Across The Hall (44 page)

“No, it’s you and me. I wil not be treated like this.”

“Don’t lie to me, bitch.” His fingers on my arm and my hip dug into me. I knew they were going to leave bruises. “Do you love him?”

“Yes.” I whispered it. I was afraid for Quinn, but I couldn’t lie either. I didn’t want to give Beau any false hope.

He shoved away from me roughly, causing me to fal back against the shelves and knocking the books off. He grumbled something about ending

the bastard as he turned and stalked away from me.

“Stop. Beau, don’t.” I tried cal ing out to him, but he didn’t turn back around. I got to my feet and tried to catch up with him. I reached out and

grabbed his arm. He threw me back.

“I’l be back for you.” He snapped at me coldly, and disappeared out the door.

I could see the others I worked with heading over to me. I reached into my pocket and pul ed out my phone and cal ed Quinn. It rang until it went to

voice mail. I tried again. When that didn’t work I panicked. I cal ed out to no one in-particular that I had to go and I ran from the building. I slowed

down long enough to cal Reed on my way. He was out shopping with Kerri but he said they would leave and head straight home. He assured me

that he would cal Sloane, that he thought he was home. I thanked him and started running again. I didn’t know if I would get there in time, but I had to

try.

I was relieved having everyone back. I was becoming even more concerned about Sylvia’s safety daily and I needed their help. The numbers of

Beau’s texts were increasing, and the tone was becoming more and more desperate. Even though Sylvia never responded to them, I knew he

wasn’t going to give up. On some level I could understand his pul towards Sylvia. I wouldn’t let her go again without a fight either, but I wouldn’t go

about trying to get her back the same way as he was. I couldn’t prove it, but I was sure he had been hanging around watching her, too. Other than

New Year’s Eve when I thought I saw his truck I hadn’t seen him. But I had the feeling of being watched whenever I was out in the parking lot. I had

Sloane and Reed looking for him too since they’d gotten back, but so far they were unable to see him.

The morning of the Christmas get-together I became even more concerned. I woke up to find Sylvia out of bed already. I didn’t think anything of it.

I knew she planned to get up early and start cooking. I figured she would just do it at my place since that was where the food was. I was surprised

when she wasn’t in the kitchen. I went over to check on her at her place and heard the shower running. I wanted to go in and see what in the hel she

was thinking leaving her door unlocked but I didn’t want to start the day out with an argument.

I figured since she was busy it would be a good time to talk to Sloane and Reed. I didn’t want to alarm Sylvia, but I real y needed to talk it out with

someone. I texted Sloane and told him I would wait in the hal for him. I didn’t want Sylvia to find me waiting in her apartment for Sloane. I locked the

door behind me on my way out but then Sloane and Kai showed up together. So I unlocked the door and let Kai in.

Sloane and I went over to my place to wait for Reed. We talked about our holidays as we waited. Sloane commented on how much better he

thought Sylvia was doing since they’d left for break. I told him about her outburst and how after that she just improved more every day. He said Kai

had been happy to hear her sound so lively on the phone while they were gone.

Once Reed showed up, I turned to the matter at hand.

“I need your help.”

“What’s going on man?” Reed asked.

“Beau is trying to contact Sylvia again. And I’m not sure, but I think he’s been hanging around watching her, too.” I told them what was in the

various texts and how I thought I’d seen him. “Sylvia hasn’t responded to any of them, but I just have a feeling that he’s not going to give up.”

Sloane was sitting on the couch and a knowing look crossed his face and he nodded. “That could be the explanation for the way Kai was feeling

last night.”

I looked at him confused. “What do you mean?”

“She was complaining about something being wrong. She couldn’t put her finger on it but she was just off al night.”

I had heard enough stories of Kai’s premonitions that I couldn’t discount it. If anything, it solidified my worries. I explained to them that I looked into

getting an anti-harassment order but it didn’t seem like we had enough evidence to get one.

