Fatal Infatuation [18+]

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(Evelyn's POV)

After reading the message, I decided to go to Bellburn Grove without giving it a second thought. I had to save Mateo. I know he was always rude to me, I know he took advantage of me, I know he wasn't the best person, but I couldn't live with myself if I knew that he died because of me. I immediately ran out of my apartment with nothing but my phone, my keys, and the pajamas on my back. 

My stomach was full of dread and I couldn't calm myself down no matter how hard I tried. My breaths were shallow and ragged and my head spun as images of Mateo entered my mind. It was 3:40 AM, and I was almost sprinting down the streets. There were no cars, no people, and it was eerily quiet. Luckily, the grove was conveniently near my apartment building. After a few minutes, I made it to the grove. I stood in front of the entrance, my hands on my knees as I kneeled to catch my breath. 

I heard a car pull in on the street in front of me and I turned around to look at it. The car was familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on where I knew it from. Slowly, a man emerged from the vehicle. It was... Roman? 

My eyes widened in confusion as I panted. "Roman?"

He leaned on his car and stared down at me, a strange gleam in his eyes. "Oh, Evelyn, I'm so happy to see you again." 

His mood shifted immediately as he saw me, and an excited grin planted across his lips. I only stared at him incredulously, my jaw agape. It was all him. He abducted Micah. He abducted Mateo. I knew he was dangerous, and I felt my blood run cold and the color drain from my face. He could read the obvious fear and discomfort in my expression, because he crouched down slightly to reach my level as he approached me. 

"Are you scared?" He asked, tilting his head. 

"Why did- Why are you doing this?" I stammered, trying to step away from him, my movements frantic. 

He let out a low chuckle and stood back up, an almost pitiful expression on his face. "All I wanted was to keep you safe, rabbit. It's obvious to me that you cannot take care of yourself as well as I could," He sighed and continued, "So, I sniffed out Micah, and I found him there, with you, being so revolting, so dangerous. You probably don't understand where I'm coming from, but that's okay, you will eventually." 

I froze up as I listened intently to his words, replaying them in my head. This was either an act of love, or an act of pure evil. "Why did you take Mateo?" I chimed up after a few moments of silence. 

"Well, I couldn't have someone else trying to take you away from me, could I?" He explained, his gaze hardening as he remembered the actions of the man. 

"You are going to let him go now, right?" I asked, an unsure tone in my voice. 

He let out another laugh, but this one sounded more like a genuine laugh than a laugh of pity or fake humility. 

"Oh, Evelyn. You're so naive, so selfless, always thinking of other people, prioritizing them over your own wellbeing," 

His voice went low as he finished his sentence. "That's why it's my job to make sure no one takes advantage of you, ever again."

My breath quickened again and I hurriedly paced away from him as he got closer and closer, and I kept stepping away until I felt my back hit a tree, and I knew it was all over in that moment. I let out an ear-piercing scream as I felt him place a cloth over my mouth, and before I knew it, everything turned black. The last thing I felt was my body being picked up bridal-style and placed carefully into the back of the car. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, and the only thing I could think about was how peaceful I felt in that moment. I listened to the wind making the leaves on the trees bustle, I listened to the quiet humming noise that the car made as Roman began driving, and I heard him murmur "Sweet dreams," before I drifted off to a deep sleep.