Stalking Emily Saving Emily

Phone Call With My Ex

EMILY

I’d barely caught my breath when my phone rang. My thighs ached, and Leo’s seed was still slowly sliding down the inside of my leg as I stood in the middle of the enormous kitchen trying to pretend I wasn’t completely wrecked.

The screen lit up with an unknown number. I wanted to ignore it. But Chloe had said Victor Lang might call directly about wardrobe fittings, and some stupid part of me still believed I could have a normal life while locked inside a cage.

I answered.

“Hello?”

A low, cultured chuckle slid through the line like silk over a blade.

“Hello, Emily. Miss me?”

The floor dropped out from under me when I heard the voice. Rowan.

My ex, who played the disappearing act more times than I could count, leaving me with questions during our whole relationship. Questions which were later answered when police officers came knocking at my doorstep. The same Rowan who was behind why the whole internet knows me as a homewrecker.

His voice hadn’t changed, still the one that used to make me feel chosen. Now it made my stomach twist.

“How did you get this number?” My voice came out smaller than I wanted.

“Does it matter?” I could picture him, smiling with that lazy confidence that had once convinced me he was safe. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you, my love. Sleeping with the hotel king himself. Busy girl.”

I glanced toward the hallway. Leo was upstairs, behind closed doors, having a meeting in his office.

“What do you want?” I whispered.

“You.” Simple. Like he was ordering coffee. “And a little favor. But first, tell me, love. Don’t you miss me.”

My hand tightened around the phone until my knuckles went white. “No. I don’t, and I’m not helping you with anything. I'm hanging up.”

“You will. Because if you don’t, I’ll make sure your sister Sarah loses everything. Her husband’s hedge-fund license, even that pretty little niece of yours who just started kindergarten. One word and their whole world burns. You know I can do it. I’ve done it before.”

Ice flooded my veins.

He kept going, like we were catching up over brunch, and he was not the reason my life fell off the rails. And why am I now being hunted.

“Let me make it easy for you. Leo’s been watching you for weeks. If you want to get back at him. Play along, Emily. Feed me information. Tell me what he’s planning. In return, I stay away from your family. And who knows? Maybe I’ll even throw a little money at that new indie film you just landed.”

My mouth was dry. The kitchen island felt too far away, so I leaned against it.

“What did I ever do to you, Rowan? Don't bother answering. Just listen when I tell you, I’m not spying on him for you.”

“Oh you will,” Rowan said gently. “Or you’ll be choosing him over your family. Think about it. One phone call from you every few days. That’s all. I’ll even throw in a bonus and make sure Dex stops leaking those nasty little videos. You could grow to be the tragic-but-talented actress instead of staying the internet’s favorite homewrecker.”

I closed my eyes.

The worst part was how reasonable he made it sound.

“Tick-tock, Emily. The clock's running. I’ll call again tomorrow. Answer on the first ring.”

The line went dead.

I stood there staring at the blank screen. Rowan wanted me to betray the only person keeping me somewhat safe from him.

I deleted the call log with shaking fingers.

When I looked up, Leo was standing in the kitchen doorway in a dark sweatpant that was low on his hips. His hair was still damp from the shower he must have taken upstairs. His eyes moved over me slowly.

“You okay?” he asked.

His voice was soft. Almost too careful.