Things seemed as though they were looking up. The upcoming bachelorette weekend was going to be amazing, she decided, and even though she was still receiving threatening messages from Bryce, she was at least glad that he didn't seem to know her new address.
Except one morning, he was waiting outside of her apartment door as she opened it to go to the office. He slammed her back against the door and forced his way inside.
She struggled, but she was wearing her skirt suit and couldn't easily break free.
"You thought I wouldn't find you, didn't you?" he said as he pinned her against the refrigerator.
"What do you want?" she wheezed.
"I want to make you pay," he said. She could smell the stench of stale beer on his breath. "You ruined my family. There is nowhere you can go where I won't find you."
"Get out," she said, struggling against him.
He laughed at her, and she felt him force his hand under her skirt.
"Know that I am always watching you, you and that stupid Holbrook. You will pay, but I'm going to watch you squirm before that happens." He grabbed her hair and pressed his lips to hers. She tasted blood in her mouth where her lip had banged her teeth. Bryce smiled then turned and left, slamming the door behind him.
As soon as Bryce was gone, she ran to her door and locked it. Then she sank down to the floor. Allie felt as if she were in shock.
"Oh my God," she breathed and reached for her phone. She started to dial 911 then thought better of it.
"What if the Holbrooks fire me?" she whispered to herself. "What if it pushes Bryce too far and he actually hurts me?"
He hadn't actually done anything, and once the police figured out that he was her ex, they would probably only give him a stern talking-to. The situation could grow much worse—Bryce might actually kill her or Carter.
I'll just have to be more vigilant,she decided.
"Are we almost ready for the weekend?" Liz asked her the next day over lunch with Brandy.
"I want everything to be perfect," Brandy warned. "Especially since this isn't a whole week like I originally wanted. I seem to constantly be making compromises. But I won't compromise on the number of bridesmaids, and I do believe we are still short."
"Because no one wants to be her bridesmaid," Liz muttered to Allie.
"I didn't quite hear you, Liz," Brandy snarled.
"What about Carter's grandfather's girlfriend, Stacy?"
Allie choked. "I don't think—"
"Let me see a picture," Brandy said, holding out her hand.
Liz pulled up Stacy's Instagram feed.
"She's fine, I suppose," Brandy said after scrolling through the photos. "She'll have to do since you two couldn't find anyone else. This was a wonderful lunch, girls. Must run." She flounced off, leaving half of her salad untouched.
"Shall I box this for you?" the waiter asked.
"Sure."
"No," Liz said. "You don't want her cooties. You don't know where her mouth has been."
Allie hated to waste the food, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted to eat after Brandy.
She called Stacy on the way back to the office. Her ex-roommate was, of course, thrilled to be invited.
"Is Carter going to be there?"
"The guys are having their own bachelor party," Allie told her.
