Balotelli-Bale Series Book #4: THE OTHER MAN PART 1

Chapter 35: All The Right People

A/n: New Chapter

"...let them have the gutter, take the high road..."

Keira's POV
"Lorraine, it's me again. I know I'm probably bugging you but are you okay? It's been a while. You're not texting or calling back. Please let me know you're okay. By the way, Nick left last night. A cop came around looking for him. Jason pressed charges against him. I'm worried about Nick and I'm worried about you." I sat down on a little stool near the window, still looking for any hope of either one if them coming by. "Please call me back. Bye."

After leaving the voicemail, I called Nick.

"Leave a message." His voicemail is pretty simple.

"Nickolas, tell me you're held up somewhere and you're not in jail. I'm worried about you. Take care honey. See you soon? I hope so. Bye."

It's so quiet here. I have never been on my own. Someone is always here. I feel scared of what could be outside in the woods. I prefer a house surrounded by nothing so that I can see everything. With the night edging closer, I'm very nervous. I have already locked all door and windows. If I survive the night, I'm leaving in the morning. I can't stay here alone especially when I dint know if Nick is okay. Then there's Lorraine. She's not responding.

It's been roughly six weeks now. I think it's time to go home and tell my parents why I have been MIA. I just hope it won't affect them negatively. Nick has been so helpful. His impatience is so obvious sometimes but deep down I know he means well. He loves me. I think my heart is starting to beat in the same rhythm but I want to be sure before I tell him how I feel.

I moved away from the window when I saw a shadow. I stayed plastered against the wall close to the window. I brought my trembling fingers to move the sheer curtain. There's a man outside. Where did he come from? I didn't see him. It's getting dark and the porch light is on but he has a dark baseball cap and a backpack. My heart almost jumped into my throat when I saw him reveal a gun. He stepped away from the door, the boards creaking under his weight.

I willed myself to be calm. I can't even breathe. I moved to the corner when he came to the window. Seconds later, he walked away. I can't hear him anymore.

I moved to the window to check but he's gone. Am I imagining things? Where did he go?

I switched off the light and went through the kitchen looking for anything to defend myself. Definitely not a knife. I don't want to kill anyone. I picked the frying pan and sang it a bit to get an idea of how I'm going to do this.

A floorboard creaked.

It's close by!

He's inside the house! How? How is he inside? There is one door! I locked all the windows! The creaking is getting louder, my heartbeat is rising. I willed myself to be brave. I have to be. I'm alone here. Nick isn't here to fight my battles and if this man is here to hurt me then I have to fight back.

I swung the frying pan as soon as he emerged but he raised his arm and it didn't hit his head as I had planned.

"Keira?"

I stopped myself from swinging again. My enlarged eyes stared at him for a moment before I really saw him. "Fangs? Sorry. Bruce?"

He sighed deeply. "Put the frying pan down." He ordered me. I put it down. My eyes dropped to the gun in his hand. "Relax. It was just in case I had to shoot someone. What are you doing here?"

He took off the baseball cap.

"Nick... Uh... I came here with Nick."

"Okay." He shrugged. "Where is he?"