Page 61 of Burn It Down
12
Fall was fully in bloom, and I couldn’t wait for Thanksgiving. It was the first time all of us Coopers had someone to take with us. We did a huge dinner out at Mom and Pop’s place. Finn was always there, but now, he would be there with me.
It was just days away, and I could tell he was a little nervous. Not like he had never been there before, but I knew it was different this time.
Finn had taken me on countless dates. Dinner and a movie once or twice. Dinner and another show at the Orpheum. This ended just as perfectly as the last one had. I loved that fucking balcony now.
Finn even took me to the museum one Saturday. We didn’t make it too far into the exhibit. Something about the art made Finn hot. We ended up behind a massive sculpture, Finn fucking me from behind with a hand over my mouth.
Today, Finn was working so I planned to spend time with Charli. We planned a girls’ day out after she cut out early from the library. I'd been so busy with Finn, I hadn’t made time for much else lately.
This was fine with me, if I was being honest. We had lost so much time being foolish. I headed out into the snowy sunlit afternoon and stopped in my tracks.
Lying on the stoop of our condo was a single rose. It wasn’t covered in snow so I knew it was fresh. My eyes darted around as panic gripped me. The unease Jordan had left me with weeks ago grabbed hold of me again.
After that day at the coffee shop, I swore I saw him a few times. At the art exhibit. Once at the movies. I thought I even saw him in the park once while I took winter landscape shots.
My number had been changed because he kept calling and texting. Bree texted a few times too so that was my excuse when Finn asked. He didn’t push after that. I'd hoped to be done with them both.
Staring at the rose, I thought perhaps not.
Kneeling, I reached out to touch it. Then I stopped; pulling my phone out, I took a photo of it. Behind it was a piece of paper with a big “G” on it.
I knew it wasn’t Finn because he knew I hated roses. Plus, this was creepy, not romantic. Finn had figured the shit out of romantic as of late. No way would he do something like this.
I opened the note and stumbled back on the stairs. Before I completely lost it, I made a call. Not to Finn; I didn’t want him to be upset while at work. Really, I called the first person I thought of when fear burned through me. There were just four words inside that scrap of paper.
“You owe me more.”
“Red, what’s up? Charli should be there to scoop you up any second. Be warned: I don’t do well for very long without her, so have her back soon, yeah? Or deal with a grumpy bro.” I tried to smile, but my face felt frozen.
“C-Cage. I, uh…I need to see you.” My voice sounded rusted and icy.
“Gigi, what’s wrong?” All teasing was gone from his voice.
“Can we come see you? I need to talk to you.” I was sitting on the steps, staring at the flower and the note, my backside cold.
Panic began to make it hard to breathe.Had he been stalking me? Did I actually see him all those times? Was he watching us? What did he think I owed him?I was bent over, head between my knees, listening to Cage curse.
My head shot up when I heard a door slam. Charli.Jesus Fuck, thank God. I almost smiled up at her when she came rushing over, but I couldn’t move my face. Plus, Cage was hollering in my ear.
“Come right here. Is my girl there yet?” I nodded before realizing he couldn’t see, “Don’t you leave until Charli gets there, Gigi.” Again, I nodded as Charli crouched in front of me.
“Gigi, sweetie, what’s wrong?” Charli cooed as she frowned at me, worry in her sweet voice.
“Gigi. Go with Charli. Put my girl on the phone, okay?” I nodded and handed the phone over, not moving from the steps.
“Yes, baby, I got her. Right home, baby. Okay. Don’t…no, Cage…baby don’t tell Finn. Not yet.” My eyes went wide and I panicked, my head shaking violently.
“No. Not yet, please.” Charli shook her head and smiled; we both knew what she said, Cage would do.
All I could think of was Finn losing it and marching his huge ass down to the school. Hurting Jordan Dexter and getting thrown in jail. Over something stupid. Finn had a bit of a temper and was wildly protective.
I didn’t know how he would react. I needed to figure this out, then tell him. I couldn’t keep it from him, but we had to figure out how to tell him. Cage would know what to say.
Ten minutes later, I was sitting on their couch in the warm cottage, a steaming cup of coffee cupped between my hands. Cage paced in front of the fire, cursing as he read the note.
Not much of a note, really. It felt like a threat. Charli sat beside me, running a soothing hand through my hair and over my back. The woman sure knew how to take care of people.
