Page 48 of Sophia, Property of Tracker

Ryan grunts and lets out some obscene words as he begins to pace the floor. “You’re killing me, Sophia. Please stay the night, and we can talk about it in the morning. I can move to another room if that’s what you want. Please don’t go. I need to know you’re safe and under our roof.”

“Safe, from who?” I ask, thinking that he’s being ridiculous.

He stops and turns toward me. “You don’t understand the number of crazy people that are out there. I know, I’ve seen them, so please… stay the night. I promise I won’t bother you. I’ll leave you alone.”

“Fine…” I agree, giving into his demand. “I’ll stay.”

“Good, thank you. Just promise me you’ll talk to me more tomorrow before you leave.”

Turning away from him, I begin to walk to the bathroom.

“Sophia! Agree that we’ll talk tomorrow, or I won’t leave.”

I snap my head to his. “Fine. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

He smiles, walks up to me, and places a kiss on my forehead. Then, lifting my chin with his fingers, he says, “I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

Tears threaten to fall again, and I try to look away, but he keeps me still. “I want to kiss you, but something tells me if I do, you’ll bite me.”

“You would be right,” I reply, standing straight and showing him all the confidence I’m not feeling.

He turns around and walks toward the door, looks back at me one last time, then opens the door and walks out, shutting it with a quiet click behind him.

I feel an intense sense of loss.

I did not expect this day to go this way.

I take a seat on the bed and cry some more.

After what seems like a lifetime, I decide to get some sleep.

Maybe some rest will do me some good, and everything will seem less hopeless in the morning.

Tossing and turning, I hear the party wrapping up. Looking at the clock beside the bed, it’s two in the morning. I’ve been tossing and turning for two whole hours. The music finally shuts off, and the sound of voices travels and then turns into silence. I lay there a little while longer, trying everything to fall asleep. I count sheep, I put on meditation music on my phone, but nothing seems to help.

I wonder where Ryan is sleeping?

Ryan’s scent fills me everywhere in this bed. The pillow, the sheets, the duvet, and I only want to wrap myself in it and never leave.

Trying to not think about him and our situation, I roll over again and pull the duvet up high over my shoulders, sometimes warmth of blankets can make me feel sleepy, but it doesn’t help. Time passes, I give up, throwing the duvet off, and I stand. Maybe an herbal tea will do me some good.Would they even have herbal tea?Hopefully, there’s some in the kitchen.

Looking down at myself, I’m wearing bed shorts and a white ribbed singlet with no bra. Wondering if I’m showing too much skin, I walk to the mirror in the corner of the room and look at myself.Mmm… the shorts are pretty short, but it’s my pajamas.I think about changing quickly but then convince myself not to. Surely, no one is still up. It’s been over an hour since I heard the party die down.

Unlocking the bedroom door, I look left and right, ensuring no one is around. A small light is on in the distance. I exit and shut the door quietly behind me, tiptoeing out to the kitchen. There are people sleeping on the floor and on couches, so I have to be careful not to wake anyone.

Finally, I walk around the bar and turn on the light. Seeing the kettle sitting in the corner, I fill it up with water, switch it on then go hunting for some tea.

“Bingo,” I say in a whisper when I find some chamomile tea in a canister under the counter. Reaching up to open the cupboards above in search of a mug, I don’t find any there, but eventually, I end up finding them in a drawer.

Just as I begin to pour the hot water into my mug, a voice has me nearly tipping the boiling water on the floor.

“Why, hello there… look who decided to come out for a late-night snack.”

Quickly placing the kettle back in its place, I turn to find one of the bikers standing at the door, his arm leaning up against the opening.

“Oh…” I reply. “Hey, Gunner, you scared the life out of me. I almost spilled the boiling water on me.”

He kicks himself off the wall and walks toward me. Goddammit! He looks drunk, and I'd say he definitely is by the way he’s walking.

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