nights, just until you feel a bit better. I can give you my spare key to let yourself in while I’m at work.” He ran a hand through his hair casually, but you could tell he was nervous suggesting this.
“Oh, Bob, no you really don’t have to. I’ve imposed enough, stealing your bed, waking you up at 4am-“ you grimaced.
“It’s no imposition, Y/N, I like having you here.”
You smiled at him, mirroring his position with your back up against the counter. “I guess the world really does still make good people, huh?” You teased.
“Something like that.” He grinned.
————————————
- 7 Months Earlier -
You bided your time, waiting until Jordan brought your dinner in. You knew that would be his last visit for the day and he’d spend the night in the guest bedroom again, as he had been now for the last few days.
Your memory had fully returned after hours and days of doing nothing but thinking and thinking hard. You knew what you had to do.
It wasn’t a matter of loyalty at this point, and not just because the one person you trusted with your life was trying to pin the murder on you, but because you had to do right by whoever was buried in the woods behind your property.
A soft knock came as it did multiple times a day, although you couldn’t understand why, you clearly weren’t naked, and they obviously didn’t care about your privacy anyway. Jordan entered with a bowl of lukewarm baked beans.
“You hungry?” He asked sheepishly.
You nodded, and he sat down next to you, slowly feeding you spoonfuls of quickly cooling tomatoey mush. You used to like them, but now you didn’t think you could ever stomach the sight of them again, if you ever actually made it out alive.
Once the bowl was finished, you asked to use the toilet. You prayed he couldn’t tell how nervous you were, heart thudding so hard you thought you might throw up a puddle of beans.
“Yeah, make it quick though, dad needs to speak to me before he leaves.”
You nodded and Jordan untied you, escorting you closer and closer to what you could only hope was freedom.
In the bathroom, you spied the nail clippers still perched precariously on the porcelain basin and thanked your lucky stars.
You tried to act as natural as possible, pretending not to have noticed it, and you sat down to pee. Jordan turned his back and you waited a second, to make sure he wouldn’t turn back around.
Slowly, you stretched out your arm, reaching for salvation. You had to be careful, because if it slipped into the sink, it would obviously make a noise, and it was perched so precariously you felt like even one wrong tremble of your fingers would send it tumbling.
You took a deep breath through your nose and steadied your hand, before pinching the cool metal between your fingers.
You held your breath as the metal emitted a faint screech against the porcelain, but Jordan didn’t seem to hear it over the steady stream of you relieving yourself.
You quickly shoved the nail clippers into the sleeve of your pyjama top, holding it closed with your fingers flat against your palm.
You finished up, and let the clippers slide towards your elbow as you washed your hands, keeping your arm bent slightly so the clippers would stay in place, and you just hoped Jordan wouldn’t notice the wonky outline through your sleeve.
He took you back over to the bed and as you climbed back into bed, you swung your arm down and the clippers slid back into your hand. You curled your fist around the small metal object, and all you could do now was pray.
Jordan tied your first arm up, and your heart began to thud. He tied your legs next, then moved over to your other arm. As he lifted it, he paused, staring at your closed fist. Time seemed to stretch on forever and you felt nauseas, as he just stared.
You quickly closed your other fist, unsure what that would do to help, but Jordan seemed to accept it as something that made you comfortable, help you get through, so he tied your final hand and stood back.
“You need anything else?” He asked, not making eye contact, his gaze just to the side.
“No, thank you.”
Without another word, Jordan left the room.
Suddenly you were paralysed with fear. You waited, god knows how long, but you waited. Listening, hoping you’d hear Jordan’s bedroom door close, but that didn’t come, and you heard faint voices instead downstairs. He must still be speaking with Mitch.
Oh god, what if they were deciding whether to kill you tonight too?
Panic overwhelmed you and you quickly fumbled with the nail clippers, repositioning them in your fingers.
Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
- Part 2 Here -
———————————
June:
The months were passing quickly, and you had an easy routine with Bob now. On Friday nights he would come over with drinks and snacks and you’d put on a movie that you’d take in turns to pick.
On Saturdays you’d do your own thing, and on Sundays you’d meet up to do something fun. Sometimes it was the cinema, sometimes the bowling alley, sometimes you’d just drive around listening to music and talk about life and work and everything in between.
Bob still only got the surface level stuff, the easy to talk about side of your life. Your family, your dogs, your likes and dislikes, but you felt like he was giving you much of the same, that he had something buried deep down he wasn’t about to open up about. You wouldn’t pry, you knew how it felt to hold a dark secret that you wanted nothing more than to keep locked away.
On this particular Friday evening, Bob had brought beers and Takis, something you had lost your mind over the first time he made you try one. They became your favourite and you didn’t even care that they made your tongue blue.
You were sprawled out on the sofa next to Bob, a good foot between you and a dog either side as you watched the Conjuring for the thousandth time in your life.
“Can’t believe you’ve never seen this movie.” You laughed, popping another chip into your mouth, and washing it down with a sip of beer.
You grimaced, Bob’s taste in beer wasn’t great.
“Scary movies have never appealed to me, I feel like I’m gonna scream and embarrass myself in front of you.” He admitted, grinning sheepishly as he turned his head to look at you.
You blew out a soft laugh through your nose and shook your head, “You couldn’t if you tried, Floyd, no one is more embarrassing than I.”
He looked adorable tonight. He’d left his glasses at home, opting for contacts tonight as he said they felt more comfortable on his eyes when watching movies. His hair had grown slightly longer and brushed the bottom of his neck, curling softly up towards his flushed cheeks.
You felt heat creep up your neck, something that was starting to happen more and more frequently around him. You turned back to watch the movie, but you felt his eyes linger on you for a few long moments, and suddenly the sofa felt too small, the room too hot. You couldn’t breathe.
You paused the movie and got up abruptly. “I’m gonna grab another beer, you want one?” You tried to keep your voice even, but your heart was thudding against your chest.
Bob watched over the top of the sofa as you disappeared into the dark kitchen, not even bothering to flip the light on.
“Uhhh… yeah, please. Hey are you okay?” He asked, getting up and walking around the sofa to follow you. Until now, you’d always been as cool as a cucumber, in Bob’s own words.
“Yeah I’m fine.” You mumbled, pulling the fridge open.
You weren’t though. These moments were becoming more and more frequent over the last few months. You get closer to Bob, but then panic takes over and you push him away.
Was it him you didn’t trust or was it you?
Bob walked up to the fridge slowly, holding it open while you just stared into the sterile white light absentmindedly.
“Hey, Y/N-“ his fingers found the back of your arm, touching you so softly you almost didn’t feel it, “What’s going on?”
You pulled away with a deep breath and pressed your back up against the counter. “I just…I…”
Bob watched you take deep breaths in the dark, concern etched across the face you were very quickly growing attached to, and he slowly closed the fridge, the only light now that of the tv through the sliding doors.
“Y/N…” he said gently, moving closer but careful not to touch you. “Did I do something?”
You shook your head, but the tears were already spilling over and you just prayed Bob couldn’t see them.
His hand lifted cautiously, but when you didn’t flinch or pull away, he cupped your cheek and brushed away a tear with his thumb.
You couldn’t help but lean into his touch, but you knew deep down that this was a bad idea. You weren’t sure you’d ever be ready for something like this again.
“It’s not you Bob.” You whispered shakily.
Bob shifted closer so he was standing in front of you, caging you against the cool countertop. You looked up at him in the dark and swore you could still see his blue eyes sparkle. “Then tell me what’s wrong so I can make it better.” He said in a low voice you hadn’t heard him make before.
You trembled slightly, and clutched Bob’s t-shirt to ground yourself. Your fingers brushed his bare torso and you felt him shiver.
“I… I can’t.” You whispered, shaking your head, but you kept a hold of him for support, your fingers twisting in the soft cotton fabric.
Bob took a deep breath, and suddenly his fingers were carding through your hair, holding your head steady so you were looking up at him. “You can tell me anything, Y/N.”
This proximity was intoxicating, you almost wanted to just give in. To let him in, to have even just one night where you forgot your pain and felt good. But you knew doing that could ruin your friendship, and it was a friendship you so desperately wanted to keep a hold of.
You let go of his shirt and pressed your hand against his chest, Bobs heard thudded heavily against it, and you pushed him back softly.
“I think I need to go to bed.” You said, sniffling, as you brushed past him.
Bobs arm shot out, his hand circling around your wrist, and he pulled you into him.
Your body stiffened, just for a second, until you realised that all he was doing was hugging you.
You relaxed into him, you hadn’t hugged Bob before. You’d always kept a comfortable distance, but this was… nice.
“Call me whenever, okay? I don’t care what time of day or night it is, just call.” Bob mumbled into your hair.
You nodded, and Bob left, and you stood in your living room feeling awash with pain and regret.
————————————
- 9 Months Earlier -
Your eyes were blurry as you opened them, blinking tiredly to try and clear them. You couldn’t remember what day it was, and you didn’t remember going to bed the night before.
Your head was pounding, maybe you went out drinking? You tried hard to remember as you blinked away the blur, your eyes sticky with dried tears, your skin felt tight and itchy.
The kitchen wall slowly came into view as your vision cleared, and confusion began to set in alongside the queasiness that came with the throbbing pain in your head. You needed painkillers and water, stat.
Then the questions started. Why were you in the kitchen? Did you fall asleep cooking? How drunk did you get?
“She’s awake.” Jordan’s voice floated in from your left, but it didn’t quite sound right, distant, almost dreamlike. You tried to turn to look at him, but your neck was in incredible pain.
You let out a little yelp as the pain shot down your neck and spine. “Jordan?” You squeaked.
“I’m here, I’m here, shhh.” Jordan’s face came into view, as he crouched in front of you, his hands cupping yours. You tried to reach for him, but your hands wouldn’t move out from under his.
You forced your head down, confusion now turning to panic as you realised your hands were bound, and you were sitting in a dining chair.
“What’s… what’s happening?” You wept, your head only throbbing more and adding to the panic and confusion.
“Listen to me, babe. This is for your own safety right now, okay?” He said slowly, like he was talking to a 2 year old.
“What do you… I don’t understand.”
Mitch stepped into view, arms crossed and looking down at you disapprovingly. “You did something very bad, Y/N.”
“I don’t understand.” You repeated, dizzy, your heart ratcheting and threatening to burst through your chest.
Jordan’s friends peaked their head into the kitchen, and suddenly you started to remember snipets.
“Where’s Lainey?” You asked, suddenly aware you weren’t meant to be here.
