Page 24 of Peripheral Vision (Tethered in Darkness Duet #1)

Chapter

Fifteen

DYLAN

T he weekend goes by too fast, and Monday finally rolls around, which means it’s time to start classes again.

I’m thankful we didn’t get too far into the semester because I already have quite a bit of catch-up work to do just from the past couple of weeks alone.

I dress in suede brown heeled ankle boots, denim skinny jeans, and a short-sleeved white top that I throw a brown cardigan over due to the chilly morning air.

Mercifully, there were no further incidents with my stranger and I was left alone to mull over what the hell I was going to do about him.

Historically, they say that stalker’s behaviors will escalate over time, just as the police said.

He’s already become… intrusive, and he’s under the impression that I somehow belong to him.

I would be lying if I said it didn’t worry me if I were to start dating anyone in case his advances become more threatening.

I spoke to Thea again over the weekend and she and I determined that even if the police won’t do anything right now, I could start to create a paper trail so that if the behavior does escalate, I have something solid to fall back on.

I went to the police station Saturday to make yet another report, relaying that I was having issues with this guy back in Norfolk.

They essentially told me the same thing: that until they have more evidence there’s nothing to do but wait.

I’m not quite sure how to gather evidence considering he knows how to get into the one thing I have to catch him in the act—my security footage.

I guess I just have to play the hand I was dealt, which means going on with life like normal until something significant enough happens.

I say goodbye to Alaska once more, Clara and Grant offering to let her out in the middle of the day for me since I won’t be home until this afternoon.

I’m choosing to stay on campus in between classes to study and catch up on the work I’ve missed so far.

Before I leave the house, I make sure to double-check the locks on all the doors and windows.

Not that I think that would keep him out—if he wanted to get in, he would find a way.

Especially because my traitorous dog is useless, but I love her anyway.

I scan the street before getting into my truck, as I have done every time I leave to see if my shadow follows me or fades into black.

The drive to campus is thankfully uneventful; I have the radio playing softly in the background, Cold by Jessie Murph droning through the speakers.

My first class starts at 9:05, giving me enough time to run and grab some caffeine and breakfast before it starts, that is if I can find a parking spot.

The lot in front of my building is packed, between the students milling around and the vehicles.

It takes me a little longer than I prefer before I have to pull into a spot about as far from the hall as I can get without being back on the roadway.

I pull up the map on my phone searching for the coffee shop that I thought I had seen when I was here the other day, finding that it’s also a little farther away than I’d like.

If I speed walk though I should be able t—a familiar contact pops up on my screen as my phone begins to ring.

“Who is this?” I answer.

I hear an intake of breath on the other line before Callum responds, “Ouch, and to think we were making progress.”

“Hard to make progress when I don’t know who I’m talking to,” I tease .

“You are relentless, aren’t you? How many other handsome British gentlemen have you met since you’ve arrived on campus?”

I chuckle. “Wow, someone is mighty full of himself. I can count on… one finger. I think his name was Oliver? Is this the Oliver that I met when I was touring campus the other day?”

His tone shifts slightly. “You wound me. I’m going to have to hunt this Oliver fellow down and tell him to lay off.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” I say, smirking to myself. “He was a little too polished for my taste. I like my men a little more rugged and with a touch more… sarcasm. If they work in a bar that’s a plus, too.”

Callum exhales a laugh, clearly pleased by my response. “Are you saying I meet your impossibly high standards then?”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, we’re still in the preliminary stages of our friendship,” I say as I hop out of my truck.

“Friendship? Well, that is a step up from colleagues. What is it going to take to break the friend zone?” His voice takes on a much more serious tone.

Putting him on speaker, I pull up my map again.

“For starters? They could direct me to a decent coffee shop without making me walk halfway across campus. The one I’m looking at right now is possibly far enough away that I’d have to drive, and considering I barely got off by the skin of my teeth with the parking spot I found, I don’t really want to leave. ”

“For starters, huh? So you’re saying there’s a chance.” Clearly that is the only part of what I said that he focused on.

I sigh as I start to make my way toward the coffee shop, moving double time. “You’re hopeless.”

“But not entirely useless. Turn around.” Doing as he says, I turn and look around before I spot a magnetic smile leaning over the bed of my truck, coffees in hand.

I shake my head, retracing my steps. “How did you know where I was?” I ask as I approach.

“Lucky guess.” He shrugs. “Although, it helps that I’ve been on campus a bit longer than you and all it takes is looking in the directory to figure out where the engineering courses are held.

I also saw you pull in.” Extending his arm, he hands me one of the coffees.

“I didn’t know what you’d like so it’s a cold brew with vanilla flavoring. ”

I grab it, thanking him. “Vanilla? What about me screams vanilla?”

He lets out a low, smooth laugh. “Oh, love. I have a feeling you’re anything but vanilla.”

My face warms under his gaze thanks to the hidden innuendo and I have to turn away from him.

I hear feet shuffling until he puts a finger under my chin, tipping my face to look at his.

His eyes lock onto mine, a playful glint dancing in their depths.

“See? Definitely not vanilla.” His voice drops even further, rich and inviting.

I try to steady my breath, to calm the heat that is slowly making its way down to the apex of my thighs, but his thumb gently brushes my jawline, causing my brain to short. “You don’t even know me,” I manage to whisper.

“Not yet,” he murmurs. “But I’m looking forward to finding out. What do you think I wanted your number for?”

I step back slightly, my body suddenly cold despite the heat that was running through it moments ago. A slightly dejected look crosses his face, but he hides it quickly. “You still could have gotten it from the application, whether I wanted to give it to you or not.”

“I just want to show you my intentions.” He steps up beside me, leaning his back against my driver’s side door.

I take a sip of my cold brew, the beverage only adding to the sudden chill in my bones. “And what are your intentions?”

He pauses, likely assessing what words to say next. “To get to know you, to see if we share mutual feelings.”

“And if we don’t?” I ask, looking at him.

He narrows his eyes, studying me with an intensity that makes my heart skip. “Then we go back to being what we started as. No hard feelings. But I don’t think you’ll want that.”

My pulse quickens, the weight of his words hanging between us. The temperature between us shifts again, charged, as he reaches out to sweep a piece of hair out of my face. I swallow hard. “And if I do want it?”

He grins, his confidence radiating off of him. “I’ll hope you’ll change your mind, but I will respect your decision no matter what. Now, don’t you have a class to get to?”

I look at the clock on my phone. “Shit, yeah. Thank you for the coffee.” I spin on my feet and start to walk away from him. When I look back, he’s still leaning against my truck.

“I’ll pick you up tonight around six?” he calls out.

I ignore him, looking forward again. He yells back at me, “That wasn’t a no!” A smile creeps onto my face as I take another drink of my coffee. I’ll never admit it, but I love vanilla.

My first lecture came and went, and despite the stress of the course work it felt good to get back into something I loved.

If there is one thing I have always been super dedicated to, it's been my future. That was something my dad ensured for me, encouraged me to focus on even when I could’ve been helping with the house and the bills in some other way.

He was never the type to believe that a college education was superior to anything else, but he just always wanted more for me.

I’m not sure if that was his way of somehow making up for how frequently we moved around, how often I was without him and being raised by my grandparents, but either way I was thankful for it.

I want to make him proud now more than ever.

He was the man who shaped me. Through all the instability we had growing up, through the trials and challenges, he was my one constant, my foundation.

Except now I no longer want to succeed for myself, I want to make all of his sacrifices worth it. It’s the least I can do…