19. Wee Back, River


    RIVER


    “What do you mean I’m leaving? Did they catch him? Is he in police custody right now?” I was torn


    between celebrating and feeling down at the same time. It would only mean one thing that I wouldn’t


    get a chance to see Krew again, but he seemed okay with it, though.


    I was drenched with sweat while he looked all mighty in his dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt, his


    hands in his pockets like he was born to bark around. Of course, it was. Who am I kidding? He was the


    big bad wolf.


    “You’re leaving, and not yet.”


    “Then how could you just throw me out if he''s still atrge?” My anger brewed in my blood quicker than


    I thought. I was throwing him an incinerating stare, fuming with anger while he didn’t seem to give a


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    damn at my outburst. “Is this because you failed to convince me to ept your offer? And that I didn''t


    fall for your devious ns?”


    “No. It has nothing to do with that. You’re not interested then I was only respecting your decision. I


    arranged something else for you back in the city. You’d be safe there, and you''d have a chance to see


    your friend. You’re gonna like—”


    “What do you know what I like? You don’t even know me to know what I like, but then this is all but an


    arrangement. I should be grateful, right? Well, you got it. Thank you very much for your help.” I


    stomped away from him out of the mini gym. I was an ungrateful bitch, but my fury had gotten over me.


    After I took the quickest shower, I changed into a crop top, jeans, and sneakers. Whatever his n


    was, I made sure I had my own. Just in case I needed it.


    I took the phone he gave me, and that was it. I was leaving this house for good. Before I walked out of


    the room, I looked at the guitar one more time and let all those good things that happened in here go.


    The driver was indeed waiting for me. He followed me outside the house, opened the door of the ck


    SUV, and I entered silently. When I thought Krew was still willing to have a word with me before I left, I


    was wrong. The vehicle started, drove to the driveway of his home out of the gate. I regretted right


    away that I didn’t talk to him, thanked him for keeping me safe for the past few days.


    My eyes watered, and my stomach knotted. It felt like there was an enormous hollow inside my chest


    that I left like that with unsettled arguments. I stared outside the window and let those lush greenery


    passed by like a blur with those chances.


    I paid no attention to the man at the airport who introduced himself as Conner. He said he would be the


    one to send me to the ce Krew had arranged for me.


    “Do you have luggage, Ms. Rouge?” He was not older than his early thirties, but I was not in a mood to


    have a delightful conversation right now. It was ridiculous—what I felt. The moment I was happy, then it


    turned me to the dark ce—I was suddenly sad. I felt terrible, unsafe again in spite that this man was


    hired to protect me.


    “I take that as a no.”


    Once I found out about our flight, I texted Journey.


    I hadn’t said a word other than no thank you throughout the flight. Conner was sitting next to me had


    shut his mouth for good when I only answered was a re.


    I sighed in relief as soon as the pilot announced that we were about tond. I still felt sorry. I had this


    unsettling feeling in the pit of my belly that I left angry. I took note to myself to send him a text that I


    arrived safe and thank him for your hospitality. But that would be too much, plus, he didn’t give me


    much of a choice other than barking at me that I would be leaving his house today.


    Fuck him. I didn’t want someone like him to scratch my itch. There were a lot of men who could respect


    me and give me what I wanted, and certainly not someone like Krew Selik.


    As soon as the seat belt sign was off, I unbuckled mine. Conner did the same thing. The passengers


    rushed to the aisle, grabbed their belongings from the overhead bins while I forced myself to find a way


    out. I knew without a doubt that Conner would follow me.


    “I need to use the restroom. I hated doing it on the ne. The space is too small,” I told Conner once


    we were on the jet bridge.


    “Sure. Anyway, I have to inform the boss that we justnded.” Of course. I forced myself not to roll my


    eyes. Instead, I smiled tightly.


    “Great. Thanks.” Saved by the ring. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I knew it was from Journey.


    After how Krew threw me out of his castle, there was no way in hell I would receive a message from


    him.


    Conner was still with me as I followed the sign towards the nearestdies'' room.


    “It would be quick,” I assured him.


    “Take your time, Miss Rouge.”


    I quickly saw Journey in the bathroom. Her bluish-green eyes widened in shock to see me walking


    closer to her.


    “Oh, my god. Oh, my god. I thought I just lost my maid of honor. Where the hell have you been?” She


    inspected me from head to toe and shrugged as if disappointed “You look just fine.”


    “Why wouldn’t I be?”


    “Well, I got a visit from a man in a blue suit telling me that you were somewhere. That’s all he said, and


    nothing else even how many times I grilled him with questions, he didn’t budge as if I was taking years


    of his life he answered me. Al? he said was it’s for our own safety. What did he mean by that?” She


    looked angry and shoved to me the stroller she carried with her. “What’s going on, Ri? I’m your best


    friend for God’s sake, yet I knew nothing about your life for these past months.”


    “I’m so sorry. I will tell you everything, I promise.”


