Twisted Hearts

Chapter 7

Twisted hearts

Chapter 7

Outside my apartment my new car was parked, they had brought it in early this morning which was quite impressive. I walked into my apartment with a sigh, the place seemed creepier now that I knew someone was coming and going as they liked, f**k I didn’t like this at all, I went in my living room and saw a bouquet of roses waiting for me.

God I wanted to scream and find the damn person who was doing this

“Show yourself you bloody i***t!” I yelled, no answer, it seemed the bastard didn’t come In the mornings, obviously.

I sighed and picked up the roses, they were big, a card fell out of it.

- Don’t run Muffin, I’ll find you.

I muttered a curse under my breath and threw the roses out the backyard trash bin and kept the paper, maybe the cops would be able to use it to trace him, or something I don’t know.

I stared at the cameras around, he could practically be using these to watch me, but then again he could just set up new ones, f**k I need a drink to process all this.

I opened my fridge to see a brand new wine bottle in it, he had bought a new one to replace the old one, how charming, I mutter sarcastically.

I picked it up and drank a few glasses before remembering we were going to the station and I needed to get ready.

I took a bath and put on a clean grey hoodie, it was cold outside.

When I opened the door for lily I saw Asher standing right behind her

“he came to apologize and help” she said.

I looked at both of them irritated at both of them and walked to my car.

“Are you getting in or not?” I said to Lily who came quickly and got in the car

“What about Asher”

“that ugly f**k is not getting anywhere close to me again” I said and drove off,

We talked to the cops who agreed to keep an eye on the house, I also told them about the letter and they said they would look into it.

“I have to get to the city's library” Lily said when we got back into the car

“Why?” I asked

“I have to check if my books have been distributed there, I’m going upscale! Its only a matter of time before I’m known by the whole world” Lily said excitedly

“yea and you’ll have to find a deeper hole to hide in” I said starting the car

“spoilsport” she pouted.

We drove about an hour to the library and I had to wait for her to check on each book, she even started signing books for people, Lily was really popular she just seemed like those joyful and low-key anime characters that are probably dumb. But she was smart, I guess.

We passed each shelf and ended up reading books to pass time since we had nothing to do. I decided to torture myself by reading stalker books, the first one I picked was titled ‘Dim light'

The protagonist was being stalked

-I had thought it could work, for the love he showed was true, I should have known how much of a toxic mess it was, and in the end, I paid the hefty price of my life.

How endearing, the next one was with the stalkers point of view it was called ‘Death wish' I didn’t Even read it already guessing what would happen in the end. God what was I going to do, I looked at Lily who seemed so engrossed in what she was reading I didn’t want to bother her. Part of me wished the crazy dude had followed me here at least I could see him in broad daylight, but I wasn’t feeling his presence. Thank God for that, I was already shook from the recent events, I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore knowing he is out there and can get into any house I go to.

I needed to change the locks tonight, but that was the problem, whenever I checked the doors, they were always locked, even after finding chocolates and a frigging bouquet of flowers. My doors, windows everything is locked. So how, the guy was more skilled than I thought.

My head quickly turned when I felt someone watching me, it was Asher, wtf

“Oh Asher over here ” Lily called out to him, was she really doing this right now. I picked up the books I took ready to return them and leave

“please Kendal, listen to what he has to say, for all I know he could help us find the stalker, his family is rich, with his help we could track the bastard” Lily whispered to me, I knew she was being reasonable but I wouldn’t have it,

“have you forgotten he is also a stalker?” I said

“I know, but we know he is less dangerous than the guy we are dealing with” Lily said, Asher sat opposite me next to Lily

“hi” he said and when I didn’t answer he continued. “look, I’m sorry Kendal, I shouldn’t have tried to get to you forcefully and I definitely shouldn’t have stalked you, but I want to help you catch whoever is doing this”

“Why?”

“because I like you.—”

“well I don’t like you” I said plainly

He nodded “and I understand, but I’d still like to see you safe”

I ran my hands through my hair and stared back at my book “what can you do?”

🌹🌹🌹

8pm.

The man was earlier to the bar than I expected, he had a curfew with his wife apparently, if only she knew he was cheating, and on a daily basis.

I walked into the bar, striding to the VIP section with a card in hand, and just as expected this place was even filthier than the bar itself, drugs, drinks, illegal games and smoke everywhere, dim lights with a stage women in only g strings and drugged dancing and practically having s*x with some of the men. I felt sorry knowing some of them were here not by choice, but by the cruelty of both the economy and the people that ran it.

My eyes scanned the room until they landed on a familiar face Jack, he sat at a table with 2 other men, they were playing ---- while he occasionally fondled with the breasts of the woman on his lap.

I walked over there casually and ‘accidentally' bumped into one of the women passing, she fell on the table spilling the drinks.

