Alex stormed toward the front, his expression dark and his eyes burning with an intensity that could set the world ablaze. I rushed to the door, throwing it open and pulling him into a hug.
"It's okay, little bird," I whispered.
He gazed at me, a smile playing on his lips, though unreadable. "We need to leave, and we need to leave now. You understand, right?" His voice was low, serious. "You're not safe here anymore. Too many people are coming for you. I don't have my men to help me protect you."
He held me close, as if afraid I might disappear at any moment. "Alex, I understand. But what about my life? What about my best friend?"
"She'll come back when it's safe. Maybe even live with you. How does that sound?"
I gasped, too excited for words, and laughed—a sound full of joy and relief. "Really? She can be with me? We can cause chaos together?" I grinned, the weight lifting off my shoulders. "Okay. As long as everyone I know stays safe, then."
I felt like the world was spinning too fast. We darted into stores, buying things I never thought I'd need. It was strange, knowing I had four, maybe five, people out there who cared about me, but only one with me now. I had imagined I'd grow old, single, maybe a crazy cat lady with health issues. I laughed to myself, sipping my too-sweet coffee.
I looked at Alex, holding my hand in his as we drove in his oversized, lifted truck. Why? Why the giant truck, Alex? He grinned, knowing full well we were about to board a flight to who-knows-where, and he still wouldn't tell me. The mystery was unbearable. I hated surprises.
We stopped at another store. It seemed to have makeup and clothes—things I didn't even know I needed.
"Alex, what are we doing here? I thought we were done. I'm tired, hungry, and I've bought everything already. Do I really need more stuff?"
He smiled like I had just given him a puppy for Christmas. "Okay, okay. We'll buy whatever you need, and then we'll head to my other house. But you'll probably scream my ears off, too."
After more shopping, I was beyond over it. I just wanted to go back to the house.
"Alex, can we leave now? I'm done!"
"Yeah, Rose. We can leave now," he said, snickering with a smirk.
The truck rolled through iron gates, the property dark and foreboding, like something out of a ghost story. I jumped out, making my way inside. The stairs creaked under my feet as I headed to the bedroom upstairs. The black comforter felt soft against my skin as I collapsed onto the bed with a sigh.
"Why is my life so cruel?" I whispered. "What did I do?"
Tears slipped down my cheeks, hot against my skin. I curled in on myself, feeling like a child who had lost everything. As my eyes closed, slumber pulled me under.
"Rose…" The voice roared through the darkness, sharp and filled with rage. "You thought you could run from me!"
I jolted awake, the sensation of being watched heavy in the room. My limbs were bound, my body cold and stiff. I tried to move, but the restraints kept me locked in place. Why was I so tired?
I screamed, my throat raw with the intensity of it.
"Scream all you want, little bitch," the voice growled. "You're in my world now. I'm going to make you regret running away with that piece of shit bird."
Pain exploded across my thighs, like hot iron searing into my skin. I screamed again, agony consuming me.
"Please… stop!" I begged, but the pain didn't relent. It burned, it cut, and it tore at me, unceasing.
The pain stopped suddenly, but I knew it wasn't over. It never was.
Sharp, cold glass scraped against my chest, dragging down my stomach. I bit my tongue, trying to stop the tears, but they fell anyway. Wake up! Wake up! This has to be a dream!
"I'm coming for you," the voice whispered, distant yet so close. "Run all you want. I'll find you wherever you are. I love the chase."
And then, the voice faded into nothing. I gasped, jerking my eyes open. The room was still, but there, standing at the foot of my bed, was a dark, looming shadow. I froze, terror flooding my veins. My mouth opened, but the scream that tore through me was unlike anything I'd ever known—raw, bloodcurdling, and full of the deepest fear I had ever felt.