The tenderness in his tone paired with a slight manic glint in hiseyes makes my stomach curl. Tanner appraises me as I cling with trembling hands to the handrail. A slight uptick pulls the corner of his mouth.
Does he like what he sees? Does he enjoy seeing me like this?
Keep him talking.
“Wh-Why?” I croak. “Then why keep texting me while we dated?”
His grin is unperturbed, but he shrugs. “I saw how closed off you still were. How you stubbornly refused to return my love. Perhaps little doses of encouragement would have opened you up more. That you’d finally realize I was the best you were ever going to get.” His jaw ticks. “I thought you’d return my sentiment earlier, but here we are.”
He turns his body toward me, and I am suddenly aware of how small I am. How large he is. Why did I ever think him puny compared to Brandon? In this too tight space with too little air, I’m suffocating. My brain can’t think straight with this little oxygen.
“How did you get all those numbers?” I croak.
“You’d be surprised what technology is out there these days—spoofing numbers with the mere tap of a button.” He shrugs, but a slow smile broadens his face.
“Why come to Florida?” My mind clambers for more questions to keep himtalking. “What were you hoping would happen?”
“I washopefulthat a chance meeting with you would sway your affections back to me. To us.” His voice darkens. “But it never happened, because ofhim.”
“Why text me from Brandon’s number, then?” I say. “Why involve him?”
“I can see how enamored you insist on being with him. I thought you’d agree to visit Navy Pier if he were there. Only, I’d be waiting instead of him—with armfuls of flowers and my heart on my sleeve.” He glows with adoration at his manic plan. “I’ve waited so long for this moment, Kate. For you to be ready to find out it’sme. Now we can move forward, you know, andreconnect.”
Tanner opens his arms, and I flinch as he approaches.
He shushes as if to comfort a terrified animal, and my instincts take over.
I fumble for my clutch, my pepper spray my only savior.
Except, I’m grasping at nothing.
I left everything on that loveseat beside that stupid text.
“Shhh…beautiful. Don’t be scared. I’m everything you want. Everything you’lleverwant.” His voice is silk, though that manic glint in his eye continues. “You’ll see soon enough.”
Never let them see you sweat.
“P-promise?” I suddenly stutter through a half sob. Hot tears stream down my face. “You promise I’ll want you the way you want me?” My lungs are nothing but a frenzy, trying to snatch more oxygen before I sink deeper into hyperventilation.
Play along.
His eyes are a sappy love song. “I promise, Kate. We’ll be so happy together. Remember how well Iknowyou. Your favorite cardio classes, your favorite trails through Jackson Park, and that cute little nose crinkle you do after taking a good photo. How thoughtful you are to care for yourhelplesselderly neighbor. It would be an awful shame if something were to happen to her…”
Cold sweat trickles down the back of my neck, but I gnash my teeth behind a simpering smile.
“But let’s not waste this moment by talking about trivial things,” he says, drawing closer.
I coerce each muscle in my face to fill with rapture, as if Tanner is the Adonis I’ve been waiting for my whole life.
The emergency stop button glows red behind Tanner. If I can justpressit… If I can just get the elevator moving again…If I could just alert someone…
“Come here, beautiful.” Tanner’s arms are still open. His smile is crooked but turning stale. “Don’t fight it any longer. I know how much you want me, too.”
Another whimper escapes me as I force my quaking legs closer. Closer to the arms of a man who has been harassing me,stalkingme, for months now. I swallow an angry sob and keep smiling. Keep playing.
My skin crawls when it touches his, but the red button issoclose now.
“We’re going to be so happy together,” he whispers across the top of my head.
