Stalker (The Company Book 3)

She says she loved me, but I remember differently.

That day was when I knew she’d made her choice.

And it was the same day that I’d made mine.

“You don’t get to talk about love,” I spit. “Not after what you did.”

“I know what I did, but I did it for a reason, and it was a good one.”

“I don’t give a fuck about your reasons. If you loved me so much, you would’ve done anything to be with me, and I mean fucking anything.”

“You don’t understand; my mother wouldn’t let me,” she says.

Fuck her mother. Fuck everything. I part my lips to tell her exactly how I feel, but I don’t have time. The doorbell rings, and both our heads turn toward the door.

I’m not expecting any company, and from the looks of it, neither is Vanessa.

So why is someone ringing the doorbell? And more importantly … how the fuck did they get past the closed gate?

“Phoenix, you in there?”

My eyes widen.

Shit. I recognize that voice.

It’s DeLuca.

“Fuck.”

***

VANESSA

Phoenix immediately puts his pants back on, hauls me off the table, and pulls me through the hallway. I don’t even get the time to put on some clothes. “Wait! I’m still naked,” I say.

“No time,” he growls, pulling me upstairs.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

Phoenix doesn’t respond, but he keeps dragging me up the stairs like he’s possessed.

The banging on the door continues, and it draws my attention. Who could it be? Is someone coming to rescue me? No, they were calling his name, so that can’t be it.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

Phoenix drags me to the attic. “Nothing. Stay here and keep your mouth shut,” he says, pointing at the floor. “I’m gonna be downstairs, and I’ll see if you try to escape, so don’t even try. Don’t fucking move or make a noise, or shit’s gonna hit the fan. You got it?”

I nod, silently sitting down on a chair in the corner. He glares at me one more time before turning around and closing the door behind him.

I listen to the sounds; him running down the stairs, the man banging on the door calling out his name, and I wonder … if the time has come for the game to change.

***

PHOENIX

“Phoenix?” he yells, banging on the door. “I know you’re in there. Open up!”

Taking a deep breath, I pace around the hallway, pondering whether I should open the door or not. I don’t know how he tracked me back here. Then again, all it takes is a few clicks to know where she lives. She’s a fucking celebrity, so of course it’s easy to find out where she lives. But I didn’t actually think he’d come chasing after me.

Goddammit. What the fuck is he doing here anyway?

“Let me in.” He jerks the door handle.

“All right, all right!” I yell, walking toward the door. “I’m coming.”

This is it. No turning back now. He knows I’m here, and now that I’ve spoken up, the chance to hide and sit this one out is gone.

I just fucking hope Vanessa can keep her mouth shut while he’s here or else shit’s really going to hit the fan. And neither of them is going to like what I’ll do.

When I open the door, he bursts inside. “Fuck, what took you so long?”

“Hello to you, too,” I say, slamming the door shut.

“Wait, don’t close the door,” he says, pushing past me to open it again.

“What are you doing?” I ask. “Are the cops on your ass or something?”

“No.” He laughs. “But we need a hideout change, so I figured with you would be the safest place for now.”

“Wait … what? Did you say we?”

Before I know it, the same dude from before steps into the house. The prisoner who came along with us and who threatened to kill us both. Drago, I recall. Just seeing him again makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

“Hey,” he says, stepping inside before I have a chance to close the door on him.

“What the fuck is he doing here?” I say.

“Relax, Nix, he’s working for the company now.”

“What?” I frown. “That douche?”

“Hey now, I think we got off on the wrong foot,” Drago says.

“No fucking way; you choked DeLuca, motherfucker,” I say, getting ready to punch him in the face.

DeLuca steps between us. “Wow, calm down, boy. He’s with us now, and we don’t hurt our own.”

“Fuck that, I don’t owe this guy shit. Get the fuck out of here,” I spit.

“You know the rules, Nix. They could always kick you out instead, and I’d rather not see that happening.”

Of course, he wouldn’t, but he’s the favorite of the organization, so he’d have a lot of say in the matter. Too much. Like, this could go completely into the wrong direction within the snap of a finger.

“Fuck the rules,” I say, looking at DeLuca. “You’re gonna let that piece of shit into this house? What’s wrong with you? You know why I’m here and what I’m doing.”

“Yes, but we needed a place to hide for the day, before we get back to the office.”

The office. Such a fancy word for such an unfancy place.

“Yeah, what are you doing here, exactly?” Drago asks, peeking into the living room, which is, of course, one giant mess.

