12

Chapter 12

Draco

What the hell had he done? he dialed her number repeatedly but there was no response on her end. He knew he was being ignored, not that he could blame her, he should've told her right from the moment he saw her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. How could he have explained that he was hired to assassinate her, but he'd caught feelings instead. It wouldn't have made much sense. He had planned on keeping the info away from her for as long as possible, not wanting to scare her off, but now he'd ruined the trust they'd managed to build and he had no idea on how to fix it.

He sighed in exasperation as his call went to voicemail again for the hundredth time. He had no idea on what to say to salvage the situation. He still didn't know how much of the texts she had actually read, he'd been ignoring the messages since he decided he wasn't going to kill her anymore, trying to find a way to uncover the identity of the threat instead.

What worried him the most was the fact that the stalker had admitted to keeping an eye on them. Whoever it was, already knew that they were together and monitored their movements meaning they had to be extra cautious. He wondered if Stacey took that into consideration before storming off like that. A small stab found its way his chest, when the thought of her not being safe surfaced to his mind. He really prayed to God to keep her safe, he really hadn't prayed in a while, but he hoped God would take that his one prayer into consideration.

"I honestly think you should give her some space man" Tyler started, offering his unsolicited opinion as usual. "I mean after all you basically lied about your motives this entire time. Look, you don't know women like I do, all you've got to do is-"

"Shut the hell up Ty, before I kill you". He wasn't in the mood to listen to Tyler's mumbling in his apprehensive state. "You're not helping matters so you could as well, shut up". Tyler raised his hands in mock surrender, retreating for his safety.

"Okay, but look man. I'm scared I messed up a good thing. I just couldn't bring myself to tell her. I thought it was just going to be something temporary yunno. But now I don't know anymore. I can't lose her man. I lo-, I care deeply for her".

"Care deeply?" Tyler made a mock snorting sound. "That's what we're really calling this now? Okayyy".

Now this was why he avoided talking to the dude as much as possible. He rubbed his forehead in exhaustion as Tyler made a show of trying not to laugh. Man's made a joke out of every messy situation he was in.

"Do you really want my advice man or should I be scared for my life?" he didn't think he wanted the advice anymore, but there was no point in stating it, he knew Tyler would just continue talking anyway.

"Give her space man-" really was that the best advice Tyler could come up with now. "-she just needs some time to wrap her head around the fact that you're a lying ass asshole. She 'cares deeply' for you too."

"You think she has deep feelings for me?" he asked, momentarily ignoring the subtle insult Tyler slipped in.

"Yes man, she brought you homemade pie and pu$$y. Trust me no woman on this planet earth, offers both simultaneously if she's not in love." he wondered when Tyler had become such an expert on women affairs. He slapped him playfully on the wrist.

"Yo man, how come you know all this stuff but got no bitches"

"Fuck you, tis what I get for trying to help out ehh. I got my eyes on someone tho. I'm not gonna be single for much longer."

He had no intention of letting the opportunity to roast Tyler go to waste. But he was going to take the advice. Give her space and time,not too much tho. In his opinion a few hours was long enough, he wasn't going to give her days or weeks, before he came after her with full force. Give her the full story himself, and win her back.

He looked at the watch on his wrist as it hit the three hour mark he'd allowed. He stood up, adjusted himself and the roses on his arm. He knew she was a rose girl, and just had to get it last minute hoping it would help to further plead his case with her.

"Now, now where the hell do you think you're going to? Thought we agreed to give the young lady some space" Tyler was really starting to get on his nerves, interjecting him on his way out.

" Look, I'm going to go get my girl. Not that you'd understand the way I'm feeling right now."

" Trust me, I know how you're feeling. At least to an extent. The ladies love me, so I hardly have to worry about offending them. I know all the right things to-" here we go again. He was running out of patience and any moment now, he felt he'd eventually give in to the urge to strangle his damn annoying best friend, who couldn't seem to just get straight to the point.

"And your point is what exactly?" he asked hastily, his patience wearing thin.

"My point is- wait, hold on its Tess, I have to take it"

He rolled his eyes in mild disgust when Tyler made his voice octaves deeper as he held the phone to his ear.

"Hey baby(talking on the caller's end), jeez why are you sounding so jumpy(talking on caller's end), yo shit (talking on the caller's end), what the hell(talking on the caller's end), is it that bad? Is she okay?(talking on the caller's end)".

