Page 84 of Protective Love

"It's best if none of you get involved," I tell him, stepping out and closing the door behind me before rushing across the street and frantically putting in my code at the gate so that I can get to my apartment as quickly as possible, not wanting to stick around outside when I feel like someone's watching me.

Chapter Forty-Three

Rory

Unlocking my front door, I glance over my shoulder, seeing Leo's car still parked outside as he waits for me to enter my apartment, and my body finally relaxes, knowing that I'm safe.

Dumping my bag on the floor, I close and lock my door behind me and walk through the living room, heading straight for my bedroom so that I can strip these scrubs off and have a shower before getting into bed.

I'm exhausted. Physically, and emotionally.

Being away from Jaylen is seriously starting to take a toll on me, and if it wasn't for his safety, I would've messaged him or called him by now to apologise about every lie I told and to tell him I miss him.

Sighing, I strip out of my scrubs, dumping them in a pile on the floor, and then I grab my towel that's strewn across my radiator and wrap it around me before heading into the bathroom and starting up the shower.

As the water heats up, I walk through my apartment to grab my phone from my bag and then head back to the bathroom as I scroll through my Spotify, choosing a song and then placing my phone on the edge of the sink.

I hang my towel up on the door and then hop into the shower, groaning as the hot water cascades onto my hair and down my body, massaging my sore, aching muscles.

Despite my sour mood, I find myself singing along to the music as I lather my hair with shampoo.

Closing my eyes, I turn around, facing my back to the pouring water, and tilt my head back, washing the soapy suds from my hair, careful not to let the shampoo run down my forehead and into my eyes.

Once I'm sure all the shampoo is out of my hair, I step back allowing the water to spill over my face, wiping my hands across my face.

Swiping the water out of my eyes, I open them, wanting to find the cleanser for my face, but instead, I'm graced with a harrowing sight that has me gasping in fear.

Right there in front of me on the steamed-up glass door of the shower is a message that sends cold, fearful shivers through my body.

Found You :)

A blood curdling scream flies out of my mouth, and I tear my eyes away from the glass as I clumsily push the door open and fall to my knees on the tiled floor of the bathroom.

My panicked breaths mix with the loud music still beating around the room, and my vision blurs as I blindly crawl towards the sink in search for my phone.

When my fingers wrap around it, I pull it up to my heaving chest, pause the music, and then fail to unlock it multiple times with my trembling hands.

On the fourth attempt, it finally opens, and I quickly thumb through my contacts until I find Jaylen's name and hurriedly press the call button, praying that he'll answer.

The phone rings for all of two seconds before the call connects and he says my name.

"Jaylen," I sob, collapsing to the floor and clutching at my tight chest as I struggle to speak through my harried cries. "I need you."

Chapter Forty-Four

Jaylen

Hearing her panicked cries through the phone has my heart tearing itself apart inside of my chest as I hurry down the stairs, shouting Kaleb's name at the top of my lungs.

As I reach the bottom of the stairs, Kaleb and Sophia come hurrying into the foyer from the door between both staircases, looks of worry and concern painted on their faces.

"You need to drive me to Aurora's house, now!" I shout, shoving my feet into a pair of trainers and then grabbing the crutches that are beside the front door.

"What?" he asks, confusion laced in his tone as he frowns at me.

That's when I realise I used her actual name by mistake, and I practically growl with frustration.

"Rory's in trouble! I need you to fucking drive!"