Fuck me. This is not going right at all.

“You guys can’t stay here,” I say. “Not even for a day.”

“Oh, c’mon. Can’t we at least have breakfast with you?”

“Already had one,” I growl.

“I didn’t,” Drago says, and he waltzes into the kitchen as if it’s his place. Goddamn, that son of a bitch. When he makes a remark of the mess we’ve made, I want to go on ahead and kill him.

“Don’t,” DeLuca whispers, putting his hand on my chest to hold me back. “Don’t do it.”

“Why the hell not? He deserves it.”

“The organization would kill you if you touched one of us.”

“He’s not one of us!” I whisper-yell.

“He is now. It’s not our call.”

“What are you doing with him? Why didn’t you two separate like I told you to?”

“Well, he kind of tagged along and things got hectic. I don’t fucking remember, okay? It’s a bit of a blur. I just wanted to get the fuck out of that cabin, and so did Drago. I contacted them, and they gave me a new job to complete first. I told them about Drago being there, and they said they wanted to see what he was capable of. He accepted the offer, of course. Next thing I know, he’s hired.”

I shake my head, walking to the kitchen with him. “I can’t believe this shit.”

“Neither can I, but you just gotta deal with the hand that’s given to you.”

DeLuca sits down at the table and looks at the mess Vanessa and I made. They don’t know we just fucked there, so it makes me grin thinking about the fact that he’s putting his hand on a tablecloth stained with her pussy juices.

“What are you grinning at, emo?” Drago growls.

“What did you call me?” I say, squinting, making a fist.

“Calm down, guys,” DeLuca says, trying to ease the situation.

There’s no easing here. I fucking hate the dude, but what I hate even more is that they’re in this house while Vanessa is only two staircases away. Naked. Shackled. Easy to assault.

I can’t fucking let that happen. She’s mine. This is my business. They’d better not get in between or heads are going to roll.

With every passing second, sweat builds up on my back as I ponder what to do. If she makes a sound, I’m done for. They’d know she’s here, and then Drago will want a piece of her. The code is code … the organization protects its own, which is why I know DeLuca will probably not come to my aid if I attack him. Or he may even help Drago, since I’m the one breaking the rules. I don’t want to fucking fight DeLuca. He’s a friend. Or at least, I thought he was. However, if I must, I must.

Vanessa is mine, and I protect what’s mine at all cost.

They’d better get the fuck out fast, so I can get back to business as usual. I don’t want to waste any time, so I quickly serve them some chips I found in the cabinet above the sink.

Sighing, I open the fridge while Drago is already drinking from a can of beer he found. “What kind of shit is this?” he says after a burp. “Tastes like piss.”

“Well, then I guess you’re all too familiar with it.”

“Say what?” He slams the can down on the table.

“You heard me. Must be your bottom lip that smells.”

“Fucking emo … always so polite,” he mutters.

“That’s it.”

I grab a knife from the counter, turn around, and lunge at him across the table. DeLuca only just manages to get between us, grab my arm, and twist it, causing me to drop the knife.

“Don’t fucking fight each other!” he says. “Goddammit. Enough.”

“What?” Drago says. “Want a piece of this? C’mon then, emo.”

“Fuck you,” I spit, giving him the finger.

“Feel strong with your black hair and your piercings, emo?” he taunts.

“Why don’t you come over here and fucking see for yourself,” I spit.

“Shut up! Everybody shut up!” DeLuca suddenly yells. He glances back and forth between the both of us. “Take a fucking breather, okay. Let’s all calm down. We’re just here to share a table, nothing more.”

“I don’t want to fucking share anything,” I say.

“I need to take a piss,” Drago says, as he gets up from his chair. “Where’s the bathroom?”

I wince. “Like I’d ever fucking tell you.”

“Fine, I’ll go find it myself,” he says, as he walks out of the kitchen.

Shit, that’s no good. I can’t let him roam the house. What if he finds her?

“It’s down the hall and to the fucking left,” I growl after him, but he’s already gone.

When I try to go after him, DeLuca grabs my shoulder. “Hey, dude, it’ll be okay. Just don’t take it so personal.”

“What?” I turn around. “Why do you care so much? Did you forget he tried to choke you back at the prison?”

“I didn’t forget, but I also know what a man will do to survive. You of all people should know that,” he says.

God, sometimes he pisses me off so much with his unwanted wisdom, although he is right. A man will do pretty much anything to get out of jail.

“Whatever,” I say, shrugging. “I just want him gone as soon as possible.”

