Page 38 of Downfall

“You should get a rug or something,” I say, looking around.

He chuckles, sitting down behind his desk and starts clicking around on his computer. “Yeah, it’s not much to look at, but I’m only here a couple days a week. I prefer to work literally anywhere else if I don’t have meetings.”

“Do you have meetings today?” Sitting down in a black leather chair across from him, I make myself comfortable.

“Just one. In about ten minutes, actually. Do you mind hanging out here for a bit? It shouldn’t take long.”

“Uh, sure—”

“Nice of you to show up, man,” Ryan interrupts me before I can tell him that I could just go downstairs to my apartment until he’s done. “Should probably just name me the CEO and retire.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Kolson replies, standing up to come lean on the desk near me. “This is Abby.” He gestures to me, and I look up at Ryan, his best friend and CFO.

“Hi, Abby. It’s nice to meet you. Between Kolson and Hazel, I feel like I know you already.” His huge grin disarms me immediately, and I instantly like him. How did this charming man end up with a bitch like Hazel? “You’re in finance, right? Want a job?”

I laugh, standing to offer him my hand. “Not even a little, but thank you for the offer. I’m not working in the financial world anymore, and I never want to go back.”

“Well, I have a meeting to get to. I’ll be back in a bit; make yourself at home, baby.” Kolson kisses my forehead and smiles warmly down at me before strolling out the door, leaving me alone with his best friend.

“Someone has it bad,” Ryan observes, his grin firmly in place. “You know, he told me three and a half years ago that he was going to marry you. Maybe you’ll be following right behind Hazel and me.”

“We’re still getting to know each other. We’ve spent, like, five days total together. You might be waiting a while to hear any wedding bells from us.”

“We’ll see.” He winks and heads back to his office.

Left alone in Kolson’s office, I round the desk and sit in his chair. My feet don’t touch the ground and I laugh to myself as I swing my legs, shaking his mouse to wake up his computer. He didn’t lock it when he left, probably knowing I would need something to do while he was out.

I locate the internet browser icon, and am about to open it to check my email and maybe do a little shopping, when a folder with my name on it catches my eye. I assume it’s going to be a document or two with the crazy information he knows about me, like my shoe size and what color foundation I use. But it’s so much more than that.

After clicking on the folder, I’m speechless. I can’t stop myself from opening every file and every picture I find within the folder. He’s been following me, or having someone else follow me, at least. There are hundreds of pictures of me over the past few years here—leaving the club, at Viv’s restaurant having brunch, on vacation in Mexico. Copies of my bank statements have me disturbed enough, but then I find them—the icing on this insanity cake—receipts for every gift my stalker ever sent.

And everything clicks into place—it was all him. Kolson, my demon, the shadow who’s haunted me for years, never letting another man touch me. He kept me exactly where he wanted me until he was ready to take me back, and fuck him if he thinks I’m sticking around to be manipulated and controlled by him for one more minute.

Walking straight to the elevator, I bypass a conference room where I see Kolson sitting solemnly and listening to a presentation. I keep walking, my head held high, and just see the confused expression on his face as the elevator doors slide shut.

I know I can’t go home; he’ll find me there within minutes. So, I hurry to Samsara, dashing down side streets and alleys to throw him off if he decides to follow me.

Max is surprised to see me when I hurl myself onto a barstool in front of him. His whiskey-colored eyes take in my dress as he continues polishing bar glasses.

“What’s up?” he asks, an eyebrow raised in question. “Want me to grab Viv? I think she’s in the back somewhere doing inventory.”

“No, I’ll go back in a bit if she doesn’t come out first. I just need to lie low for a while,” I tell him, making his eyebrows shoot even higher. “Can I have a Bloody Mary, please?”

“Sure, Abbs. You look like you need it.”

Grimacing, I take a look around. There are only a few people having brunch at this time on a Monday morning, and it feels strange without the bustle of people I usually see on Sundays. I keep the front windows in my periphery, wanting to know if I need to brace myself for a fight.

Max sets my drink on the bar, and Bloody Mary in hand, I feel a little better. After a few minutes, Viv wanders out of the kitchen, looking down at her tablet as she heads toward the bar.

“Hey, Max—” she starts, but when she looks up and sees me sitting there, she changes course. “Abby! What are you doing here?”

“She’s hiding out,” Max interjects, and I shoot him a scathing look.

Viv’s brow furrows. “Hiding out? From who?” Something clicks as her eyes widen in surprise. “Wait… Kolson? Why are you hiding? I thought you were having a good time getting reacquainted.” She winks at me, but her concerned look returns when I just sip my drink.

“Yeah, so, we were having a great time, actually. But… Viv, he’shim.”I look over at Max, talking to a customer at the other end of the bar to make sure he can’t hear me. “My stalker.”

Her eyes bulge. “What the fuck! How do you know?”

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