Page 11 of Impure Vows

The box sits on my kitchen table, mocking me with its simple elegance. I eye it wearily, unsure what to make of it.

My lungs ache, and I can’t seem to draw in a deep enough breath. He knows where I live and he’s clearly planning on doing something with me. But what?

I clutch the note tighter, my knuckles white. The lingerie lies there, a testament to his reach and his obsession. I let out a pitiful cry of frustration and fear.

“What the hell is going on?” Sophia’s voice cuts through the fog in my mind. My eyes snap to her. She’s standing in the doorway, her eyes wide with concern.

I can’t hide this anymore. “Sophia, I—” My voice cracks. “He found me.”

“Who?” She steps closer, her gaze darting between me and the box. “What’s that?”

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my hands, but they won’t stop shaking. The note feels like it’s burning a hole through my skin. “Sophia, I need to tell you something,” I manage, my voice trembling.

Her eyes narrow, her concern deepening. “What’s going on, Aliyah? You’re scaring me.”

I shove the box towards her, the lingerie and the note lying in plain sight. “These... these showed up today.”

Sophia’s eyes widen as she reads. “I am always watching? What the hell does that mean? Who is this creep?” She picks up the lace, her brows knitting together. “Is this some kind of sick joke?” she asks, looking up at me.

His face flashes through. my mind, the intensity of his stare, the danger, it all comes flooding back. “It’s not a joke.” I whisper, my breath coming in short gasps. “There was another package yesterday. A diamond necklace. And another note.”

Her face pales. “What did the other note say?”

I swallow hard, remembering his words. “You can't hide from me, Aliyah. You belong to me now.”

Sophia’s jaw tightens. “What the fuck? This is seriously messed up. Who the hell is this guy?”

“I don’t know,” I lie, the truth lodged in my throat like a stone. “I don’t know who he is.” But I do know. There's no one else it could be. It's him. I don’t know how, but he found me, and instead of killing me, he’s stalking me.

The intensity of his stare flashes through my mind, the fear heightens but underneath it I feel a flicker of something else, something more alarming than the scene I witnessed, or threatening notes and gifts. I was attracted to him. It may have been momentarily, and its fucking crazy. But I can't deny the part of me that’s intrigued.

Sophia drops the lingerie back into the box like it’s contaminated. “This guy’s a fucking creep. A creep with good taste, but what the fuck.”

I can’t help the bitter laugh that escapes me. “Yeah, well, his taste isn’t my biggest concern right now.”

Sophia’s eyes narrow. “You need to be careful. Have you thought about going to the police?”

“I can’t,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “What if he finds out? What if he retaliates?”

She sighs, running a hand through her hair. “Okay, then we need to figure out what to do. We can’t just sit here and wait for him to make a move.”

I nod, my heart pounding. “I know. I just... I don’t know where to start.”

“We’ll get through this,” she says, her voice firm. “Just be careful, and we’ll come up with a plan.”

Later that night, the tension is unbearable. I pace the living room, the box still haunting me from the kitchen counter. I can’tkeep this to myself any longer. My mind races, heart pounding like it’s trying to escape my chest.

“Sophia, I need to tell you something,” I finally say, my voice trembling.

She looks up from the couch, eyes wide with concern. “What’s going on, Aliyah? You’re freaking me out.”

I take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the past few weeks crash down on me. “Remember that night at the penthouse? The night I quit?”

She nods, eyebrows knitting together. “Yeah, you said a customer made you uncomfortable.”

I grip the back of a chair, trying to steady myself. “I lied. It wasn’t just a customer. I saw something... something I shouldn’t have.”

Her eyes widen. “What do you mean you saw something?”

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