“I’ve been listening to your playlist,” he calls out to me.
A smile quirks on my lips. He knows how much that means to me. “Have you been liking it?”
He nods his head. “Been playing it on repeat.”
I bite my bottom lip and try to ignore the feeling of impending doom on my chest. “I love you.”
He kicks a rock underneath his foot, burying his hands in his pockets. “Thank you for coming, T.” He smiles softly. “I love you too.”
I give him the best smile I can before I reverse out of the spot and start on my drive.
Once he’s out of my rearview mirror, and I feel that sense of loneliness wash over me once again, I press play on my playlist and let the tears fall all the way home.
Here I go drowning again.
25
Tobias
“Hey Tobias, this is Detective Jameson. I’ve left you a couple of messages, so give me a call back when you get a chance. I just wanted to update you — since we haven’t had any new sightings or threats connected to Derrick Voss, we’re going to scale back the patrols around your place for now. But that doesn’t mean you’re on your own. We’ll still have units swing by from time to time, and if anything comes up, we can ramp security back up right away. In the meantime, if you see or hear anything out of the ordinary, don’t hesitate to call nine-one-one. You’ve also got my direct number if you need me for anything at all.”
I replay the message again as I sit inJude’s Placeparking lot.
My hands shake as I clasp my phone tightly in my hand.
What a crock of shit. Of course they’d leave me. They have zero clue how badly he’s threatened me.
Because Derrick is right. I have no one to blame but myself. If I had just gone straight to the damn police the first time, maybe we would’ve had a better chance at capturing him and ending this whole thing.
Things wouldn’t have gotten so fucked up.
I hit my head off the headrest and harshly thread my fingers through my hair, trying to calm down. I can’t stay home. Not tonight. The silence has been deafening since leaving Elijah last weekend.
I missed Derrick’s call and that both relieved me and frightened me to no end.
He told me not to miss a call, yet I hung up on him when I was with Elijah. And it’s not like I have a number to call him back on since he calls me from a different one every time.
I’mscared.
I glance down at the clock on my dashboard.
Four fucking thirty a.m.
Fucking wonderful.
This is thethird nightin a row that I can’t sleep. I’ve been feeling weak and irritable. My brain just won’t turn off.
What if Derrick has finally cracked and he’s going to hurt me or Elijah?
Now’s the time I should tell the cops. I should let them know what’s going on.We’re in danger.
Aren’t we?
I stuff my head in my hands.No, no, no.
It’s too loud. All the thoughts are so loud.
I hop out of the truck and stuff my hands in my sweater.
