“Where is Mr. Crawford?” his calming voice asked as his eyes darted around all corners of the apartment in search of any sign of Ky.
“In Los Angeles for work.”
“I wish I was visiting on better terms Eden.” The moment those words let his lips, I fumbled behind me for something to grab hold of to stop me from crumbling to the ground. My brain went into overdrive, but I knew what his visit could only mean. Douglas was in my life because of Jeremy Davis so this visit wasn’t just a general ‘hi, how are you going’ type of visit. I braced myself for impact. I thought I was getting stronger while I had been here; I thought being with Ky, and having him treat me like I was the best fucking thing on the planet, had helped erase some of the all-consuming fear. But right now, I felt the weakest I had ever been.
“What is it?” I asked so softly that I wished he hadn’t have heard me.
With two long strides he was standing in front of me and his hands fell to my shoulders. This man had seen me at my very worst and my moment of complete and utter horror, he saw things I wished he had never seen but now he looked back at me in concern, like he was sitting on the worst news he could deliver.
“Jeremy Davis has been released.”
Those five words were like being handed a death sentence. My head shook violently as the ramifications hit me, I couldn’t believe this. This couldn’t be real.
“I just can’t.” My words jumbled as I tried to process everything.
Douglas moved me to the couch where I collapsed and pulled my knees to my chest. Suddenly I felt exposed, like my world was now on display to the entire world to judge and destroy. Paranoia was a frightening thing. The days of looking over my shoulder had returned with those fucked-up text messages but now knowing that he was back out there, set me on the course of no return. Douglas walked back into the room and handed me a cup of tea and sat down beside me.
“Now I am going to tell you everything so just listen, and I’ll answer anything afterwards.”
I nodded.
“Word was received last week that he was attempting parole. Every single one of us at the precinct thought he wouldn’t get it. There was no way in fucking hell that he would get it, not after what he had done. To say I was beyond shocked and pissed when I received the email about an hour ago was an understatement. The conditions of his parole are that he is not to contact you in any form so no emails, no text messages, no letters, no personal visits. He is not to intimidate you, your family, or your friends. He is to attend appointments with his parole officer twice a day, and he is on a curfew.”
“When does he get out?”
“Tomorrow.”
“I’ve been receiving text messages since I’ve been back in town,” I admitted, knowing that I couldn’t hide behind them any longer.
Douglas narrowed his eyes. “Show me.”
I rose from the couch and walked into the bedroom to find my phone. Suddenly the urge to have Ky here hit me. I needed his protection, his safety, his ability to provide calm. When I reached Douglas I handed him my phone and his brow scowled as he read through text after text, scrolling through the threats.
“I am going to need to run these through the system. This is classed as stalking Eden. Whoever this is clearly knows you and is keeping tabs on your whereabouts and who you are with.”
“I need to leave.” I shot up from the couch and rushed into guest room and threw my suitcase on the bed. I couldn’t stay here. It was the biggest mistake coming back here; I should have listened to my head all those weeks ago.
“Eden, fucking stop for a second.” My hand froze at the ferociousness of his words. “Sweetie just hear me out.”
I turned to face him as his large intimidating frame filled the door way. Defeat hit me and fresh tears threatened to overflow over my cheeks.
“Don’t let him win any more Eden. Stay here, stand your ground. You can’t hide anymore. Ky will not let anything happen to you.”
“How do you know Ky?”
“Do you think I don’t check up on you? I know a lot about the people you hang out with Eden. You and your case has stuck by me. Even after twenty-five years of doing this job, you are the one who I still pray for. I want a life for you Eden; you deserve a life and if you keep running you’ll never get that.”
I dropped my voice low. “What happens if he comes for me?”
“He won’t.”
“But what if…”
“Eden. He won’t.”
••••
I was not sure how I spent that day. After Douglas left, I sunk into the depths of my memories curled up on the couch in a fetal position. The sunlight of the day turned into the dusk of the late afternoon, and I was yet to move. Everything was a whirlwind, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get out of it.
So much for scouting locations for the shoot, luckily I was professional enough to send Daniel a text saying that I had to postpone.
My phone came to life beside me and the moment I saw my best friend’s name flash on the screen, I was desperate for whatever he had to say.
Colby: I need to see my best friend. Be ready in an hour. Blake and I are coming to pick you up.
A simple message brought me back to reality and the ache of my empty stomach was a clear indication that I hadn’t eaten all day. Dinner with Colby and Blake sounded comforting. I needed to do it. Douglas’s words about not running had been the only thing circulating in my head all day; every hour the thought of calling the airline and purchasing a ticket had hit me yet something was keeping me from doing it.
I peeled myself out of the comfort of the couch and stumbled toward the bathroom for a much needed shower and attempted to appear somewhat human. Once I had scrubbed my body clean and dressed, I put the final touches on my makeup, did my hair in loose curls, and went back out into the living room.
I could do this.
I was still trying to get my head around the fact that Blake and Colby were even here. What where the odds? In what crazy world was I living where my new safe and precious life was colliding head-on with the life I wished to forget?
Knowing that they were the main band that I would be photographing for the cover helped calm my nerves. I knew they wouldn’t let me fail. They were my boys. Photography was my true escape. When I was shooting, I could escape into another world and get lost for those precious moments, and knowing that I would be seeing them through the lenses put my nerves to rest.
I reached into my purse and grabbed my phone. A new message notification flashed before me and a swarm of butterflies unleashed in my tummy when I saw the name.
Ky: The flight was long, the cab driver got lost, but I’m finally here but have been in meetings all day. I wish I were back there.
My heart fell. I wished he were here too. I needed everything he could offer.
Eden: It’s quiet here without you.
Ky: I’ll be back before you know it.
I couldn’t wait.
I was distracted in the best possible way at the thought of having dinner with Colby and Blake. In all of their crazy rock star ways were two of the best guys I knew. The only two guys I trusted. I had met Colby first. He was a San Francisco local and lived in the rundown place beside Tori’s. He was the one who directed me to her place when I first turned up with just a suitcase, a couple of hundred dollars, and a shattered heart. I remembered the day so clearly. He frightened me when I had first seen him; he had these piercing eyes that would destroy you with one glance and the timid girl who I was then had been overcome by a billion different emotions. He had walked down the rickety steps and came straight at me while I stood on the sidewalk frozen stiff. It literally took him five minutes to make me feel comfortable, five minutes to barge into my life, and five minutes to make me feel safe. I couldn’t explain it if my life depended on it.