Inside an Unsub's Mind [Book 2]

Chapter seven

Spring was finally here.

I sat outside on the grass a week later, enjoying the feeling of the sun as I watched students walk by to their classes.

"Hey!" Ryan waved at me, sitting down across from me. "You texted saying you wanted to meet up. What's up? Need another supply of pickles?"

I smiled. "I'm good. Kayden actually bought me an entire month's worth during our shopping trip yesterday."

"Oh. Um..how is she? Is she okay?"

"Yeah. She's fine. It's been, what? A month? Month and a half?" I nodded, "she's doing good."

"Good, good." he smiled, "so. Why did you want to see me?"

"I wanted to tell you. I decided on a name."

"Really? What's it going to be?"

"Aaron. After my brother."

"I love that. I think your brother will really like that as well." he said. "Speaking of...have you told him?"

I chuckled. "No. He's still looking for the couple that escaped jail a few weeks back. And I'm still avoiding all calls from my father. He's been bumped up to twice a week."

"Lovely." He made a face. "Want me to answer and tell him to piss off?"

I laughed. "No. I got William to do that for me."

"Who?" He wriggled his eyebrows. "You finally find someone?"

"No. I haven't. He's just some guy who works for my father. But he's also kind of protecting me from him at the same time." I explained.

"Is he cute?"

"....solid eight out of ten. Maybe nine point five." I answered with a smile and shrug.

"I ship it." he winked at me, hitting my ankle with his. "You should tell him. Get someone in your life."

"I already have you guys. I don't need a guy who's going to be all romantic with me." I said, "I'm stressed enough as it is with classes, and with this baby being due in...five months." I rubbed my stomach. "He's been using my stomach as a jungle gym nonstop yet again."

Ryan's eyes went wide, and he smiled before getting up and walking away across the quad.

"Don't tell me I scared him away." a now-familiar voice said.

I laid back on the grass and looked up to see William looking down at me, his blond hair blowing in the breezy day. "You scare everyone. You're very intimidating."

"Intimidating? How so?" he sat down cross-legged across from me, helping me sit up before placing his hands behind him on the grass.

"You're six foot—"

"6'2," he corrected with a smile.

"6'2, then. Blond hair, dark eyes, little bit of an Scottish accent."

"You can barely tell." He said.

"I can tell." I corrected. "But that's why you're just a little bit intimidating."

He chuckled. "Okay then. But I didn't come here for you to tell me how intimidating I am. I came to ask you if your father has contacted you yet."

"He tries to contact me twice a week, but I never answer him."

His face went pale. "Vanessa, your father is not a man you would want angry. And you not answering his calls makes him boil."

"So?"

"So, I won't be here all day every day to keep you safe."

"I don't need you to!" I said.

"You do. More than you know." he said. "You don't know just how skilled the people he trains are."