“Do you have any suggestions for what should be done?” I turned first to Sloane, because he always had sound advice. This time, though, he was

just sitting quietly on the couch with his arms crossed in front of him. I could see he was deep in thought. He was staring at his feet, which were

kicked out in front of him. It didn’t seem like he was actual y seeing them. One glance at his eyes and I could see the strategizing taking place in his

mind.

Reed drew my attention back to him when he smacked his fist into his other hand.

“We just need to go hunt the motherfucker down and beat his ass. You know he won’t go to the cops about it. We’l teach him a lesson and then

he’l stay the fuck away.” Reed’s voice was heated and his eyes were alight with the thought of pounding on Beau. I knew that wouldn’t be the right

approach, but it was sure as hel tempting.

I shook my head. “I don’t think that’s the best way to go about it. I don’t trust that asshat. Unless we kil ed him...”

“We could do that,” Reed interrupted me.

“I won’t say it never crossed my mind, but no. We can’t do that. We’re not kil ers. As I was saying, unless we kil ed him...” Reed raised one

eyebrow and I shook my head and rol ed my eyes but continued on. “He would just want revenge for us giving him a beat down.”

“We could injure him bad enough that he wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone again,” Reed replied.

Before I could respond Sloane spoke up. “What if we lure him out using Sylvia as bait?”

“What the fuck, Sloane? We are not getting Sylvia involved in anything,” I roared at him. He stared back at me with calculating eyes. The anger in

me continued to boil. “How can you even think of putting her in any danger? Would you do that to Kai if it were her being stalked?”

The bastard sat there calmly, watching me rant.

“Quinn, calm down and just listen to what I have to say.” Sloane had his hands held up in front of him, motioning for me to just calm down.

I didn’t want to hear what he had to say, but I huffed and agreed. I sat back down and Sloane straightened up.

“When Reed mentioned that he wouldn’t go to the cops, it made me think that maybe we could set him up. We know from the background check

that Kel y ran that he’s wanted. What if we contacted the police and let them know that we can help them get him?”

“Like cal ing in a tip to America’s Most Wanted?” Only Reed would see it that way.

“Yes, Reed, kind of like that.” Sloane humored him. “We could work with them to help bring him in. If we could get them to come to the apartment

we could have Sylvia cal Beau and tel him she’s ready to talk. From what you’ve said he’l jump at the chance. Once he shows up at the apartment

we’l just sit back and let the cops handle it.” Sloane sat back with a self satisfied smirk on his face. I had to admit, it was a solid plan.

Reed leaned over and gave him a fist bump.

I grinned at the two of them. “I like it. I stil want to speak with my dad’s attorney too but your idea’s pretty good. We can’t do anything today since

its Sunday. Don’t say anything to the girls and I’l talk to the attorney in the morning and we can hopeful y cal the police after that and get this taken

care of.” I just wanted it over, I’d had enough of seeing the fear in Sylvia’s eyes every time she heard from him.

We agreed to let it go until the next day and then take it from there.

The rest of the day was good. We ate and heard about the different proposals. It made me think about how I would ask Sylvia. So far I didn’t have

any solid plans. I just knew that when the time was right I would ask her. After we ate, we opened gifts and watched footbal . I didn’t real y care about

the game, but it was interesting to watch Reed. He real y got into the game. I held back from laughing several times when Sloane would taunt him

just to get a rise out of him. I never had brothers, but this is what I always imagined having them would be like.

Somewhere around halftime, I lost interest in the game. I caught my mind drifting to picturing Sylvia in the stuff Kerri gave her. She was so

embarrassed when she’d opened it. She wouldn’t hold anything up, but I looked over her shoulder into the box. I didn’t get a good look at anything in

particular. It was just a lot of lace and silk in mostly red and black. The black caught my attention and made me think back to how she looked

passed out on the bed at Hal oween before I dressed her. I had to actively push those thoughts away. The last thing I needed was for Reed to look

over and see me sporting wood while I watched footbal . I’d never hear the end of it.

