RHYLIE
It’s coming up to closing soon. I've already sent Faith home so she can be with her mom tonight. I’m dying to get off my feet so I can go home and relax with a cold beer, some greasy food while watching the latest horror movie. The soft run of the treats was a hit with everyone that came into the cafe so it’s gonna be another long night of baking for me. I really need to put an ad in the paper tomorrow looking for a part-time baker. Thank god I have tomorrow off so I can just drop them off and go back home to catch up on my sleep. I'm just finishing up sweeping the floor when the bell above the door goes off damn it, I forgot to lock it again. Turning to tell the person we are closed, in walks a guy dressed in all black with his head bent so I can't see his face. He's not moving and it’s creeping me out a little. I knew I should have locked the door but with our small town, I didn’t think I would need to.
“ I’m sorry but we are closed now. If you want, you can come back tomorrow when we open.” Moving closer to the counter so I can make a run for it to my back office if I need to. Crazy pants still hasn’t moved at all, like he didn’t hear a damn word I said. It’s official, I'm scared. Maybe I do need to stop watching horror movies, because it’s starting to seem like I’m in one. Any minute now crazy pants is going to take me into the woods. Yup, I definitely need to stop watching them. In a stronger voice than I feel I say “Look, you need to leave” before I can even finish the sentence, crazy pants decides to take a threatening step towards me. I make a run for my office, hoping he doesn’t catch me where I can lock myself in. Fumbling for my phone, I dial my brother's number hoping he’s in the area and can come quicker than anyone. After the third ring, Mason picks up. “Mason, I need you. I'm locked in my office, please hurry.” it comes out as a sob and that gets his attention. I’m trying to tell him what happened but I don’t think it’s coming across as anything because I’m crying so much.
“Ry, stay on the line with me. I’m almost there, don’t you dare unlock that office door until I get there.”
Just as I’m about to sit down there’s a loud bang on the office door which makes me scream like a little girl and my brother swears.
“Ry, baby are you okay? Please open the door” what the hell is Lucas doing here.
“Mason, it’s just Lucas. I’m gonna open the door, maybe he scared the guy off”
I can hear my brother cursing again rolling my eyes. I get up on shaky legs to unlock the door. What I didn’t expect is to be lifted off the ground and into Lucas’s arms.
“ What the hell happened Ry? I was closing up and coming over here to walk you to your car when I saw you run in the back and the guy take off. I was gonna chase him down but I wanted to make sure you were ok first. Please tell me if you're ok?” I’ll question this tomorrow when I’m calmer and not freaking out. Right now I’m going to enjoy being in Lucas’s arms and ya maybe I just sniffed him so sue me, he smells amazing. Pulling me away from him, he grabs my face and lifts my glasses so he can look into my eyes wiping away my tears he asks “are you okay?”
“Ya, just shaken up but I'll be okay” rubbing my eyes and blowing out a rough breath. Just then I can hear a shit load of sirens, so I know my brother is gonna come in here and demand I no longer lock up on my own. Which now doesn’t seem like a bad thing, but I just don’t want to hear “I told you so”. He's always on my case about my safety. “We should probably head upfront before Mason starts yelling.” Hearing Lucas chuckle because he knows how Mason can be, taking my hand we walk to the front. Just that small touch has my body lighting up. Like I just got zapped by the shiver. I know he felt it as well. Too bad we don’t have time for anything right now because here comes my overprotective brother.
“Jesus Ry. You took ten years off my life just by that phone call. I told you not to close on your own. Anything could have happened to you.”
Mason holds me just a tad too tight till I grunt and he lets me go. That’s when Mason notices Lucas still holding my hand and raises his eyebrow. Looking like he wants to say something, before he can question it. I pull my hand from a very reluctant Lucas. I decide to start talking. Going into detail, I tell Victor, my brother's partner and other best friend everything. What little description I have of the guy, while Mason grabs a copy of the security tapes hoping they caught the guy's face. When he comes back from my office. He's holding the letters I’ve been receiving in his hand, there’s only been two. I’ve meant to tell him about them, but they slipped my mind. The second one was left on one of the tables today and I didn't see who put it there. They both say the same thing- “I’m watching you”and that's it nothing else which honestly creeps me out a little.
“What the hell is this Rhylie? Why didn't you tell me you’re getting letters.”
“Look, I meant to tell you about them but I’ve had a lot of things going on and it slipped my mind and then I just forgot. I’m sorry.” I can feel how pissed off they are getting that I kept this from them. Victor takes the letters from Mason and puts them in a bag to get analyzed.
The whole time this is going on Lucas has moved me until I’m pressed to his side like someone is going to pop out. I’m sure he’s only doing it because we are friends because what else could it be? By the time everything is done I’m exhausted and just want to go home. It's just the three of us left and I just want to push them out the door because I’m so over today. Walking away from them I start to shut the lights off hoping they get the hint by the time I’ve reached the front. I can hear Mason and Lucas whispering and I just know he’s giving Lucas the third degree on why he was holding my hand. Too tired for this alpha shit, I hold the door open and wave my hand in the get the hell out motion so they can leave.
“Alright guys, I’m heading home. Thank you for everything, I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Walking towards my car at a faster pace than I normally do, hoping they just let it go but no such luck. I knew I wasn’t going to get away with that as my brother's next words made me come to a dead stop.
“ I think it would be safer if you stayed with me for a bit Ry, just until we can catch this guy. It could be random but we just don't know yet and until we do I would feel better if you did.”
I love my brother. I do but that shit’s not happening. I love my independence too much and his overprotective ass would drive me insane. “ I love you Mason but that’s not happening. I’ll be fine. I'm sure this was nothing and I overreacted.”
Saying a quick goodnight before anything else can be said, I hop in my car and head for home. Looking in the mirror I know I’m in trouble for that. Both Lucas and Mason have their arms folded and scowls on their faces. Oh well, I’ll deal with that tomorrow. I’m sure Mason will be there first thing in the morning to check up on me.