“Oh my God I’m so sorry” she said instantly getting on her kneels in front of the men who seemed angry, one was about to grab them when I held her away

“Gentlemen, please, this is my fault, let me pay for the drinks” I said

“And who are you?” one of then inquired his name was Van Louis, the second was high and mid f*****g a lady right there with us. Disgusting.

“Marcelo, Marcelo Rossi” I replied

“Not from around here I presume” Jack said.

“no not at all, again, sorry for the mishap, I’ll see to it that she is punished” I said sending her away

“Do you own the place?” Van asked sarcastically

“My cousin” I replied

“Please sit Marcelo” Jack said offering me a seat

“We can pay for the drinks ourselves but how about you pay in a different way, one game with us”

I smirked “why not”, I changed my cash to chips and we played, I wasn’t good at gambling but I was good at reading peoples minds. Knowing when they feel fear or triumphant, it was easy to read their cards once I had ascertained all these feelings.

And I won, it wasn’t easy, Jack was a skilled player as much as he was a rapists, the thought of it made me want to shoot him there and then.

“Wow, my boy, where did you learn to gamble like that?”

My boy? I hated when people referred to me like I was a kid, probably because of the trauma I went through.

I couldn’t blame them though, I was 28 in a 22 year olds body, the only way you could guess I was older were my tattoos.

“my father” I lied

“he must be really good, one more game?” Jack asked. I knew what he was doing so I agreed and let him win this time.

“and that’s how you gamble” he said triumphantly

I smiled “well played”

“I could say the same about you Marcelo, what are you in town for?”

“business and all the pleasures that New York has to offer” I replied with a smirk.

“Well the boy knows what he wants” Van laughed “welcome then, from Italy?”

“yes” I replied

“is the business big I haven’t really heard of it” Jack asked

“X factor” I said

“oh you mean that drink company that has drinks all over the world now, wow, you work there”

“yes acting CEO for till my father leaves his hospital bed” I lied smoothly

“wow, that is big company, I’ve been trying to speak with the president no wonder I couldn’t get to him, how long has he been sick?” jack asked

“some months”

He nodded knowingly. I glanced at the last man who had left us, and joined dream land.

“oh that is Nathaniel, poor thing his wife died a year ago back, now he is a drunken mess” Van said and I nodded, I already knew everything about each of them, I spent my entire day doing research, that’s how I knew these people weren’t part of the Cubs. Just Jack.

“you there, get me your finest and most expensive drink for my good man Marcelo” Jack said with a cocky grin.

I spent the next hour, drinking and smoking, trying not to get high while the men also drank, it was seeming futile and I couldn’t stay longer so I pulled up my excuse to leave.

“Well Gentlemen its been a pleasure “ I said standing up.

“oh come on the night is still young” Van said

“Exactly I have another place to be, pardon me” I said

Jack nodded, “Well okay, you take care now, I hope to see you around”

“possibly, I will be leaving after this week ”

“oh what a shame, then are you free Wednesday evening, I’m hosting a fund raiser I would be delighted to meet you once more there”

I smiled at the man, “I’ll check my schedule and if I’m free I’ll be sure to show up”

he reached into his pockey and brought a ticket I assumed was for his wasted friend and handed it to me

“In case you decide to come”

I took it from him “Good night gentlemen” I said with a nod and left, f**k my back ached, I scanned the room and found the girl I had scolded earlier, I pulled her out of the VIP section and to the back.

“I’m so sorry sir, please forgive me, it won’t happen again” she got on her knees begging. Damn how horrible these people were to break such a beauty like her, I pulled her to her feet and draped my coat over her, I called Liam who was waiting outside on the car “come out back we have a woman to sneak out” I said

“On my way” he replied

And I turned to face her “its alright, I won’t hurt you, I’ll take you out of here, would you like that?” I asked

I could see her hesitate, I didn’t blame her, some men would have promised her freedom and instead use her.

“I promise” I said like that made any difference. Maybe I was high.

🌹🌹🌹

The moon shined brightly, the night was beautiful, I sat outside my front porch, i didn’t know what i was there for but I was probably waiting for him, my damn stalker to come. The only difference was Asher was sitting right next to me like he didn’t have a home or something.

Lily, I and Asher and discussed multiple ways to catch the bastard and so far I had ended up cornering all their ideas with my own twisted What ifs. We had ended up sitting in front of my home watching the stars till Lily got sleepy and went home, I wasn’t ready to go in anytime soon and it seemed he wasn’t ready to leave me

“Its not safe for you to be out here on your own” he said Like the cops weren’t across the street undercover, then again he didn’t know, and I didn’t plan on telling him just in case he got any funny ideas.

“I really am sorry Kendal, all I wanted was a date and I took it too far” he said, I didn’t reply staring boredly at the sky, the streets were dark illuminated by a few lights and the beautiful moon and stars.

