Page 16 of Protected By Him

“Laura? Is everything alright?” Leo asked in a voice tinged with concern.

I shook my head, as if he could see me, before finally getting out, “No, it isn't. I was followed home from the bar. There was a hooded man, he might be outside my apartment right now.”

“Hey, hey,” Leo said softly, “take a deep breath and try to calm down. Are you in your apartment? Is the door locked?”

“Yes, I’m in my bedroom. I locked the door when I came in. I don’t think he followed me into the building, but I’m not sure.”

“Okay, here’s what I want you to do. Is that tall dresser still next to your bedroom door? I want you to pull that in front of the door, then lock yourself in your bathroom. Call me back once you’ve done that. I am going to come get you, but I want you to stay on the line with me. Can you do that?” Leo said. I could hear movement and the sound of keys jingling on the other end. “Laura, can you do that?” he said again more forcibly when I didn’t answer.

“But what about Ella? Leo, you can’t bring her here!” I shout, suddenly recalling that he’d gone to pick her up after leaving the bar.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. My mom is here. She’ll stay with Ella until we get back. Now, can you do what I asked?”

I looked over at the dresser in question, recalling how much Leo and Brandon had complained about its weight when they’d had to carry it up the building stairs when I’d moved in. It was incredibly heavy; I’d have to remove the drawers to maneuver it in front of the door.

“Y-yes. I can do it. I’ll call you back in a few minutes.”

“Good girl, I’ll see you soon,” he said, then ended the call.

The relief I felt at knowing that Leo had known what to do and was on his way was immeasurable. I quickly did as he'd asked, pulling out dresser drawers, so I could push the heavy piece of furniture in front of my closed bedroom door, then putting the drawers back in for added weight. Once that was done, I grabbed my phone off my bed and hurried into the ensuite bathroom, closing and locking the door behind me before pulling up Leo’s number on my phone again. I climbed into the bathtub, held my knees, and counted down the minutes until Leo would arrive as the call connected.

He answered after the second ring, and I could tell he was already in his car. As Leo kept up a play-by-play of his drive to my building, thoughts started filling my mind. What just happened? Who was in that SUV and where was that man? Were they trying to scare me, hurt me, or was it their intent to kill me?

I had a gut wrenching feeling that Harvey was behind this. Was he after the information I had? Or could it have all just been a misunderstanding like the driver said? Was the man I’d seen across the street actually coming my way? The more I considered it, the more I worried I had overreacted.

Stop it, Laura, I told myself. I knew what I’d seen. I trusted my instincts. After leaving the bar, I had been stalked and followed to my apartment. Anything could have happened. For all I knew, the hooded man could be outside my apartment building right now, watching to see what I’d do next.

That caused another sudden, terrifying thought. Leo was almost here. Would the man recognize him? Had calling Leo put him in danger?

“I’m here.” Leo’s voice cut through my spiraling thoughts. “I’m going to come up to your apartment and get you. I have your spare key, so I can let myself in, but don’t come out of the bathroom until I tell you to, okay?

“No, Leo, wait!” I shouted. “If the man is still out there, he might recognize you. You can’t risk it.”

“Laura, it’s okay. Calm down. I’m parked right in front of the entrance. No one is around, and I’m only a few feet from the door. I’ll be inside and upstairs in no time.”

I was not convinced, but it was too late to argue. I could hear him opening his car door. I was left with nothing to do but listen to the sound of Leo’s breathing as he entered my building. A few minutes later, I heard my front door open.

“Okay, Laura, I’m inside and the door is locked. You can come out of the bathroom and move the dresser.”

I ended the call, then scrambled out of the tub and hurried to clear my bedroom door. Moments later, I opened the door to find Leo standing on the other side. The expression on his face was a mix of concern and fear. Leo had sounded so confident and calm on the phone, I hadn’t considered how afraid he might be. Without another thought, I launched myself at him and wrapped my arms around his neck, clinging tightly. His arms went around my waist immediately, and he pressed his face into my neck.

“Thank you for coming,” I whispered against his strong chest. I could feel the racing of his heart, and even though it was beating too fast, the sound calmed me.

“Always,” Leo said, squeezing me tighter. We stood there for a long time before he pulled away to meet my eyes. “Come on, let's go home.”

He placed his hand at the small of my back and guided me toward the door. I grabbed my purse and the files I’d taken from the office, giving no thought to anything else. Leo stepped out first and looked around, paying close attention to our surroundings. Then he pulled me out after him. We locked up my apartment and made a quick exit to his car, Leo shielding me as much as possible the entire way. Once we were safely inside his car, I looked around the street but saw no sign of the man or the SUV.

It was a silent ride to Leo’s house. I knew he could tell I was overwhelmed and not ready to fully discuss what all had just transpired. I imagined he needed the time to collect his own thoughts. It wasn’t until we were out of the city, though, that I was able to close my eyes and finally relax.

Chapter Eight

Leo

Lauramusthavedriftedoff because she jolted as I pulled the car into my long driveway. The house was still lit up, telling me that my mother must have told Ella she could wait up for us. My mother had been just as panicked as I was when I’d received Laura’s call earlier. I could feel my heart rate pick up again as I remembered that call. Laura had been in danger, and I was too far away to get to her quickly. Having her here, in my home, would go a long way toward assuring me that she was safe.

I had no doubts she’d be comfortable here. Hell, she’d helped me choose the place. She’d decorated most of it, too. In a lot of ways, my house felt just as much Laura’s as it did mine and Ella’s. We’d both loved the house the second the realtor had shone it to us. It wasn't a mansion, but it was very luxurious, nestled in a quiet suburb with oversized lots close to the city.

The home gave off a welcoming ambiance. As we pulled in, I noticed my mother had remembered to turn on the exterior lights, which strategically lit up the house. They elongated around the black double front doors and cast shadows along the white brick, bathing the shrubs and flowers below in a soft glow. I parked in front of the garage door and rushed around the car to open Laura’s door for her.

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