One of the most important life lesson's I learned was that no matter how hard you try, or how good of a person you were, something bad was bound to happen to you. In my case, everything went downhill after I met Milo.
And of course, sometimes, life needed to get bad before it could get good. But, when was the good part going to come for me? And right now, it didn't need to be that good.
All I needed was to move on from the hell he'd trapped me in, with no exit in sight.
I was more and more sure of the fact that it was my fault. I should've listened to my gut, and should've escaped him while I had the chance. If I had been strong enough, many of the things he put me through could've been avoided.
I could never forget the day I saw him the last time, before we met again in court. It was a rainy day, and up until that point, rainy days were my comfort days. Laying all day long in my pj's, with a book in hand and a hot cup of coffee.
Milo had called me early in the morning, once again apologizing for hitting me. As always, he managed to force his voice to sound apologetic. He continued to beg to see me, to tell me that it would never happen again.
Against my better judgement, and ignoring the bruise on my left eye, I went there to see him. I knew that I was either going to cave or I was going to break up with him completely.
Oh, how much of a fool I'd been.
My parents were gone for two weeks at that point, on a business trip. I lied that I was going to bed early and instead went to meet him.
He lived in a fairly good neighborhood. I took a taxi to his house, and as soon as I rang the bell, he was opening the door for me. In that moment, I knew that I never should've come to meet him. The look on his face told me that I was either leaving in a body bag, or not leaving at all.
I took a careful step back.
''What's wrong, Freya?'' He was taunting me as he took a step towards me, ''Aren't you here so we could kiss and make up?''
I didn't stick around to hear what else he had to say. Since he was barefoot, I had the advantage. I bolted towards the streets and I didn't know where all the strength had come from, or the ability to run as quickly as I did.
Likely, it was the adrenaline pumping in my veins that had given me the strength.
I couldn't see him behind me and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Though, as much as I wanted to lie to myself that it was the end, somehow I knew that it wasn't even remotely close to being over.
I was at a crosswalk, waiting for the traffic light to turn red and walk over. After that, it would've taken me around fifteen minutes to reach my house.
As I stepped on the street, I heard people start to yell behind me. My head snapped to the left and it was as if the time had slowed down. All I saw was a black sedan coming my way, and behind the steering wheel was no one other than Milo.
The vicious grin that was on his face, the deranged look in his dark eyes were forever stuck in my mind. I was frozen in spot as I waited for him to slow down, throw me in the backseat and beat me, possibly on the way to his house.
None of that happened. The next thing I knew was, I was on the ground. He had hit me with so much force that I flew over the car before I fell down. That was the last time I saw him, as I was desperately trying to keep my eyes opened.
The sight of his car leaving as nothing had happened. It was then that I'd realized how much I fucked up by ever giving him a chance.
I woke up with a sore throat. Cora and Luka were on each side of the bed, and judging by the smell and looks of it, I was in the hospital.
Cora was quick to hand me a glass of water and bring it to my lips. I gulped down almost the entire thing before I released a low sigh. I felt my cheek stinging a little bit, and as I touched the spot, I felt gauze on it.
''Are you okay?'' Luka's voice was soft, barely above a whisper. He held my hand and squeezed it softly.
''Yeah,'' I said and then cleared my throat, ''Did they catch him?''
The look on his face told me everything. ''Not yet, but they are searching. Officer Davis is right outside, and it's best if she spoke with you.''
As if on cue, Alison Davis entered the room. She was just as pretty as I remembered her. Long black hair, bright blue eyes and a figure so tall that she could pass off as a model. A small smile tugged on the corner of her lips, though it had a hint of pity.
''Good morning, Freya.'' She spoke softly, ''How are you feeling?''
I chuckled, ''I've been better.''
''Is it alright if I asked you a few questions?''
I nodded my head, ''Yes, sure.''
Officer Davis glanced between Luka and Cora and I gave her a reassuring nod, that she was free to speak in front of them. After all, they were the two people I trusted the most in this world, and they already knew everything regarding Milo.
''Walk me through what happened last night.''
''I was at a bar with Cora, and around ten we decided it was enough and we should go home. Halfway through, I got a call from you regarding his escape. When I got home, he was already there, with a knife in his hand.''
My voice was shaky and I tried my best to at least sound put together, since I looked like shit, probably.
