Page 104 of For the Win

“For one thing, I get a little nervous when I’m home alone at night.I didn’t expect someone to come to the door.”

“Understandable.”

“But when I saw it was you...I shouldn’t have freaked out more.But I did.”I sigh.“I have to tell you a story.”

“Uh...okay.”His lips firm and his eyes narrow as if he anticipates this isn’t going to be good.

“A few years ago, I went on a date with a guy I met on a dating app.”

His body immediately tenses.For a moment, neither of speaks, then he grits out, “Go on.”

“His name was Lucas.He seemed nice—very charming.Handsome.In hindsight, I had little...hints that I should have paid more attention to.He came on really strong, telling me how beautiful and perfect I was, but I thought he just really liked me.I agreed to see him again, because why not?He was fun.”

Harrison grunts.

“Before we even went out again, he dropped by my apartment.Just to say hi.I thought it was weird, and my roommate Leah just laughed it off and said, ‘Wow, he’s really into you.’I had this uneasy feeling about it, because that seemed odd, but it was sort of flattering that he liked me that much.”

“Christ.”He scrubs both hands over his face.

I take a deep breath and continue.“After our second date, I knew I didn’t want to see him again.He came on too strong, and just...made me feel uncomfortable.So I told him that.He...didn’t take it well.”

Harrison closes his eyes, his mouth a thin, tight line.

“He knew my name and phone number and address.He kept phoning me and texting me.Showing up at my apartment unannounced.The first time I wasn’t there.He scared the hell out of Leah, and she understood why I was creeped out.Next time he came back, I was there—luckily, so was Leah.We got him to leave.But he kept doing it.”

My voice has started shaking with the memories of that time.

“He got weirder and more aggressive, and the things he said started scaring me.He thought we were...”I pause.“Meant to be together.”

After several beats of thick silence, Harrison says,“Fuck.”

I bite my lip.

“I am so sorry,” he growls.“Jesus, Arya.”

“It’s okay.You had no idea.”

“I’m an idiot.”He swallows.“Go on.”

“He was following me places...he’d show up at West Acres—the shopping mall—if I was there, or if I was having dinner with friends at TGI Friday’s he’d walk in.It was freaking me out.I kept telling him to go away.At first I tried to be nice—stupid me!Then I got blunter.And he got creepier.”My voice hitches.“He started getting threatening.He texted me asking what I’d do if I was attacked.Would I scream?Fight back?”

“Fuck me.”Harrison reaches out for me, drags me against him, and presses my face to his chest.“Fuck.Me.”

I nod against him, still shaking both with memories and with the relief of being in Harrison’s arms again, feeling safe enough to tell him the rest.“I reported it to the police.They didn’t seem all that worried.Then he slashed the tires on my car.”Harrison makes a harsh noise in his throat and his arms tighten.“I reported that too.They didn’t do anything.He kept threatening me.I was so scared...all the time.Scared to go to work, scared to go home, scared to be home alone.I didn’t know how this was ever going to end.Then one night I was going to the gym after work, and he followed me...grabbed me and dragged me into a park.He had a knife.”

Harrison’s body is shaking against mine now, his skin clammy.

“I was so lucky someone else saw it...and screamed for help and called the police.But he st-stabbed me a bunch of times...mostly my hands and arms.I was trying to defend myself.”

“Fuck!He stabbed you?” He jerks back to stare into my eyes.His are dark and anguished.

I nod.

“The scar on your shoulder...?”

“Yes.I have a scar on my right arm too.”I hold up my arm and touch it.“The ones on my hands have healed up and you can’t see them so much.”

“Jesus.Jesus fucking Christ.”He takes one of my hands in his, turns it over and inspects my palm.

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