Phantom Rider - The Aftermath | Book 1

#9 | Sleepwalker

Bill's POV

I felt like shit. Like a miserable, utterly damaged piece of shit. Not only did I lose the phantom rider, but I also got almost beaten up by a girl. How much can one take in one night? Maybe Georg and Gustav were right—I must get myself together. It's getting pathetic.

That Mila not only had a nice-looking ass, but she was also a total asshole. Where did she even come from, and why is she so desperate to be on top? Is someone behind her? I have to figure out who she is and why she's here.

"Georg!" I shouted across the kitchen. "Can we get someone on tracking?"

"Who do you have in mind?" he peeked through the door frame from the living room.

"Mila." Her name sounded sweet on my lips. "Fuck, I'm losing it."

"Oh, finally you're thinking in the right direction," Georg approved my request.

She herself gave me the idea of following her.

Mila's POV

I stumbled into my apartment. My heels were killing me. One drink had turned into an all-night drinking session, and my head was spinning. I fell into my bed, finally alone. All king-size bed to myself. I stumbled back again to close the curtain as sunlight hit the room, tripping over my own bag and almost face-planting on the floor.

Unable to stand up, I lay on the floor carpet instead, staring at the ceiling. "Bill..." my mind wandered. "I haven't had so much fun with an enemy ever in my life."

"But gosh, he was soooo hot when he was angry." My drunk brain couldn't find that filter which blocks all inappropriate ideas, so I just let my mind loose, and oh boy, I shouldn't have let myself do it.

"I wonder what he's doing now. Sleeping? Alone? With someone? Why not me?"

I stared at the picture next to my bed. "Fuck you, Matt." The picture of the happy couple hugging stared back at me. "Fuck you, fucking fucker... I hate you." Barely able to speak, I kept cursing at our image.

"That's it, I'm going to find Bill..." I put on sneakers, and the same way I stumbled into my room, I got to the elevator. As it went down, my stomach turned badly, but I managed to keep myself together. As I walked past the door security, I put on sunglasses and smiled. "Good morning."

The guard smiled back, knowing I had just 30 minutes ago gone home. 'So now what?" I stood next to the cab parking lot. "I have no idea where he is."

"Okay, let's just walk and let my heart guide me to him." Yet another genius idea from a brain poisoned all night. So I simply walked in the direction I thought would work for some reason. The world around me was all a blur; people rushed onto me, and the sunlight was so sharp it made my head hurt.

But I kept walking until I couldn't walk anymore. Getting really sleepy, I curled up on a bench, got my cigarette, and as I started smoking, I felt myself drifting away. My eyes got heavy.

Bill's POV

It was quite a show. She looked like she had survived a massacre. Her ash brown hair was all messed up, her fancy dress with ruffles and flowers was dirty, and she was wearing sneakers that didn't go with the look. Large Dior sunglasses too big for her face, a shiny bag, and a cigarette - almost like a rock star's wife who'd been on drugs for quite a while.

I enjoyed the show, how she stumbled into people, wiggled through the street, and occasionally turned around as if trying to dance. I wondered where she was going and why she didn't have any security. Knowing her reputation, I was sure many people wanted her dead. Yet, she didn't give a fuck.

I might follow her more often if this is the entertainment she provides. She sat on the bench and fell asleep with a burning cigarette in her mouth. It looked so weird; she always looked so different when I met her, almost like a chameleon.

I looked around; no one paid attention to her. That cigarette fell out of her hand right onto the ruffle of her dress. I didn't interrupt until I realized the dress was starting to smoke.

Fuck. I ran to her, took the cigarette off her dress, and quickly brushed her dress to prevent it from catching fire. That moment, she opened her eyes, staring right into mine.

"See, I knew I went in the right direction," she giggled.

I had never seen someone so dumb and so drunk. What do I do with her now? Leave her just like that?

"Bill, you are very pretty..." She mumbled, half-asleep again. It took me by complete shock. "Pretty" was not the compliment I was looking for, but from her, I guess I'd take it.

"Let me get you home?" I asked her. She didn't reply. Ahhh. Fuck.

I got her up; she couldn't stand by herself. I began to regret choosing to follow her today. I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder like a potato sack. She wasn't heavy at all, but her wiggly body dressed in silk dress made it hard to carry her as she slipped out of my grip with every move.

I got her to the entrance of her apartment building, but as I was about to carry her inside, the guard stopped me.

"You are not allowed to come in."

"Lady needs some help, can't you see?" I was pissed off, feeling her slip off my grip again.

"You are not allowed to enter. Final." The guard stood still in front of the door.

I tightened my hold on her, freed one arm, and pulled my gun out of my pocket.

"Now, I will not repeat myself. The lady needs help to get to her apartment. Either you let me in, or you will never be able to leave this place yourself."

He hesitated, so I pushed the gun right into his face and loaded it so he could hear the sound.

"So, how's it going to be?" I stared at him.

He slowly moved away from the door, letting me in. Yet, there was another problem. I had no idea which was her apartment. So I gently put her on the lobby couch and even gentler slapped her cheeks to wake her up.

"Which apartment?"

"Yours..." she murmured.

"No, Mila, concentrate! Which is your apartment?"

She pulled her handbag towards me. "There's a chip."

I picked her up again, carrying her to the elevator. As it opened at her apartment, I was stunned by the luxury inside. I carried her to bed; she was passed out again.

I looked at her. No, those sneakers got on my nerves, so I took them off. Better. Now sleep tight. I noticed a bruise under her eye which I gave her. And for some unexplainable reason, I kissed her forehead. "I am so sorry for that!"

As I was about to leave, I looked around her room. This could be my chance to check her apartment. She wouldn't even notice. I could gather everything I need to take her team down. But there was only one thing that caught my eye - a picture on the wall. A wedding picture of her and her husband, both looking in love, happy, and beautiful. Do people really fall in love like that and even manage to get married?

I felt something in me, and that feeling made me angry. Suddenly, I heard a very dim but recognizable police siren sound. That idiotic guard must have called the police. I had to go before they found me. So I sneaked out of the building through the underground parking lot.

Mila's POV

I woke up in my bed, not even knowing what day it was. I had no idea how I got home. Must have been one hell of a party. It's Alice's fault.