Alison nodded her head, ''I promise, I have a few more questions and I will leave you to rest. Do you remember anything else about last night? Did he say something or do anything that might reveal his location?''
''The only thing he told me was that he would come back for me, that's all.''
She pulled a chair from the back of the room and brought it closer to the bed. Luka scooted over a little bit, and then she looked at me, with such a serious expression on her face that it gave me chills.
''This is not a joking matter. He is going to try and get you. You have two options right now, either come with us to a secret location where you will be held until he is caught.'' She paused for a moment, ''Or you could go to stay with someone and we will have someone watch over you at all times. However, if you pick the latter, I cannot guarantee your safety.''
My tongue was faster than my brain, ''Can you guarantee my safety either way? He found me in half of a day, and he is still running free. So, how safe am I going to be?''
It was harsh and my voice was rude, though it wasn't my intention. I needed her to be straight with me and tell me what are the odds of him finding me again, and somehow, I knew that if he truly wanted me, no matter if I slept in the FBI headquarters, he would get me either way.
She sighed, ''You're right. Milo has been proven to be... smart. I can promise that we will do anything in our power to keep him from you.''
''Can I have some time to think?''
She nodded her head as she stood up, ''Of course. But you'll be discharged later today, it would be best if you made your decision by then.''
''Okay.''
As she left I slumped further into the bed. Cora was silent behind me as I turned my back to her. Luka on the other hand was staring out of the window. He was angry beyond belief, and he wasn't the kind of man to get angry easily.
I glanced at the hallway, since the door was opened, and something inside of me shifted.
There was Elijah, outside, talking with my parents and two police officers. He was clearly wearing his yesterday's clothes, as his shirt was wrinkled.
''How long has he been here?'' I asked, wanting to hear the answer from either of them.
Luka rolled his eyes, ''He's been here the entire night. He hasn't said much, but from the phone calls and from what I could hear, it seems that he's hired private investigators to track Milo down. Trust me, Milo is going to wish it was the cops who found him.''
My brows narrowed, ''Why?''
Luka grinned, ''You know how wealthy he is, and trust me, that comes with a lot of connections. Elijah could commit murder and still walk free. And you're someone he clearly cares about, so I wouldn't be surprised if Milo's body washed up somewhere.''
I gasped, ''Why the fuck are you smiling? I don't want him to kill anyone.''
He rolled his eyes, yet again, ''Yeah, I doubt he'd listen to you, especially right now.''
Elijah eyes locked with mine, and he was in the room within two seconds. Cora and Luka took it as a sign to leave the room and close the door behind them. Deadly silence fell in the room and I avoided eye contact.
I was sure that the call I'd gotten last night whilst Milo was in my apartment was from Elijah. I called it a gut feeling, since I had no idea where my phone was.
He took a seat in the chair where Luka was sitting not too long ago, after placing a soft kiss on my forehead.
''Hey, little fox.'' He said and it made me smile, ''How are you doing?''
''I wish people would stop asking me that question.'' I replied, ''But, I'm doing just fine.''
Elijah wasn't the one to keep quiet for too long and his curiosity was getting the best of him, ''Why didn't you tell me?''
He was definitely referring to Milo, ''Because there was nothing to tell. He was someone in my past, and I never thought he'd escape prison, Elijah.''
A nod of his head was his response, ''I called your parents, they should be here any second.''
''Thank you.''
''If there's anything I can do, tell me.'' It wasn't a question, nor a plea. It was a command, ''And, in regards of where you're staying, you're staying with me.''
My mouth opened, ''What? Who decided that?''
He blinked, ''I did. It's not up for a discussion. I can guarantee that no one in this world will provide you with better security or protection.''
I rolled my eyes, ''Yeah, talk it out with my dad. I doubt that'll go smoothly.''
A smirk formed on his face, ''We'll see about that.''
Elijah remained by my side for another hour before my parents arrived. Mom was crying and dad was beyond mad. Elijah and dad went outside to talk while mom laid in the small hospital bed next to me.
My head was on her chest as she sobbed. My heart was falling apart, because this wasn't her fault, yet she was blaming herself for failing to protect me. But neither of us knew this would end like this, and once again, it was my fault for allowing him to come near me in the first place.
I hugged her, tightly. Her perfume, Dior Poison, was the only one she was wearing. For years, it was her signature smell. And just by inhaling it, I felt much more safe. I fell asleep while she stroked my hair, and told me how sorry she was.