“We sent her home, told her you’d had too much to drink and you weren’t feeling well.” Mitch said matter of factly, then he pulled a dining chair from the table and sat it in front of you, and you suddenly felt like a naughty school girl.
“Y/N, do you remember what happened last night?”
You shook your head. It was a blur, you remembered coming home to pick up something, you remembered going into the garden and seeing them in the woods, but then nothing.
“Well… you came home rather unexpectedly last night. You caught Jordan with another woman, and you lost it. You were overcome with rage, and you strangled her to death, Y/N.” Mitch said matter of factly, “No one could pull you off of her, it was like some… inhuman strength. Alcohol and anger are a potent combo.”
You weren’t able to process what he was saying, and you shook your head, “Sorry?”
“You took the life of some poor girl, all over petty jealousy.”
You shook your head again, vehemently, which only worsened your pain, “No, no I wouldn’t. I would never, I-“
“Don’t worry, Y/N. We took care of it, and we will keep your secret for you. We’re family after all, that’s what family do.”
Tears began to fall freely, leaving tracks down your bloody face. You looked down at the red stained tears as they fell into your lap, spreading like watercolour paint over your blue jeans.
Whose blood it was, you weren’t sure.
Your eyes jumped back up from Mitch to Jordan, who’s eyes were downcast, guilty, to his friends who had their hands in their pockets and stared down at the kitchen tile.
“Why am I tied up?” You asked in a state of shock.
“We thought it best for now, until we know you’re not a danger to yourself or others anymore.” Mitch said, rising from his seat.
“Please, let me out of this… this…” you begged, words failing you.
“Just a little while longer, until your head clears. Come on Jordan, we have work to do.”
And they all left you alone, stranded and tied up in your own kitchen to think about what you had done, and what you didn’t remember, in the place you once felt safest but was now your prison.
———————————————
June:
A few days passed, and you refrained from calling Bob. You felt embarrassed, but you also felt like you were slipping closer and closer to doing something you might regret.
Your nights were plagued by insomnia, and the eerie feeling you were being watched. You’d resorted to keeping your curtains drawn all the time, every bush or tree making you jump, thinking you were seeing something staring in. You also couldn’t stop playing your past over and over in your head, and comparing everything to Bob.
Would he be your salvation, or your downfall? You weren’t sure you could handle the answer. This was exactly why you moved halfway across the world.
So you avoided the one person that you actually wanted by your side, you went to work and came home, and that was your day on repeat for a couple of weeks.
Dan had taken the hint so it seems, and he left you mostly alone at work, apart from the occasional glance over at your desk and the friendly ‘good morning’ from time to time.
You were relieved he hadn’t tried to make plans with you again, but you did feel guilty for the way you’d bristled when he was near, probably very openly too.
You walked into work that Thursday, Starbucks in hand, and traipsed straight over to Dan’s desk.
You placed the coffee down, and Dan looked at it, and then you, confused and surprised.
“Hey.” You said awkwardly. “I just wanted to apologise.”
Dan straightened in his seat and turned to face you fully, “What for?”
You cleared your throat, “You were just trying to be friendly, and I think I was a bit rude. It’s all been a bit overwhelming lately but I could have handled it better, so I’m sorry. I didn’t know what you drank but I hope a cappuccino is okay.”
Dan smiled up at you, a genuine smile instead of the overly practiced plastic one he usually donned. “You have nothing to be sorry for, but I appreciate it.”
You smiled at him and nodded, “Consider it thanks for the ride all those weeks ago.”
He smiled and nodded back in thanks, and you headed back to your desk.
Dans eyes darkened the moment you turned, his smile falling, “Don’t mention it.”
Your work day flew by, and although you felt less guilty having apologised, you still didn’t have it in you to open up to Bob, so you decided to take Tank and Cody down to the local dog park to blow off some steam.
You found it empty when you arrived, owing to the slightly later hour, and the sun was already dipping over the horizon, so you promised to make it a quick one and then head home for dinner and an early night.
You threw the tennis ball for them, and they chased and chased until they were tired and panting on the grass.
You put their leads back on and turned back towards the direction of your house, but you startled so hard that your blood froze, and your feet felt glued to the floor.
A figure stood in the distance between some trees, dressed in a black hoodie, black jeans and their face covered by something like a balaclava or scarf, just watching you.
You waited for them to move, to do something, they were blocking your way out. They didn’t move, they just stood there and stared for what felt like forever.
Your dogs didn’t bark, whether they were just too tired, or maybe they didn’t notice him so far away, but they just sat by your side, panting happily into the quickly darkening evening air.
“Hello?” You called out, voice shaky.
The figure didn’t respond, and you quickly looked around the park to see if there was anyone else around, or any other exit. The park was fenced in for the safety of the dogs, streets and houses lined the park, and there was only one gate to get out. The gate where your masked watcher stood dangerously nearby.
“I’m calling the cops!” You shouted, pulling out your phone. The figure lingered for a few more seconds, and then slowly slinked off into the thick brush to the right of the gate.
It was a risky move, but if you were gonna get out, now was the time.
You began walking, speed walking, just hoping the man in the trees didn’t realise your dogs were actually friendly goofballs that would welcome an intruder rather than chase them off. They were all bark and no bite, but you prayed they looked scarier than they were right now.
Your heart ricocheted around your chest like a pinball, and your brain screamed at you to run the closer to the gate you got, but your legs refused to listen, stiffened and heavy with fear.
You couldn’t see the man, but the hairs on the back of your neck stood on end, telling you he was still there.
You made it to the gate and hi-tailed it to the left, away from the brush where he was last seen and towards a cluster of small houses. You were going in the opposite direction of home, but you needed to be near other people, and you didn’t mind taking the long route home if it meant relative safety.
You looked over your shoulder constantly as you made your way down the street and through a path that lead past the houses and through a small stretch of woodland. You almost ran through the trees, going as fast as your legs would take you until you reached another street, and circled back towards your neighbourhood.
By the time you reached home, you were shaking and distraught, and you locked your door once you and the dogs were safely inside. You went around the house with a lump in your throat checking all of the windows and doors to make sure no one could get in.
Suddenly an awful feeling washed over you, that someone was already inside the house.
What if the man who had been watching you at the park was the same presence you felt from time to time, watching, waiting. What if he knew where you lived, and made it back here before you did. Broke in and was now hiding, waiting to jump out from some dark corner.
The tears fell freely now, as you cautiously edged towards your bedroom wardrobe. With a shaky hand, you reached out and touched the door handle, before yanking it open and jumping back, praying the boogeyman wouldn’t jump back out at you.
You stood in stunned breathlessness as nothing but your own clothes stared back at you, swinging ominously back and forth on their hangers.
You took a deep breath, trying to shake it off. You were just being paranoid. Maybe a bath would help calm you down, then you’d curl up in bed with your dogs, and everything would be fine.
You walked into the main bathroom and flicked on the light switch.
And your blood stilled in your veins.
Behind the shower curtain, a dark piece of fabric peaked out, ever so slightly.
You blinked away tears of terror, your entire body vibrating with fear and adrenaline. You wanted to run, but you also needed to be sure.
You reached a shaky hand out towards the shower curtain. Slowly, slowly, dreading what you might find there…
And then a sharp knocking sounded downstairs, and you jumped out of your skin, letting out the strangled scream you’d been desperately trying to choke down. You turned on your heel and ran blindly down the stairs, tears clouding your vision.
The banging on the door increased, yet you ran straight for it, thinking it your only way out of whatever was in the house with you.
You threw the door open and ran straight into Bobs chest. He wrapped his arms around you as you sobbed.
“Woah woah! What’s going on? I was worried about you and then I heard you screaming, are you okay? Are you hurt?” He pulled you back gently and looked you over, making sure there were no obvious injuries, before he pulled you back and held you.
“Someone… someone’s in the house.” You wept, clutching onto Bob like if you let go, you’d sink into nothingness.
Your dogs were visibly spooked now too, and they jumped up at you to make sure you were okay, their heckles on end.
“What? What do you mean?”
“In the bathroom, he’s inside.” You sobbed against his chest.
“Stay here.” Bob instructed, concern etched into his face as he steadied you on the front porch and walked inside carefully.
“Bob, no!” You called out hoarsely, but he’d already disappeared inside the darkness of the house. You couldn’t move, rooted to the spot in fear.
A few moments felt like hours as Bob searched the house, room by room.
You clung to the doorframe, your legs weak with worry, willing him to come back, and come back alive.
Your prayers were shortly answered and Bob came back out, still tense with worry, but now more for you than for any home invaders.
“All clear sweetheart, there’s nobody in there.” He said softly.
You met his eyes with surprise, “Are you sure?” The pet name hadn’t gone unnoticed, but you were too shaken to properly revel in it.
Bob nodded, cupping your cheek in his large, warm hand. “Positive. Are you okay?”
He wasn’t condescending, he was worried, and it only made you want to cry more.
“There was a man at the dog park today, he was just… watching me. And I’ve had this overwhelming feeling that someone has been here, outside just staring in.”
Bob nodded, “Want to come and check the house again with me there?”
You took a deep breath in and steadied yourself, before taking Bob to the main bathroom.
“This is where I thought I saw him.”
Bob passed where you stood glued to the doorframe, and he pulled back the shower curtain.
He stood staring in for a moment, and then pulled out a dark grey washcloth.
“Was it this maybe?”
You groaned, covering your face with your hands in embarrassment. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry.”
Bob crossed over and pulled you into him, wrapping his strong arms around you.
“It’s okay.” He hushed you, stroking your hair. “It’s all going to be okay.”
—————————————
- Part 4 Here -
Authors note: I’d LOVE to know who you guys are imagining as Dan😂 in my head he looks like Jacob Elordi, go figure!
Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
- Part 1 Here -
——————————————
April:
“I’m serious!” You chuckled as you and Bob walked down the sidewalk and back to his truck after finishing your burger and fries at a local food joint.
The day had long disappeared and the ground in front of you was only lit by the reflections in puddles of rainwater from cozy stores and restaurants that lined the little street. “I come from the land of Pubs, I am willing to bet you my paycheque that I can drink you under the table Floyd.”
Bob let out a snort of amusement, shrugging his shoulders, “You’re on Y/L/N. Next weekend, bring your A game!”
You laughed as you threw open the passenger door of his truck and hopped in. “Deal, your place or mine?”
“Your place but I’ll bring the beer.” He smirked, adjusting his glasses as he climbed in and started the engine.