“When my brother had you released early, I asked why he did it, he said you went through a lot and your father was practically begging—”

“So what? I became your charity case? You felt so bad for me you decided to try and date me” I said annoyed

“What no.. I really like you, I think you are beautiful and I want to protect you,” he said causing me to pause.

No one had ever said it in that light, heck no one I loved ever loved me back, I never once got told I was beautiful by Clyde, no matter how much I wanted it I could see he was just not feeling anything for me, I guess that how my insecurities began, and how they kept growing, and when Claire came I just didn’t understand, I was obviously prettier so why her?, but she was pretty, prettier than me?she could be because she is black, Why not me. Why second to her, why don’t I get to be protected and loved by someone other than my father.

Asher cupped my face when he saw me space out “ don’t let them get to you Kendal you’re perfect just as you are”

But they did get to me, they made me change everything about myself just to be perfect a model, a rich brat, a prefect girlfriend and a respectful fiancé, but I wasn’t any of that.. Who am I?

My phone buzzed drawing me out of my thoughts, I pulled away from his hold and picked up my phone and saw a message.

Unknown : Don’t let him touch you again

My brows furrowed and I looked around, f**k he was here, where the f**k, then I looked at my camera, I hadn’t removed the one outside, just in case Asher was still crazy, could he be watching me through that?, I mean he could hack it, right.

“What’s wrong?” Asher asked. “Nothing” I mumbled and looked at my phone, he was here this was my chance to get him to come out right,

Me : why don’t you show up and make me

I sent it, I wasn’t scared tonight, maybe that was because there was a 6ft tall sacrifice by my side, and by sacrifice I mean Asher I would throw him to the stalker if anything happens.

Unknown : You wouldn’t like that muffin.

Me : come out you Dumbass prick

He didn’t reply I waited minutes but no reply, Asher started questioning me again

“Want a drink?” I asked him

He looked stunned at first but then agreed “sure”

We went inside and I locked the door, I went into the fridge and brought out the wine I hadn’t finished, I poured both of us a glass and he downed it

“you should Slow down” I said sipping mine.

“I’m pretty good at drinking” he replied

Sure he was, I rolled my eyes but He seemed to be I’m a mood to get drunk and I needed this advantage

“What more do you know about me?” I asked

“Well the things I know aren’t good so I’d rather not say” he replied

“that I slept with a bunch of men” I said stepping closer

“I.. I didn’t say that” he said sipping his drink

“but everyone says that”

“Everyone is stupid”

“Really? What if I said I wanted o sleep with you right now?” he stared at me stunned for a moment, but I knew what I wanted and it was to provoke that bastard to come out, so I pulled his collar and kissed him, f**k how disgusted I was

Asher seemed to be enjoying it as he picked me up and placed me on the kitchen counter.

My eyes were slightly open watching for any movement then I felt it, a chilling aura the same one that woke me from My night mares

I wrapped my arms around Ashers neck deepening the kiss, until I saw lights flickering, the living room light went off, I panicked and tried to pull Asher off but the i***t held onto me tight, I struggled and that was when I realized he was trying to take off my clothes.

“Get off me! Stop Asher wait”

“mm baby don’t reject me now ” he crashed his lips on mine again, his hands went underneath digging in my sweatpants fidgeting with my underwear , I squirmed and shoved but he didn’t budge and then the lights went off

He stopped “what the—” he said but was muffled and instantly pulled away from me.

I gasped when I felt his body leave mine and disappear. Oh God no please, I muttered a silent prayer and the lights suddenly turned on.

I looked around nothing

“Asher?” I called out softly I was about to get down from the counter when I looked to my side and saw Asher on the floor blood oozing out of his head, f**k. I was about to scream to alert the police when I saw him, my stalker, standing right in front of me, in the dark area of the kitchen I couldn’t see him face, but his presence scared me enough to silence me.

“finally show up” I said, but he didn’t do anything, he didn’t move, that was what scared me

“Come out” I whispered taking the knife I had put by my side.

I could see it, his smile like he was mocking me, slowly he came out and removed his hoodie cap.

What the actual f**k, I thought it was some creepy fat bald dude that was stalking me, or better yet some weird New York drug dealer that would be covered in tattoos.

But no, this man was, fine, fine as hell, he was taller than Asher even bigger, his hair was Black, medium and messy God his face was well sculpted, a tattoo right below his left eye, one on his neck, heck he looked like he had tattoos every where , I found my self staring him down and when my eyes met his black emotionless ones, he smirked. I didn’t even get to think before he moved right in front of my the knife taken from my hand and his hands held mine strongly behind my back.

My heart leapt, I almost had a heart attack I’m sure of it, I could smell the faint scent of a cigar on him, he smelled like what I would say a man scented like, perfectly masculine.

Then he spoke, his voice was a deep rumble like danger to my ears

“Hey momma”