Wildcat: Good night xx
I drop the phone back to the passenger seat and allow my eyes to fall closed for a moment. Sleeping in my car isn’t ideal, but apparently tonight it’s necessary.
The lingering unease from the motion detector being set off mixed with how desperately I want to be close to Lexi makes itimpossible to even consider driving the twenty minutes to my apartment.
God, I’m so fucked.
TEN
LEXI
Mr. Whiskers abandons me in favor of his cat tree in Cruz’s office, leaving me to sleep alone.
Which is on brand, to be fair, but somehow the little orange fluff ball’s rejection hurts almost as much as if he were human.
I toss and turn for an hour before finally falling into a fitful sleep, my body and mind too wired to allow me to rest peacefully despite the wine that should offer me the peace I so desperately need.
My eyes flash open, the remnants of a recurring nightmare dragging me from what little sleep I’ve managed to get.
Even years after his death, my father still manages to fuck with my subconscious.
I was lucky compared to Mom and Cruz. Apart from generally degrading me, he was only violent toward me a handful of times, but his words always hurt more than his fists did.
The threat to marry me off to some of the most awful men in the country always hung above my head like a guillotine.
It was all I was good for after all, because he never let me forget that I was a disappointment purely because I wasn’t born with a dick.
I wipe my tired eyes and tap my phone to show me the time.
Three in the morning.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
I sit up on the edge of the bed and take a drink from my emotional support water bottle. After having the same dream for close to a decade, I know better than to think there’s any chance I’m going back to sleep.
Just as I’m pushing myself to my feet, the sound of footsteps in the hallway has me pausing in place, my chest tightening as fear slams into me.
The rational part of my mind runs through the possible people who could be here.
Colten has the codes, but there’s no reason for him to be here in the middle of the night.
Cruz and Riley, but I texted them before my date last night, and they were in Rome. Even if they left straight after that conversation, there’s no possible way they’ve made it halfway across the world in that many hours.
The housekeeper, but she’s not scheduled to work today, and she’s never been here before six in the morning.
It could be a guard, but they’re under strict instructions to not enter the house unless there’s an immediate threat.
I press my eyes closed for a second, gathering my shaky composure. I’ve been trained for moments just like this. Hours of drills every year, preparing me for exactly what I should do if I’m ever in a position just like this.
My eyes dart to the slightly ajar door, the footsteps getting closer. I have to make a choice. Either I pretend I’m still asleep, or I hide.
Picking up my phone from the bedside table, I step into the bathroom, activating the motion sensors beneath the vanity before dropping to my knees and crawling into the small space beneath the bed.
The bathroom is big enough that it should take them at least thirty seconds to clear the space and the linen cupboard, which will be enough time for me to make it to the master bedroom, where the panic room entrance is nestled within the closet.
I used to chew Cruz out so much for always making me go through drills, but right now I could kiss my overbearing brother for making sure I was always prepared.
I curl my body as small as I can with the limited space I have and quickly bring up Colten’s contact, clicking the dial button before I can think about the fact he might not answer.
