My Best Mistake (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 6 - Crow's POV

*TRIGGER WARNING*

I wake up to my phone ringing. I look at my alarm clock and realize it's 3 am. Who the hell is calling me right now? I grab my phone and see it's Nessie. I immediately answer it.

"Hello," I say in a raspy voice.

"Crow, I think somebody is in my apartment," she whispers.

I put her on speaker and hop out of bed. I put on a shirt and grab my gun from my nightstand.

"Nessie, listen to me. Lock your bedroom door, grab the gun I taped under your bed, go into your bathroom and lock the door, then wait for me."

"Okay," she says, her voice shaking.

"I'll be over in ten minutes, Nessie. I'm going to put you on hold while I call the cops," I say as I put on my boots.

"No, Crow, please. I need you," she says almost sobbing.

She needs me? I don't believe Nessie's ever said those words to me before. Little does she know how much I need her. She's my everything and some jackass is in her apartment.

"It'll just be for a moment, Nessie. We need to make sure this person gets arrested so they can't do it again. Stay quiet and do not come out of the bathroom. Okay?"

"Okay. I love you, Crow. Be careful."

"I love you too, Nessie. You be careful too. I promise I'll be there before you know it."

I put Nessie on hold and dial 911. An operater answers and I give them the rundown and tell them Nessie's address. I know the police station isn't that far from her place. It'll be a miracle if I make it there before they do.

I go back to the other line with Nessie. I can hear her heavy breathing over the phone. It sounds exactly the same as the other day.

"Nessie, Nessie stay with me. The police have already dispatched people to your apartment. I'm five minutes away. You're going to be okay."

Nothing. Nothing but the sound of her breathing.

"Listen to me, Nessie. Breathe with me. In. . . out. In. . . out. Good. You got it. I'm almost to your apartment. I can see the police ahead of me. You're doing great, Nessie."

"I think I hear them. I'll wait for you to give me the all clear."

"Okay, Nessie. I'm coming up the stairs."

I turn down the hall towards Nessie's apartment door. I see some cops standing in the hall. I run up and look to see another office tackle the guy and cuff him. The officer pulls the mask of the guy's face. I fucking knew it.

"Sir, can you identify this man," one of the cops asks me.

"Yes, his name is Derek Saunders."

"Does he have any relation to the victim?"

"They ended their relationship yesterday."

I look over and see the officer pull a piece of paper out of Derek's pocket. His face turns to disgust then horror. He collects the paper as evidence.

"Mr. Saunders had plans to rape and murder the victim."

My blood boils and my fists clench. I wonder how much I could bribe them to let me take him out. He doesn't deserve to live after all he did to Nessie. At least, that's my opinion.

The officer stands Derek up and starts to walk him down the hall. The cops give me a card to give to Nessie. It has somethig to do with protection and therapy services. I thank them all before going into Nessie's apartment and lock the door. I look at my phone and see I never hung up.

"Nessie, it's okay to come out. He's gone. I promise."

Nessie hangs up. I hear the doors being unlocked. Nessie tiptoes out of her room and into the main room. She runs over to me and hugs me tight as she sobs into my chest. I stroke her hair and do my best to calm her down.

"I heard what they said," she says through sniffles.

My body freezes and I feel my face drain of color. She heard about the note the police found in Derek's pocket. God, I wish she didn't hear that. She's been through enough already, and now she has to worry about Derek.

"Nessie, look at me."

She lifts her head up and I look into her gorgeous gray eyes.

"I promise on my life that jackass will never hurt you."

"Pinky promise," she says as she holds out her pinky.

"I pinky promise," I say as I intertwine our pinkies.

"Thank you, Crow."

"Don't mention it, Nessie. I'll always have your back."

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It's been a couple hours. Nessie didn't want to go back to sleep yet, so we watched TV in her room. I look over and see that her eyes are closed. I put the blanket over her and get up from the bed.

"Crow," I hear her mumble.

"Yeah, Nessie?"

"Where ya going?"

"I'm just gonna go sleep on the couch."

"Crow, please, stay with me. I don't want to be alone."

Nessie and I have slept in the same bed before. It's nothing new. We haven't really done it since we were kids. Well, since morning wood started being a thing. I just have to make sure I wake up before her. I don't think that'll be a problem. She's not much of a morning person.

"Alright, scoot over."

I lay down next to her and get under the blanket. Nessie moves to lay on my chest. My body tenses up. Nessie, why do you have to make this so difficult? I'm trying not to fall in love with you. Who am I kidding? I've been in love with her since I can remember.

"Cuddle with me," she mumbles again.

I wrap my arm around her and rub her back. Rubbing her back used to make her fall asleep so quickly and it still does. I just hope she feels comfortable. I don't want her to have nightmares because of that prick.

"Goodnight, Nessie."

"Goodnight, Crow."