Chapter 10 (part 1)
488 Words
~THE MANIPULATOR~
"Have you heard anything?" I interrogate, my phone growing slick from the persistent anxiety since Arch went missing from my doorstep.
"No one has been able to locate him," Daya answers through the phone. She's been looking into Arch's disappearance herself since I told her what happened last night, never one to rely on the police to solve anything.
But Daya doesn't have much to go off of. She hacked into Arch's known enemy's systems—their cameras, phones, laptops, and the GPS on their cars. Just like we suspected, they had no connection to Arch'sdisappearance—at least not that we could find.
It was my shadow who took him. And without having any idea who he is, there's really no way to find Arch.
"I can't believe this is happening. I practically got this man killed," I say, tears pricking at my eyes.
"Babe, I hate to say this, but I don't think that's the worst thing that could've happened. I think this guy would've really hurt you. The things he did to his ex-wife... they're unspeakable. He wasn't a good man. None of those guys were..." she trails off, and I don't need her words to know she's thinking about Luke.
She said they had an incredible night together, but she ghosted him the second she found out what kind of guy Arch is—was.
She said anyone who is friends with a man like Arch isn't a nice man themselves.
Can't really disagree with that, either.
I take a deep breath. "I know, you're right. I guess I just don't like that he was hurt—maybe killed—because of me. I would've much preferred one of his many enemies caught up with him."
"Yeah, that would've been the best-case scenario," she allows.
"The best-case scenario would've been a wild night of hot s*x with a hot guy where I orgasm multiple times and then send him off on his merry way," I interrupt.
She pauses a beat before saying, "Yeah, you're right. But that's not what would've happened. Not with this guy's history. He's violent."
"Well, apparently, so is my stalker."
"I know, which is why I'm hooking you up with a security system. You're not going to be another statistic, not more than you already are. If you die, I have to follow, and I'm quite attached to my body. God gave me a good one this lifetime."
I roll my eyes at her dramatics, especially because she's not even religious.
"Okay, just bill me for it," I agree. I like the idea of having cameras in my house. It makes me feel better about someone sneaking around when I can't see them.
"I'll be over later to set them up."
Getting cameras will be the first thing to happen in a month that gives me any semblance of safety. No matter how fragile it is.
- Writer