The night had been a fun one, lighthearted and friendly, exactly what you needed. Bob had taken you to the arcade before you hit the burger joint, and you hadn’t felt this relaxed in years. All of your worries felt a thousand miles away, and you felt yourself becoming more and more comfortable in Bobs presence as the night went on.
“I hope tonight has at least helped take your mind off of that guy at work. If he gives you any trouble, you know where to find me, okay?” Bob said softly, smiling over at you as he pulled into the street. You’d opened up to him about Dan, not saying much other than how he made you feel kinda uncomfortable. Bobs jaw had clenched when you told him, his fists tightening under the table.
“Thanks Bob, appreciate it, I think it’ll be okay though, think he’s got the hint.” You lied.
Bob drove the short distance to your neighbourhood, the radio blasting 80’s hits and you both sang along at the top of your lungs.
By the time you pulled up on Bobs drive, you were both breathless and giggling, cheeks flushed and souls light from the easy, fun evening.
“Thank you again Bob, I had a really great time.” You smiled softly as you walked down his drive.
Bob followed, “I had a great time too, it’s been a while since I’ve had a friend outside of work. I’ll walk you home.”
“Oh, what the entire 4 metres? You don’t have to!” You joked, but secretly enjoyed the extra few minutes at his side. Bob grinned that sweet grin, his eyes crinkling in the lamp light, and you were sure you could see colour in his cheeks. It gave you butterflies, but you reminded yourself a relationship was not a good idea right now.
You walked slowly side by side in the semi darkness, the street lamps dimmed by the leaves they hid within.
“So, I’m back at work next week, but I’m only doing ground jobs, so I’ll be home just after 5. If you ever wanna hang after work, just come on by. Or if you need a hand walking the dogs, anything, you know where I am.”
You turned to face Bob when you reached your front door, and gave him an earnest smile.
“Thank you Bob, really. It’s nice to have a friend again.”
He nodded with a soft smile of his own. “Goodnight Y/N.”
“Goodnight Bob.”
You waited by your front door as Bob walked down your drive and around the little picket fence to his front door. You gave him a little wave as he disappeared inside, before you unlocked your door and dipped into the warmth.
———————————
- 7 Months Earlier -
“I won’t be a sec.” You sang as you hopped out of your sisters car and up the long drive to the detached stone country house you shared with your fiancé.
The wine was still buzzing through your veins and you felt an airy sense of cheerfulness despite the heavier conversation earlier in the day.
Fishing out your keys somewhat tipsily, you fumbled with the lock and eventually let yourself in. You had expected lots of noise, football on the tv, rowdy boys shouting and drinking, but the entry hall and lounge were silent apart from the pitter patter of paws on hardwood as your dogs ran over to great you excitedly.
“Hi babies! Where’s your daddy? Huh?” You gave them a fuss before straightening and straining your ears.
“Babe?” You called, peaking your head into the lounge, finding it empty. “I forgot my pill so I’m just gonna grab it quick, then I’ll be out of your hair.”
You jogged upstairs to your bedroom, opened your bedside table drawer and stuffed your pill packet into your pocket.
You jogged back down the stairs, the rush of energy provided by the alcohol making you feel 10 years younger.
“Jordan? Where are you?” You peaked your head into the kitchen, which was also empty, not even a single beer can or shot glass in sight, which would usually be the norm by this point.
The sun was beginning to set so you assumed they’d taken their little party down to the local pub, and you turned to say goodbye to your dogs before heading back out, but you caught movement through the big glass sliding kitchen doors out of the corner of your eye.
Movement at the tree line at the far end of your back garden, hard to fully make out in the dying light, but clearly there.
You walked over to the sliding door and pressed your face up against it, hands cupping your face to limit the reflections of your own home behind you.
“What the fuck…” you managed to make out Jordan’s favourite t-shirt in the distance, and a few of his friends flitting back and forth in the woods that started right on the edge of your property.
You slid the door open, careful to keep the dogs inside for fear that the men were drunk and up to no good.
You trudged clumsily over the grass, feeling a little wobbly as the wine wrecked havoc on your balance, the long garden stretching on endlessly, but eventually you made it to the tree line.
You must have been quieter than you’d thought, because their backs were turned to you, and they were digging further in, whispering in hushed frustration.
You braced yourself against a tree, your nerves suddenly getting the better if you and making your voice small.
“Babe?”
—————————————
April:
You locked the front door and fussed your sleepy dogs who lounged on the sofa in the soft lamp light, the tv playing Bluey reruns quietly in the background.
“Come on boys, let’s get you outside for a wee before we go to bed, come.”
You ushered them through the dark kitchen at the back of the house and unlocked your back door, leaving it ajar while you left Tank and Cody to do their business, and you went back into the lounge to turn the tv off.
As you stepped through the sliding doors into the dimly lit lounge, you startled. You thought you saw the silhouette of someone standing outside through the window, the moonlight offering a faint outline against your thin linen curtains. But when your eyes adjusted, the figure was no longer there.
You chuckled nervously at yourself and shook your head, before picking up the remote and turning the tv off.
You waited for the dogs to finish their business, and you locked the back door after they were safely inside, somewhat more on edge. You turned off all of the lamps and ushered them upstairs to their beds.
You were still on a high from tonight, playing over the evening in your head, a grin forming as you pulled some pyjamas out of your chest of drawers and changed into them. You felt the hairs on the back of your neck rise as you were pulling your top on, and you looked over your shoulder to your window.
The bedroom windows faced the front of the house, but your curtains were drawn, so you shook your head at your paranoia.
You felt it again when you washed your face, and once more when you crawled into bed, but again, you pushed it to the back of your mind, and eventually fell into a peaceful sleep, dreams of the friendly face next door playing on a loop.
The next morning, you awoke early to the dogs barking at the front door, and your peaceful dreams fell like sand through the cracks of your floorboards.
You weren’t expecting anyone, and a quick tap on your phone revealed it wasn’t even 7am yet, so you cautiously climbed out of bed and pulled a sweatshirt on, before tiptoeing down the stairs.
“Shhh, boys!” You hissed in a hushed voice, “Upstairs!”
The dogs quirked their head at you but obeyed, bounding up the stairs while you made your way down them.
You peaked around the banister to where you could just make out the front door, a figure looming behind the stained glass ominously, casting a dark shadow on your wooden floors in the weak morning light.
“Who’s there?” You called out, barely loud enough to breach the door, your voice cracking.
You cleared your throat, and tried again a little louder. “Who is it?”
The figure didn’t respond.
You edged down the stairs and crossed over slowly to front door, your hand pausing on the handle, wondering if you could get away with not answering at all.
The figure shifted behind the wavy coloured glass, too disfigured to make out who it was, but you already knew.
You braced yourself, taking a deep breath in through your nose, and edged the door open, peaking through the crack.
“Good morning, I brought coffee!” Your coworker, Dan, stood beaming in the early morning light.
You blinked up at him, “Uh… what are you doing here?”
“Well I figured you’d need some company today, I’m not sure what time your vet appointment is but we can hang until then, and then I was thinking we’d see a movie, get some dinner-“ the smirk on his face made you queasy and the thought of spending the entire day with him made you anxious.
“Dan, that’s really very sweet, but I have plans today, sort of last minute ones, I can’t-“
“Oh come on, you owe me, remember?” His face was still pulled up in a cocky grin, but his eyes were so seriously it jolted you to your core.
You had made a serious mistake accepting his favour.
You gaped, your mouth opening and closing over and over as you tried to come up with something, anything, that would stop you from having to spend a day with Dan, but you were coming up short and you could see the glee in his eye as he realised the same.
“Morning!” Bob called from his side of the fence, waving cheerfully, his Navy training t-shirt pulled tight against the muscles in his arms, his sleep tousled hair flopping adorably over his huge glasses. “I know we’re going out today Y/N, but you’re up a bit early aren’t you?” He chuckled.
Dan glanced between you and Bob, and back at you again, his frown now deeply etched.
You shrugged sheepishly, “Sorry, like I said, I have plans today.”
As quickly as it disappeared, his plastic smile returned, “Not an issue, my bad for assuming you were free, guess you do make friends quick! We’ll reschedule. See you on Monday Y/N.”
And with that he turned on his heel and walked back to his car, shooting Bob a glare as he did.
As soon as his car was down the road and out of sight, you sagged against the door frame.
“Bob Floyd, if you keep saving my ass like this I’m gonna seriously end up owing you.”
—————————————
- 7 Months Earlier -
The five men visibly jumped hearing your voice, before spinning in your direction, wide eyed and breathless, dirty, as you edged towards them, deeper into the woods behind your property.
“What’s going on?”
You noticed Jordan’s father Mitch was in the mix too, normally the well kept banker, he now looked disheveled, breathless… furious. About what, you couldn’t tell.
Jordan darted over to you, blocking the view with his body, cupping your face in his dirty hands.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” He asked breathlessly, trying to push you towards the house.
“I… forgot something. Hey what are you guys-“
“You should get back to Lainey’s, babe, you’re missing valuable sister time.” He grabbed your arms and flipped you to face the house, pushing you from behind.
You grew quickly frustrated and shoved out of his grasp. “Stop! What’s going on?”
You stared him down determinedly, glancing past him at his usually very hospitable friends, who were now stood like barricades to the tree line.
Jordan just stared at you, mouth agape and at a loss for an excuse. You shoved past him, now confronted by a wall of men who looked as hopeless and lost as Jordan, and they barely put up a fight when you squeezed past them.
Jordan’s father stood a little further in, where the trees became so thick that not even the last of the days light penetrated, and you had to squint to make out the objects at his feet.
“Mitch, what’s going on?” You asked softly. You always were weary of him, but now you felt that feeling multiply. At his feet were spades, a bag of lye, and a lumpy thing about 5 feet long that you couldn’t quite make out.
Mitch shuffled, crossed his arms. “This is your last chance Y/N. Go back to the house, now, or I promise you, you will regret it.”
You guffawed, shocked that the once well mannered man, your own soon to be father in law, would… threaten you?
You turned your head back to look at the others, who stood behind you sheepishly, regret and sorrow etched on their faces.
“Please, would someone just tell me what’s going on right now?” You begged, tears threatening to spill over.
You looked back over at Mitch, who was now crouched next to the lumpy thing covered in fabric. His eyes were on yours as he slowly peeled back layers of the fabric, little by little.
You watched silently as he did, as if unravelling a carefully enclosed parcel, until the thing beneath was finally exposed in the dim light.
