I hadn’t fucking remembered, but she deserved the time off. And I had apparently already approved it.
“Yeah, Lucy. That’s fine.”
“Great. Enjoy your evening.”
“Hey!” I called out quickly.
“Yes, Mr. Alexander?”
“It’s Cane, Lucy,” I muttered for the thousandth time. “Where is that pizza shop you ordered from the night you delivered pizza to Jada? Do you remember?”
“Yes, sir. It’s right next to our office. Would you like me to order for you?”
“Yes, please. Have them deliver it to my house, okay?”
“Yes, sir!”
JADA
By the time I got to Cane’s house, the night sky was cloudless, starless, and black.
I was exhausted, mentally and physically, and the sound of a bubble bath while I waited for the love of my life to get home was bliss.
Home.
I smiled to myself, realizing that Cane was right. I did refer to his house as mine.
Could I do that? Could I live with him?
I shook my head, a warm feeling taking over me from the inside out.
I wasn’t sure if I could, but I wasn’t sure if I couldn’t either.
The neighborhood was quiet. The only sound was the crickets making their humming sounds. A small wind glided through the streets, whipping my hair behind me. I finally felt that I was where I belonged.
I used the key that Cane had given me the night before and pressed it into the lock, turning it to the left. It clicked easily and the door swung open.
I took a few steps inside the dark room to the alarm pad instinctually, before I realized that it did not go off.
I stared at the pad, lit up all blue and not flashing or asking me to press in Cane’s code of 7282.
A chill rippled up through my spine, snaking slowly through my limbs. My legs felt heavy, even though my brain was screaming at them to move. Fast. Now! I shoved my cell into my pocket quickly so I wouldn’t drop it.
A clicking sound echoed off the walls of the great room. Panic coursed through me and adrenaline flowed through my veins.
Fight or flight survival mode kicked in full force.
I turned to bolt towards the door, but it was just like a bad dream. I couldn’t move as fast as I needed to. As fast as I wanted to.
As fast as I knew I must.
I didn’t get two steps away before I felt the worst pain I could ever imagine.
Out of nowhere, something slammed against the side of my head, impacting me with such force that I immediately lost all control of my body.
The pain was searing. A loud noise barreled through my ears. Burst of colors, like a fireworks display, lit up as my eyes closed and I hit the ground hard, unable to catch myself.
And everything went black.
CANE
I blasted Alice in Chains as I made my way home. I turned into my subdivision, too focused on seeing my girl to even be annoyed by the Jack-and-Jillness of the fucking place.
I’m so turning into a pussy.
I smiled as the thought crossed my mind.
Yeah. I’m fucked.
I pulled up to my house on Sheffield Road and parked beside Jada. I turned to open my door and something caught my eye.
There were no lights on in the house.
I cocked my head to the side, trying to figure out why she wouldn’t have turned one light on at all.
Would she have gone to bed?
I looked above the garage to the master bathroom and it was dark, too.
This is just your paranoia from the last few weeks, asshole.
I hopped out of the Denali, but entered through the side gate, the neighbor’s dog barking its fucking head off.
The rooms on that side of the house were guest rooms and I didn’t use them for shit, so I wasn’t surprised when there weren’t any lights on. There would be no reason for Jada to be in there.
I knew I was being paranoid, but I couldn’t shake it.
I opened the door to the walkout basement quietly, slipping in and closing it softly behind me.
My senses took over: looking, listening, feeling for anything that seemed off.
I stood still, knowing that the kitchen was right above my head. I listened for any sound of life but was met with quiet.
I’m fucking paranoid! I just need to go find Jada and make love to my girl.
I shook my head, knowing I was right. I was wasting precious time.
I took a few steps ahead before the floor above me to the right squeaked, the joists giving way to the weight on them.
My brain did a quick assessment.
My office.
Someone was in my fucking office.
My stomach lurched in my throat as a cold chill broke out across my skin.
Something was really fucking wrong.
JADA
My head felt like a bomb had exploded inside it. My eyes struggled to open against my heavy lids. The pain on the left side of my head was almost unbearable and I couldn’t figure out why.
What was going on?
I tried to reach up to touch it but I couldn’t move my hands. I tried to roll over but my legs wouldn’t work, either.
A wave of panic hit me as I finally forced my lids to lift and saw that I was in a real life nightmare.