    “Sure you will, or I will rece you with someone else. You’re my best friend, River, but I feel like you’re


    turning into a stranger.”


    “Not here, Journey. Please?”


    “Okay then. Go ahead and change. Don''t worry, I’ll be right here waiting for your long exnation. And


    you’ll have to pay for the ticket if I can’t refund it.”


    “I will.” Before I entered the toilet, I asked, “Have you heard from Briartely?”


    “I thought you two broke up.” She looked at me with a confused look.


    “We did.”


    “Is it true that he crashed my engagement party?”


    “Yeah. I’ll exin itter, too.”


    I quickly changed into a cheap skirt, blouse, and coat to disguise myself as a flight attendant. It was a


    good thing Journey had ess to the wardrobe where she worked as a production assistant in one of


    the film studios in the city.


    My heart kept on thumping violently as I walked out of thedies room, dragging the stroller with me. I


    asked Journey to take a few steps ahead of me the moment I saw Conner. He has pretty upied with


    his phone. Thank God he did not notice me as I passed by in front of him.


    I let out the breath that I held for too long as soon as I reached Journey’s car. ring, she grabbed the


    stroller from me before I climbed into her passenger seat. Once she pulled out of the parking area


    toward the busy street, I turned off my phone and pulled out my wig.


    “Now that we’re here, you better start talking, River.”


    I took a deep breath before I started. I told her everything from the very beginning on how I met Briar to


    our breakup. She knew the detail about my issue with the Selik. I met Krew because of saving her job


    in the first ce.


    “Why the hell did you not tell me that that psycho has been harassing you, Ri?” She shook her head in


    disappointment. I would feel the same if the situation reversed.


    “You’re happy with August, and thest thing I want before my best friend gets married is to drag you


    into my mess. I want you to be happy and free from any trouble before you enter the marriage life,


    Journey. Just keep it that way.”


    “I can’t just watch you get harassed, Ri. You know me better than that. And why did you escape from


    that Conner guy if Krew is doing something to catch Briar?”


    “I told you—”


    “There’s more to it that you’re not telling me, Ri. But I want you to know that you can trust me with


    everything.”


    “I know, but I was hurt. I mean my ego.” My cheeks burned. “Maybe there’s a way to end this without


    Krew’s involvement. Since you''re at August''s, I want you to stay there with him and neveres to


    visit me. Just until this matter is over.”


    Sheughed. “Wow! So that you can have the best time of your life with Krew alone? Go ahead, Ri. I


    won''te to see you unannounced. Bang him hard and make him feel what he missed in the world.”


    I rolled my eyes. “I won’t see Krew again. I’ve got enough humiliation that couldst light-years.”


    “Oh, you would bang him. Trust me. The Selik has a good specimen. You would miss the best sex of


    your life if you won’t bang one of them.”


    “I’m serious, Journey. I’m afraid that Briar might pay a visit once he knows that I’m back. I’ll dial 911 as


    soon as he appears. I can’t live like this, always looking over my shoulders. My paranoia is getting


    worse every day, and I''m sick and tired of running away. He has to be locked up if he won’t want to


    follow the restraining order if I got him issued.”


    “I’m always here for you, Ri.” She squeezed my hand before she parked the car in front of the


    apartment building. “If you need anything, all you have to do is call, okay?”


    “Thank you.” I breathed before I pulled her into a hug.


    “Are you sure you’ll be okay here alone? Should I inform Krew Selik, or do you need a gun and shoot


    that piece of crap on his junk?”


    “No.” I widened my eyes at her. “He can’t know that I''m here. And as if he even cares. No gun either. I


    don’t wanna be locked up in jail for murder.”


    “Fine.” She rolled her eyes and tucked her blonde hair behind her ear. “Call me if you need anything.”


    I climbed out of her car and waved goodbye.


    As paranoid as I was, I looked around to make sure that no one was watching me. I did the same


    before I unlocked the door of my apartment and before I shut the door behind me. It seemed everything


    was in the right ces before I left. Journey was a neat freak, and the apartment was spotless even if


    she was already with her fiance. I went directly to my room, locked the door, doubled check the


    windows and bathroom to make sure no one was hiding there.


    I settled for instant noodles and a can of soda. Once I finished, I got back to my room and changed into


    somethingfy. I tucked myself into my nket, and I instantly went into a deep slumber.


    ***


    I woke to the light assaulting my pupils. I jolted up. My heart leaped up to my throat when I


    remembered that I turned it off before I slept. Goose flesh erupted on my skin, and I instantly felt that


    someone was watching me. A surge of fear flooded through me. For the first time, I felt the real horror.


    It only proved one thing--I was hostage by my own fear.


    With my hand on my chest, I gasped while I felt the color had drained on my face. In one quick shift, I


    felt my back hit the headboard. Unblinking, I froze in ce as if I turned to stone while I stared in horror


    at the man in front of me.