Past Obsessions

Chapter 18 - Alex

The taxi pulled away, and I followed. I slowed as I rolled past Alice. I could see her trying to figure out if it was me, which caused me to smile softly, though in that moment, I wondered what she was thinking. It didn’t matter; I had to unravel the puzzle that had been burning in my brain for the last week or so.

Who was James? No guy could ever be that nice, or that perfect. How had this guy tamed the perfect storm in her? I turned all this over in my mind, focusing on the small things—the way James moved behind her, the way he treated her. It never seemed right, he kept her unnaturally close to him, used more force than was required to change her actions, none of it added up in my head.

The taxi continued into town, heading towards a local bar. As I pulled up, James walked inside, and I followed. I had no need to be cautious now; James had no clue who I was, much less my connection to Alice. James joined a group of other men who looked like business types, suggesting he was well-off, which would explain the expensive restaurants.

I ordered a drink and sat just within earshot. The men discussed business and their plans for the weekend. Boring, I thought, shaking my head. Suddenly, the conversation shifted, and every nerve in me coiled with anger.

“How’s it going with Alice?” one of them asked.

“Okay,” replied James, sounding frustrated. “She’s timid, though. I never really knew why, except she said her ex was some kind of headcase.”

Ouch, that hurt. But she might not be wrong, I thought, now sitting and listening to her boyfriend and his friends fawn over her, over my girl, but I kept listening all the same.

“Not what we heard. She’ll drop her knickers for anyone, real easy. Good lay too,” I gritted my teeth angrily, swearing everyone in the bar could hear me grinding them.

“Maybe she’s grown,” James retorted, sounding annoyed. “She just laid there until I shot my load.”

I felt the anger rise and just as quickly swallowed it down. I could drop them all without breaking a sweat or showing an ounce of concern, but that was frowned upon and would probably get me put away.

“So you’ve f****d her?” asked the first man.

“Once, and ever since then, she won’t let me near her.” I almost felt sorry for him; he had no idea just how wickedly delicious Alice could be. In truth, she had continually blown my mind the deeper we had gotten into things.

“Get her drunk, easy fix,” suggested another. I stood and stormed past the guy, colliding hard enough to make him spill his drink.

“Oi, you f*****g retard, watch where you—”

I shot him a look that shut the guy and his friends up instantly. They fell silent, and I walked out of the bar. I wanted to drive to Alice’s and tell her what I had heard, but the truth was it wouldn’t make a difference. I knew she had to see this through her own way.

However, if she thought I was done watching over her, she was very wrong. I pulled out my phone and flicked to the flower shop. A smile crossed my face as I ordered a single red rose to be delivered first thing in the morning. I knew she’d think it was from James, but that was fine; there was a point to everything I did. The rose symbolized the situation, where something beautiful was protected by thorns, and I would be the thorn that protected her, whether she wanted it or not.

A few days passed, and I kept tabs on James, learning he was indeed a corporate stooge who worked in an office. Despite his suave act, James was actually a personal assistant, which was essentially a fancy way of saying he was someone’s receptionist. I also overheard more conversations that made my blood boil, including one where they planned for James to have his friends all spend a night with Alice. I wasn’t about to let that happen, not in this lifetime.

I sat in the car, contemplating. It would be easy—a press of the accelerator and crunch right over the obnoxious prick. But I couldn’t protect her behind bars, so patience would be my ally. My mask would slip eventually, and I would be there to ensure this clown never bothered my girl again.

James would often laugh along with them; perhaps it really was just my own paranoid mind, and James was just entertaining the idea and never actually following through. I also learned they had been introduced via a mutual friend, one who just happened to not like me very much, again not really knowing me. I had never been one to care about what people thought of me, though something almost every girl I’d ever been with had found annoying.

“He will screw up," I told myself as I sat a few cars down the road. Tonight was date night—more dinner and dancing? Maybe. But I had also overheard James tell his friends they’d be going out tonight, so I had made sure I would know when and where.

As someone who had suffered from a lack of control as a child, the lack of control I had in this moment was driving me insane. The couple appeared as ever and climbed into a taxi, on their way to their favourite restaurant—well, his favourite. I suspected Alice would be growing bored of posh Italian food by now. She preferred simpler, comfort foods. I smiled at that thought and wondered if she was at least taking care of herself each day.

“You’re mine, babygirl. You’ll see,” I breathed softly, watching as they sat by the window. The car was a little less conspicuous today. It was oddly busy for a Thursday evening. I climbed out to stretch my legs and watched them. As usual, she laughed, though today she seemed more subdued than usual. Even from here, I could see the sadness that surrounded her. Too many people out in public and a long night—the exact combination she hated.

James had had two months to work all this out, but he hadn’t, opting instead to push her comfort zones. I had figured out Alice in less time than most; our little world was perfect. Perhaps I romanticized it a little too much, but I had never once seen her look so miserable as she did in that moment. The truth was, Alice could be pushed from her comfort zone, but not in the way he did. She needed time, time to prepare, giving her all the details and options. She would find a way to make it easier, and then we would do what we had planned.

Maybe by not focusing on the bad and always moving forward, James had the advantage. Maybe that's what Alice needed? “Don’t be f*****g stupid,” I growled at myself. I knew she hated being out all the time; she needed time to decompress and disconnect from people. She hated noise and always seemed to order the same thing. I’d seen James try to change her mind, but she had shaken her head. Comfort—she needed that, and I had always accommodated it. I had to, because that’s how she thrived. I knew when to push and when to pull her close. It was an art most guys could never grasp. I looked at my watch; it wouldn’t be long before they headed to the next part of their evening.