A/N: And the winner is ReaRea215; she gets this chapter dedicated to her because she was the first to figure out who the stalker’s associate was :)
Bravo to everyone else who also got it right!
*****
Alice’s POV
I wondered why Caden was taking so long. It’s been ages since he’d left. Didn’t he say he was just going to get some groceries?
I smiled as a thought occurred to me: maybe he was preparing something special to celebrate me getting back to Aberville.
Oh, what a wonderful surprise that would be!
He’d come back, he’d make me dinner – perhaps one of my favorite meals – and then we’d eat some dessert. We’d catch up on who’s been doing what over the weekend, I’ll share with him how happy I was that I was finally getting along with my mother and then…
I grinned.
Then we’d catch up with each other.
In the bedroom.
Would we even make it there?
I got off the couch and went into our bedroom. I planned on dressing up a bit; nothing too fancy, just changing into those green shorts that Caden liked so much.
I couldn’t wait for him to be back; we’d have such an amazing night together.
*****
Caden’s POV
We walked for maybe half an hour until we reached a part of Aberville I’d never been in before. And why would I want to come here?
Run-down houses were on both sides of the trash-covered street; broken glass from beer bottles (judging by the color) was scattered pretty much everywhere; the people were unclean, unshaven and most of them so drunk they were swaying… I’ve been to neighborhoods like this in my hometown but I did my best to avoid them. In a place like this you could get punched or stabbed just for glancing at the wrong person.
The house we entered was like the rest – shabby and with junk all over the uncut lawn. The door screeched as the thug opened it and he gestured for me to move inside. I did not enjoy hearing his footsteps behind me as I walked into the hallway.
“To the left,” his gruff voice directed and I stepped into a living room.
The stench of cigarettes assaulted my nose and I briefly wondered how the hell did that not bother me before when I was also a smoker. The room had five people, excluding the two of us, three of whom were scantily dressed girls in their early twenties. Two of them were sitting on a couch by the sides of a familiar man in his thirties who was leaning over a coffee table.
“Marc,” I growled and he lifted his head, allowing me to see what was on the surface before him: coke. Now, what a surprise!
“Caden,” he stated, faking surprise. “I'm so glad I ran into you. I have a job that requires your... special skills.”
“Not interested.”
“But you haven't even heard my offer yet,” he leaned back on the faded couch, his arms circling the shoulders of the two girls.
“Let’s say I'm retired,” I replied flatly.
I hated this guy.
I hated his sleazy, theatrical attitude, I hated his over-gelled greasy hair, I hated his fancy suits, I hated that each time I saw him, he was surrounded by drugs and I hated that I once worked for him; even though it’d been a single errand, I’d worked for him.
“Retired? Such a shame!” The man let out an exaggerated sigh. “Too bad, too bad indeed. Girls, how about you go powder your noses or something.”
“Oh, but we will miss you,” the one to his right whined almost convincingly and let her hand slip over his crotch.
“You’ll miss getting high and you can do that somewhere else,” he snapped and nodded to the goon behind him. The man quietly ushered the three girls outside; he had to practically carry one of them, she was that out of it.
“Women! Nosey, dumb creatures, can’t keep themselves outta other people’s business… Stupid bitches…” Marc muttered under his nose then took a sip of a glass of whiskey.
“Too bad you are retired,” he then repeated back to that false saddened tone. “With the money I would’ve paid you, you could've bougth that cute little brunette of yours something really nice.”
I froze.
They knew about Alice?
But of course they knew! One of his thugs had followed us home from the train station. The same guy had now taken a seat on a chair next to a door as if to make sure I wouldn’t make a run for it.
How stupid did he think I was?
Did he expect me to leave after they’ve gotten my girlfriend involved?
They’ve got me by the balls, that was for sure.
Just how long had they been following me?
As if reading my thoughts, Marc went on.
“You didn't think I wouldn't keep an eye on you, did you, boy? You are such a good investment.I was saddened when you left your hometown so imagine how happy I was when one of my guys ran into you.” He took another sip of his beverage. “And I heard what happened to your girlfriend. Poor little thing must be terrified now!”
I gnashed my teeth and fisted my hands.
