Page 17 of Done Waiting

16

MADISON

S itting straight up in my bed, fear bangs like a drum inside my chest. My shaking hands raise to my chest as I stare wide-eyed at Ben, who is standing in my doorway like an apparition.

He steps into my room, pushing the door shut behind him. My eyes drop to see the death grip he has around his cell phone as he slowly stalks toward me.

“B-Ben? W-What a-a-are y-you d-doing?” My voice shakes from the terror welling inside me. Clutching the blanket to my chest, I watch him as he silently seethes.

“That fight we got into last night.” His voice is eerily calm, a direct contrast to the rage on his face.

I swallow hard.

Oh, God. Did he somehow find out about Jagger and… Whatever that was?

The logical part of my brain tries to reassure me. Nothing happened between Jagger and me. If Ben brings it up, that’s what I’ll say.

Ben’s sapphire eyes are locked on me, analyzing me intently, as though he’s trying to read my innermost thoughts. It’s unnerving as hell.

“I’ve been trying to keep you safe, Maddie. But you make it damn hard, resisting me at every turn. And after last night’s disobedience, I realize I need to show you why I’ve been acting the way I’ve been.”

There’s a fluttery feeling in my stomach, like butterflies flapping their wings, and my mouth is dry. An urge to hop out of bed and take off running to my car hits me. But Ben moves closer to me, blocking my escape.

Settling himself on the edge of the bed, he holds out a picture. It’s one of me and him at the movies, about a month after we started dating, and there’s an X over my face. He proceeds to swipe through his phone, showing me more photos of him and me, including the two of us when we posed inside the ice cream parlor, happy grins on our faces. In every one of them, there’s an X over my face.

Finally, he showed me the text messages. The first one says, “I’m watching.” The next one simply says, “Soon.”

My heart stops as soon as I see that message, my thoughts going to the roses that are still on the floor in the back of my car, with the note that I slid in my backpack that said, “Soon.”

The final picture is one of me at the bookstore. The caption beneath it reads, “No one is safe around her.”

God, I’m going to puke.

Clamping my hand over my mouth, I take deep, shuddering breaths, trying to keep the bile that’s rising in my throat from spilling out. Hot tears prick the back of my eyelids as I squeeze them shut.

My body shakes beneath the blankets and I shake my head, opening my eyes. “Who… Sent those to you?”

Ben’s brows are knitted together as he stares at me. “I have no idea, Maddie. Considering what has been happening in this town, and the fact that you fit his profile—”

“No.” Slapping my hands over my ears, I squeeze my eyes shut.

Ben’s hand grips my wrist, pulling it away from my left ear. “Maddie, I think we need to face facts. Denial won’t—”

“No.” Pushing away from him, I crawl across the other side of my bed and get up, pacing the floor. “Why… Why would he be after me?”

His brows lower as he sighs. “You fit the profile. I just said—”

“I know,” I scream at him, my thoughts whirling inside my head. “But I’m not a student. I haven’t set foot on the campus in months.”

Ben’s voice is quiet as he says, “Maybe those are just easy hunting grounds for him. Maybe he’s working his way up to a larger area? Or a bigger trophy, so to speak?”

My chin quivers. The tears I’ve been trying so hard to hold inside come flowing out like a mudslide. “I-I c-can’t.” Wrapping my arms around myself, my body tremors, my teeth chattering together.

Then I bolt to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. Falling to the floor, I begin sobbing in earnest.

What the hell? Why would a serial killer be targeting me?

My thoughts go to the night before and that guy who grabbed me. Once Jagger came out of nowhere and pummeled him, he was pretty quick to run off. That doesn’t seem like a serial killer—

Then my brows knit together.

Oh God. Could it be Jagger?

He’s been stalking me, showing up unexpectedly in places. The words he said to me last night float through my head. “I know a lot about you, baby girl. More than you realize.” I picture him across from me in the coffee shop, his dark eyes on me as he said, “ I never said I wasn’t a criminal .”

Oh, fuck . No, it can’t be him.

And yet, the feeling of a spider drawing me into his web hits me again.

Maybe that’s exactly what he’s been doing.

He even knew Ben’s whereabouts.

I flashback to his words in the coffee shop. “ Because your boyfriend is currently at the Falls Creek campus library.”

And now he’s taunting Ben.

That entire conversation rolls through my head. “ I’d give anything to kiss you. Touch you . Taste you.

