Safe In A Stranger's Arms

Chapter Twenty Eight

Caitlin's POV

Worrying was a norm in my life. I was always over thinking about the most irrelevant things and never found a way to stop. It got worse when I fell in love with Justin. I could never predict an outcome out of him. He was so unpredictable that I didn't know what to expect. And the situation that I was currently in was a perfect scenario to prove that.

"V-Vegas?" My eyes grew wide at his statement. We weren't supposed to go to Vegas until June and there I was standing in front of Justin, in April, as he packed for a trip that we were supposed to go to two months from now.

He stopped folding a pair of jeans and looked up to meet my gaze. His face turned softer as he realized how scared and concerned I looked. "Cait, do you trust me?"

I gulped and nodded as I continued to look at him. I had no idea where he was going with this but I intended to wait and let him explain.

"Then you should know that it's best if we go now. I can call my travel agent and book a flight for tomorrow morni-"

"Justin, listen to yourself!" I cut him off. "So you just want to go to Vegas now and not even think about the things you're forgetting here? Isn't your brother coming? He's going to be pissed if he finds out that we're going now. Plus, I can't leave my job this early. I clearly told my boss that I'm leaving in June. She's going to kill me if I ask to go now." I paced around the room, apprehensive about Justin's decision.

"Cait-"

"Why do you even want to leave this early?" I sighed as I sat on his bed. It didn't make sense. Ever since I brought up Derek, he was acting like a totally different person. It was like something in his mind triggered him to act like this.

"You know why I want to leave," he said.

I shook my head as I spoke. "No Justin, I really don't." I sighed in frustration as I stroked my hair. "This is why I'm so confused. You get angry at the smallest things ever and I have no idea what to do about it. You've been so open about everything and now you don't even want to tell me why we have to leave now."

"It's that fucking bastard, Derek!" His wrathful voice took me by surprise as I heard him yell. "He's been stalking you, like the fucking creep he is, for so long and I've had enough of it. That's why I was following you around when we met a few months ago, to make sure he wasn't pulling anything that would end up with you getting hurt. I live with so much worry, Caitlin, and it's all because of him. Please trust me on this, we have to go now."

I was taken back by his reply. Every single thing he said made so much more sense. "Ugh, you're right. But wait, he knows we're going so what's the point?"

"That's the thing, he doesn't know we're going now."

-

I never liked flying. The fact that we were high up in the air without any support holding us scared me in ways I couldn't explain. I had only been to one air plane in my entire life and it was to get to Chicago. It was short and not as bad as I thought it would be. But it didn't matter because I could have gone onto a 100 plane flights and still be scared every time I was in one.

Fortunately, using the "It's an emergency" excuse seemed to work for me when I asked my boss if I could go for my trip early. I had to return the day after the wedding was finished though, which was totally acceptable since I was getting off work for 2 whole months. And the fact that I finished my second semester in university that month made me even more relieved and elevated.

"You okay, babe?" Justin softly said as he gave my hand a squeeze. We were already seated in the airplane while waiting for people from the other class to settle in. It sure was different flying first class. The seats were more comfortable, you have more space for your feet, the TV screens were bigger and let's not forget the fact that it was easier to sleep in.