More Than Friends

Chapter 20: The Trap Is Set

The next morning, Nicole woke up early, her stomach twistin' with nerves. She knew today was the day—today was when they were gonna push back and see if Devin's plan worked. The whole thing felt risky, but what else could they do? Waitin' around was only gonna make things worse.

Devin was already in the kitchen, movin' quietly as he made some toast and tea. He looked up when Nicole walked in, his face calm, but she could see the determination in his eyes.

"You ready?" he asked, his voice low.

Nicole nodded, even though her hands were shakin'. "Yeah...I'm ready."

Devin poured her a cup of tea, then sat down across from her. "Remember, we gotta act like everything normal. No sudden moves, no lookin' suspicious. They watchin', and we gon' use that against 'em."

Nicole wrapped her hands around the warm cup, takin' a deep breath. "And what if they don't fall for it?"

"They will," Devin said, his voice steady. "They cocky. They think they already won. We gon' show 'em they wrong."

Nicole took a sip of her tea, tryna calm her nerves. She knew Devin was right—they had to stay strong, had to keep movin' like they weren't scared. But inside, the fear was still there, growin' with every step they took toward confrontin' whoever was doin' this.

Later That Afternoon

Devin and Nicole went about their day, stickin' to the plan. They went to the grocery store, walked through the park, stopped for lunch—actin' like everything was cool. But Nicole could feel it. She could feel the eyes on her, like someone was watchin' her every move.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she knew without lookin' it was another message. She glanced at Devin, who gave her a small nod, tellin' her to play it cool.

She pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. The message was short, but it sent a chill through her.

It's almost time.

Nicole swallowed hard, her heart racin', but she didn't react. She showed the message to Devin, who stayed calm, his face unreadable.

"They close," he whispered. "We got 'em right where we want 'em."

Nicole nodded, but the fear in her chest was tight. She didn't know what was gonna happen next, but she knew it was comin'. Whoever this person was, they were about to make their move.

That Night

Back at Devin's apartment, the air was thick with tension. Nicole couldn't sit still, her nerves frayed from the constant messages, the feelin' of bein' watched. Devin was in the kitchen, talkin' on the phone in a low voice, still makin' calls to his people, tryin' to get more information.

Nicole's phone buzzed again, and this time, she knew she couldn't ignore it. She looked down at the screen, her stomach droppin'.

I'm outside.

Her heart pounded, and she jumped up from the couch, rushin' to the window. She peeked through the blinds, but all she saw was the empty street, the dim glow of the streetlights flickerin' in the dark.

"Dev!" she called out, her voice shaky. "They say they outside!"

Devin was at her side in an instant, his face hard as he looked out the window. "Ain't nobody out there," he muttered. "They tryna scare you."

"But what if they really here, Dev? What if—"

Her words were cut off by the sound of a knock on the door. Both of them froze, their eyes lockin' on each other. The knock came again, harder this time.

"Stay back," Devin whispered, movin' toward the door slowly.

Nicole's heart raced as she watched him. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think straight. Was this it? Was this the moment they had been waitin' for?

Devin reached for the door, his hand hoverin' over the handle. He glanced back at Nicole one more time before slowly turnin' the knob and pullin' the door open.

There was nobody there.

Nicole's breath came out in a shaky rush, but then Devin bent down, his eyes narrowin'. There was a small package sittin' on the doorstep, just like before.

"Nic," Devin said, his voice tight. "Get back."

Nicole took a step back, her hands tremblin'. "What is it, Dev?"

Devin picked up the package, his face dark and serious. "We about to find out."

He closed the door, bringin' the package inside. The two of them stared at it for a moment, neither one sure what to do next. Finally, Devin ripped open the tape and pulled out another note.

Tick tock, Nicole. You can't hide from me forever.

Nicole's knees went weak, and she collapsed onto the couch. The walls were closin' in. This person wasn't playin' anymore. They were here, and they weren't stoppin' until they had her.

Devin clenched his fists, his jaw tight. "It's time, Nic. We ain't waitin' no more. This ends tonight."