You squinted hard, leaning forward to try and get a better look, until you finally realised what it was, what was happening.
You gasped, a scream building under the nausea that overcame you.
“What the fu-“
A hand clasped over your mouth, a sudden sharp pain radiated from your head down your spine, and everything went dark.
Warnings: Eventual Smut, Pining, Slow Burn, Stalking, Murder, Violence, Mentions of Drugs and Alcohol, Geographical Inaccuracies, Other Bad Stuff Probably
———————————————
March:
The moving truck had long since left you to drag heavy boxes and furniture in through the stained glass front door to your new home, seemingly unaware (or un-phased) that you were alone, and many of these objects and boxes weighed more than you did.
The sun was beginning to dip just below the tree line, casting the once green-awashed streets in golden glittery light, and with it a dip in temperature that barely cooled your sweaty skin.
A grunt leaves your lips as you attempt to slide a box of books off of the back of your own truck, your dogs barking somewhere far inside the house and begging to be let out to explore their new surrounds.
The box wouldn’t budge. Either too heavy or stuck on something in the truck bed, and you knew you’d have to leave it for the night. Looking around the small front yard, littered with boxes of your belongings still, your sofa jutting out against the sidewalk, you realised you really couldn’t leave this stuff here all night.
Heaving a frustrated sigh, your hands on your hips, you threw your head back and gazed up at the gaps between the thick trees that lined the sidewalk.
“Need a hand?” A warm voice drifted over you, and you were almost certain you’d hallucinated it.
You snapped your head back, a wave of dizziness almost overtaking you. When your eyes stopped spinning, they focussed on him.
Brown hair curling softly under his ears, sparkling deep blue eyes, and a smile that nearly knocked you off your feet.
You realised you’d been staring for a few long seconds, a blank expression on your face, “Uhhh… yes, sorry, yes please. Only if you’re not busy.”
The man chuckled, extending a hand, almost bending over the large space between you so not to spook you by unwanted proximity. You must have looked like a scared, disheveled animal, and you appreciated his caution.
“I’m Bob, I live next door.” He grinned that dazzling grin, and you couldn’t help but beam back as you leaned over to shake his hand.
“I’m Y/N, nice to meet you. Really nice actually, my moving guys decided I was clearly strong enough to do this all on my own, but…” you shrugged awkwardly, trying to remember how to have a normal, human conversation.
Bob chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “I mean I’m not saying they’re wrong, but I think it’ll go a whole lot quicker with two of us.”
You walk around to your sofa, bending to grab the bottom, with your new saviour mirroring your move, “My hero, Bob.”
“So have you just moved from the UK, or have you been here a while?” He asked, pivoting as you angled the sofa through the front door.
“You’ve got a good ear.” You laughed, “I arrived yesterday, spent the night in an AirBNB. In hindsight I probably should have scheduled the moving truck a bit later in the week though, I think I’m still a little jet lagged.”
Bob grinned, nodding, “Yeah I know the feeling. Sort of.”
“What do you do for work?” You probed, hoping it wasn’t too personal. You set the sofa down in the spacious living room, facing the large bay windows that took up most of the front wall.
“I fly.” He said matter of factly.
“No way! Now I get the jet lag reference.” You grinned, “Commercial?”
“Navy.” He said proudly, popping out the door to grab a box. “What about you?”
“Fancy! Mine, not so much, I work in Insurance, a friend of mine back home managed to get me a job this side.” You followed outside to grab a couple of small items.
“Why the need to move, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Uh… just needed a change of scenery, you know?” You lied through your teeth with a smile.
“Well, welcome to the neighbourhood, it’s sure nice to have a new face around.”
Bob helped you move everything inside, making small talk as you went, dragging the last box inside just as the sky lost the last of its light, and you went around the open living room flicking on lamps to illuminate the space. Bob placed the last box on the hardwood floor and brushed his hands against his jeans.
“I think that’s the last of it.”
You turned to face him and inspect your joint handiwork. “Honestly I can’t thank you enough, if I had any beer, you’d have one in your hand right now.” You laughed.
“Honestly it was my pleasure, it’s nice to have an excuse to do something other than exist while I’m on leave.”
Your two Boxers begin to whine behind the glass privacy sliding doors that lead to the kitchen and dining room at the back of the house. You move to close the front door so they can explore the rest of the house.
“You okay with dogs?” You ask as you pause by the glass doors.
“You kidding? I love them!” He chuckles cheerily, rubbing his hands together in preparation.
“They’re bonkers, so… just be ready.” You laughed.
You slide the doors open and your boys come barrelling out, wiggling with excitement, completely ignoring you to sniff the new comer and jumping up to leave slobbery kisses all over his face.
“Oh my god, aren’t you the sweetest things!” Bob coos as he gives them a fuss, quickly becoming best friends.
You laugh as they get more excited by the attention.
“This here is Tank, and the one sniffing your shoe is Cody.” You offered sheepishly, redirecting the dogs out the back door through the kitchen into the small enclosed back garden. “They’re probably desperate for a wee, it’s been a bit of a journey for the poor things.”
Bob chuckled under his breath, “Your accent, it’s cute.”
You felt yourself flush as you closed the back door. “You think? I don’t think it sounds like anything. Yours on the other hand…” you turned and raised your eyebrow playfully.
“So is it just you and the dogs?”
You stilled at the question, memories and anxiety washing over you. “Uhm… yeah, bad break up, thought it might be healthy to be on my own for a while, you know?”
Bob nodded knowingly, not prodding any further. “Well Y/N, you know where I am if you need anything. I know what it’s like being a newcomer, moving all the time, so just give me a shout any time.”
You smiled your thanks, and Bob left with a soft smile and nod of his head, leaving you to let out a deep breath as your body sagged against the wooden countertops in your pretty new kitchen.
You were in over your head. This was a bad idea.
————————————
- 6 Months Earlier -
“I already told you, it’s just going to be a few of the boys, it won’t be a wild one babe. Just a bit if football and beer. ”
You rolled down the window of your fiancés Range Rover and felt the warm air caress your face, the smell of the slowly wilting English countryside a signal of the swift ending of Summer.
“Then I don’t get why I have to stay at my sisters. You know I don’t like leaving the dogs with a bunch of rowdy guys.”
Jordan sighed, tapping the steering wheel in irritation. “We’re going to be loud, and you remember what happened the last time they came round, we just kept you up all night. Plus, your sister’s so excited to spend some girl time with you, I bet she’s already got the fridge stocked with wine and snacks.”
You let out a soft chuckle at the thought, “Yeah probably, knowing her. Just don’t wreck the house please, and don’t forget to let the dogs out for wees before bed, okay?”
The car pulled up on your sisters drive, and you unbuckled your seatbelt.
“I won’t, I promise, stop worrying.” Jordan leaned over and placed a soft kiss on your lips. “Have a fun time, I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
You grabbed your bag from the back seat and shot him a quick smile, “Yeah okay. Love you.”
You watched as he drove away, asphalt kicking up under the tyres in his eagerness to return home and get ready for his boys night.
You sighed with dread. You knew you’d have to deal with a hungover grump the next day.
———————————————
April:
You’d settled into your beautiful new home, the first few weeks of work going as smoothly as they could. You’d found a friendly dog sitter to come by in the day to walk your crazy duo, and you were finally starting to feel like you could leave the past behind you.
Your alarm went off and you slowly trudged downstairs to make coffee. You hopped in the shower after feeding your dogs and got ready for work.
As you were heading out the door, something to your right caught your eye.
“Oh, morning Bob!” You smiled. You hadn’t seen much of him in the last few weeks, with Bob having gone back to work, and it was a welcomed sight.
Bob grinned, giving you a little wave. “How are you settling in?”
“Yeah, good, I think. It’s mostly just been work, home, sleep, repeat. How have you-“
“Do you wanna grab a drink later, maybe?” Bob blurted out, redness creeping into his cheeks. “I’ve been meaning to ask, you know, to maybe show you around a little, but I thought it best to let you settle in a little first.”
Bob was flushed, that adorable smile playing on his lips, swinging his keys nervously around his index finger. You noticed he was wearing glasses now, which you hadn’t seen the first time, and they only added to his friendly demeanour.
You smiled slowly, then nodded, your stomach doing somersaults, “I’d love that. I finish at 5, then I’ll just shower and change, so say maybe 6?”
Bob nodded with a grin, “6 it is. I’ll… uh… pick you up.”
You chuckled, surprised by his funny side. “Looking forward to it.”
You arrived at work, your office block not far from your leafy suburban neighbourhood, and the weather was pleasant enough that you decided to walk the short 20 minutes.
The office was quiet as usual, everyone at their desks and heads buried in paperwork, eager to get their work done before the weekend.
You flashed a polite smile at those who rose their heads, and received the same back from most, but as usual the most happy to see you was your colleague Dan, and he got out of his seat to walk you to yours.
“Hey Dan.” You said softly, awkwardness overwhelming you as it always had around him.
“Y/N, got plans for the weekend?” He pulls out your chair, his fingers pressed tightly, indenting the fabric.
It’s not that you had anything against him, he was a nice enough man, looked after himself, some would say quite handsome even with his tall frame and dark hair, but something about him that you couldn’t quite place gave you heebie jeebies since the first day he metaphorically latched onto you and refused to let go.
“Yeah I’m going out for drinks with a friend.” You said with a tight lipped smile as you sat down in your chair that he still held with a vice grip. You tried to pull your chair in but it wouldn’t budge.
“What, all weekend?” He bellowed in mock surprise.
You twisted to look up at him, tucking your hair behind your ear. You let out a polite fake little laugh, “No, not quite. I’ve gotta take my dogs to the vet for their check ups, and then… uhm, I’m visiting-“
“Well, you know where to find me if you get bored. I’m always free if you need a little company in running your errands.” He winked down at you, before finally letting go of your chair and striding over to his desk on the other side of the room, a grin plastered on his face as he eyed you up.
You took a deep breath, pulled in your chair and went along with your day.
By the time 5pm rolled around, you were utterly relieved and excitement bubbled inside you at the prospect of drinks and getting to know Bob a little better. He seemed like the perfect neighbour to have, especially if you became friends. He didn’t make a peep, never threw parties, didn’t seem to mind when your dogs got a little rowdy in the back garden, and always offered a friendly smile.
A smile you couldn’t stop day dreaming about. But you had to remind yourself that a relationship was the last thing you needed right now, and you could only be friends.
You grabbed your bag and coat eagerly and began speed walking for the front door, ready to walk home and meet your new friend for a good evening on the town, but the second you threw open the door, you felt the wetness on your face before your eyes even adjusted.
