Maneater

Chapter Thirty-Four

Rule#327: Don't ever let a man take your breath away. Don't ever let a man impress you to the point where you're following behind him like an obedient puppy. Don't ever get sprung over any man, much less one who's considered community dick.

    Consider that rule broken, Crystal thought as she entered the elevator in her condo building.

    Just as the doors slid closed, a tall man wearing a baseball cap low over his eyes stuck his hand between the doors, forcing them back open. She stepped aside, giving him room to enter. He wordlessly joined her on the elevator and shuffled towards the back of the rather large elevator cab.

    If someone had ever asked me whether or not I'd fall in love with someone, much less a damned celebrity, I would have laughed them out of the room, she thought, the hat-wearing stranger completely forgotten. But here I am, wondering what Austin is doing right now, wondering whether or not he's thinking about me, wondering when we'll get to see each other again.

    The man behind her coughed as the elevator climbed upwards.

    She turned her head to the side, glancing at him out the corner of her eye.

    His head was tilted down so far that his chin nearly touched his chest. Because she was shorter than he was, she got a glimpse of his nose, mouth, and jaw, but his eyes were completely hidden beneath the brim of his cap.

    Turning to face forward again, she wrapped her arms around herself. There was something tense about the air between her and this stranger, and she didn't know why she'd catch a vibe like that. After all, he was probably just some guy returning home from a night of debauchery with his friends. Maybe she was unnerved because he hadn't greeted her at all. Who raised this guy? A pack of wolves?

    He remained quiet, but still close enough that she could feel his breath on the back of her neck at times.

    The elevator doors slid open, and relief washed over her as she stepped out into a warmly-lit hallway. Immediately, she moved in the direction of her condo unit, feeling another burst of relief when she heard the elevator chime and the elevator doors close.

    Her steps were slow as she moved through the hallway, savoring memories from that evening. Not once had she experienced a date quite as perfect as the one she'd had tonight with Austin.

    Whenever people spoke about falling in love, they always said that when you know, you know. Of course, she'd assumed that to be complete and total bullshit. Her jaded mind had assumed that love was a delusion and therefore, didn't exist. But now, she could say for a fact that people were right. She had been wrong. When you truly loved someone, you just knew that they were the one. And as much as she hated admitting it, Austin was the one. They clicked in the way that puzzle pieces fit together, in the way that locking gears engaged. He joked around with her in the same way that her friends joked, had a barbed and twisted sense of humor the same way she did.

    After dinner, they'd just strolled around the city, talking about anything and everything. They spoke about family, past relationships, and working in the entertainment industry. She saw the industry from a different angle than he did. Other celebrities bent over backwards trying to kiss his ass just so he could bless them with his Midas touch. Everything that Austin touched turned to gold, despite being an industry Casanova. Anyone who was anyone wanted to be associated with his success.

    On the flipside, Crystal was often treated as "the help." Celebrities didn't feel a need to wear masks around her. For that reason, she got to see who a lot of them really were when the cameras turned off. Some of the most innocent, squeaky clean celebrities in front of the cameras were some of the most conniving bitches as soon as the camera lens was off of them. Some of the people who the media had painted as the bad boy or bad girl were in actuality as sweet as pie. And don't get her started on reality show cast members. They were almost never who they appeared to be on the reality shows they were a part of.

    They'd traded industry stories, discussed their lives before being just another industry cog, and held hands through it all. He could get through an entire story without making her feel like she was just some trophy to be won, listen to her tell an entire story and remain completely engaged. He was genuinely funny, and extremely well-spoken. The compliments he received for speaking in such a polished manner was even a topic that he touched on.

    "Why is it that people are always so surprised when rappers have a decent vocabulary?" he'd wondered aloud. "We're rappers. Words are our lives. They are how we earn a living. Minus the mumble rappers who repeat the same five words throughout entire songs, every rapper or lyricist should have a phenomenal vocabulary. If they don't, they're in the wrong field."

    A deep cough disturbed her train of thought, and goosebumps prickled along her arms as she reached the door to her condo. Reaching into her purse, she grabbed for her keys. The corner of her eye caught a flash of movement. He got off the elevator with me, she realized, feeling panic seize her. She fumbled with her keys as the man drew nearer.

    "Ma'am?" the man greeted.

    Her hand freezing instantly, she slowly turned her head towards him. "Y-yes?"

    He stretched a hand out towards her. "You dropped this, back in the elevator."

    Her eyes lowered to the slender bracelet draped across the palm of his large hand. For the first time since he'd stepped onto the elevator, she could actually see his eyes: hazel, weary, and kind. His hair was graying at the temples. "Thank you," she murmured softly, accepting the bracelet. Instead of calling out to me immediately, you waited until I got to the door of my condo? As far as I'm concerned, he's still somewhat of a creep.

    He shrugged sheepishly and turned around, quickly striding towards the elevators.

    Taking a deep, steadying breath, she unlocked the door to her condo and walked inside. Without hesitation, she closed the door and locked it. Then she pressed her back against the door and waited for her heartbeat to slow down.

    Humming softly, she kicked off her heels and move further into the dark condo. Swinging her purse around on its strap, she walked down the long hall and into her bedroom. Her phone shrilled in her purse, and she quickly grabbed it to silence the ringer. Then she answered the call and lifted the phone to her ear. "Hello?" she asked, standing just beyond her bedroom door.

    "Crystal? Crystal!" Nicole's voice. Only...her voice was unnaturally high.

    "Nicole? Nicole, what's wrong?"

    "I couldn't stop him. He's coming for you. He's obsessed. He's crazy. He's-"

    "What are you talking about?" Crystal demanded. "You're the crazy one. You lied."

    "Listen to me, bitch!" Nicole screamed. "Okay? I'm trying to save your fucking life!"

    Crystal held the phone away from her ear and stared at it before placing it against her ear again. "Excuse me?"

    "Justin. He's obsessed with you. He...kidnapped me, Crystal. Tied me up. Beat me. Cut me up. Really bad. He's...completely unhinged, and now he's coming for you."

    Crystal heard the words, but the words weren't making any sense. "Nicole, I don't-"

    Someone grabbed onto her from behind, seizing both of her arms.

    In shock, Crystal dropped the cell phone and heard the quiet, muffled sound it made once it bounced on the bedroom carpet. Her arms were yanked back and her wrists pulled together, and then a bag was shoved down over her head.

    She cried out, but a rough voice ordered, "Scream again and I'll fucking kill you right here where you stand. Shut the fuck up." With those words, her assailant pushed her to the floor, mere feet away from her discarded cell phone.

    Her screams instantly quieted. When she went quiet and still, she could still hear Nicole's voice coming from the phone, sounding much fainter now.

    "Crystal? Crystal! Is he there? Did he get you too? Where did you go?" A pause. Then, "Oh, no."

    Those were the last words Crystal heard before she blacked out.