“Don’t upset your grannie, Lara. I can only imagine what could happen to her out here.”
I bristle. “If you so much as touch a hair on her head I’ll make you wish you didn’t. Now fucking move.”
“I really, really don’t like your mouth,” he growls.
God, this guy just can’t take a hint.
“And I really don’t like pimply-faced, limp-dicked little teenagers who think they’re cool because they can run around smoking pot and kicking trash cans over. Do you feel tough? I can almost guarantee you don’t get laid and so this is the best you can do for yourself.”
“Lara!” Nanna cries. “Come on.”
The boy’s eyes flare and he nods to his friends, who all step closer to me. Fear courses down my spine as I realize I’m surrounded. I keep my head held high and hold the boy’s eyes. I won’t back down for a bunch of teenagers trying to scare me.
“Please,” Nanna says. “Don’t hurt her. We’re on our way. I have cash, if you want. Just leave us alone.”
She tries to step closer but one of the boys turns and shoves her. In slow motion she falls to the ground and a loud crack radiates through the still night. Blood pours out onto the pavement around her head. “No,” I scream. “Nanna!”
“Holy shit, you stupid fucker,” the boy yells. “Run.”
They disappear into the night and I’m already on my hands and knees, crawling toward Nanna, the skin on my knees tearing as I get closer. “Nan?” I cry, reaching her. She’s covered in blood. She’s not moving. Oh God, what have I done? What the hell have I done? I take her face in my hands, shaking her gently.
“Nanna, please wake up.”
So much blood. I try to find where she hit her head, but there is so much blood I can’t find anything.
A car slows and a man jumps out, I barely notice him. “I saw it all. Are you okay?”
“There were these boys,” I sob. “One of them pushed my nanna and she’s hurt. Please.”
“I’m going to call nine-one-one.”
“Nanna,” I sob, tears running down my cheeks. “God, I’m so sorry.”
This is all my fault. All my fault. I should have listened to her and turned around or kept walking and just been polite to them. She told me my mouth would get me into trouble one day, and she was right. What have I done? Oh God, what have I done?
“Nanna,” I sob. “Please wake up.”
Please. I’m so sorry.
I snap myself out of the memory that haunts me daily and look back to Noah, who is studying me. His eyes have softened, as though he can read my mind.
“You okay?”
“Fine,” I say. “I’m going to go now.”
“Were you thinking about her?”
I flinch. His eyes grow softer. He liked my nan. She was one of few people who believed he was good enough for me and wouldn’t hurt me. She saw the good in Noah, and he adored her for it.
“I’m sorry, I can’t do this. I have to go.”
I rush out before he has the chance to say any more.
Mostly because I can’t bear to hear it.
My eyes follow Lara as she rushes out of the club. Her face is scrunched in pain and her tiny form shoves through the people with a weakness that excites me. She’s timid, pathetic even. I move my eyes to Noah, watching her go. He’s a good mix of angry and desperate. Exactly what I want. He’s looking at her like he wants to protect her while at the same time wanting to beat her.
She frustrates him. She’s fragile and weak. He’s strong and determined.
The perfect combination for my game.
The quiet little mouse and the man who will stop at nothing to protect her.
I’ve been watching them long enough, setting up my game, to know I have found the perfect pieces. They have no idea. Not a single clue how many times I’ve infiltrated their lives without their ever knowing it. Stupid. I can’t wait to see their faces when they find out just how close I’ve been all this time.
They’re going to wish they never met me by the time I’m done with them.
TWO
“Lara, can you please put my mug under the coffee machine and press START before you go for your run?” Rachel calls out.
“Already done,” I call softly, leaning down to lace up my shoes.
Rachel took me in after Noah and I broke up and I moved out. I do as much as I can to help her out, including making sure she’s got hot coffee every morning before I go out. She saved my ass. It’s the least I can do.
“You’re a gem.”
So I’ve been told.
“I’ll be back in an hour.”
I grab my water bottle and move to the front door, checking that I’ve got my phone before heading out. The weather is warm in Orlando today, a soft breeze trickling through the trees. After pulling my long chestnut hair into a ponytail, I step out onto the path in front of my apartment and put my earbuds in, starting my usual morning jog. I move down two blocks and then cross a road to a local park. It has a path running beside it that goes into some thick forest before coming out close to downtown.
My one hour of peace each day.
I sing softly to the music, pounding harder and faster as my body warms up. Crossing the road, I move past the park and into the trees. The weather instantly cools without the warmth of the sun breaking through, and it dries up some of the sweat forming on my brow. I think about Noah and how much it hurt to see him at the bar last night, let alone with another woman.
Will it ever stop hurting?
A hand taps my shoulder and I scream, spinning around to see Noah standing behind me, sweat running down and soaking the front of his tank. I press a hand to my heart, studying him, then pull out my earbuds. Only he would find a way to be on his run at the same time I’m on mine. Can’t this man just leave me alone? “What are you doing here, Noah?”
“I recently moved into an apartment in the area and was jogging when I saw you. I see you still enjoy running?”
“Why did you move into this area?”
He shrugs. “I liked it.”
This is too much. “Why now?”
“For a while I was traveling for work. I volunteered to train some other recruits. Considering you wouldn’t talk to me, I needed a distraction.” He shrugs again. “Now I have a little time on my hands and it felt like time to relocate.”
I take a step back, my mind reeling. “I want to finish my run,” I say. “And you’re going to leave me alone.”
“Lara, come on,” he sighs. “Let’s talk about this.”
I take a drink from my bottle, ignoring his pleading. My eyes focus on anything but him.
“Are you seriously still doing this?” he grunts. “I’ve been tryin’ to call you for months with little success. You ignored me without a word and you’re really not going to give me five minutes to explain?”
“Explain what?” I ask, crossing my arms. “The fact that I walked in and found you with a woman on your lap in your office?”
He jerks, and his face grows tight with frustration. “You read it wrong.”