“Maybe next time I can get him in the showerwithme.”
The apartment went silent during the track change, and she swore she heard a pounding. Cole’s shift shouldn’t be over yet, and she wasn’t expecting anyone. Besides, she’d given him her key so he wouldn’t have to knock, and her friend Chloe never showed up without calling or texting first. When Maeve opened the curtain to listen more carefully, she glanced at her phone display which was blank.
She heard the pounding again right before the next song started but it didn’t sound like a hand knocking on her door. Maybe the people downstairs were working on something.
She washed her hair quickly and ended her shower and leaned out to close and lock the bathroom door. With the hair towel wrapped around her head and towel around her body, she grabbed her phone and texted Cole, hoping he wasn’t too busy to get right back to her.
***
Cole had more energy today than usual and it wasn’t because he was thrilled to be at work. Sole credit went to Maeve. She was amazing and he couldn’t get enough. Thinking back now, he’d been so damn stupid to take so long to approach her. Maybe he’d just subconsciously known when it was the right time. It was tough to leave her bed as she slept so peacefully. Carefully he’d lifted the sheet and took a last look at her perfect body thenmade himself leave. She’d been a permanent fixture in his mind all day that way.
“Hey buddy, are you deaf?”
Cole racked the weights and looked over to Kamryn.
“Sorry didn’t hear you come in, what’s up?”
“I guess not, I hollered at you three times. Where the hell is your head?”
Kamryn smiled which meant Cole didn’t even have to tell him.
“Anyway, did I miss something?”
Kamryn threw the cell at him.
“Your woman has messaged you a few times, thought you might want to answer her.”
He smiled at the use of possession. She wasn’t his but wouldn’t complain if she was. After reading her messages, he listened to his voicemail.
“Shit, she thinks she’s hearing things at her apartment.”
“Well get outta here, I got things covered. It’s slow today anyway and you were next in line to get out early so I’ll call if we need you.”
“Thanks man.”
Cole slapped his buddy on the back and ran to his locker for his stuff. As he left the fire station toward Maeve’s apartment, he glanced at the dark café. Usually at this time of the day it would be booming with business. Made him feel bad that she was going through so much. If he found anything out of order at her place, he would push for her to move in with him. Then he would get the bottom of what was going on.
“Hey Maeve, are you okay?” She was whispering so he could barely hear her.
“Cole, there’s someone in my apartment, I know it. I can hear things moving.”
“Okay, calm down, I’ll be there in a couple minutes. Where are you now?”
“I’m sitting in the bathtub with the shower curtain closed.”
“That’s good, stay there. Is the door locked?”
“Yes, and I deadbolted the front door too but I swear I hear something out there.”
“It’s loud in the background, what is that?”
“Oh I put in a cd and cranked it up so I could hear it in the shower. Between songs though, I heard loud banging but just thought it was the neighbors. Once I shut off the water though, I could hear things that weren’t part of the songs.”
“I’ll be right there, just stay where you are and try to be quiet.”
She agreed and told him to hurry. After he hung up, he immediately called 911 and explained the situation and that he would be there in less than a minute. After a brief argument with dispatch, they advised him that he would be entering at his own risk if he arrived before them. He didn’t care, his girl was there. No one or nothing would stop him from getting to her and heaven help the asshole that might be in there where he didn’t belong.
Chapter 15