“I get it. We’ll just be here to grab some food and then we’ll be gone again.”

“Fine, but you’d better not stay any longer than that.”

“Aw, you don’t love me anymore, Nix?” he says, laughing.

I roll my eyes as he throws his arm over my shoulder. “And here I thought we were best buds.”

“It’s nothing personal,” I say. “Just business.”

“Just business … I can agree on that one,” he says, as we walk back to the table and sit down for a good talk and an even better can of beer.

***

VANESSA

It’s cold up here with nothing but my skin to keep my warm. Phoenix’s cum is still dripping out of me, messing up the floor. I feel so filthy, but I can’t do anything about it right now except to wait until he comes to get me.

I’m huddled in a corner far away from the window, listening to the sounds from downstairs. I can hear the talk and some noise like scooting chairs and punches on the table. There’s a lot of yelling going on too, so now I’m sure Phoenix didn’t expect any company, and he’s sure as hell not looking for it. Which begs the question; who are they and what are they doing here?

There’s one stomping through the house, and I wonder what’s going on. I keep my ears on high alert as I hear him come up the stairs. Is it Phoenix? Is he coming to get me? Thoughts swirl through my head as the footsteps get closer, and I wonder what is going to happen to me. I can’t shake the horrible feeling that these people, whoever they are, are up to no good. Combine that with Phoenix’s hatred for me, and I think it’s safe to say that I’m screwed if they find out I’m up here.

But it’s too late to contemplate the future. Too late to even attempt to run. The door is already jerked open and in steps a guy.

But it’s not Phoenix.

His face is square, his nose crooked, his jaw tight, his muscled body broad, and his hands look like those of a man bred to kill.

I scoot back in fear, clutching my own body as his eyes zoom in on me and a devious smile appears on his face.

“Oh, what have we got here?” he muses.

“Stay away,” I say.

“So, this is what that dude has been doing in here all this time?” He laughs. “Banging a scared naked chick?”

“I said get away!” I yell as hard as I can, however, my voice is not nearly loud enough to reach all the way downstairs. I don’t think Phoenix can hear me. And even if he could … would he really come?

“And he put a leash on you, too?” He grins, and I grab the collar around my neck, feeling very vulnerable. “This is just too perfect.”

The man steps closer, and in an attempt to rescue myself from his impending assault, I get up and grab the chair I was sitting on, holding the legs like some sort of shield.

“Oh, pretty girl has a little spirit left inside her?” he muses. “He didn’t break you enough, it seems.”

When he stomps toward me, I shove the chair in his face and run past him as he tumbles to the ground. Just before I reach the door, his hand wraps around my ankle and pulls me down.

“Oh, no, you’re not going anywhere,” he growls.

I scream and scratch the floor, wood curling underneath my nails as he drags me toward him. He pushes me down on the ground and crawls on top of me as I try to fight him off to no avail.

“Get off me!” I scream as he leans down on top of me.

“You think you can get away, pretty girl?” he whispers. His breath stinks of alcohol. “Oh, no, I want to have a taste first before I kill you.”

“What?” I scream.

“You heard me. No wonder that dude has been keeping you up here. He wanted to have a personal pet to play with. Fuck, I can’t believe he’s been keeping this a secret. No wonder, I would kill to have a pet like you.”

“Don’t you fucking dare!” I scream as he pushes my wrists above my head.

“Shut the fuck up,” he says, smashing his hand into my mouth.

It fucking hurts, but the adrenaline is keeping me from feeling any pain because he’s literally on top of me, almost suffocating me with his weight.

“I didn’t fucking come here for that dude, but I’m going to take you instead,” he says.

And then he unbuckles his belt and pulls out his dick.

Oh god, I feel like I’m going to be sick.

“No!” I scream.

Fighting him, I turn around and scratch him in the face, and then kick him in the balls. He makes an ‘oompf’ sound, and I crawl out from underneath him as he grabs his sack. I make a run for it, but he catches up to me again in the hallway, pushing me against the wall with his elbow in my throat.

“You fucking bitch,” he whispers. “Now you’re gonna get it.”

He pulls off his pants, twisting me around until my arms almost break, and then pokes me with his hard-on. I can’t believe this is happening. I don’t want this. Please tell me this isn’t true.

Suddenly, he’s gone, almost like he’s whisked away by the wind, leaving my cold, naked body trembling against the wall. But that was no wind … it was a different kind of storm. An inferno raging in the form of a man I know all too well.

“Phoenix,” I whisper.