Page 15 of In Her Shadow

“This isn’t you, you don’t let strangers in your home, then screw them without protection.”

“Katelyn, I don’t screw around, at all. This is all new to me, and I got swept away. But like I said, Ren has fixed it.” I rattle the pill packet at her in case she hasn’t noticed.

“Where did he even get these from anyway? For all you know, you could be taking his antipsychotics.”

“Don’t be cruel, Ren isn’t a psychopath. He’s just…a little intense. He got these from his friend, who's a pharmacist, and he’s legit, he owns a store and everything. I checked it out online,” I assure her, I even recognize the brand name of the ones he’s gotten for me from the research I did earlier.

“Did you also check out what pills to take for stupidity while you were doing it?” she asks with a tiny trace of a smile making its way onto her lips. “I’msupposed to be the reckless one in this friendship,” she points out, grabbing me and pulling me in for a hug. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to kill your buzz. I’m just doing my overprotective best friend duty,” she tells me, in a soft, apologetic tone that I don’t hear from her very often.

“Well, this is the last stupid thing I do. I promise. Last night, I jumped over a huge hurdle, and I’m feeling good about it,” I assure her.

“Then we should be celebrating.” Katelyn goes to the cupboard where I usually keep the tequila, and looks at me sternly when she sees that I haven’t replaced the bottle I finished off last week.

“Come on, get dressed up, we’re going out.” She slams it shut.

“On a school night?” I laugh.

“On a school night,” she confirms. “I’m borrowing that cute, denim dress you own, and I’m not taking no for an answer. You got a man now, I need it more than you do.” She kisses my cheek and heads for my wardrobe, while I get back to reading the instructions for the contraception pill Ren got for me. I have to admit, I was a little wounded that he left here this morning without leaving his number or saying goodbye. There are no contact details on the note, so I have no way of thanking him for his special delivery. I don’t even know when the next time I’ll see him will be. But I do know he won’t be very far away, and the thought of that doesn’t freak me out…it makes me smile.

“I fucking love this place!” Katelyn shouts over the music as she ruffles up her hair and sways her hips from side to side, while I do my usual bop of the head and keep the rest of my body rigid. I’ve been glancing around the room ever since we got here, wondering if Ren has followed me. I’m sure I caught a glimpse of him about half an hour ago, but I haven’t seen him since. So maybe my mind is just playing tricks on me.

“Are you looking for your stalker friend?” Katelyn calls out, grinding her ass against the random guy who’s stepped up behind her. “Because if you are, he’s right over there.” She gestures with her eyes over to one of the booths that are set back under the second-floor balcony, and I try to hide my smile when I see him casually slouched back in the shadows with his arms stretched out across the back, his knee bent, and his foot up on the seat beside him.

“Give me a sec.” I look back at Katelyn, she already has her tongue stuck down the random guy's throat, so rolling my eyes, I take off toward him.

His eyes go narrower as he watches me get closer, and when I stand in the gap between his legs, he looks up at me and remains silent.

“I don’t remember inviting you along,” I tell him. I’ve had a few drinks, and that, combined with my newfound confidence, has me acting a little playful.

“You never do, and yet here I am.” He rolls his tongue around the inside of his cheek and makes my pussy dampen my panties just from the way he looks at me. I decide to be brave, and when I reach forward to kiss him, he pulls his head back. “You been drinking, Kitten?” He raises one of his eyebrows suspiciously.

“Just a little, me and Katelyn came out to celebrate.” I realize how pathetic that sounds. “You know, since I’myoursnow, don’t you think I should have your number?” I blurt out something even more desperate. I really need to start filtering these words in my head before I release them.

“You're real cute, you know that?” He tilts his head sideways and bites his lip as he smiles. Why does every gesture this man makes have me wanting to leap on him? It’s a sensation I’m really not used to, and it’s starting to frustrate me.

“I should lock you away from all the bad in the world.” Sitting up a little straighter, his hand reaches up so his fingers can brush the hair that's fallen onto my face behind my ears. “Just ignore the fact I'm here. Go back to having a good time with your friend,” he tells me, his eyes staring deep into mine as if he’s trying to hypnotise me. I hate the rejection it makes me feel. It’s almost as bad as waking up this morning and him not being there.

“Why did you leave without saying goodbye?” I ask him, desperate to know what's going on inside this guy’s head. I knowthat he’s been following me. I’ve seen it for myself, and I can’t help thinking that it’s not the only part of himself that he’s keeping from me.

“I did say goodbye, you were sleeping. You looked all peaceful and pretty… I didn’t want to wake you.” He cradles my cheek with his hand, and when his thumb smudges over my bottom lip, I pull back.

Suddenly, I’m very aware of how needy and ridiculous he’s making me act. Katelyn is right, I need to be cautious, despite my instincts, for all I know, this could be one big game to him.

“What are you doing here, Ren?” I stare right back at him, probably letting him see that he has the potential to hurt me, but I don’t care. I want to know everything there is to know about him, the same way he does me.

“I’m making sure you're safe.” He creases his forehead at me.

“I don’t need you to do that, I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.” I stand a little taller and cross my arms.

“Sorry, but dem’s da rules, baby girl. Go back to having fun and just pretend I’m not here.” He smiles at me, and I feel all of that frustration pour into my stomach like lava.

“Fine.” I turn my back on him and make my way over to the dance floor without looking back. If he wants to watch, I’ll give him something to watch. Katelyn claps her hands when I dance my way back toward her, imitating those seductive moves she makes and lifting my hair off the back of my neck, the way she does when she’s dancing. She always manages to look so sexy. I want to see if I can tempt Ren out of his comfort zone, the way he seems to have drawn me out of mine.

I glance over my shoulder and see that he’s still watching, his eyes dark and sinister, warning me not to push him too far. I think about how his hands felt as they pinned me down, the warnings he whispered in my ear, and how overpowering it was when he came inside me…both times.

Ren awakened me from my nightmare this morning; he replaced all my fears with his own sick version of comfort. I can feel myself getting addicted to it.

I should be running in the opposite direction from this dark, overbearing stranger, but instead, I want him to come to me. I want him to put his hands on my body and kiss me right here on this dance floor for everyone to see. I want him to remind me that I belong to him. The guy who’s been giving all his attention to Katelyn calls over his friend, and when he starts to dance with me, instead of backing away like I usually would, I allow him to place his hands on my hips.

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