Page 25 of Born Chaos

"I think you overestimate my social skills," I say as I put on a smile. "I don't think I can stand twelve hours with anybody."

"Guess this is going to be an adjustment," Sebastian says with a smirk. He hooks his finger under my chin, tilting my face up towards his. "You're going to get a lot more than twelve hours with me, Juliet."

"It's a good thing you’re nice to look at," I tell him.

He smiles and leans down to press a kiss to my lips. I step away, closing my locker. "You'll be home by six or so?"

"Sure," I say. "I will see you then."

Sebastian nods, and I head out into the gloomy day. I need a few moments to get my plan into action, so I stop by my apartment, dropping my things off. I stall for a good five minutes. And when I think it's been just long enough, I take the elevator downstairs once again.

I look around when I'm outside. My eyes scan the crowd. But there are a lot of people out here right now. It's a Friday, but it's still a work morning. People are hurrying off to their mundane, boring jobs.

I head toward the L. I would take this route to go to Sigrid's if that was where I was actually going. This train will take me in the direction I have in mind, but I certainly won't be making the same stops.

I look around as I get on the train. I'm searching for a familiar face. But it's the same as out on the streets. There are a lot of people heading somewhere this morning. And I can only see as far as this car stretches. There are several others in front of me and behind me.

I get off one stop before where I would get off to go to Sigrid's house. Once again, I look around me as I start walking down the sidewalk. But there are no alarm bells yet. I pick up my pace and set off on the four block walk to get to Malcolm's shop. I have absolutely no reason to see him this morning. He probably won't even be there. How many people go to see a medium at eight-thirty in the morning? But actually talking to Malcolm is not the point.

Around the last corner, I see Malcolm's shop just ahead. As silently as I can, I step into the alcove of another shop. I even hold my breath so no one can hear me breathing.

I count. One second. Two seconds. Five seconds.

And at nine seconds, he steps into view.

Rick passes right by me. I let him walk forward four steps before I step out behind him.

"You are following me," I state.

You can only have so much of an element of surprise on a vampire. Rick did not realize that I had stepped out of my path. But I don't startle him. He doesn't jump, or flinch. He just stands there with his back turned to me for four whole seconds. And then slowly, he turns.

The guilt is written all over his expression. He's been caught. Red-handed.

And this makes my stomach sink. Because there is only one reason why he would be here.

"I assume he's paying you to do this?" I ask. My insides start shaking. Nausea rolls in my stomach.

"He is," Rick says.

"How long?" My voice shakes. My hands roll into fists.

"Ever since that night at Roman Nights," he says. His shoulders sag. From the look in his eyes, I think he feels guilty. "But it was every now and then before that. Ever since the night Archer King was killed."

Hot, angry tears well in my eyes.

What. The. Hell?

Sebastian swore he was going to be better. After that terrifying and confusing night at Roman Nights, Sebastian said he was going to be better.

But even he admitted that he was terrified of losing me. He said that he was afraid it was going to make me hate him.

I feel like I can't breathe right now. My own fiancé has been having me followed. He has been paying his bodyguard to watch me.

"How often? Is it just whenever I'm going somewhere? Or are you always within twenty feet of me?" The sound of my voice is becoming a little more frantic by the minute.

Rick lets out a sigh. He shakes his head. "I wanted to tell you. I did not know you before. You have been nothing but kind to me, Juliet. You have done brave, reckless things in the past, but what Sebastian has asked me to do… I have been having a difficult time justifying it recently. I wanted to tell you. But I didn't want to break your whole world."

"Well, it has broken anyway," I say. My words come out a little hysterical, a little choked off. Tears break free onto my face. "This ends today. Do you understand? I know that you have worked for Sebastian for some time. But I swear… Rick, if you follow me one more time…"

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