Rain. Torrential rain, buckets upon buckets hammering down and ricocheting off of the pavement.
“Fuuuucck…” you huffed. It hadn’t rained since you moved here, but the one day you decide to walk, and now you’re going to be soaked to the bone. And it was cold rain too.
You jumped as a presence made itself known behind you, a hand on your shoulder.
“Woooah! Looks like the heavens have opened up!” Dan chuckled, his mouth close to your ear but still muffled over the sound of the downpour. “You walked in today didn’t you? Don’t see your car!”
You swallowed thickly and just nodded, anxiety pulling on your intestines.
“Well I can’t let you walk in this, you’ll catch a cold! I’ll take you home.” Dan said, making no move to let go of your shoulder.
You squeezed your eyes shut in frustration. It was only a short drive, but you really didn’t like the idea of being alone with Dan or letting him know where you lived, but it seemed like the better option of the two.
“Thank you, that’s very kind.” You said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile over your shoulder.
Dan lead you to his car, his hand still on your shoulder as you dashed through the rain. You quickly shuffled into the front seat, only slightly damp, and Dan started the engine.
You sat awkwardly as he pulled out of the lot, hands in your lap, staring silently out the window.
“Alright princess, where do you live?” Dan grinned over at you.
Your heart leapt in your chest, but you knew you weren’t gonna be able to lie your way out of this.
You gave your address and tried to quell the unease that sat in your belly.
Dan made friendly small talk on the short journey and you did your best to return it. You knew you were being silly by feeling so uneasy, he was just a friendly colleague, but you couldn’t get rid of the weird feeling that washed over you.
He pulled up outside your house and shut off the engine.
“Thanks Dan, I owe you one!” You unbuckled your seatbelt and began exiting the car and back into the torrential rain.
“Well how about you let me sleep over some time?” His face was serious, no hint of a joke or amusement on his lips.
You stared at him, open mouthed as the rain dampened your hair, your skin breaking into violent goosebumps.
And then he burst into laughter, slapping the steering wheel lightly. “Kidding! Anyway, have a great weekend Y/N.” He shot you a wink and you forced a smile before nodding and closing the door.
As soon as you made it safely inside, you slammed the door shut, and peaked through your living room curtains. You watched Dan drive away and let out a hefty sigh. You had to get over yourself, he was a perfectly nice guy, and you were just being weird.
You shook it off and said hello to your dogs, fed them dinner and trudged upstairs to shower.
You peeled off your damp clothes and turned the shower on, waiting for it to heat up. You inspected your appearance in the mirror, and despite everything, you were relieved that you at least had some light back in your eyes.
Climbing in the shower, you washed your hair and body quickly, and shaved your legs.
Your en-suit bathroom faced the back yard, and the windows were the privacy kind, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of someone watching you while you showered. Something about today was just making you paranoid, and you were sure that Tank and Cody would bark if anyone was standing in the back garden, but you just couldn’t shake the chill that snuck up your spine.
You got out of the shower, ensuring your bedroom curtains were drawn, and dressed in a pair of comfy jeans and a nice black trappy top with boots. You blow dried your hair just enough to leave it damp, and scrunched it up a bit, leaving it to fully dry while you put on a light smatter of makeup, just enough to make you feel confident to step out that door.
And then the doorbell rang.
———————————
- 7 Months Earlier -
Your sisters home was warm and comfortable, it always smelled like fresh linen and a faint hint of vanilla and never failed to calm your nervous system. You sat down next to her on the sofa with another glass of wine in hand, catching up on all of the drama in your lives.
“No I mean I’m not complaining, I get to see you! But I really don’t get it, why couldn’t you just chill upstairs?” Your sister Lainey asked.
“That was exactly my thinking, but… I dunno, things have been weird with Jordan lately. Ever since the last time he went out with the guys, he’s been quiet, secretive… I think he might be cheating.” You scoffed, almost jokingly.
You weren’t sure Jordan had it in him, but in all of your years together, he’d never acted like this, or asked you to leave your own home for the evening.
“You reckon?!” Lainey screeched, “Oh man, I’d punch him in the balls soooo hard.”
“Yeah me too, and I dread to think what dad would do.” You chuckled.
“But seriously, would he do that? He’s always been such a nice guy.”
You sighed, thinking hard, back to the day you met, and to all of the ups and downs you’d been through since. “I guess, we haven’t exactly been… intimate-“ you coughed and cringed at the way that sounded, “in a long while, so maybe he could be pushed to get that elsewhere.”
Your sister shifted in her seat, and leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice, her face serious, “You still don’t love him like that, do you?”
You shook your head, trying to push away the guilt. You’d fallen out of love a long time ago, but he was your best friend and you loved him in other ways, you just couldn’t bring yourself to end such a long relationship that you were actually comfortable in.
“Anyway.” You cleared your throat, hopeful of changing the subject, “More wine?”
She nodded and you got up to take the glasses to the kitchen.
You poured more wine and then realised the time. “Hang on I’ve just gotta take my pill, won’t be a sec!” You dashed upstairs to the guest bedroom and looked in your bag.
You couldn’t find it, so you emptied the contents and rummaged until you were certain they weren’t there. “Fuck.”
You dashed downstairs with a sheepish smile on your face, “I may have left my pills at home, aaaany chance I can borrow your car?”
You really didn’t want to miss one this early in your cycle, for the fear of completely messing it up yet again.
“But you’ve been drinking! I’ll drive.” She made a move to grab her car keys.
“You’ve been drinking too!” You scoffed.
“I’ve only had 2, you on the other hand have guzzled nearly a whole bottle since you arrived. I’m driving.”
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Coming Soon: The Good Neighbour - Bob Floyd x Reader
Slow burn Thriller Romance
Summary:
A break up sends you from England to the States in search of a fresh start. A new job, a new house in a cozy, leafy suburb with your two dogs, a clean slate away from the pain and secrets your old life held, and a chance to keep to yourself and out of the trouble you so desperately had tried before to stay away from.
Your neighbour, however, has better plans for you. A friendship quickly blossoms, along with it a rollercoaster of love, lust, danger and something darker lurking under the surface.
What will you make of your new small town and the people that reside there? Stay tuned to find out!
First Part Out Now! - Here
Warnings: Eventual Smut, Mentions of Drug use and alcohol, violence, stalking
(Tag list open for this series, please comment or message me if you’d like to be added!)
There don’t seem to be all that many Fics for lovely ol’ Rip here. Would anyone read it if I wrote a new series for Rip x Reader? It’s been a while since I put text to virtual paper, but I’ve suddenly got the itch to write again!
You have been feeding us with the Kyle gallner content!! Thank you🙏🏻🙏🏻!!if you ever did want to write for his character Colin gray, I would love you🫵🏻 for the rest of my life. 🫶🏻 lollol but seriously you keep doing whatever you want, your my absolute fav fic writer. Your fic for Hasil is my comfort fic <33
Thank you so much! My heart is so full now🥺💛 a Colin fic would be a good idea! I will do that next I think!
Warnings: Smut, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Abuse, Guns, Kidnapping, Alcohol, General Dark Themes, Murder, Violence
18+ Only
- Part 5 Here -
——————————
Benson lifted his hands slowly, as if not to startle you.
“I wanted to tell you, but I… I-“
“You what, Benson? Did you really kill those people?” You forced out through the lump that was forming in your throat, the strain of holding back your tears was physically painful.
He nodded slowly, blinking rapidly.
He was… scared.
Of what, you had no idea, but it was radiating off of him in waves.
You blinked your own tears away, shock washing over you as you covered your mouth to prevent the cry you so desperately wanted to let out.
You watched the news reel play on, disclosing details of the horrifying things Benson had done.
He watched you quietly, patiently, until you turned back to face him. “Were you going to kill me too?”
Benson stepped towards you, his hand outstretched until you flinched, and he lowered his hand cautiously, hurt in his eyes.
“No, I was never going to hurt you. Those people deserved it, you-“
“Was I just a play thing to you, then? Just something to keep you occupied while you ran?” You cried out, your emotions finally getting the better of you.
“Baby, no.” He breathed, “It’s different with you. Maybe at first… yes, I just wanted company, but the way I feel about you, this is real.”
“How fucking selfish of you.” You hissed, “You don’t get it, do you?”
Bensons mouth was agape as he tried to figure you out.
You laughed in exasperation, “I’ve fallen for you, Benson, but now I’m left with two impossible choices! Run with you forever, or be without you forever, and I shouldn’t have to make that kind of choice!”
Benson surged forward, cupping your face in his hands, pain mixed with relief in his eyes, “Then let me make it for you. Run with me, I want to be with you. I’m in love with you, and I know that’s selfish, I’m selfish, but I can make you happy. We can change our names, we can disappear.”
You were shocked by how badly you wanted to just say yes, but the words wouldn’t leave your lips.
You would have to sacrifice so much.
“Benson, I… I need some space to think.” You pushed past him and made your way to the door.
“Please don’t leave, we need to talk about this.” He pleaded, his voice surprisingly soft.
You whipped around, “I need time to process the fact that the man I’m in love with is a murderer!”
The tone of your voice was so sharp it surprised you both, causing you both to take a step back and stare at one another as the truth of the situation settled over you like an ice bath.
“Just… stay here. I need air, don’t follow me, Benson.” You said quietly.
Benson watched you through his pained expression as you left, slamming the door behind you.
But he’d be damned if he let you leave on bad terms. He needed to fix things.
You stormed down the narrow staircase and past your aunt.
“I’m heading out to do some clothes shopping, Benson’s staying here, hope that’s ok.” You tried to keep your voice as even as possible as you checked the legging pockets for your card and cash before grabbing a spare key off the hook by the door.
“Of course, sweetheart. When you get back I’ll do us a nice dinner and we can catch up.”
You smiled at her as she continued to focus on painting intricate shapes into the ceiling.
“That sounds good, I’ll see you soon.”
You left the yellow house and stuffed the keys into your other pocket, making your way towards the Garden District.
You couldn’t help but feel eyes on you, the feeling ominous, cold and unsettling, something you didn’t feel often, at least not in the last week.

You rubbed the back of your neck as you turned to look around. The streets were busy, nothing in particular standing out, so you shook the feeling off.
You were obviously losing it. You needed a nap.
Once you’d reached the Garden Centre, you found the first clothing store you could and began perusing the racks.
You picked out a black sundress covered in tiny yellow flower patterns, a few sets of underwear, a couple of t-shirts and a pair of jeans.
