White Lie | Danny Amendola

Chapter 32

Surprise update! This is the last chapter! Epilogue will be tomorrow! :)

"Thank you for the ride, Jules," Danny mumbled as he slid out the back to Julian's car, then held his hand out for me. "We really appreciate it."

I looked over at Julian and nodded. "Thanks Jules... It really means a lot to have you here for us," I said as I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. "You're a great friend."

Julian turned to look at me with a boyish smile on his face. "It's no problem, Kris. I'm just glad that the both of you are okay," he replied, his blue eye meeting mine. "Now head up and do what the doctor told you to! Get some rest!"

I rolled my eyes and grabbed Danny's hand, letting him pull me out. When I was stood outside of the car, I slammed the door shut, turned to wave to Julian, then grabbed Danny's hand. Once Julian was out of view, Danny let out a huff next to me. "Can we please go inside now? It's cold!"

I giggled and nodded. "Yeah...Let's go," I mumbled, suddenly realizing that I could see my breath. "Maybe we can watch Hell's Kitchen on demand," I said as we made it into the building.

As we waited for the elevator to come down, Danny looked at me with a large smile. "Why do you love that show so much? It's like the only show that you must watch... And you'll watch an episode like 20 times over." The look he was giving me was one of full amusement.

I shrugged. "I honestly really don't know. All I know is that Gordon Ramsay is hilarious," I said and let out a giggle. "Ya know, Danny... You're an excellent cook... Maybe you should take a picture and ask him what he thinks some time." The doors slid open and we stepped in.

Danny pressed the button for his floor. "A picture of myself cooking? You mean like when I just wear my shorts and an apron? I mean... I don't think Gordon Ramsay is into those types of pictures... I mean I'm delicious though... Or so I've been told."

I looked up at him, in shock that he just said that. Those brown eyes of his were full of amusement as they looked back at me-- then he winked and began to chuckle. "I'm kidding, Krissy. But you have said I'm delicious!"

I rolled my eyes and playfully shoved him to the side. "Oh shut up," I said, smiling up at him. "Ugh. I just wanna sit down and snuggle," I grumbled as I leaned back against the wall of the elevator.

The bell dinged, telling us that we were at his floor. We walked out and began making our way down the hall. I let out a breath and held Danny's hand a little tighter. "Are... He lived right down there, right?" I asked as I looked to the door that I thought Ryan lived behind.

Danny nodded. "Yeah... But we don't have to worry about that anymore... They said they've found him as of this morning. I guess they investigated his apartment earlier today, too," he replied. "Officer Smith said that they'd be contacting us before anything is known to the public."

I nodded as he let go of my hand and pulled his keys out of his pocket. Once the door was opened, we made our ways in, and I let out a long sigh. "Ugh... Finally somewhere I can feel relaxed," I mumbled as I moved into the living room and sat down on the couch.

Danny nodded as he closed the door and locked it behind us. "I agree. How are you feeling? Do you need any Tylenol yet," he asked as he stood by the hall to his bedroom.

I shook my head. "No... I'm good," I mumbled as I leaned back in the fluffy cushions and turned the TV on.

"Oka-," he was cut off by his phone ringing. With a sigh, he pulled it out of his back pocket. "Its the police station."

I turned back to look at him, surprised. "Oh shit..."

He answered the phone... "Yes, we've just gotten home... Oh... Okay... We really appreciate it... Thank you... You have my email... Right? Oh... Uh... Okay... Thank you... You too."

My eyes widened as he pulled the phone from his ear and looked at me with both of his eyebrows raised. "What'd they say," I asked as he moved to come sit down on the couch next to me.

"They said they'll be transferring him to a long term facility," he said quietly. "But uh... Before they released the some information to the public... They wanted us to see some of the photos," Danny informed as he sat down next to me and moved over to his email.

He looked up at me, his brown eyes full of concern before he opened the just delivered email. "They uh... They said that some of these images may be a little disturbing," Danny said, softly.

I placed a hand on his knee and shook my head. "I-I... We need to see it, Danny," I told him quietly. The look in his eyes changed to a look that I just couldn't identify.

"Are... Are you sure," he asked, looking extremely nervous. "You don't have to look if you don't want."

I grasped his knee a little tighter. "No. We need to see it. I need to see it. We need to see what the sick bastard has been up to," I said, no matter how fast my heart was beating, or how bad I thought I was going to throw up.

Danny tipped his head down in a nod, then looked down at the screen of his phone. "Okay... I guess... Here goes nothing," he whispered as he tapped his finger on the email.

The email said nothing, it was just a string of photos. The first photo was standard, a picture of the outside of his apartment door so they'd know the number of it... Then the photos moved inside-- normal photos of the kitchen, then the living room. "Stop," I said before Danny almost scrolled to the next one. 

I took his phone from his hand and zoomed in on the coffee table. "What the fuck," I mumbled. "How did he get that?" I tilted the phone to Danny, so he could see the zoomed in shot of a picture of my college graduation.

"What the hell," Danny grumbled taking the phone from my hand. He looked at his closer-- confusion all over his face. "Is... Is that your high school graduation? Or... College?"

"College," I mumbled, feeling like all the air was pushed out of my lungs. How long had he been following me?

"B-But you two broke up your sophomore year," Danny exclaimed with wide eyes. "He's been following you around for that long? Jesus Christ! What other photos does he have of you," he questioned as he moved around the photo to see if there was anything else. "Jesus! Is that a random photo of you and your parents?"    

I let out a sigh, but nodded. "Yeah... What the fuck," I grumbled. "G-Go to the next photo."

He scrolled and I instantly regretted asking him to do so. "What the hell is wrong with this guy!?" I was feeling extremely sick at what was in the picture.

There were tons of photos of Danny and me together taped to the wall, literally covering a 7 foot by 10 foot wall. Pictures of the day I met him... The day I got his number, him talking to me at a game, Danny walking into his building, me walking into Danny's building, me knocking on Danny's door the night of Christmas eve, Danny and I the day after christmas, Danny talking to me at a game, Danny at the jewelers, me walking into work, me and Vicki out for coffee, a zoomed in picture of the bracelet I'd gotten for christmas, me walking out of the stadium the day I quit, Danny waiting for the elevator, and then the last photo was of Danny where he was buttoning up his dress shirt in his room-- it was taken from outside. There was a big red 'X' over his face.

"Pictures from across the street," I squealed. "What the fuck! An X over your face, too?! Jesus christ, Danny! He's been following us around forever!" Tears began pulling from my eyes. "We've been stalked! He's the one who leaked the photos!"

Danny locked his phone and tossed it in the other chair, then pulled me into him with his good arm. "Shh... I-It's okay, Krissy... It's okay," he mumbled as he rubbed my back, his breathing got uneven-- and that was when I knew he was crying, too. "You're safe now... W-We're safe now," he whispered, pulling me closer to him.

"I love you, Danny," I sobbed as I rested my head on his chest. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You won't ever have to know that feeling again," he said into my hair. "Never again."