It broke me to hear her say the words that never should've left her mouth in the first place.
•••
''I've upgraded the security system, and the people guarding the entire building are the best in the country. Not a single fly will be able to come inside without being detected. At a click of this button, one of them will be in the apartment within seconds if you need it.''
Elijah slid the small remote towards me. Somehow, he was able to convince my father to allow me to stay with him. I wasn't complaining, though.
Luka and Cora visited already twice, taking turns. Elijah, eventually, got sick of them and told the security not to allow anyone in aside from my parents, who were barely able to leave.
''And all of the passcodes have been changed, the locks as well.'' He paused for a moment, ''But you don't need to worry about it, I won't be leaving your side until that bastard is caught.''
I blinked, ''What about work?''
He gave me a dumbfounded look, ''Are you seriously worried about work right now?''
I grimaced, ''Well, not exactly about my position, no. You, however, are the owner of the company. You can't simply not go to work.''
''Says who?''
I sighed, ''I give up.''
I was dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a grey over sized shirt, both of which belonged to Elijah.
His couch was my new best friend and I snuggled with a comfy blanket, alongside the little cat that wasn't too keen on being cuddled.
''Have you thought of a name for her yet?''
I groaned, ''No. I was thinking Lilith, since she is a little devil.''
He laughed, ''It fits her.''
He put on a random movie, and snuggled beside me. The couch was big, but not big enough to fit two grown ass people trying to cuddle. His head came to my chest and I felt butterflies in my stomach.
My hand was slowly in his hair, and he released a small grunt of approval. Chuckling, I continued to play with his hair. His hands were around my waist, underneath me. If we ignored the situation that brought us to be like this, it was the most perfect scenario.
Various thoughts were running through my head. From my brain finally understanding the danger of the situation I was in, to the massive gratitude I felt towards Elijah's actions.
Milo was back. And aside from the emotional scars he'd given me in the past, he now managed to leave me with a physical one, too. Cora's words flashed in my head, as I realized how naive that way of thinking was.
No matter if I managed to overcome this part of my life, now, every day when I looked myself in the mirror, a reminder of him would be there.
The more I thought about it, the more I found myself indifferent. Of course, I was still as terrified of that man, if not more, but right now, I did not care if he managed to get to me. He could kill me tomorrow and I would take it, gladly, if it meant putting all of this to a stop.
The movie ended soon after and Elijah had fallen asleep on my chest. His soft breathing managed to soothe me, and bring a genuine smile to my face. It took me around fifteen minutes to get up, wiggle myself out of his tight grip and take a shower.
My personal belongings were arriving later in the day, and once again, I took some of his clothing from his closet.
To make sure Milo wouldn't be contacting me again, at least not too soon, Elijah bought me a new phone.
I had only a handful of contacts saved, and unless I needed to call someone, it was kept shut off.
I turned it on after the shower so I could call my parents and tell them that everything was okay.
Mom especially had a hard time leaving, and every bit of reassurance would make her feel a lot more at ease. It was the least I could do.
The moment the phone was turned on, I got a phone call from an unknown number. A long sigh slipped past my lips before the anxiety truly kicked in.
With shaky fingers, though it was against my better judgement, I took the call and placed the phone on my ear.
''Hello?''
It was silent on the other side of the line for a few seconds. On my side, I could hear my heart thumping against my rib cage, threatening to leap out.
''That's a nice apartment building you're in.'' His rough voice sent shivers down my spine as I closed my eyes, a lone tear slipping from the corner, ''And the man who owns it, is he your new boyfriend?''
''No, he is my sugar daddy.'' I snapped, hating the tone he used to talk about Elijah, ''Milo, you're truly ill. You need to get some help and leave me the fuck alone. What do you even want? And I mean, what do you really want?''
A laugh came from him as he took a deep breath, ''I've always wanted you, Freya. But... if you don't want to come and be with me willingly, I can always force you to.''
''No, you can't.''
He was quick to answer, ''Are you sure? I know where your little friend Cora lives, and the address of your parents. That coworker of yours, Ellie? Yeah, I know that she lives alone, too.''
''Don't you dare touch any of them, you sick bastard.''
Milo chuckled, ''Don't worry. You know how much I love playing games, and right now, playing with your emotions is the most exciting. I'll see you sooner than you think, Freya.''
The line went dead.
•••
I was on a vacation, y'all. No need to be pissed for the short chapters <3