I kept stealing glances at Sylvia. She was being a good sport going through the wedding shit with Kerri and Kai. I pitied her when they got going

into ful -on wedding planning. Thank God guys don’t have to worry about that crap. Tel me where to be and what time and that’s al I needed to

worry about. Okay, that and the bachelor party. I was sure Reed’s was going to be a riot, especial y if his family was involved.

I was slightly concerned with how Sylvia was doing. It was her first time with them al back together since she started coming back to her old self.

She seemed to be fine, but Sylvia could put on a pretty brave face. Final y, everyone left and I was able to just hold her for a little bit. When I asked

how she was, she answered. Her face was pressed up against my chest and it tickled slightly.

I questioned her about her decision to go back to work in the morning. I scrutinized her face as she answered me. I could see the trepidation in

her eyes and in the little worry line on her brow. At least she admitted to it. I was proud of her for wanting to get back into the swing of things, yet at

the same time I didn’t want her to push herself too quickly. I knew when I suggested to her that she didn’t need to work, that she would turn me down.

That was just who Sylvia was.

I was ready to let the worry go but then she brought up Beau’s texts. We both realized she forgot her phone at my place and it was probably stil

turned off. She wanted to stay the night at her place so I went over to my place to get it. I turned it on to find eleven texts from Beau. I clenched my

jaw and was tempted to just throw the phone against the wal . She needed to get a new number. I didn’t want to look at them, but I knew I needed to.

I would need to tel the attorney in the morning.

He sent a new text about every two hours starting with the previous night when her phone was dead.

Come back to me we can make it right - B

Doesnt he ever leave - B

Hes just a pussy u need a real man - B

I have what ur looking 4 - B

I miss ur boobs and how they felt n my hands and mouth - B

Im here...waiting when you decide Im the better man - B

Im sorry...please let me make it up 2 u - B

I can make it better I promise - B

The others were just the generic “I miss you and cal me” texts. I hoped the one about missing her boobs would be enough to get some sort of

protection order. The thought of him touching Sylvia pissed me off something fierce. For a brief moment I was ready to go get Reed and go through

with kil ing him.

I gave myself a few minutes to calm down. I didn’t need Sylvia to see me that upset. When I felt in control of myself again, I headed back over to

her place for the night. I started to tel her about the texts and that I was going to cal the attorney, but as I walked into the bedroom the sight in front

of me made every thought in my head disappear. Sylvia was on her hands and knees with her ass pointed right at me. She had such a sweet ass,

too. The jeans she had on were tight to begin with, but they were pul ed even tighter with the slight pul on them from being on her knees. I just

wanted to go up to her run my hands over her or, better yet, rub up against her. The thought of that black lacy thing popped into my mind again, and I

wondered just what I could do to get her into it.

I realized she was watching me so I quickly asked her why she was on the floor.

“I’m looking for the pendant I had on the mirror,” she answered simply. She turned back to start looking again.

“The one from your mom?” I pictured the little cameo done in blue with the picture of a mother holding her baby. I didn’t know if that was it but I

knew she always kept that one around. She never wore it but it was important to her.

“Yes, that one. Have you seen it? It was off the mirror and I thought maybe it fel on the floor.” She answered without looking back at me.

I offered to move the dresser for her and she moved so I could. We both looked behind it and didn’t find it. I noticed the black thing that had been

prominent in my most current fantasy on top of the dresser when I moved it back. I was real y hoping she would try it on for me. I wrapped her in my

arms and muttered something to her about looking for it in the morning. She smel ed so good, the flowery stuff she used stil lingered but it was

mostly masked with the scent of her. My dick had been mostly hard already after having the view of her ass wiggling around while she looked

around the floor. The smel combined with the feel of her body against mine had it rock solid.