The Stalker Between US

Chapter 16

Ethan POV

I watched as Julia disappeared safely behind her building’s front door, her smile lingering in my mind long after she was gone. I turned, hands in my coat pockets, feeling lighter than I had in months as I walked back toward his car, parked along the quiet, tree-lined street. The night air was crisp, and the distant sounds of the city seemed softened, as if the world itself was giving him space to savor the memory of their evening together.

As he approached his car, a peculiar sense of unease crept over me. Something seemed off. I rounded the rear bumper and saw, illuminated by the harsh glow of the streetlamp, that my left rear tire was completely flat. Crouching down to inspect it, I couldn’t help but frown. It wasn’t just low—it was slashed, the edges of the rubber ragged in a way that made it clear this wasn’t an ordinary blowout.

I straightened and looked up and down the block, searching for any sign of movement, but the street was empty except for a row of parked cars and the flicker of a faulty porch light across the way. My gaze lingered on the dark alleys and recessed doorways, wondering if someone had watched me, waiting for the right moment to act. The thought was unsettling, but I shook it off, pulling out my phone to call for roadside assistance.

Unbeknownst to Ethan, deeper in the shadows, a figure pressed against the brick wall of a nearby building watched him with narrowed, jealous eyes. The mystery person’s breath fogged in the cold night air as they gripped the handle of a pocket knife, satisfaction and envy warring within. They’d seen Julia leave the car with Ethan, seen her laugh and touch his arm, and the sight had kindled a possessive rage. As Ethan waited for help, the watcher melted further into the darkness, already plotting what they might do next to keep Julia from slipping away.