For a moment, I debated walking off and leaving the guy hanging, but then I thought about how rude it would seem. Besides, it would only invite suspicion and maybe make a scene.
There’s nothing wrong with engaging in a little small talk, I thought. It’s not like I’m going to start spouting off on how I’m on a secret mission to help my stepbrother expose the scumbag mayor for the murderer he really is. Besides, he’s kind of cute.
I flashed him a friendly smile. “Yeah, it is.”
He gave me a look, looking my figure up and down. “You pregnant or somethin’?”
What the hell? Do I look pregnant?
I froze for a moment, shocked at such a direct question, and then laughed. “No, I’m not.”
His grin was easygoing. “Didn’t think so.”
“So a girl can’t pick up a women’s health book without being pregnant?” I asked. “I can’t just educate myself?”
“Sure they can,” the guy replied, “but when they’re as beautiful as you, well, you can’t help but think some lucky sap has . . .” he grinned as his voice trailed off and he surveyed my body.
I didn’t even respond. Was that supposed to be a pickup line?
“So did you find what you needed?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m just, uh, looking out for a friend.”
“Oh really? Sounds like your friend has a lot of work ahead of them.”
I glanced over at the computer room and then down at my cell. Seventeen minutes had passed — just about the time that Mason said he would be finished. I needed to start drifting over that way so we could leave as soon as he was done.
“Listen, um . . .” I began.
“Aubrey,” blondie supplied.
“Aubrey. It was nice meeting you and all, but I’ve got to go.” I turned to leave.
“Wait,” Aubrey said sharply.
I raised a curious eyebrow. His voice had a note of a command in it.
He glanced over at the computer room. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
So this handsome fella is cruising the women’s health section to look for girls. Really?
“No.”
He took a step closer. “Would you like to go out sometime?”
I shook my head, suddenly uneasy. He was starting to creep me out and was giving me that ‘weirdo’ vibe. “Sorry, I’d love to, but I really have to go, or else I’m going to be late.”
I turned away quickly, intent on making my way to the computer lab when Aubrey roughly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me against him.
“You’re not going anywhere, lying bitch,” he whispered menacingly into my ear, his breath hot on my neck. “Did you honestly think that I believed you went to school here?” Still holding me tightly, he grabbed me by my ponytail and jerked sharply, causing a stabbing pain in my skull.
Is this really happening?
I opened my mouth to scream for help but stopped when I felt cold metal press against my back. For a moment, I thought it was a gun, but then I realized that it was a knife.
I couldn’t make sense of it. Surely Aubrey wasn’t so bold and brazen as to try something like this in a library with so many witnesses.
Not unless he’s bat-shit crazy, I thought.
“You try to scream and I’ll gut you like a fish,” he growled, setting my heart to pounding against my chest like a sledgehammer.
“What do you want?” I asked, trying to remain calm. He wouldn’t dare kill me inside of the library with all these people. All I needed to do was stay calm, composed, and use my brain to get out of the situation.
“Shut up,” he hissed. “And come with me.”
He pulled me out of the women’s health section and out into the study area. We slowly started moving toward the exit, with him pressed closely against my side, making it look like we were a couple. He kept the blade pressed against my hip where no one could see it.
Jesus, will any of these people notice me?
I looked around the room, hoping someone would see the terror in my eyes. Nope. Not a single person looked up.
As we passed the computer room, my eyes darted to the side and I tensed. If I could just somehow alert Mason, maybe yell something out, I could probably try and make a run for it.
All I have to do is make a noise and people will notice. He wouldn’t really stab me then would he? Everyone would see and know he did it.
It was a gamble that I wasn’t sure that I was willing to take. The guy was obviously not in his right mind.
“Don’t even think about it,” Aubrey warned with a dark whisper, as if sensing my inner turmoil. “I won’t hesitate to stab you, even in front of all these people. And trust me, I’ll make sure to sever an artery when I do. You’ll bleed out before the paramedics get here.”
Bastard.
“And you know what?” he continued, his voice picking up intensity as if this was something he’d fantasized about for a long time. “I’ll get away with it too. Tell them that you were suicidal, that you were crazy.”