Dreamchaser

Secrets

I must've dozed off at some point and as I woke the first thing I noticed was Cole pacing with his face screwed up in panic. I put a hand against his arm trying to get him to calm down, but he was too far gone.

"What's going on?" He ran his hands through his long hair trying to process. "Hey, tell me and we can fix it together."

"So, when you got here, I rang Aamon to let him know you went out the back entrance, just to give you a bit of space you know. Well, I haven't checked my phone since and Max has gone crazy, he's been to your apartment, and you weren't there... I'm dead. I'm actually dead."

"Woah, slow down a bit. Why would he freak out so much over that? Are you sure he's mad? It seems a bit dramatic since we barely know each other."

"You don't get it; he's been hiding you for years and now he thinks his dad has found out about you or worse. I've gotta tell him you're here safe, he's gonna kill me but at least he'll calm down when he knows you're alive."

I froze, unable to process the words I was hearing. My mind was spinning, and I needed to get out, now, before he came back. I willed my legs to move but they were like lead weights holding me in place.

Cole was talking on the phone, but I couldn't hear what he was saying through the shrill ringing in my ears, it was all a blur. Years? I must've misheard. Trying to regain focus, I inhaled deeply. Breathe and run.

I waited a few seconds as Cole walked to the end of the balcony looking over the city, now was my chance. I moved carefully, making as little noise as possible and edged closer to the door. Slipping inside, I ran through the apartment, Cole had mentioned a back entrance, where the fuck was it?

I peeked out the door and the hallway was empty from both directions. Breathing a sigh of relief, I headed to the opposite end I'd come through and into the stairwell. Finally, my instincts kicked in as I lurched forward and down the steps as quickly as my legs would move, hearing muffled yelling from above as I made it to the exit, and it pushed me to run harder. The garden was deserted, and I spotted a small gate to the back of the property which led to the alley. I just had to make it to the street, and I'd be safe, there would be too many people around for them to make a scene.

As I ran down the dark alley, I could feel someone watching, spinning around wildly to find nothing. Calm down crazy pants and pull yourself together. The paranoia was getting to me, and I hailed the first taxi in sight. It wasn't a wise choice going back to my apartment, but I had to get money and clothes if I was going to go anywhere.

I asked the driver to wait, I'd be down shortly with my things, and I needed him ready to go if I had to make a quick getaway. Even inside my apartment I didn't feel safe, if Cole was so visibly shaken up over a simple misunderstanding what would be waiting for me? He'd said they'd been watching for years; how could I not have noticed?

But in some way, I had. I'd felt the eyes for a long time, always brushing it off as anxiety because that's totally normal for a woman in a big city alone. But why now? Why had he made contact and flirted with me? Why had Cole made me feel so at ease? I felt it deep down he wouldn't even hurt a fly so why the lies and secrets. It wasn't normal to watch someone so closely unless you wanted something.

The emotional exhaustion was pulling me down, begging for sleep but my phone buzzed in my pocket and I worried what I'd find.

Kate: Girl, where are you? Your gorgeous friend just came in looking for you and it seemed important!! He said he was your boss, so I gave him your number, just call me asap!! Xx

Fuck, Kate. An open book to every hot guy she meets. A twinge of guilt ate away at me, it wasn't Kate's fault, how was she to know I had a crazy stalker after me. The phone buzzed again, this time from a number I didn't recognise.