and she had to know. She slowly rose on shaky legs and quickly stepped forward, plucking a small card from the box, before retreating back to her spot on the floor.
Breathing heavily, trying to still her trembling hand, she read the message.
I’ve been watching you from afar but now I want to play.
So cute how you thought that Waters bitch saved you.
I’ve always known where you are!
Soon I’ll rip your fucking heart out like you did mine!
I’m coming for you!!
Oh! Here’s a little something from Margo! She had such beautiful eyes.
Her stalker was back. They were far away from home. She had a different name. And he still found her. She didn’t know what to do, but she didn’t want to move or leave the safety of the hotel room. The safety she had known for the past few years had been shattered with the acceptance of one tiny little box. How did he find her? Why now, after all this time?
“Dani?” Zoe whispered, as if someone could hear her. “It’s him isn’t it?” Fear oozed from every word she uttered as she wrapped her arms around her friend, crushing their bodies together.
Dani nodded, unable to utter the words because speaking would make everything that was happening real… and she wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.
As they huddled together on the floor of their hotel room, time seemed to stand still. The noises from the street faded, leaving them bathed in silence. She had been through this before, but she was more prepared now, wasn’t she? There was so much she needed to say to Zoe, yet the words wouldn’t come when she opened her mouth so she clamped it shut again. She needed to think.
She didn’t know how much time had passed, but her bones were beginning to ache. All she could think about was making sure Zoe was safe from harm. The depraved psycho only really wanted her but he would use Zoe to hurt her, just like he did poor Margo. How could she persuade her best friend to leave her behind? Was that even possible?
Looking at Zoe, the only person she had been brave enough to share her story with, she realized her friend would never leave her behind. Even after sharing her past, Zoe had stuck by her side. Danger or not, Dani knew she wouldn’t leave, and she still didn’t know what to do? Call the police? She didn’t know who the guy was or what he looked like or where he was. All she had was a box, a letter, and an eye, and he had never left a shred of evidence to link him to the crimes he had committed. Bastard!
She glanced at the clock on the wall. Almost noon. They had been sitting on the floor for hours. Sergei would be arriving soon. Maybe, just maybe, he could help. Maybe he would know what to do. Regardless if he could or not, having a man around would possibly deter the bastard from trying anything.
“Dani, I’m scared.” Zoe whimpered, the words barely audible.
“Me too,” Dani said, her eyes cemented to the carpet. “I’m so sorry this is happening.”
“What are we going to do? Should we go home?”
“He’ll follow me no matter what we do. Here or there the problem is still the same. Maybe Sergei...” A loud knock shattered the silence, slicing through the fear permeating the room.
Zoe’s eyes went wide, both girls jerking their heads towards the door. Neither of them moved, just watched and waited.
Another loud knock.
Dani and Zoe stared at the door.
“Dani? Zoe? Are you there?” Sergei’s voice boomed, knocking again.
“Thank god,” Dani said, her eyes meeting Zoe’s. “Just a minute. Coming.” She lifted herself from the floor and made her way to the door, making a point to not look at the table or what was on it.
Sergei stepped into the room, immediately noticing the looks of dread on each of their faces. “What’s wrong?” he asked, looking around the room for signs of trouble.
Zoe pointed to the box on the table. Sergei followed her finger, his eyes drifting to the package. He made his way to the table in a few powerful
Breathing heavily, trying to still her trembling hand, she read the message.
I’ve been watching you from afar but now I want to play.
So cute how you thought that Waters bitch saved you.
I’ve always known where you are!
Soon I’ll rip your fucking heart out like you did mine!
I’m coming for you!!
Oh! Here’s a little something from Margo! She had such beautiful eyes.
Her stalker was back. They were far away from home. She had a different name. And he still found her. She didn’t know what to do, but she didn’t want to move or leave the safety of the hotel room. The safety she had known for the past few years had been shattered with the acceptance of one tiny little box. How did he find her? Why now, after all this time?
“Dani?” Zoe whispered, as if someone could hear her. “It’s him isn’t it?” Fear oozed from every word she uttered as she wrapped her arms around her friend, crushing their bodies together.
Dani nodded, unable to utter the words because speaking would make everything that was happening real… and she wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.
As they huddled together on the floor of their hotel room, time seemed to stand still. The noises from the street faded, leaving them bathed in silence. She had been through this before, but she was more prepared now, wasn’t she? There was so much she needed to say to Zoe, yet the words wouldn’t come when she opened her mouth so she clamped it shut again. She needed to think.
She didn’t know how much time had passed, but her bones were beginning to ache. All she could think about was making sure Zoe was safe from harm. The depraved psycho only really wanted her but he would use Zoe to hurt her, just like he did poor Margo. How could she persuade her best friend to leave her behind? Was that even possible?
Looking at Zoe, the only person she had been brave enough to share her story with, she realized her friend would never leave her behind. Even after sharing her past, Zoe had stuck by her side. Danger or not, Dani knew she wouldn’t leave, and she still didn’t know what to do? Call the police? She didn’t know who the guy was or what he looked like or where he was. All she had was a box, a letter, and an eye, and he had never left a shred of evidence to link him to the crimes he had committed. Bastard!
She glanced at the clock on the wall. Almost noon. They had been sitting on the floor for hours. Sergei would be arriving soon. Maybe, just maybe, he could help. Maybe he would know what to do. Regardless if he could or not, having a man around would possibly deter the bastard from trying anything.
“Dani, I’m scared.” Zoe whimpered, the words barely audible.
“Me too,” Dani said, her eyes cemented to the carpet. “I’m so sorry this is happening.”
“What are we going to do? Should we go home?”
“He’ll follow me no matter what we do. Here or there the problem is still the same. Maybe Sergei...” A loud knock shattered the silence, slicing through the fear permeating the room.
Zoe’s eyes went wide, both girls jerking their heads towards the door. Neither of them moved, just watched and waited.
Another loud knock.
Dani and Zoe stared at the door.
“Dani? Zoe? Are you there?” Sergei’s voice boomed, knocking again.
“Thank god,” Dani said, her eyes meeting Zoe’s. “Just a minute. Coming.” She lifted herself from the floor and made her way to the door, making a point to not look at the table or what was on it.
Sergei stepped into the room, immediately noticing the looks of dread on each of their faces. “What’s wrong?” he asked, looking around the room for signs of trouble.
Zoe pointed to the box on the table. Sergei followed her finger, his eyes drifting to the package. He made his way to the table in a few powerful
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