Page 27 of Taking Adalisa

In myvery importantthoughts.

If he had a key to my apartment, he would have used it when he got me out of the elevator, right? He wouldn’t have needed me to hand mine over. Unless that is how he got my keys. Asked me for it, takes them to a different room while he gets me water and copies them in foam to later get them made.

How could I have been so stupid? I gave him everything he needed to get into my apartment and do whatever he wanted. Did he also place cameras around my rooms while getting me the water?

I take a deep breath, trying to stop myself from panicking in front of Margery. Now is not the time to think about everything Matthias could have possibly done. When I get home, I’m going to have to check every room to make sure nothing is out of. Maybe I can stop by a camera shop and see if there is a machine that finds little cameras.

There has to be.

“I was just talking about my plans,” Margery chuckles. “I know my life is boring, but you didn’t have to completely check out.”

I wince. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’m just not all here right now. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Your friend been on your mind a lot? Are you going to go ask him out, and then fall in love?” she asks, winking.

If only she knew that this friend I am talking about isn’t a friend at all. He is someone I want to stay away from, someone very dangerous.

“No, that is not happening. He and I arenevergetting together,” I reiterate. “We can’t. We don’t mesh well.”

Her whole body slumps. “I was rooting for him. I thought you guys would have made a good couple.”

“You don’t even know him.” I shake my head. “You’ve never met him before.”

“Yeah, but him mailing the bracelet to you. Come on. And him telling you it’s going to keep you safe.” She gives me a pointed look and looks down at my wrists. “Which I see you aren’t wearing. What if he finds out you?”

“A small bracelet cannot give protection. It’s just like any other one you can get at any corner store. It wasn’t anything special.” I roll my eyes. “He insisted I wear it again, but I haven’t, and I don’t think I will. No one is going to look at my wrist and back off because they see me wearing a silver bracelet.”

She shrugs. “You never know. Did you leave it at home or did you bring it with you?”

Sighing, I pick up my bag and rummage through it. “Here it is. I brought it just in case, but honestly, I think tomorrow I’m not going to. It’s pointless. It doesn’t signify anything.”

I spent so many hours last night looking at it, trying to see if there was a hidden inscription on it that someone could see. But there isn’t. It’s just a plain silver bracelet that shows whether Matthias can fuck me in the middle of the night or not.

That is all.“So why don’t you just wear it. It’s not like it’s going to harm you,” Margery encourages.

“It may not harm me, but I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me wear it when he won’t tell me why it will keep me safe. There is no point. What is he keeping from me?” I counter. “This is why we won’t do well together. He doesn’t tell me things, and I don’t like to be kept in the dark.”

I also don’t enjoy being claimed.

Lies, my inner voice whispers in my head.

I sigh. I love being claimed. It’s so hot when a man comes up to me and tells me I am theirs and no one else’s. I want that, especially with Matthias, but there are so many red flags. I don’t know who he is; he’s stalked me, got into my apartment, and decided that I’m his without consulting me.

But maybe I didn’t want to be consulted.

No.

This is not happening. I am not going down this road. I need to be strong and stay with my original plan. I need to leave. I need to get off his radar, stay low, and when he forgets about me, I can come back. That is the only thing I need to do right now.

“I don’t see a problem with it. I think it’s kind of hot, him claiming you and all. I think you should go with it if you really want to,” Margery whispers.

“Can we not talk about him? I’m trying not to think about him for at least an hour or more,” I whine.

How is that working out? It’s not. Matthias is constantly on my mind, and I can’t get him out of it. He knew, and he acted all smug about it.

Margery cracks a smile. “Okay, whatever you want. If you do want to talk about him, you let me know, and we can. Maybe later you can tell me what he looks like, or better yet, if you can show me a picture. I will gladly look at him.”

“He could be butt ugly,” I mumble.

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