Twenty-two - Adrian

All I can hear is the accelerated pulsing against my skull.

Evie's slight frame lies limp in my arms. I managed to catch her just before she hit the floor.

I should've followed her out, I knew something felt off.

Getting to my feet, I pull her as close as physically possible against me.

I sigh knowing it's of little help now.

Making quick work of the distance, I throw my bedroom door open and carefully set her down on the bed.

My little bear doesn't even stir or twitch.

I clasp her still body against mine with trembling arms.

"What do I do Evie?" My voice is rough, entangled in fear.

Pulling out my phone I do the only thing I can think of.

"Which service?"

"Ambulance." I stutter.

I get put into the queue.

"Why is there a queue for an emergency line?"

"Because too many people call for non-emergencies." Evie grumbles startling me.

She slowly reaches up and slips the phone out of my rigid hand. Tapping the big red end call button, she drops the phone onto the bed.

I can do nothing but stare, not convinced by reality.

"I'm okay Adrian. I'm okay." She softly draws me out of my trance, caressing my slack jaw, "I'm sorry, it must've been scary."

This girl just collapsed, and she's worried about me?

The concept jars my brain.

My little bear strains against my unyielding hold before relaxing into it and cupping a second hand around my face.

"Adrian, look at me, I'm okay. I'm currently moving more than you!" She giggles with the last words.

The lilting noise ricochets through me, releasing each tense muscle in turn.

I drop my forehead against hers.

"You're okay?" I mumble.

"I'm okay." She nods before pressing a kiss to the tip of my nose.

I exhale, expelling a breath I hadn't realised I was holding.

Falling back against the sheets, I pull my little bear on top of me.

She complies with the movement and I relax.

"I'm sorry, I can normally get it back under control." Bear whispers.

I'm sorry I didn't know how to help. I felt so useless.

Evie dealt with my gunshot injury, it was my turn to step up, but I could do nothing but panic. I've failed her.

"You have nothing to apologise for. I just wish you had come to me instead of trying to deal with it by yourself." I tuck her soft hair behind her ear, "You're not alone."

"Thank you."

Pulling her closer, I kiss her forehead.

"Will you please let me help you with the report?"

Bear nods, looking away, "It just needs proofreading."

Okay, that can wait.

Evie has turned onto her side, I move to caress her body with mine. Melding to her form.

I wrap my arm around her waist and she lifts her head, allowing me to slide my other arm under.

Feeling her chest expand against mine, I match her rhythm.

I wish I could take all of her fears away.

An hour for that bastard has translated into internalised anxiety that she now has to carry.

I press my lips to her temple, chasing away the bad thoughts.

"I'll tell Liz something cropped up at work and we can just chill here and eat comfort food." I offer, trying to relieve any stressors I can control.

"No! I'm okay, honestly. I'm absolutely fine now." She protests.

"You just passed out little bear."

"Only from hyperventilating." She states casually.

What hasn't this girl normalised?

"Please, I need to get out rather than sit with my thoughts."

That logic is why I took up running. Knowing there's truth to her words, I can't argue my point any further.

"Fine, but we can leave at any point."

She gives my hand an appreciative squeeze.

We went for a trendy Japanese restaurant after I mentioned it was Evie's favourite cuisine. Hopefully she'll really like it.

Enough time passes by to allow Bear to drift off to sleep. Her soothing warmth and steady breathing has me following quickly behind.

A throbbing in my cock disturbs my sleep.

The culprit appears to be Bear's round ass. She's shuffling in her sleep, pushing her peach into my groin.

I carefully manoeuvre out of bed before the urge to wake Evie takes me.

It's only mid-afternoon, so there's still plenty of time before dinner.

Entering the office, I plant myself on the sofa, where Bear was sitting.

The report is still glaring in black and white on the screen.

I save a copy to the laptop in case it has timed out or something else goes wrong. I don't want to put Evie through writing it again.

Leaning over the screen, I begin to look over what she has written.

It's shockingly methodical and detached. Likely reflecting how's she trying to deal with it.

My mind casts back to the total darkness and I quickly shake it away.

I left the family home on my graduation day.

I'm ashamed to admit, the cellar haunts me still. So, I seldom return, only when it's absolutely required of me.

My heightened senses erupt as I read the main recollection of events.

Boiling blood courses through my veins as I relive the night through Bear's eyes.

A German client had me in Berlin for three nights, it would have been four, but we came to an agreement earlier than anticipated. I had only been in the country a few hours when Evie called.

If I hadn't been…

A boa winds itself tightly around my chest at the thought.

I understand why Bear spun out so terrifically. The mere idea of losing her claws me deeply.

But something about the interactions at the bus stop seem out of place to me.

If it was a random attack, why would he compare Evie to something on his phone and take a photo of her.

Why did he wait to attack? Was he waiting for confirmation?

A chill walks down my spine, injecting itself into my bones at the thought.

That would make it premeditated, but the only way they'd know where she'd be is if someone had been watching her and made a calculated move whilst she was both stranded and isolated.

Sh*t!

I hope to god that I'm wrong.

Emailing Anthony a copy of the report, I pull up his contact on my phone and hit dial.

"Hey bud, missing me already?" Anthony knew I was off, but I hadn't updated him on the specifics.

"How could I miss you when you stalk my nightmares?" I cringe at my use of stalk, "Actually I wanted to bounce something off you if that's alright?"

"Sure, whatever you need." He clocks my cooler tone.

"Evelyn called me Wednesday night." I force myself to take a breathe before continuing, "She was being followed."

"No way, is she okay?"

"A bit shaken up, but she's a trooper. She's been staying with me since." I don't think I could handle the uncertainty of not knowing definitively that she's safe. "I've sent you her police report."

Anthony gives the report a read before I follow up with my additional concerns.

"I hate to say it, but I think you're onto something." He sighs, "Does she normally work in that area?"

"I need to double check, but I believe she normally works in South London." We met in the South, her university is in the South and she lives that way too. So, I can only assume that's where she'd normally work.

"How would someone know she was working elsewhere that night?"

He's right, either it was random or someone's gathering extreme levels of intel on my girl.

The latter halts my breathing.

"And why would anyone be so committed to following Evelyn? What are they looking to achieve?" I add. There's not a bad bone in her small body.

"Maybe she saw something she shouldn't have? Or saved someone people wanted dead?" He speculates wildly, although working for the emergency services would make it possible.

"What are you going to do?" His morbid tone drags through me, "Have you discussed it with her?"

"I'll increase security and keep her close to me." If I can't be with her, I'll ensure someone else is. "No, we're only postulating at the moment, I don't want to worry her unnecessarily."

"Okay, keep me posted. I'll give the description to security at the office."

I end the call feeling even heavier. I was hoping he'd tell me it was all in my head, not agree with me.

Pulling up my contact list I make a few more calls to increase overall security, especially in my apartment building, and arrange a driver to escort my little bear when I'm not with her.

Something tells me she's going to fight me on it. But, I'll argue with Evelyn if that's the price I need to pay for her safety.

I'll do anything to ensure she's well protected.

Rising from the sofa, I stretch my tense limbs.

My little bear is still asleep when I make it back to bed.

I slide into the sheets, enveloping her in my embrace.

The smell of peaches gifts me some relief.

I pull Bear closer to reassure me she's there.

Dipping my head, I kiss her temple.

You have to be okay because I can't live without you.