Page 44 of I'm Not in Love (I Promise)

“We should wait until dark,” I say. It looks like there’s still some students and faculty lingering for after school activities. “Can’t take unnecessary risks.”

Jasper nods and takes out his phone to scroll videos. While we wait, I picture a young, impressionable Blake getting off the school bus everyday, walking those front steps, and going through the motions after her innocence was shattered. Did anyone know? The fact that she lost her mother and brother was common knowledge I got from a quick search on the internet, but she was older than fourteen when they passed. Were they there to comfort her?

With each passing minute I grow more and more enraged. I assume Jasper feels the same, as he’s gone quiet since we parked. On one hand, sitting here for all this time let me work on a plan.

Leon: I did what I could with the cameras. I wouldn’t do anything stupid though.

Me: Thanks, man.

Jasper closes out his YouTube video and puts his phone in his pocket. “Do we have a game plan?”

“I think so, just one second. I want to text Blake.” Jasper grins and grabs his mask from the backseat.

Me: If you could say one thing to Trevor, what would it be?

She’s going to know I’m up to something, but it’s too late for her to try and stop me. I heard the vulnerability in her voice last night, saw her tears. What happened to her affected her in every aspect of her life since then. I only wish she were here with me to get revenge herself.

Blake: What are you doing? Where are you?

My phone rings immediately and Blake’s name flashes on my screen. I hit the red button. “Let’s go.”

I nod to Jasper and we get out of the car and start walking toward the maintenance entrance. “What’s Blake saying?”

Me: Answer the question, baby.

Blake: Fine… I’d tell him that he ruined me. That I still see his stupid chest tattoo sometimes when I close my eyes. That he never deserved Bryan’s love.

That right there is exactly what I need to hear. I can’t wait to hold Blake in my arms tonight and bring her the gift of closure. Or better yet, I’ll save it as a special birthday gift.

After droppingJasper back at the apartment, I drive straight to Blake’s house. I’m exhausted and oddly emotional about getting this closure for her. Normally this kind of thing would get me fired up, but tonight all I want is to comfort Blake. Maybe spank her gorgeous ass too, but in a caring way. Hell, she’s making me soft.

I don’t bother to park around the corner or case the property this time. I’m laser focused on being as close to her as I can in the shortest amount of time. Out of habit, I start to cross the yard but something pinned to the door catches my attention.

It’s a note, stuck onto the weathered wood with some kind of putty.

Stalker,

I thought I’d make your life easier and leave the door unlocked. You know, maybe save these old windows from all the abuse they’ve been getting lately.

See you inside.

If I wasn’t so paranoid about her leaving the door unlocked, I’d laugh. It’s a cute note, but tradition is tradition. I pull it off the door, pocket it and go directly to her bedroom window.

She’s lying prone on her bed with her feet in the air and two different colored highlighters in her hand. Music drifts through the glass panes, a female singer I don’t recognize. I watch herflip through a spiral-bound notebook, underlining hand written notes. Times like this, when she’s in the zone studying, is when she looks most comfortable. Her dark eyes bounce around the page, soaking up information. Her nose scrunches when she reads over something tricky. Sometimes she’ll even narrow her brows and bite her lip. My brilliant, sexy doctor. I could watch her like this all night. But I’d rather do more than that.

I’m about to pull the window open when luck strikes and she leaves the room. I work quickly to climb through the window, kick off my boots, and settle myself on her bed.

“Shit,” I say, rubbing a spot of blood I missed on the edge of my shirt. This is one of my favorite shirts too. I’m so engrossed in what I’m doing that I don’t notice Blake coming into the room until she gasps and spews a barrage of curses.

“Where the hell did you come from?” My eyes zero in on the way her hand clutches her chest.

“Here and there. We moved around a lot when I was a kid.” I lean back casually and grin.

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

I nod my head toward the window and say, “I’m a creature of habit, plus an unlocked door… too easy. Come here.”

She climbs next to me, making a point of brushing her body against mine as she moves her notebooks aside. “Creature of habit? Try creature of the night.”

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