Page 21 of The Bratva's Stalked Bride
Chapter 6 - Blair
It’s dark, and I feel like an idiot crouched behind the thick hedge on the side of the road opposite my apartment. If someone sees me here, they’ll probably call the police on me, and it will be a bit of a challenge to explain that I am hiding outside myownhome.
After I managed to slip away from Simon, sneaking out by going onto his private beach and then finding an escape route around the side, I came straight here.
While I was on my way here, I was convinced his whole story about those guys was made up… I was convinced that no one was after me, and he was trying to manipulate me.
However, the closer I got to my home, the more uneasy I felt, and I ended up ducking low and basically crawling most of the way down the street, inside and between bushes.
Now I’m sitting here like a lost duckling, staring at my house as though a master is going to leap through the front door.
I can’t explain the feeling. But something is off.
Sighing, I try to pull a twig from my hair, but it’s knotted in there pretty tightly.
I’m filthy. The nice, overpriced name-brand jeans I’m wearing are covered in mud. My t-shirt is streaked with dirt and my hair… I think it looks like a bird’s nest at this point.
What the hell am I actually doing?
This is stupid!
Simon is a liar!
There isn’tanyoneat my house, and I can just go home and forget about him and his stupid bullshit!
With a bolt of courage brought on by my anger, I start to stand, but a hand grabs my arm and pulls me roughly back to my knees.
“What are you doing!?” A harsh whisper brushes over me, and I turn to see Simon crouched behind the bush next to me.
“Where the hell did you come from! How come you were so quiet!” I say angrily, trying to tug my arm away.
“Shh, keep your voice down, Blair. I thought you were hiding because you could see what was going on around you?” he whispers.
I scoff, shaking my head. “I’m hiding because you made me paranoid,” I snap, whispering too, even though I’m sure he’s just crazy.
He shakes his head, and even in the darkness I can see the look of tension on his face. He closes his eyes for a moment, then loosens his grip on my arm, not releasing me, but holding me more gently.
“Take a deep breath,” he tells me, his voice calm and deep.
“What?” I snap.
“Just do it.”
I roll my eyes, but because his voice is so calm, I do as he says.
“Ok, now tell me what you see. But really look. Look everywhere and tell me what you see.”
Resisting the urge to roll my eyes again, I focus on what he’s asked me to do.
“I see…” My voice is a whisper. “I see my home. It’s dark inside. Um. There is a car parked out front. It’s my neighbors.Then I see…” I let my eyes drift further down the street. “A black van. Um. That’s a bit strange, I guess. It looks like someone is inside it.”
“What else?” he encourages me.
“Um, there…” I squint, wondering if I’m imagining it. “Something is moving down the little alley next to my house,” I say in shock as the shadow moves again. Too big to be a stray dog. Too big to be anything but human.
My heart beats faster as genuine fear creeps in.
“And inside the house?” he says.
