The Strip

Chapter 22 (Just revised)

You know how you have that funny feeling that when everything is going so great but you are waiting for the other shoe to drop?  That's where Sienna was at this point. She didn't know why it was so hard for her to accept that she was worthy of good things happening to her and for her; it was a daily struggle and one that she thought she was getting past. 

 It had been two weeks since she'd received a note and was starting to think that maybe they had just gone away.  Little did she know this was just the beginning of cruel mind tricks perpetrated by someone with a sick, twisted mind, someone who didn't want her to be happy, someone who wanted her dead and out of the way. 

She had just finished her weekly meeting with the Legal department, going over some financial audits that were coming up, when she caught a glimpse of the same red paper sticking out from her mail.  Panic started to well up from within, her breathing was becoming uneasy and she felt like her heart was going to explode. 

 Why couldn't they let her be happy?  Was it too much to ask for a little modicum of happiness in this world?  She picked it up with shaking hands, opened it and read it.  

I'm mind fucking you...you probably thought I'd gone away hadn't you?  Not a chance...this is just the beginning...you will suffer, so much so that you will end your miserable, pathetic life and I will be rid of you once and for all.  Remember when I said enjoy it while you could?  Sienna just wanted this to end and she knew what she had to do.  She had to get this to Roan right away.

Sienna made it to the 20th floor in record time and into Roan's outer office.  Kathleen looked up when she saw her enter.  

"Just knock and go in" she said sympathetically.  Sienna mumbled 'Thank you' under her breath and knocked softly on Roan's door.  

"Enter" his husky voice rang out.  The young woman pushed the door open, but kept her head down because she was afraid if she saw his face she would lose it quickly.  It didn't matter anyway he was already picking up on her vibe and was around his desk and by her side in a matter of seconds.  

Sienna raised her arm,  holding out the note for him to take.  He snatched it and quickly read through it and then spinning around he went to his desk and called Legal.  

"Dan?  Roan.  Get down here ASAP." and he hung up.  He walked back over to where her feet seemed to be supplanted and helped her to his couch so she could sit.  

There was a knock at the door and Roan said "Enter"; this must be the guy from Legal.  

The voices she heard were muffled and they were talking low so she couldn't really hear what was being said and truth be told she didn't really want to. 

 "She got another one today" Roan said frustrated.  Dan took the note and quickly scanned over it.  

"This is not borderline harassment anymore; it's harassment plain and simple.  This poor girl" he said shaking his head.  "I'm thinking maybe this person is hoping that she's not stupid enough to keep these notes and that she has kept documentation of each time she got one.  This works in our favor.  If anything gets sent out to employees or shows up on her computer, anything, we know it's not her.  We can check security footage as well and see who's been creeping.  This is being done to hurt her.  Let us do our jobs.  You keep her together by keeping your shit together" Dan finished.  Roan nodded as he showed the lawyer from his office and then took a seat by Sienna.

"Will you let me take you home?" he asked gently.  She looked at him with wide eyes and slowly nodded.  

"I'm going to stay as well, okay?" he said.  Sienna blew out a breath that she'd been holding all this time. 

 "Okay" she said quietly.  "Roan?" Sienna said. 

 "Hmm?" he said. 

 "I'm sorry" that was all she said before walking out,  not waiting for his reply.  He caught up with her at the elevator. 

 "Hey" he said grabbing her arm.  "You don't have anything to be sorry for." 

Sienna scoffed.  "None of this would be happening if I'd stayed away from you" her eyes filling with tears.  He looked liked he'd been slapped.  

"Are you regretting us?" he asked painfully.  She wasn't going to be responsible for another's pain but she couldn't and wouldn't stay away from him.  

She turned to him, taking his hand and putting it to her face and placed a soft kiss on his palm and said "No, I don't regret us."  The elevator dinged and they both silently got in and rode down to the lobby where Charlie was waiting outside.

The ride to Sienna's apartment was very quiet and tense.  Roan's chin was resting on his finger tips while he glanced out the window when he felt a soft, warm hand glide on top of his.  He looked down to find his girl's hand on top of his, her thumb brushing gently across his knuckles. He sighed on the inside at her gesture.  

Her five words earlier gave him continued hope.  No, I don't regret us kept playing over and over in his mind.  He felt her shift in the seat as she drew her legs up under her and laid her head on his shoulder.  

"It's going to be okay" he said softly.  

"I want so much to believe you.  Do you know how much it would hurt me if you got dragged down into all my bullshit?  I wouldn't be able to forgive myself" she said sadly.  

He kissed her head and said "You let me worry about that.  Right now I just want to wrap myself around you and shut everyone else out.  Okay?"  She clung to his words as they pulled up outside her apartment.