Page 6 of Not Your Hero

“No shit? Who did you fuck over now?” he asks. The reason he broke up with me was because he couldn’t fulfill me. He wasn’t about having sex on the daily, and I also cheated on him, which was reason enough in itself. He couldn’t keep up, and that wasn’t my fault.

“No one. I honestly don’t know what’s going on,” I tell him, exasperated by this whole thing.

“Sorry. We’re not together, Emerson. And honestly, why would you ask me?”

“Why not? I thought you actually cared about me at one point.” He sighs into the line.

“I did, Emerson. Listen, I would but I can’t right now. I’m sorry.” The line goes dead as I pull the phone away from my ear and sit back, looking at the black screen. I could ask Sandra, my friend, but we aren’t really friends like that. In fact, I don’t have many friends who are actually friends, if you know what I mean.

I pick up the black card and flip it in my fingers for a few minutes. Whoever sent it obviously doesn’t care if I use it. I mean, they told me to use it. So, what could it hurt?

I sigh heavily, stand from the chair, and walk into my room, where I flip the light on and tug my shirt over my head. I toss it to the side before walking over and dropping onto my bed in just my shorts and bra when a chill runs through me. My eyes instantly jerk to the window, thinking someone is out there, but my backyard is fenced in, and I can typically hear when the gate is opened. Great, now I’m fucking paranoid on top of everything else.

I drop back onto the bed and groan. Why does my life have to be such a fuck up? Why can’t anything go my way?

I roll over, face the wall, and close my eyes, trying to drown out the noise in my head, but it isn’t working, so I reach for the controller and flip the TV on. It doesn’t matter what’s on as long as there is some kind of noise in the room. I keep my eyes closed tightly and damn near beg sleep to take me under. When it doesn’t work, I roll back and prop myself up on the pillows and watch the TV.

Something outside piques my interest, and I push off the bed and walk to the window, looking out, except I don’t see anything. I keep glancing around when I see what looks like a lit cigarette lying in the grass.

“Little fucking shits,” I mouth. The kids next door must have gotten caught smoking again and tossed it into my yard. Shaking my head, I pull the curtain closed and climb back in bed, watching TV until sleep finally takes me under.

Chapter 5

Gannix

Of course, I was there last night, watching her as always. I even left her a little reminder of me in the backyard. She thinks no one can get back there without her knowledge but she is so very wrong. I’m always back there. In fact, I’ve been inside her house too. Soon, she’ll be wondering about that as well when I leave her a little token of my being there.

Emerson was finally asleep when I let myself in. I watched her sleep for a long time before placing a white rose on her dresser. The thought of fucking her in her bed crossed my mind more than once, but I know that isn’t possible. Although, I’ll have her again soon. She’ll come to the club looking for me or the man she thinks about at night while touching herself. Me.

I walk into my office and close the door, heading straight for my desk. I have a ton of paperwork to get through today that I don’t really want to do, but it must be done. I get started on it, and before I know it, half the day is gone. A knock on my door pulls my attention, but whoever it is doesn’t wait for me to tell them to enter. The door opens, and in walks Ren.

“Why do you even bother knocking?”

“So you know I’m coming in. We have an issue,” he retorts, and I can tell by the look in his eyes something is wrong.

“What is it?”

“Emerson Murphy.”

“What about her?”

“I don’t know how to put this so you don’t lose your shit, Nix, but you’re not the only one stalking her.”

“What do you mean?” He can’t be right. Who else would be after her? Why?

“You wanted me to keep an eye on her, and I have been. Twice this week, I’ve scared off whoever has been there.” I shake my head, not understanding this. Who else would be there?

“Before or after I was there?”

“After. It was around three in the morning.”

“You didn’t see them? What they looked like?”

“It was a man that much I can be sure of. Similar height to you, but not as broad. He must have heard me or seen me because he took off pretty quick,” he tells me. Anger courses through my veins as I think about someone else looking at what belongs to me. I crack my neck from side to side before I shove back away from my desk.

“This is bullshit,” I roar as I stand and run my hand through my hair. “I’ll fucking kill anyone who gets near her, Ren,” I warn him.

“I know you will. But we don’t know who it is or what they want.”

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