You were about to pay when something nagged at you, tugging at your heart strings.
You doubled back towards the mens section, pulling out a few t-shirts and a new pair of jeans and underwear you thought were Benson’s size, and then made your way to the checkout.
Even murderers need clean clothes, right?
You used the rest of your cash and a little of your card to pay, and then left the store.
You’d decided to find a restroom and change into your sundress, thinking it best to maybe wander the streets for a while until you could clear your head.
The bright colours and pretty trees did little to un-sour your mood. You were so mad at Benson for not telling you he’d actually killed some people, and not just maimed them.
You were more upset with yourself that it didn’t change a damn thing about how you felt about him, but would it have if he’d told you that first or second day? Before you’d fallen deeply for him?
Or would you still be in the exact same position as you are now? Were you and Benson fated to fall in love no matter what?
Part of you was glad for it, he’d changed you in so many ways. Made you stronger.
But another part of you recognised how much more difficult your life would be now.
You’d never settle down, have a family, make friends and grow old in the same place.
But the other part of you didn’t care, as long as you were with Benson.
You were so deep in thought you didn’t feel the eyes on you, or the presence growing closer behind you.
You didn’t hear the clip-clop of expensive shoes drawing nearer and nearer, their pace picking up as they got closer.
Until you passed a deserted, dark alleyway, and a cold hand clasped around your bicep painfully, yanking you into the rank space between two tall buildings.
You cried out in surprise, as your back slammed against the chipping paint of a blue wall, but a hand slapped across your mouth, forcing you to be silent, and your eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.
Your ex. He’d found you. You dropped the bag of clothes to the floor and began to claw at his hand, thrashing wildly, but it was no use.
“You really thought you could escape me, you stupid bitch?” He hissed, the large hand across your mouth squeezing hard until your teeth were biting painfully into your cheeks.
You whimpered, fear pricking across your skin as his other hand circled around your soft neck, and his knee pressed sharply into your stomach.
You were effortlessly pinned against the crumbling wall, hot tears falling onto your cheeks as he smirked menacingly down at you.
“You really are as stupid as I always suspected.” He scoffed, squeezing your windpipe. You gasped desperately and tried with all your might to pull air through your nose. “The second you bought those train tickets, your bank pinged your location. I took an educated guess that tickets that pricy would likely be a lengthy journey, and the only family you had left were in New Orleans. I got the first flight out, and I wasn’t surprised when you turned up at your aunts house. But I was surprised to find you’d already moved on to someone else, and do you know how much that hurt me?”
His voice was cold, devoid of emotion, as it was most of the time, so honestly, you couldn’t tell if it really hurt him or if he was just possessive.
“It hurt me a whole fucking lot, and I don’t share, Y/N, you know that. Either you come back with me and say you’re sorry, make it up to me, or you don’t come back from this alley at all.”
Hot tears fell freely down your cheeks and onto his hand that still clasped painfully down across your mouth. He smirked at your anguish, at your pain. Something he’d always done.
“Well? What’s it gonna be?” He growled as he removed his hand from your mouth slowly, his other hand poised over your throat in case you even thought about screaming.
You stole a deep breath and glared up at him, your chest heaving with the lack of oxygen and pure hatred.
“I would rather die than be with you a second longer.” You hissed as soon as you could catch a breath.
His face contorted into pure rage, and you closed your eyes, bracing yourself as his fist reeled back, ready to pummel into your face, a loud roar in your eardrums from the rush of your blood drowning out the way he growled at you and the sound of a jazz band playing not so far away.
Only seconds ticked by, and no fist found your wet face, and his knee was no longer pressed into your stomach, his hand no longer around your neck.
You peeked an eye open a crack, and suddenly your senses rushed back to you in a new surge of fear and…
Relief.
The sound of a fist hitting flesh and bone was too loud for you ears suddenly, and you let out a garbled whimper.
Benson stood over your ex, his fist connecting and reconnecting with his nose over and over and over.
Your ex was bloodied and unconscious, yet Benson didn’t stop.
He grabbed your ex by his hair, slamming his head into the cold, hard ground again and again, until you finally managed to tell your legs to move, and you peeled yourself away from the wall.
“Benson! Stop!” You cried.
He didn’t stop. His knuckles were split and bleeding profusely, or was that your ex’s blood?
You couldn’t be sure.
“Stop! Stop! Benson, please!” You hung onto Bensons arm in a desperate attempt to stop him before he killed someone else.
Benson was in a blind rage, his eyes glazed as he hatefully stomped at the unconscious body below him.
“Benson! I’ll run with you, I want to run with you. Please just stop!”
That seemed to have registered with him, because his eyes suddenly returned to their normal sparkling blue, and he stopped what he was doing, slowly backing up until his eyes landed on you, chest heaving and hands blood soaked.
He crashed into you, wrapping his arms tightly around your body as he kissed your face over and over.
“I’m sorry, are you okay?” He asked, his voice shaky as he pulled you back to inspect you for damage.
“I’m fine, we need to go!” You pulled back, running over to the bag of clothes. “Take your shirt off, clean yourself up with it and put this on.” You instructed, handing him a clean t-shirt.
Benson immediately did what you instructed, cleaning off the blood as best as he could. You took the bloody shirt and folded it as much as you could before carefully putting it in the bag so not to get blood on everything.

Your ex was already beginning to stir, clearly his injuries weren’t bad enough, and you hurried Benson into his new shirt.
“We have to go, he knows where we’re staying, he’ll call the cops.” You said urgently.
“Your aunt, won’t she-“
“I’ll call her when we get to a pay phone, we have to go, now!”
Tugging his arm, you urged him out of the alleyway as your ex began to groan. Eventually, Benson snapped out of his daze and followed. You walked urgently, trying not to look suspicious despite the smattering of blood still staining Bensons tightly clenched hands.
You found yourself staring over your shoulder constantly, until something made you stop dead in your tracks and a realisation dawned on like ice water running down your back.
“Mouse, what is it?” Benson stopped in front of you, his still bloody hands cupping your cheeks as he gazed deep into your eyes.
“We have no car, you’re all over the news… what are we going to do?” You breathed, hiccuping back a sob that threatened to spill over in your panic.
Bensons eyes flitted across the street desperately, his nostrils flaring, and then he grabbed your hand and pulled you into him, looking down at you urgently.
“You’re gonna wait until I’m gone, give me 20 minutes, and then you’re gonna go to your aunts house and call the police. Tell them I kidnapped you and assaulted your boyfriend when he came looking. I’ll be long gone by then.”
Your eyes nearly fell out of your head, and you twisted your hands into his shirt in an urgent plea, “What? No, no no absolutely not! You are not leaving me!”
He cupped your face in his hands again, his eyes softening as he looked down at you. “I have to, otherwise you’ll get into trouble too. I’ve done enough harm, baby, I… this was never gonna last forever, because of what I’ve done. You need to tell them I forced you, make sure you don’t get reprimanded, get you in the clear, and then…”
You felt your heart shatter under his gaze, and you shook your head, “Benson, I love you. I’ll run if it means I get to be with you.”
He closed his eyes at those words, pressing his forehead to yours, “I will always love you, my little mouse, and I will find you, even if it’s the last thing I ever do.”
You stood on your toes and pressed a deep, urgent kiss to his lips, savouring the feeling as best as you could. He kissed you back with a hunger that rivalled a black hole, and heat that rivalled the sun.
And then he was gone before you even opened your eyes, disappeared behind some back alley, and he took your soul with him.
You let out a pained cry, because you knew he was right, but you didn’t want to do what was right if it meant you never got to be with him.
Regardless, he said he would find you, if it just meant staying low for a little while…
Fucks sake.
Before you knew what you were doing, you were running down the street, shopping bag carelessly discarded as you checked down every abandoned alleyway, desperate to just catch a glimpse or a clue that he had been there.
You didn’t give a fuck what the cops thought, you wanted to be with him, even if it meant running for the rest of your lives.
Even if it meant you went to prison.
You loved him. Painfully so. You weren’t sure how something so strong had grown in such a short space of time, but it was unbreakable.
You grew desperate and panicked when you couldn’t find him, your chest heaving from running, your head spinning from the fear you may never see him again. You weren’t sure how long you were out there, searching like a mad woman.
And then your heart stopped when a familiar voice cried out behind you, nasally from his broken nose, slurred from the swelling of his face.
“There! That’s her!”
You pivoted hard, and across the street was your ex and two cops who were already barrelling towards you.
You weren’t quick enough, and your feet felt cemented to the ground in shock, as they handcuffed you and dragged your helpless form to their cruiser.
You didn’t speak a word because you couldn’t hear a word they were saying to you over the ringing in your ears, and you watched silently as another officer escorted your ex away towards an ambulance, dread building in your stomach.
Your ex was a fucker, you knew he’d made up some story as to how you were involved and he conveniently left the part out about him attacking you. And although he was lying, he also wasn’t wrong.
You were involved, you knew that. If you had to take your medicine like a big girl, you’d do just that.
But you would never, ever lead them to Benson, even if you knew where he was.
You’d rather die.
———————————
In the cold, damp jail cell, you’d lost count of just how many hours had passed.
The room was small, it was only a tiny holding cell in the middle of New Orleans, 3 cells with a desk facing them for an officer to sit and watch you from, and a small, dank hallway to the right that lead to the entrance, the toilets and a small kitchenette.
You still hadn’t said a word, content on remaining silent forever if you had to, and eventually the police stopped asking, throwing you in the cell until they figured out what to do next.
“Poor thing.” The faint voice of an officer could be heard in the hallway. You were alone in the cell room now. “It’s classic Stockholm Syndrome, she obviously thinks she cares about this guy, and until she’s been assessed and realises she doesn’t, she’s not gonna tell us anything. Anyway, her boyfriend’s not pressing charges, he’ll take her home tonight.”
Your blood ran cold.
They had no idea what they were talking about, Benson wasn’t the dangerous one here, but if they sent you home with your ex, you’d definitely end up dead by the end of the week.
Panic began to wrap its icy tendrils around your neck, squeezing until you began to shake and you couldn’t breathe.
If your ex took you home to New York tonight, you’d never see Benson again. Even if he somehow found you, you’d be long dead. You were sure of it.
There was no escaping twice.
The officers began to laugh and joke about something you could no longer hear, your ears were ringing louder than your thunderous heartbeat.
You couldn’t believe it. You’d been so desperate to get away from Benson at first, when had the lines blurred to the point where you could no longer stand to be without him?
