Page 38 of Stay for Me

Me: Lucas is here.

Her reply was almost immediate.

Jodie: What??? Did you let him in??

Me: No, he’s banging on my front door. I don’t know what to do.

Jodie: I’ll be over in five.

Me: No. Don’t. I don’t want him to hurt you. I’ll handle it.

The text thread disappeared as her phone call popped up, a picture of us in the library filling my screen. I quickly answered. “Jodie, don’t come,” I whisper-hissed, keeping my eyes on the door.

“I know you’re in there, Diana. Open up. We have to talk,” Lucas clipped.

“I’m getting in my car right now,” Jodie said, not bothering to listen to me.

My eyes shot up to the ceiling, hoping whatever higher power there was looming over me would fix this shit-show. “Okay, but just stay in your car. If I need you, I’ll text you. Deal?” I asked, chewing on my bottom lip, glaring at the door.

My friend huffed. “Fine.”

“Diana!” he yelled as I ended the call. More pounding followed. Sighing, I straightened my shoulders, lifted my chin, and headed to the door. I didn’t bother unhooking the chain as I twisted the knob, pulling the door open as far as it would allow.

“What are you doing here, Lucas?” I asked softly, meeting his harsh eyes.

He backed up, his brow furrowed as he gestured to the door. “Are you not going to let me in?”

There’s no reason for you to come inside, asshole.

“Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it from right there,” I told him, doing my best to keep my voice level.

His face twisted in anger. “No. Whatever I have to say, I will say to you inside,” he declared, his voice cold. “Now, open the damn door.”

From behind him, my neighbor’s door opened, revealing his tall, lanky figure, his glasses perched on his nose. He was a student professor at Yale, and we’d been neighbors for almost a year now, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember his name.

“Diana?” he asked. “Are you alright?”

Great. He knew my name.

Lucas shifted, giving me a full view of the kind man. He was dressed in flannel PJ pants and a faded gray T-shirt. I gave him a forced smile. “I’m alright.”

Mr. Neighbor eyed me for a moment before his gaze shifted over to Lucas. “Is there something I can help you with, sir?”

“Why the in the fuck would you ask me something like that? I’m here to talk to my woman—

“—clearly, she isn’t your woman, judging by the chain on the door and the fact you stood out here banging on it for five minutes,” Mr. Neighbor said simply, cutting him off.

“Lucas, you need to go,” I added softly.

He turned to me, fishing for something in the front pocket of his jeans. “I’m not going anywhere. Not until you agree to be my wife,” he pushed out in a rush, dropping down to one knee.

I froze, unsure if my heart was still beating or even if I was still breathing. All I could do was stare down at the man who’d been abusing me since my freshman year of high school, gaslighting me into thinking that was how love was supposed to be. It had taken me nearly my entire time at college to finally develop the courage to break away from him.

Now, he was here to propose to me.

“Diana?” Lucas prompted, opening the black ring box, revealing a ring I’d never seen before.

“What is that?” I found myself asking. That wasn’t the ring I picked out just to please him two years ago. He’d taken me out to dinner after my winter finals to “plan our future” and pick out rings. There was a small part of me, the weak part, that was actually excited. Picking out an engagement ring was something to be excited about. There wasn’t a woman I knew who didn’t spend a good chunk of their childhood daydreaming about their dream wedding.

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