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Chapter Nineteen

Now

I don’t know how much time has passed since I talked to Nix but it feels like forever. Every little noise has me practically jumping out of my skin. Occasionally, I scan the street, trying to figure out where Ryan is. If there is one thing I’ve figured out, for sure, since hanging up the phone is that Ryan is watching me. I know it.

A knock at the window scares the hell out of me. I jump and scream. Nix’s face appears through the glass a second later and I sigh, clamping a hand over my heart.

“Unlock the door, baby,” he instructs through the glass. I hit the unlock button and he yanks the door open.

Pulling me out of the car and into his arms, he says, “Are you okay?”

“What took you so long?” My voice is high and squeaky, full of the panic racing through me.

He scrunches up his eyebrows as he runs a hand over my cheek. “Hey, calm down. I sped the whole way here. It’s only been ten minutes.”

“He’s here.”

His eyes widen and he starts looking all around us. “Where?”

“I don’t know but I know he’s here.”

His eyes land back on me and his gaze softens. He leans in and plants a kiss on my forehead. Closing my eyes, I soak up the feeling.

“Let’s go inside the apartment and we’ll figure this all out, okay?”

I bite my lip, looking at the neighborhood surrounding us.

“Em, don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

“Okay.” I grab my bag, the ring and note inside, and we start making our way up to the apartment. Both of us are silent as we keep our eyes peeled on the area.

“Did you call my brothers?”

He squeezes me to him. “Yeah, they are on their way.”

We reach the door and I hand my keys to Nix. It feels like an eternity as he unlocks the door. My mind begins to wander. Ryan has found a whole new way to torment me. I feel like this is worse. At least with him, I knew I wasn’t safe. Now, I have no idea. Maybe he’s not even here. Maybe I’m overreacting.

“Emma?” Nix’s voice breaks through my panic attack and I meet his eyes. The door to the apartment is open and he is holding his hand out to me. “You okay, baby?”

“Yeah,” I whisper and place my hand in his. He leads me into the apartment and over to the dining room table. He plops down on the chair next to me and grabs my hand again.

“All right, sweetheart, what happened?”

I shake my head, clearing away the fog of panic, and look into his crystal blue eyes. Everything about him gives me the strength I need and I take a deep breath.

“I was going out to my car and I just felt like someone was watching me, ya know?”

He nods.

“So I got in the car and this was waiting for me.” I pull the ring box out of my bag and set it on the table.

“What is it?” he asks, his voice rough with contained emotion.

“My engagement ring.”

The growl that comes from deep in his throat sends a shiver down my spine. “Was there anything else?”

“Yeah, this note,” I answer, setting it down. He picks it up and reads it. When he’s done, he slams the paper down and grinds his teeth.