He’d torn out your soul, sewed it with his, and placed it right back in as casually as brushing a strand of hair behind your ear.
The laughter boomed in the dark hallway just out of view, and then stopped abruptly, pulling you from your thoughts.
“Hey, what the fuck-“ one of the officers exclaimed as the sound of the magnetised entrance doors suctioned shut.
Then a loud gunshot pierced the air, the ringing in your ears quickly returning. The sound of a body hitting the floor quickly followed by another gunshot overwhelmed your senses. Your heart sped up but not out of fear.
Out of excitement. Anticipation.
You waited with bated breaths as you stared out of the cells bars at the door to the hallway.
A figure finally emerged from the shadows of the dimly lit hallway, and you almost let out a whimper of relief.
Benson.
“Hello, mouse.” His expression surprised you, you’d expected annoyance, but all you could find was relief and want behind those eyes.
He strode over to the empty desk, fished out the keys, and unlocked your cell.
You threw yourself into his arms, almost sobbing with how happy you were to see him. You purposefully ignored the blood splattered on his cheek.
“You came for me. How did you know?” You breathed.
“I stayed, I was watching you, I needed to make sure you were safe.” He said, carding his fingers through your hair as he pulled back to look at you. “I was not surprised when I realised you had ignored me completely. I couldn’t let them get away with taking you.” He grinned slightly at your defiance, his smile faltering at the end of his sentence. “I’m sorry it took so long, I had to get a gun, and that wasn’t easy.”
“We really do need to run now, don’t we?” You asked, cupping his cheek in your hand.
You already knew the answer.
“You don’t have to.” He said, resting his forehead to yours. “You asked me to let you go that first day… this is me letting you go, if you still want that.”
You pressed your lips to his for a long while, breathing in his scent and savouring the feeling you couldn’t get enough of.
This man had truly ruined you.
You pulled back, a grin on your lips, as you took his free hand in yours.
“I’m not going anywhere if it’s not with you.”
——————————
The End.
Taglist:
@kitchen-sink04 @17ohtani @amoebagrl
Authors Note: I’m so sorry this has taken so long and for the short final part! Life has recently become really busy for me so I’d rather end this series here while I can, but I will possibly be doing a Part 2 of this series following Benson and Reader on the run and their new lives💛 thank you all so much for all the love you’ve given this and my other series! You’re all so appreciated!
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
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Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
Warnings: Smut, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Abuse, Guns, Kidnapping, Alcohol, General Dark Themes
18+ Only
- Part 4 Here -
————————————
Dinner was… awkward, to say the least.
Benson had a perpetual smirk on his cocky face, and yours was a steady shade of vermillion at the knowledge that your underwear was poking just slightly out of his back pocket.
Benson poured you another glass of cheap red wine as you pushed your pasta around on your plate.
Your appetite had long disappeared with any dignity you had left.
The waiter strolled passed, noticing your lack of appetite.
“Is something the matter, ma’am? Can I get you something a little more to your liking?” He asked apologetically.
You smiled up at him, ready to tell him the food was fine, when that damned man across from you decided to open his mouth.
“Oh she’s fine, my wife’s just pregnant.” He lied with a convincing grin, and if it were possible, you think you may have turned a deeper shade of red. “You know, a bit of all-day-sickness.”
Luckily, your hands were currently clasped under the table on your lap, hiding the lack of a ring and your intense urge to reach over and strangle Benson.
“Oh!” The waiter exclaimed, “Congratulations! If you… need anything, please do let me know. And… maybe not too much of that wine.” He winked down at you, and you forced an smile.
As soon as the waiter was out of sight, you lurched across the table and grasped blindly for any part of him you could grab and smack, but Benson was lightning fast, as always.
He chuckled as you struggled for a moment, and then eventually you plopped back into your seat.
“Careful, honey, you might hurt the baby.” He smirked at you in a mock concern.
“You are the most infuriating person I have ever met, and I’ve met plenty!” You hissed, “Who raised you to be like this?”
Bensons smile fell slightly, and he sat back in his seat, jaw ticking. “My ma wasn’t exactly mother of the year.”
Your face fell, and you suddenly felt bad for saying anything.
Goddammit.
“I’m sorry.” You said, “I didn’t mean-“
Just as soon as it had faded, suddenly his easy smile was back, and he reached across the table and squeezed your hand.
“Don’t worry about it princess, we all have parents who damaged us in one way or another.”
You stilled, swallowing thickly. “Not me.”
He cocked his head curiously, “Orphan?”
You shook your head, but then your face twisted, “Can you technically be orphaned at this age?” You laughed pathetically.
Now it was Bensons turn for his face to fall, “You lost them recently?”
You shrugged, “Uh, sort of. It was 3 years ago now, car crash. They were good people though, I actually really loved them.”
He squeezed your hand tighter. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise.”
You shook your head and took a deep breath, “Don’t be. My ex certainly wasn’t. He barely gave me a couple of days to grieve before he was snapping at me for crying all the time, said I was being over dramatic.” You rolled your eyes and let out a chuckle at how pathetic he had been.
Benson clenched his jaw, “How long were you with him?”
“Five very painful years. Actually… the first year or so was okay.”
“For what it’s worth, I think he’s a scumbag who has it coming. If I ever lay eyes on that fucker, I hope you know he’s as good as dead. I don’t believe in hitting women.” He murmured quietly across at you, his eyes pinned to yours, the sound so deadly you were sure if he weren’t in public he’d punch something.
“No, just kidnapping them and stealing their underwear.” You smirked, hoping to ease the now thick tension.
Luckily it worked.
Benson smirked, pulling his hand back and stabbing a piece of chorizo on his plate before holding it up at eye level.
“Gotta take what you want in this life, little mouse.”
——————————
Bensons words rung around in your head until you reached your cabin.
Gotta take what you want in this life.
He was right, but you’d never allowed yourself to do that before, always settling for what people gave you instead.
You knew what you wanted. More so now than ever before.
The cabin door closed behind Benson, and he kicked his shoes off just outside of the bathroom.
“Which bunk do you want?” He murmured absentmindedly.
You just stared back at him, waiting for him to look at you.
“What?” He asked with a grin once his eyes finally found your face.
“I don’t want to be your captive anymore, Benson.”
He stiffened visibly, his lips a light line across his face and he blinked rapidly.
“I want… I just want to be here willingly, I don’t want to feel like I have to be here.”
“Do you want to be here, willingly?” He walked forward, slowly closing the gap between you until you had to tip your head back to look at him. “Or are you gonna try and run the moment I loosen my grip, little mouse?”
You shivered, your heart thudding painfully against your chest.
Somewhere in all this fucked up chaos, you’d found comfort in Benson, and you had no intention to run anymore.
Instead of answering him, you lifted your hand and snuck your fingers into the neck of t-shirt, and you tugged him down. The moment your lips met his, he softened, his arm wrapping around your lower back, the other hand sliding into your hair as he kissed you back languidly.
You pulled away slowly, your eyes pleading with him, “I’m tired of running.”
Benson pressed his forehead against yours for a long while, his eyebrows pinched together as if in deep thought, and he let out a long sigh.
After what felt like forever, Benson finally stood back, his expression pained and he scrubbed a hand over his mouth.
“With me, you’ll always be running, mouse.”
And with that he turned and left the cabin.
Was he rejecting you, after everything?
If he had just assaulted some people, then surely his sentence wouldn’t be so bad if he just gave himself in, and life could return to normal?
You weren’t sure what was going through his head, but it was enough to keep him from the cabin for hours, and you eventually dozed off on the bottom bunk.
Hours later, the cabin door slid open and Benson finally ambled back in.
You poked an eye open, but promptly slammed it shut as you noticed Benson was walking right over to you.
Carefully, he crawled onto the bed and positioned himself behind you against the wall.
Your breath hitched but you forced yourself to act dead to the world, steadying your breathing as if you were still asleep.
Benson sighed, the malty smell of whiskey on his breath as he nuzzled your neck. Goosebumps erupted across the skin that his breath touched, and you had to resist the urge to wiggle back into his touch.
Oh all the ways you wanted him to touch you right now…
His calloused fingers gently brushed a strand of hair away from your face and he tucked it behind your ear.
“I’m sorry.” He whispered, barely audible.
You wanted to ask him what for, but after a moment he continued.
“I never should have dragged you into my mess. I wish I could fix it… could fix me, but…” he sighed heavily again, letting his subconscious thoughts come out into the open while he thought you were fast asleep. “I want you, but I know this isn’t a permanent thing. Eventually you’re gonna leave, and I-“
Benson huffed to himself, shaking his head, his own words angering him, and he got up and began pacing.
You couldn’t stand it any longer, and you sat up and glared at him.
“You’re awake.” He stated matter of factly, rubbing his jaw.
“And you’re an idiot.” You hissed.
At his surprise, you continued, “You’re running for assault, Benson. You’re making your own life difficult. Hand yourself in, do your community service or whatever menial time they give you, and move on with your life.” You stood and stomped over to him.
“It’s not that simple.” He gritted through his teeth.
“It is that simple! The longer you run…” you caught yourself before you were able to disclose how much it affected you that he couldn’t just settle down with you. “Benson I can’t run with you forever.”
Irritation and what looked like hurt flashed across his face as he rolled his shoulders and sniffed petulantly.
“Then go.”
“Excuse me?”
“Fucking leave when this train stops in New Orleans, I’ll do you a favour and leave you alone.” He hissed, his face now inches from yours.
You growled in frustration, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and shaking him as hard as you could. He barely moved.
“You idiot! I don’t want you to leave! Don’t you understand?” You hissed back.
“I can’t be what you want me to be!”
“I want you to be you, Benson, but I don’t want to be looking over our shoulders every day for the rest of our lives!” You cried.
Bensons face softened, a glint of tears brimming his bottom lash line, “I can’t give you what you want.”
“Are you so unwilling to do what’s right? Even for me?”
Benson was at a loss for words, and it stabbed you like a knife in your chest, that you obviously had the wrong end of the stick here.
You didn’t mean that much to him after all.
“Right.” You nodded, “I hear you loud and clear, Benson. Loud and clear.”
You turned to leave, to take your own walk to the bar and sit drinking until you smelled of your own pick of poison, but his hand wrapped around your wrist and you were effortlessly tugged back into him.
“It’s not that simple.” He huffed impatiently.
“Make it simple, Benson.” You demanded.
He rolled his eyes in frustration and didn’t utter a word. You scowled, tugging against his grip.
