My Stalkers

9

The next morning, Layla was sore. She felt an arm loosely wrapped around her and opened her eyes. Was it Luka?

She jerked away when she saw it was Nick, then scrambled away into the bathroom.

Layla washed her face and locked the door then caught her reflection.

Bright red hickys covered her neck, chest and thighs.

"Oh my God, Luka I'm going to kill you." She breathed out.

She finally understood why he had been marking her so persistently before. She had been distracted with the phone call first, then the sex after to put two and two together, but now that she was awake and not distracted, she knew he did it hoping that Nick would see the hickys all across her skin.

There was a knock on the door and Layla jumped and double checked that the bathroom door was locked. "Yeah?"

"Hurry up, I need to use the bathroom."

"Use the other one, I'm pooping." Layla lied.

She heard him grumble, then left the room. Layla peeked out the door, then dashed to grab her sweatshirt. She paused to flip off the camera, then grabbed sweatpants to cover her thighs.

Back in the bathroom, she used her makeup to cover up the still visible hickys, then checked herself, before heading out to snag her phone.

"I'm going to tear you a new one when I see you next, Luka. Be ready."

He replied quickly, as usual. "I look forward to it ;)"

Layla rolled her eyes and shoved her phone into her pocket then left the room to begin her day.

Of course, throughout the day, Nick either ignored her and the kids, or propositioned her for sex, which she turned down each time.

After dinner, she got a text.

Luka: "You look a bit hot in that outfit. Maybe you should take off some layers?"

Layla huffed in annoyance and ignored it.

"Hey, you wanna go out for a few drinks?" Nick popped up out if nowhere to ask her.

She frowned. "No. We one have no money for that as you lost your job and two we have no babysitter."

He scowled at her. "I didn't lose my job. It's temporary leave. And why can't you just call one of the neighbors to watch the kids? As for the money part, you don't need to worry about that. Let me handle it."

"There aren't any neighbors who aren't over the age of eighty that I trust with the kids. And-"

"Oh, stop being such a stickler. You always are far too anxious. Get over it and call one of the neighbors to babysit." He turned around and started to walk toward the bedroom but she sprang up to her feet.

"No. We aren't going. We need to be safe and save money. And I could never trust a stranger with the kids and I'm insulted that you'd ask me to do that."

He turned and locked gazes with her. It turned into some staring competition. It ended in Nick grabbing the car keys and leaving on his own.

Her phone buzzed.

Luka: "I can't stand his shit anymore. He's a huge asshole. Idk why you put up with his shit for so long."

Aronin: "Leave him."

Layla ran her fingers through her hair. "Maybe" she replied.