I’d turn you into a whimpering, quivering mess. You’d beg me to fuck you. And make no mistake, baby girl. I’d fuck you like you’ve never been fucked in your life. I’d make you come so hard you see stars. But I still wouldn’t be finished with you. I’d keep going until you are so wrapped up in pleasure and lust that you think you’ll die if you come one more time. And then … Then I’d come deep inside you, filling you so full, it would run out of you for hours.” Then he stepped away from me, a dark look on his face. “ But I can’t do any of those things. You have a boyfriend .”

Then his parting words, “ Lose the boyfriend, and I will give you everything I just said to you tonight .”

My chest heaves, sobs coming out so fast I can barely breathe.

God, was that a way to easily lure me into his trap? To convince me to dump Ben so he could have me right where he wants me?

A fter taking a hot shower, I return to my bedroom to find Ben sitting on my bed, waiting for me. He looks up from his phone before standing and shoving it into his pocket.

Crossing my arms over my chest, guilt wracks my body. It feels like an ocean is between us.

“I want to start by thanking you for watching over me. For your concern…” my voice wavers and I stop, biting my lip and staring at the floor. Counting to ten, I release it, looking up at him. “I… I hate that I’ve put you in danger.”

His brows draw in, and though his hands tighten into fists, he says nothing.

“I’m going to be honest and say I’m shocked you haven’t shared this with me. It’s hurtful and… well, it pisses me off. I was in danger and didn’t know it. You were being threatened, but didn’t share with me, which seems to be happening frequently.”

“Maddie.” He glowers at me, his voice full of restrained anger. “I was trying to protect you. If you would’ve just submitted and trusted me—”

“Submitted and trusted you?” My eyes widen in disbelief. “This isn’t sex, Ben. We’re talking about my life here.” I’m yelling by the time I finish speaking, my chest heaving. “You’ve been getting these messages since a month after we were dating. The newspaper article I read gave the dates the bodies were found. That was just two days later, Ben.”

“Calm down, Maddie. I’m just saying it would have been easier if you would have just listened to me—”

Hot tears scald my cheeks. “Because I can’t think for myself or I’m incapable of making smart, responsible decisions?” My voice is sarcastic as waves of hurt roll through me.

Ben’s eyes narrow. “Be reasonable, Maddie.”

“Reasonable? I think I’m long past that.”

He lowers his voice. “That’s why I’ve been concerned about your whereabouts.”

“But you weren’t concerned enough to warn me, so I could be more careful.” An image of Jagger’s face floats through my mind, but I push it away, focusing on Ben. “You’ve been getting those texts nearly our entire relationship, yet you haven’t shared them with me until now. Why, Ben?”

“Calm down, Mads. I was looking out for you. You were fine.”

“Looking out for me? Seriously?” I take a step forward, infuriated. “How the hell did you think you were taking care of me when you stayed out all goddamn night? Like last night.”

He glowers at me, not saying a word.

My hand runs through my hair, my irritation palpable. “I’m fully capable of taking care of myself, Ben. I’m an adult,” I spit at him, anger causing my hands to shake. “Also, you were in danger, too. Those texts were threatening, especially that last one. Yet you never felt the urge to share with me. Like so many other things.”

“Here we go again.” He fists his hair with his hands, staring at the floor.

Finally, he removes them, glaring at me. “I can take care of myself, and you, Maddie. And I’m sure you’re referring to this nonsense between me and Chloe that you started on last night.”

Glaring at him, I shake my head. “There’s just so much wrong with us right now.”

He huffs. “Sounds like you’re looking for an excuse to invent problems—”

“ Get out ,” I scream, pointing at my door. “ Now! ” I’m seething, my hands clenched into fists, rage rolling through me like the twisting of a tornado.

He stares at me for a few minutes, his mouth twisting with disgust. “Fine, Maddie.” Striding to the door, he opens it but doesn’t exit. His eyes bore into me, his words a warming. “Good luck out there without my protection.” Then he slams the door behind him.

How fucking dare he?

Hot tears course down my cheeks. I can’t stay here.

Hurrying to my closet, I grab a duffel bag and suitcase. Running around my room, I fill them with clothes and shoes. I have no idea where to go.

Maybe my mom’s house?

Although I really don’t want her to know a serial killer may be after me.

I freeze, my spine rigid. Because you’re worried it’s Jagger .

Wincing, I glance out my bedroom window.

I really don’t want it to be Jagger .