“Where are you going?” He huffed.
“Anywhere that’s not here.” You snapped, pulling out of his hold.
“Y/N, come back here.”
“Fuck you.” You didn’t bother looking back at him as you slid your shoes on.
“Don’t you dare fucking leave this room!” He barked.
You spun on your heels, venom on your tongue as you spat out your next words, “Just you try and stop me, you good-for-nothing, stubborn prick!”
If the tick of his jaw wasn’t warning enough you’d gone too far, his hand clasped around your throat sure was.
His fingers tightened as he slammed you against the wall, lifting you a few inches off of the ground.
You clawed at his hands and gasped for air, Bensons furious eyes boring into your bulging ones, the sides of your vision darkening as your body depleted of oxygen, until your knee finally jerked into action, colliding with his stomach just hard enough for him to release his grip.
You fell to the floor coughing and spluttering.
“I fucking hate you!” You rasped through hot tears, wobbling onto your knees.
Bensons hands were in your hair within the same second that lie left your lips, pulling you painfully to your feet and slamming you back into the wall.
His face was a picture of fury and he snarled down at you, eyes black and devoid of the Benson you’d grown to know and care for.
You let a desperate whimper fall past your lips as fear finally reared its ugly head again.
That seemed to be all it took to break him, and his eyes returned to their deep blue colour, his face falling in despair and regret and his fingers releasing their painful hold on you.
He hadn’t meant to snap, he hadn’t meant to handle you that way.
“No, no… I’m sorry.” He breathed, “I’m sorry.”
His voice was so broken that you felt a jolt of sorrow for him, as the tears welled in both of your eyes, his hands shakily touching your face and neck like he wasn’t sure if he hurt you while in his blind rage, checking for damage.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” He repeated over and over in a whisper, until he dropped to his knees in front of you, his forehead pressed against your stomach and his body began to shake.
You curled your fingers in his hair as tears dropped freely from your eyes, holding him against you.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“Benson.”
“I’m sorry.”
You dropped to your knees in front of him, lifting his face to look at you. He shook his head, his mouth agape in horror, “I…” his voice broke, in turn breaking your heart.
You pulled him into you, cradling his head delicately in the crook of your neck as you stroked his hair. “Benson, stop. I’m fine, look.”
Benson pulled back to look at you, his hands desperately grappling at your waist, pain etched across his face.
He shook his head, “I lost control, I-“
It was your fault, you pushed him too far.
You pressed your lips to his, his cheeks wet and your own tears seeping into your joined mouths.
“I’m fine, just kiss me.” You instructed in between kissing him, and after a moment, Benson began to return your kisses, desperate for the way your touch distracted him from his demons.
The taste of salt and whiskey flooded your senses as your tongue delved past his lips, your fingers tangled into the hair at the nape of his neck.
Benson pulled you into his lap on the floor, tipping your body back with the force he was kissing you with, nothing but his hands on your body to hold you up.
You pulled back, breathless, and pulled his shirt off over his head, before discarding your tank top.
You barely heard the growl that left his chest, before his mouth was devouring yours urgently, and his hands flattened once more against your bare skin.
You straddled him now, using the new angle to hover just above him, his head dipping back to keep kissing you, nipping at your bottom lip as you discarded your bra and his fingers hooked into the waistband of your leggings.
Laying you gently on your back, Benson slid your leggings off, a sharp intake of breath slithering through his teeth as he took in your now completely naked form.
You felt shy, but only for a moment, when the hunger in his eyes made you feel suddenly brave. Benson unbuckled his jeans and slid them over his hips, before lifting one of your legs, and kissing down from your ankle to the inside of your knee.
“You’re perfect, my little mouse. Devouring you will be the highlight of my existence, I can promise you that much.” He hummed, the tears on his cheeks finally drying, the heartache in his eyes replaced with something else.
You held your breath as he angled your hips up onto his lap, his thick, hard cock pressing against the curve of your ass briefly until he lifted you up to his mouth, his tongue pressing flat, languid strokes against your centre.
“Oh!” You cried out, the harsh angle of your body alien to you, but the feeling of his tongue was enough to hush any body aches you may have been feeling.
Your legs rested over his shoulders as he held you up with both hands, his mouth closing over your already soaking core, sucking and lapping at you like just a taste could fix every problem he’s ever had.
He moaned against you, and the feeling alone was enough to have your eyes rolling back in your skull.
Just as your legs began to shake and a string of lewd moans fell from your lips, Benson lowered you back onto his lap, and you pushed yourself back up to straddle him once more, your mouth back on his, tasting yourself on his lips.
His large hands encircled your waist, rutting his hips so his huge cock slipped up through your soaked lips, his tip sliding up and resting between your bodies, above your belly button. You ground your hips against him, coating him in your wetness and pulling a hiss from him.
Effortlessly, Benson lifted you by your waist, lowering you back down gently onto his cock.
He was so throbbingly hard that he slid in easily, but the stretch made you gasp.
Benson pulled back just enough to look you in the eyes, his brows pulled together as he thrust in and out of you slowly. “Good girl, you’re taking me so well.”
You couldn’t do anything other than whimper at the feeling that was radiating across your nerve endings, like pure electric pleasure shooting towards your toes.
Cupping the back of your neck, his other arm wrapped securely across your back, Benson picked up his pace, and you held onto his shoulders for dear life. You bucked together on the floor, your bodies moulding into one and wrapping into one another, but still you didn’t feel like you were close enough to him.
“Benson…” you cried against his lips as the hand around your neck slid down and grabbed a handful of your ass, pulling you firmly against him as his hips rutted into you.
“Oh my god!” You mewled helplessly as your hips moved of their own accord, “Benson!”
“Fuck, baby, I love hearing you cry my name like this. I’d give everything up just to watch you fall apart in my hands like this over and over.” He rasped out as your head lolled back and he watched you with hungry eyes.
Your body bounced as he filled you over and over, leaving you breathless and boneless.
The familiar tightening in your stomach began to build, your body shaking as your orgasm began to wrack through you.
You clenched around his pulsing cock like a vice as you came harder than you ever had before, crying out, your nails digging into the flesh of his muscular shoulders.
Benson grunted lewdly as your body arched backwards, his hands holding you up by your waist as his last few ruts slammed hard and uneven, and he was spilling into you.
You both collapsed onto the plush carpet, panting heavily as the effects of your orgasms washed over your exhausted, sweaty bodies.
You suddenly didn’t care so much that you were on the run.
You now had bigger problems.
Namely, the growing feelings you had for the man laying on the carpet next to you.
———————————
You stepped off the train in New Orleans hand in hand, a flush across your cheeks from hours of love making the night before and again in the shower this morning.
It was hard to keep your hand off of one another, especially when it distracted you from having to have a serious conversation about where this relationship could possibly go, but for now you were just relishing in how good it felt to have this side of him.
“Ok, so I think we should head to my aunts first, and maybe go clothes shopping later. I don’t know how much longer I can wear the same outfit.” You were starting to feel gross and uncomfortable, especially in the Louisiana humidity, desperate for a flowy linen dress or a pair of shorts and a new tank top.
“If it were up to me, I’d prefer you in no clothes at all.” He quipped with a wicked grin, pulling you into him and wrapping an arm around your shoulder.
You cocked an eyebrow, “Oh yeah? And have aaaall these people see me stark naked?”
You watched in amusement as Benson’s face fell at the thought, contorting into a snarl.
“I’d gouge every one of their eyes out for even thinking of looking.” He growled lowly, eyeing the crowd as if they had all in fact been staring at your naked body.
You barked out a laugh, nestling closer into his side, “You really are an animal.”
Once you’d reached your aunts house, which was not far from the station, you let out a sigh of relief.
Thank fuck.
You knocked on the purple door of her bright yellow home, and waited as the crashing and light curses on the other end indicated she was on her way.
The door flew open and a woman in a black dress and long, dark hair stood before you, breathless and covered in paint.
Her eyes rounded in recognition as they landed on you. "Baby!" she cried, pulling you into her plump chest and she squeezed you for a long time.
You chuckled as you hugged her back, a tinge of emotion building behind your eyes, "Hi Piper."
Your aunt Piper was your mothers younger sister, and she was only about 10 years your senior, so most of your life she jumped between the roles of aunt and sister, but god…
She looked so much like your mother.
She pulled you back to look at you affectionately, "I've missed you…" her eyes flicked to Benson, "And, who's this?"
Her tone was curious, not condescending, much to your relief.
"This is Benson, my… boyfriend." you had no idea, but it was easier to put a label on it. Benson didn’t miss a beat, and he stuck a hand out to shake hers, she took his and stared at the space around his head cautiously.
Probably reading his aura.
After a moment she nodded, seemingly cautiously optimistic.
“Oh good, you finally left that lawyer? Couldn’t stand him. Come in.” She ushered you in, “Please excuse the mess, I’ve decided to paint the ceiling.”
You hummed, “What colour?”
She cackled, “All the colours, and shades, and tones.”
You snorted at her quirkiness, “Look, Piper, I know we probably should have called, but is there any chance we could stay here a few days?”
“Always, baby. You can stay in the guest room as long as you need. Go get yourself comfortable, I just need to finish this section before the paint dries and I’ll be right up!”
Relief was a constant in your aunts cosy home, the smell of incense and herbal tea and coffee and turpentine wafted through different doors and reminded you of your childhood.
Eventually you reached the guest bedroom at the end of the hall, just the same as you’d remembered it, with a large poster bed in the centre of the back wall, a large wardrobe and an ancient TV on a chest of drawers.

You flicked the TV on a random channel and sat down on the end of the bed, removing your shoes as Benson curiously inspected the paintings decorating each wall.
The woman on the TV droned on as she read the news, but you were barely paying attention, exhaustion finally allowing itself to settle in your bones.
Until a familiar face appeared on the screen.
“Did your aunt paint all of these?” Benson whistled, impressed by the artworks.
“Uhm… Benson?”
“She’s seriously talented, does she sell them?” He droned on, oblivious.
“Benson.”
“I mean she’s surely doing something right if she lives in a house like this and-“
“Benson!” You snapped, turning the volume up on the TV and staring hot daggers at him. You were standing now, your chest heaving as rage and betrayal and something more visceral buzzed through your body.
Fear.
He looked between you and the news reporter, his face plastered across the screen, his body stiff, hands clenched at their size as his jaw ticked over and over.
“Tell me this isn’t true.” Your voice wobbled.
When he said nothing, you shook your head, tears flooding your eyes.
