Shadows of the Night

Seven

Sabrina

I wake up on the couch wearing one of Nathan's t-shirts. It's a white t-shirt that hangs off of me like a dress.

It took every fight I had in me not to go into his room to fuck him. This is the first time since my last relationship that I've wanted a man so badly.

I really appreciate everything he's done for me. I should do something for him in return. I wanted to suck his dick last night as a favor, but that doesn't seem to be on the table.

I rise from the couch and pull my hair up into a messy bun. As I walk into the kitchen, I think about how Nathan is the first man to not even make a pass on me.

I was out here on the couch wearing nothing but his t-shirt and he didn't even bat an eye.

Hugh!

Nathan to me just seems so closed off. There's something so secretive about him. He's so . . . Mysterious.

I find a bowl in the cabinet and begin gathering ingredients for pancakes.

The least I could do is make the guy pancakes for going all this way for me.

As nice as it was to stay here, I worry I might not ever be able to return to my normal life with Keith around. Hopefully we can put an end to this for good.

I'd especially hate for Nathan to get hurt again for me.

After adding the wet ingredients, I stir the mixture together thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

Hopefully, we're wrong about Keith. Hopefully he's not as bad as he seems. I want nothing more than to return to my old life. I hate living life in fear like this.

I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He has yet to hurt me. If he wanted to hurt me by now, you'd think he would've.

As I scoop a portion of the mixture onto the pan, my phone chimes.

Speaking of the devil.

"Hello, darling. Didn't see you at your place tonight. You love playing hard to get, don't you?"

I gasp at the message. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he really is dangerous.

He knows where I live now.

This is getting to be out of hand.

"Pancakes?" Nathan's voice startles me.

I turn around to see him sitting behind the counter with a smile.

Good God almighty.

He's currently shirtless as he rests into his elbows on the counter, every muscle in his arms peaking. He's got bed head with messy wavy hair. He woke up like this? Damn.

I swallow hard and reply, "Y-yeah." I turn around from the distraction and continue, "I just thought it was something I could do for you in exchange for keeping me safe."

"You don't owe me anything, Sabrina. I feel better knowing that you're safe. Believe me." He explains.

I smile down at the pan before flipping the pancake. "I appreciate that." I reply softly.

After a pause, I hesitate to add, "We have a problem."

"You burnt my pancake?" He jokes.

I chuckle weakly. "No. I turn around. "It's Keith."

His face falls into a frown. "Did he say something?"

"He knows where I live." I reply and turn around to take the cooked pancake off the pan. I place it onto a paper plate and slide it over to him.

"That's what I was afraid of." He utters under his breath.

"Maybe I could file a restraining order?" I suggest with a shrug.

He shakes his head. "No. That won't stop him."

"Then what do we do?" I ask.

His eyes meet mine. "I'm gonna have to take the matter into my own hands."

. . .

I show up to work wearing the same dress from last night. I was too scared to return to my place to get new clothes.

Maddie smiles at me as I approach her. Her head tilts when she spots my dress. "Didn't you wear that last night?" She pauses, then gasps with a smile. "Oh my god! That's right! You went home with Nathan! You totally slept with him, didn't you?"

I shake my head. "No. It wasn't like that. He was just keeping me safe. This whole thing with Keith is getting out of hand. He knows where I live now." I sigh.

Her face falls. "Oh my God, that's terrifying."

"It is. I'll be staying with Nathan for a while. He just went to my place to get me some clothes."

"File a restraining order on him!" She insists.

I shake my head. "Nathan thinks that won't stop him, unfortunately."

She hesitates to respond as she silently searches for answers, concern written all over her face. She then takes a deep breath. "Okay. Then maybe it's good you're staying with Nathan. As long as you're with him, then he can't hurt you."

I shake my head as I turn to walk away a few steps. I stop in my tracks. "But that's the thing," I turn to face her again. "I can't always be at his side forever. One way or another, he'll find me."

"But you don't know what he will do. You don't know if he'll hurt you. And if he does, Nathan is training you. You can defend yourself."

I sigh. "He needs to be locked away. We just don't have enough dirt on him to do so."

She pauses while thinking for a moment. "Okay. So what if we find dirt on him."

I stare at her, completely frozen.

Maybe she's right.

. . .

Walking down the street, I wait for the bait to be caught . . Me. Best way to find him is for him to find me. Easy.

With fists clenched down my sides, I observe everyone on the crowded street, scanning each face for his.

That's when I felt it; Eyes are watching me.

I stop walking and slowly peak over my shoulder, my heart racing out of my chest.

He's here.

I continue walking and make a sharp right, hiding in a doorway of a building. I press my back against the wall and don't move a muscle, my eyes on the busy sidewalk.

Just then, a man wearing a leather jacket passes rather quickly, his head turning side to side as he searches for something . . . Or I should say someone.

I wait for a few seconds before following about ten feet behind him, hoping that the strangers in front of me are enough concealment.

He walks a steady pace before a tall man approaches him, causing him to stop.

I quickly stop and walk over to the side where a magazine stand is. I randomly fetch a fashion magazine and open it to hide my face, peaking over it to watch the encounter.

I can't hear what they're saying. It looks like they're discussing something important. Then, Keith pulls out cash from his pocket and hands it to the strange man. He nods once at him before walking away.

"Ma'am, you need to buy that before reading it." The young man behind the stand startles me.

"Oh, sorry. I was just looking." I put down the magazine and glance back at Keith, who is now gone.

Where did he go?

Suddenly, large hands fetch my waist and pull me into the nearby alley.

"Hello, darling."