Catch Me

Chapter-7 Risk of Falling

Ring Ring Ring

I was half hoping he wouldn't pick up. I was embarrassed. What was I doing. What was I expecting? A booty call? A venting session? A-

"Hello? Miss Katherine are you alright?" His deep voice flowed through the phone, concern evident. 

"Walter! Yes..Hi!" My voice sounded drunk even to my own ears. What am I doing. 

"Miss Katherine are you okay? Where are you?" He still was questioning, sounding more nervous with each question. 

"Walter, yes sorry I'm fline...I mean fine. I just...I need someone." God try and sound more drunk and pathetic why don't you. 

"Miss Katherine. Are you at home? Have you been drinking?" He said the last question as more of a statement, his voice softening. Probably out of pity to be honest. I thought putting my head on my knees. 

"I'm atshome...I- yes. I have. " I stumbled through the shortest sentence possible wishing I could bury my head in the ground. 

"I'm coming to you. Give me ten minutes." Walter said definitively. His commanding voice was so hot I nearly groaned into the phone. 

Jesus get your fucking head together this is the man you work with. I thought to myself but also I realized deep down in my head that I didn't care. I needed him, only him right now. I had had feelings for a while but had never allowed myself to even be open to anything because love and physical touch was just not something I had ever been able to deal with. 

Right now, it was all I could think about thanks to the wine and the demanding day I had. 

Ten minutes flew by. I'm pretty sure I slumped over and fell asleep. I woke to my phone buzzing in my lap and knocking on my front door. 

Shit I invited him over. Well he really invited himself over but shit. 

I tried to fix my appearance best I could but I figured he would instantly be able to tell that I was entirely wasted off my ass. Glad I left the bottle on the table at least. 

I barely avoided falling over a bump in the carpet and had to grab onto the wall for support. 

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I called out, vision blurring as I reached the door. Grasping the door handle I turned it and swung the door open, leaning with it as it opened. 

Instantly I was shoved back inside and held against the wall. Walter pressed into me as he slammed my door shut, putting his body between it and myself. He was breathing so hard that I felt his muscular chest rise and fall against my face. I was clinging to him out of mere necessity because I was so dizzy. 

"Shh Miss Katherine, please be quiet. I'm sorry I had to shove you like that. Someone is following me." Walter looked down into my eyes, full of concern and...was that fear? 

"Okay. I'm shorry." I slurred back trying to blink my eyes into focus. That wine was catching up to me even faster than before. 

Walter held a finger to my lips and I shivered. Whether it was a remnant of the steamy feelings I was having earlier or the fear that was coursing through my body now, I wasn't sure. 

With the door now dead-bolted I swore I heard footsteps coming down the hall where my apartment door was. Walter pulled me towards the back of the apartment towards the bedroom. I clung to him with all my might, feeling his muscular arms guiding me into another room. I stumbled on my feet and he just picked me up, holding me against him like I weighed nothing. I couldn't do anything but close my eyes. 

"Miss Katherine I need you to stay here. I need you to not move will you do that for me?" He set me down on the bed holding my face with both hands to meet his gaze. 

I nodded my head, and curled up into a ball trying to get a hold of myself. Walter kissed the top of my head and left the bedroom to go towards the front door. 

I heard banging against the wood, someone's fist on the other side of the door just pounding repeatedly. It felt like the pounds were getting louder and louder, resonating in my eardrums. With each pound on the door it felt like decades were passing. I had to see what Walter was doing I just had to. I couldn't bear him being alone and unsafe with someone trying to get into my apartment. 

I slid off of the comforter. The fear that had been in my system had sobered me up some and I was able to get to the door relatively quickly. Hiding behind the frame I located Walter across the apartment. He had his hand at his side holding the firearm he always carried. He was using the other hand to hold the door while looking through the peep hole.

I watched as he stood there what seemed like ages. He was frozen there at the door, ready to shoot whoever was trying to make it through to our side of the apartment. I was shaking with adrenaline, and almost called out to him when he turned to me. He was clearly annoyed that I had moved from my hiding place on the bed but there was also some relief on his face. 

"They walked away. They're gone. You're okay Miss Katherine." He started towards me turning off the light by the door. I ran into his arms, relieved that he had been there. 

"Who was it?! Who was trying to get in!" I whisper/cried into his chest. I had been holding my breath for what felt like hours but was really only a few minutes from when he first arrived at my apartment till now. 

"Miss Katherine I don't know. But I won't be leaving you alone at night in this apartment till I  figure it out. You need rest. Let me help you." 

"Walter please stop calling me that. Just call me Kat." The nickname came out of my mouth sounding strange. My mom had called me that. I just needed the formality he was showing me to disappear. 

"Okay Kat well we need to get you in bed. Come here." Walter said putting a strong arm around my waist and pulling me to the bathroom attached to the master bedroom. 

I was putty under his hand. Now that I knew I was safe and that he wouldn't let anyone in, I felt more like I had with the wine bottle in my hand, calling him to come over. 

Despite the creepy and disconcerting events of the past few days I felt calm with him around. I knew that something was happening and that I was clearly being followed by some unknown man but all that seemed to be a second hand problem when Walter was around. 

If he hadn't been there tonight who knows what could have happened Kat. I thought, chastising myself for being so unprotected and off guard. I knew I had better survival instincts than this but the drink and the craving for touch had distracted me. Just once in my life I wanted to give myself over to something, I wanted to not focus on anything but my body in his hands.