Chapter 18
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Bile burned the baseof Charlie’s throat. A shiver zipped down her spine as she fought the dizziness threatening to take over.
On trembling legs, she went into her living room to check the locks on the door. A ball of lead formed in her stomach when she looked up and saw the deadbolt was not engaged.
That’s impossible.
She always locked her doors as soon as she came home. It was as routine as her morning coffee or brushing her teeth before bed.
Oh, God.Breathing became damn near impossible as reality sank in.
He’d been here. Caleb had been inside her apartment...while she slept.
In near hysteria, Charlie ran to the door and locked it. Then, she ran back to her bedroom to grab her phone.
Tears leaked down her cheeks and her entire body shook as she fumbled to unplug it and dial Derek’s number. She glanced at the clock.
It was four in the morning. She hated interrupting his work, but right now she needed to hear his voice more than anything in the world.
She didn’t get her wish.
The call went straight to voicemail. When the second attempt yielded the same results, Charlie nearly broke down.
She considered calling 911 but decided against it for fear they’d think she was crazy and leave.
She came up with another idea.
Knowing Derek’s brother worked nights, she quickly found him in her contact list and called Eric. Thankfully, Derek had put the number in there for her after what happened with his car.
With her shoulder holding the phone to her ear, Charlie threw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie while it rang. Within seconds, she heard Eric’s voice on the other end of the line.
“West.”
Just hearing a familiar voice helped. She blew out a breath. “Eric?”
“Charlie?” The man was clearly surprised she was the one who’d called him.
“Eric, I need help.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, instantly on alert.
“He’s been here.”
