Page 10 of Claimed By My Stalker

“Anything else you’d like?” he asks.

“The new milkshake on their menu will do.”

Bella Pizza sells the best milkshake in town, and other states too, until I heard about the newly introduced one on the menu here.

“Vanilla milkshake coming through,” the attendant announces.

I drive off after the restaurant to a four-lane road, the traffic light halts us. There, I receive an incoming call from a strange number. I hear Bruno's nasty laugh at the receiving end.

“Enjoying that milkshake, huh?”

I almost choke on my drink, looking through the side mirrors for a sign of him.

I give Enzo a knowing look, he instantly knows who it is.

“You could have died five seconds ago Carlo, my hitman just asked for my approval to take a shot.”

“Why did you change your mind?”

"The blondie, her name is Carrie, isn't it? Are you using her to get to me because I have to admit Carlo, it’s working.”

“You stay away from her.”

Bruno stifles a laugh. “That’s not for you to decide, but consider yourself lucky Carlo. You did a number on my men and ruined three of my cars. I’ve been in a foul mood all week because of you. You’ll pay for killing my men, but thanks to her I’ve changed my mind, you won’t be paying with your life. I’m going to take away the thing that’s most dear to you.”

I can’t tell what he’s talking about, but I hope he knows nothing about the kinds of things I hold dear. I hope he isn’t talking about Carrie.

“If you're confused, you'll find out what it is soon, by that time my words will be clearer.” With that, he hangs up.

I clench my fist almost crushing the phone in it.

“Everything okay?” Enzo asks.

I speed off, honking furiously at the cars in my way. I’m determined to put an end to Bruno even if it’s the last thing I do. Bruno's existence continues to be a pain to me. I’m not one to take his threats seriously but I fear he wants to take Carrie away from me. I take Carrie very seriously and will not sit back and watch any harm come to her.

As for Carrie, it’s about time I talk to her about what she’s done.

_ _ _

I find her on her room terrace. I know she can tell I’m standing right beside her, but she doesn’t say a word and keeps her eyes in the distance. It’s hard to tell if she’s fixated on the sunset or is staring into space, lost in thought. I clear my throat to get her attention, yet she doesn’t move.

I know it’s up to me to say something now. “It’s Carlo”

“I know,” she replies. “Are you here to scold me?”

“What did you do?”

“I was trying to save your life…”

“…What did you do?”

She shrugs. “Nothing much, we just talked, I pleaded for your life, that day you and Enzo came home covered in dust, I knew he was going to come after you.”

I give an exasperated sigh. “I told you to stay out of it”

“I was just trying to help, you were clearly in danger,” she argues.

“You think you have what it takes to save me from danger?” My voice is starting to rise. I take a mental note to keep myself in check, Carrie is the last person I ever want to yell at. A slight frown is plastered on her face, my words clearly hurt her feelings. I shouldn’t have said that. I attempt to take her hand but hesitate. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that”

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