“And you must be very angry, Caden,” the man went on, a sly smile on his lips. “Very angry indeed.”
I was barely holding myself from beating his disgusting smile off his face. But I had to stay in control; I had to do so for Alice.
“What if I told you I could help you aim that anger in a right direction?” He inquired.
My fists loosened and I furrowed my eyebrows.
In the right direction?
“Oh, that got his attention!” Marc exclained, clapping his hands and grinning at the goon that had brought me to him. He then turned back to me.
“Let's say a certain somebody ows me a favor. And that somebody happens to be in the same jail as the man who shot your girl. I could make my guy deliver him a message from you. How does that sound?”
Terribly, almost irresistably tempting... Almost.
I knew that this might be my last chance to get revenge for Alice, but I'd made her a promise; I gave her my word that I would not get in the police’s way.
In the police’s way… But they already caught him. And you said nothing about not hurting him when he got in jail! A small voice protested in my head.
But if I took Marc's offer, I'd owe him and I would have to do whatever he orders me to. And once I'm in his pocket, I wouldn't get out.
But the shooter will be punished. Properly punished. You can ask whatever you want from Mark and his man inside will do it, the voice retorted. You can even have the shooter killed.
Killed, I repeated in my mind and immediately got disgusted that I would even imagine that.
Yes, that man was scum, but could I really live with myself, knowing I caused someone's death?
No.
No matter how many times I’d dreamt of it, this was the real life so no.
And Alice would never want me to. If she knew about this conversation, she'd be begging me to decline Marc's offer; she’d plead for me to rise above this.
“As I already said,” I started in a firm voice, “consider me retired.”
Marc's face contorted in a mixture of surprise and anger, but he quickly got a hold of himself.
“Think about it!” He ordered, handing me a folded piece of paper.“Now I’ll be getting back to my girls.”
He nodded for me to get out and I was all too happy to do so.
The moment I was out of that wretched house, I looked at what he had given me. Unfolding it, I realized it was a phone number.
So he was not going to give up?
I placed the paper into the pocket of my jeans and got my phone out. I briefly wondered if I had deleted the number I planned on dialing. Logan had typed it into my mobile some time ago, but I never called it before. Scanning through my contact list, I found out it was still there. I hesitated before hitting “dial”. I really had no desire to speak with that man, but he was the only one who I knew had been in a mess simmilar to the one I was now in.
After a couple of rings a confused “Hello” sounded from the other end of the receiver.
I guess he doesn't have my number.
“H-h...” I croaked out and cleared my throat. “Hi.”
“Caden?” His voice was full of surprise as it reached my ears. I hesitated once more. Was there no other way?
“Caden, are you there?”
“I'm here... dad.”
*****
“You took your time… Where are the groceries?” Alice asked confused when I got back to the apartment.
Darn it! I’d forgotten all about those!
“I ran into someone and before I knew it, it was getting late so I just came back here,” I replied, glad that I did not lie to her… just yet.
“Oh!” She seemed somewhat disappointed.
Had she been expecting something?
Had I promised Alice to get her something particular?
“What are we having for dinner then?” She inquired.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Caden, is everything alright?” The tone of her voice matched the worry on her face.
No, Alice, nothing is alright! I have one of my ex employers on my tail and he wouldn’t let go. And since bribing me didn’t work, his next task will be to threaten me. To threaten us. How the Hell am I to protect you from him?
I promised you to keep you safe but I don’t know how to do that. Even if I were to agree to work for him one more time, he’d want more and more and more and each time he’d use you against me. And if I fail?
If I mess up an errand?
What if I got arrested?
Who’d take care of you then?
I could not tell her all that.
Not after everything she’d been through.
Not when she was finally truly getting back on her feet and things were beginning to work out for her.
But in the end, if she was in danger, didn’t she deserve to know?
*****
A/N: Poor Alice;you really are getting a surprise but it won’t be the type you expected! Or would Caden keep quiet about all this so that the girl he loves would not worry?
Should he tell her about Marc?
And what do you think: should he have the shooter punished even going as far as to have him killed?
And what on Earth did he call Gavin for?
I hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you did, don’t forget to vote :)