Page 7 of Stalked

Rolling my eyes, I grind my molars together. Emilia is basically my cousin. Sure, her parents aren’t related to mine, but her father, Killian, is the hacker for my father, while her mother is best friends with mine.

“Fine, don’t say anything. I cloned her phone, you’ll receive everything they receive, texts, notices of a phone call. I made sure there’s notraceable information, so she won’t have a clue something happened to her phone.”

“Thanks,” I say, hanging up and pocketing my phone. I need to get back to my penthouse before I search through his phone. I don’t need to get wrapped up in snooping through his phone before he wakes up and finds me.

That would be a world of trouble I don’t need right now.

6

Tobias

“Are you stalking him again tonight?” Kyler asks, shoving his workout clothes into the duffle. I swear this man literally lives at the fucking gym.

“I’m not stalking him,” I grunt, taking a drag from my cigarette.

“Seriously, do you have to smoke in here?” Pulling his phone out, he begins typing something before saying, “Giving someone unwanted and obsessive attention. So, by Google's definition, you’re stalking this fellow, Tobias.” Grinning up at me like he won something, I feel the urge to shove my fist through his face.

Glaring over at my so-called friend, I can’t help but hate that he’s correct. In some sort of technicality, he’s right. I just don’t like to claim the fact that I might be, a hardmight be,stalking Gabriel. But he also has to know, there’s no way Gabriel doesn’t know someone is stalking him. I leave a paintbrush every night. I even cleaned up his trashed apartment last night.

“So, are you?” Kyler asks again.

“I don’t like that word,” I huff, blowing smoke out from my cigarette.

“Yeah, well, I don’t like you smoking in my penthouse, but yet here we are.”

Rolling my eyes, I head to the bathroom, taking one last draw of my cigarette before flicking it into the toilet and flushing.

“Is that better?”

“Much. Now, back to the issue at hand. Why are you stalking him?”

Tilting my head, I lean against the doorframe. I truly don’t know why I’m still stuck on him. I don’t have a real reason. Just something about him spoke to me. He was barely nervous or scared when I broke in. He has yet to contact the police about that break-in or every night since.

“I don’t have a reason,” I finally answer.

“Don’t have a reason, or don’t want to tell me?”

“I don’t have a reason,” I lie again.

Kyler studies me for a minute before sighing and moving back towards his duffle.

“Where are you going?” I ask, realizing I don’t have plans to leave the state whereas Kyler packs a bag like he is. Which is odd because he never leaves, not without me.

“Underground fight in an hour. I’m fighting against Tank,” he mutters, refusing to make eye contact with me. Knowing Kyler, he has a reason for fighting against Tank, someone who works under us.

“You're going to be safe.” It’s not a question or even a statement, it’s an order. Even if I don’t like ordering him, I am his boss and nonetheless, his Pakhan.

Kyler snaps up, his spine ridged from my voice. He knows he can mess with me, we joke around, but that’s all behind closed doors. In public, he’s my soldier and listens to my orders.

“Yes, Pakhan.” Kyler clears his throat, his arms immediately going behind his back. I hate the feeling I get when he stands like this, but I also love it. Knowing the simple change in my voice can make him or any of my men stand at attention and wait for my orders.

Holding eye contact for a minute later, I relax and nod my head at him. “Just text me when you make it out,alive.”

Kyler better make it out, but I also know when he gets in a certain headspace he can become a sort of villain, a monster if you will. He has a way of shutting out every ounce of emotion or feeling he has and destroying those around him. But if he needs this, then who am I to stop him?

“Okay, stand down or whatever.” Waving a hand, I leave his bedroom.

“I’ll text you; go have fun stalking your boyfriend.” Kyler’s laugh follows me out of his penthouse.

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