Wait, who wasn't okay "Ty, what's going on?" he questioned, praying to God that it had nothing to do with his Stacey as Tyler's voice took on a serious tone.

"We'll be there(talking on caller's end) ohhh I don't think he'll like that (talking on caller's end) I'll try (pause), I miss you (pause), hey, hey baby you're still there? She probably got busy or something" He says to no one in particular, trying to make light of the fact that she hung up on him. Draco laughed out loud, so much for him being an expert on women's affairs.

"What was that all about? Or were you just getting roasted for no reason at all, thought you said you was an expert on women ish"

"Look we ain't got time for all of that okay? Stacey had an accident she's at the hospital. She got ran into. Lucky for her the airbag helped, she was unconscious for a while, but they've been able to revive her. Its just a few bruises, can't really say how much damage had been been made,but-"

He didn't need to hear the rest of what he had to say. He hurriedly grabbed his keys, half racing towards the door.

Tyler was still talking, not that he cared to listen anyways "-the thing is, Tessa said to tell you that you aren't actually allowed to come. Stacey doesn't want to see you and she wants you to respect that."

He paused midstep. She really didn't want to see him. The stabbing pain in his chest deepened and his face fell. She couldn't really be that mad that she'll not want to see him even then. He sighed in exasperation.

Tyler sensing his hurt added "Look man, just give her time for real, y'all will sort it out eventually. In the meantime, hand me the flowers, I'll put in a good word for you. Seat tight man,I got you"

He knew Tyler was just trying to help, but the words did little to reassure him. He slumped against the sofa in defeat as Tyler made his way out of the house.

What had he really done? He couldn't live with himself if she stayed mad at him, he wished he could turn back the time to the beginning and just tell her the full truth, but it was too late. He sat still and pondered, against his will. What he really wanted to do was rush down to her side and actually ascertain by himself that she was fine. But he wouldn't do that, he'd give her space just like Tyler suggested and monitor things from his end.

He picked up his phone just as another message from the private number rolled in 'she won't be so lucky next time, this is but a subtle warning. Tell her to watch her back next time'. He read the message over and over again, getting much more nauseated with every read. When he eventually caught up with whoever put her in that state,they were going to be so sorry. He didn't forgive easily and he was going to make sure they paid for it in cold blood. He kissed his teeth as he typed in his reply for the first time in ages 'watch your back too' he replied as he hit the send button.

He called in almost every minute to hear from Tyler concerning her condition. He hated to think that he was the one that put her in that state, his conscience stealthily pricked at him. He'd just had the best sex of his life and best pie as well, and was rushing back to her to finish what they'd started because he couldn't get enough of her. Only to find that she'd left much to his disappointment and the dreaded messages had been put on display,staring him straight in the face. At first, he wanted to make a run for it and bring her back home, to his bed, but something had kept him transfixed to the spot. He couldn't tell if it was fear or shame, or both. He didn't want to loose her, but he also didn't think he deserved her. Maybe this was the universe's way of telling him that he was still no good and she didn't deserve to get caught up with someone like him. If she decided to never speak to him again or have anything to ever do with him, he was willing to accept his fate, if only meaning that it would atone for his sins and make him a free man once again. He was willing to bear the pain, but his heart and soul betrayed him. It felt like she had come and stolen those specific parts from him, so much that they no longer belonged to him and were now belonging to her. And what use was the existence of a man, if he didn't have a heart or soul. It was as good as being a dead person. He couldn't imagine his life without her no matter how much he tried. No matter how much he tried to convince himself that she deserved better. Now that he had been given a taste of what it felt like to be with her, he wasn't willing to share the feeling with any other person. He knew that he wasn't the best man in the world, but he was willing to do everything to be the best man for her. Maybe it was just his selfishness talking, but he didn't care. He wasn't going to give any other man the privilege of having her the way he'd did.

He cursed himself for letting her go, he could've just gone after her and they would've both been fine. He was so sure of it. It wasn't certain that he was going to forgive himself for putting her through this, but one thing was certain to him. He wasn't letting her go, no matter what happened. He was hers and she was his. No matter what anyone else said, damn everybody else. He just couldn't bear to be away from her for too long. He needed to see her for himself, to hold her and make sure she's fine for his own sanity, cause every moment he sat waiting there, he felt like he was one step closer to loosing his mind.

In one swift move, he grabbed his keys and half ran out of the house, moving in anticipation to the one who held his heart.