Page 105 of Creep

It was something my stalker had said to me that night he came back after saving me from the man who had followed me to my apartment.

Why would Mael say the exact same thing my stalker had said to me?

Was it nothing more than a coincidence?

I didn’t believe in coincidences.

I closed my eyes.

Mael was my stalker.

I just knew it to be a fact.

But why?

He could have had me without the stalking—without scaring me half to death those first weeks when I thought someone was watching me.

And why did he have to come and introduce himself to me? Insert himself into my life and make me… make me fall in love with him.

Because that was what this was.

I had fallen in love with Mael… with my stalker.

I closed my eyes and looked around my apartment. The sun was just starting to set. It would be dark soon, then it would be midnight, and Mael would make his way over to me… as my stalker.

I closed my eyes, thinking.

What was I supposed to do?

Did I continue this game with him?

Because this had to be nothing more than a game for him. Why else would he do this to me?

Or did I walk away?

Would he even let me walk away?

I would have said that Mael would, but my stalker wouldn’t. Now that I knew they were the same person, who was the real Mael?

Was it the man who took me out on dates and wooed me, or the man who came into my apartment in the middle of the night, uninvited?

I took out my phone and pulled up Mael’s contact information. My hands shook as I typed out the message.

Me:Do you want to spend the night at my place tonight?

As soon as I hit send, my heart felt like it had dropped straight down to my stomach. I could see the three little dots forming as he texted back.

It probably wasn’t very long from the time I sent it, but for some reason, it felt like forever as I waited for him.

Mael:Sounds good. Can’t wait to see you tonight.

I turned off the screen and placed my phone back on the coffee table, looking around at the empty space, unease settling heavily in the pit of my stomach.

What was I supposed to do now?

* * *

I openedthe door to see Mael standing there, looking as gorgeous as he always did.

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