The Good Girl's Return

Prequel piece 2

"You really shouldn't have said that." The man sitting in front of me says.

I'd just woken up in searing pain. According to the man sitting in my room, I'd been shot by one of his... business associates. All I remembered was going to the club with my Mom and her boyfriend when gunshots started. I must've passed out as soon as the bullet struck me.

The man in question introduced himself as Andrew Holfstead. He said he saw me get struck, and felt he needed to save my life.

I thanked him, and I told him I owed him my life.

That was his response.

My face pales, a mix of confusion and dread washing over me.

He didn't elaborate on what he'd meant.

He simply stood up from his seat, approached me slowly, and left an ever-gentle kiss on my forehead.

"I'll see you soon, dear Kehlani." He tells me before quietly exiting from the room.

I'd never even given him my name.

He proceeded to spend a week with me, healing me, tending to me, caring for me.

Looking back, I almost wonder if it was all a setup. I wonder if he'd seen me prior, maybe stalked me.

Because after I said those life-crushing words, he certainly stalked me after.

Flowers arrived at my door almost every day for the following four weeks. I had begun to pile them on my dresser. Too afraid to hang them up or put them in a vase, but too afraid to throw them away as well.

Another week went by, and this week I hadn't received any flowers.

On the seventh day of silence, I got a text message from an unknown number.

"i hope you'll wear this tonight. be seeing you. xx"

My jaw clenched. What did this mean? Obviously, I knew who it was from.

I'd never been so relentlessly chased by a man. Especially one that was... like him. I didn't know the details yet, but I'd had a growing suspicion that Andrew was involved in some sort of gang-related activity. I mean, who comes to a club with an associate who winds up fighting someone else, shoots at a man, misses and hits an innocent bystander (me), and then hand stitches them in the club's bathroom before bringing them home, no hospital is needed.

Before I had a chance to respond, the doorbell rang. I ran to it, the door revealing a tall guy holding flowers and a box.

Every bouquet given to me so far had been pure white roses.

These were the deepest shade of red imaginable.

"Who are you?" I ask the man.

"Is it important?" He responds with a sigh.

"I suppose not," I mumble, taking the items from him.

He steps into the house and sits on the couch as if waiting.

"Um... What are you doing?" I ask him, beginning to freak out.

He turns to look at me. There was an icy edge to his eyes. At first, I was terrified of this man. After months, I'd come to know him as my best friend. But for now, I felt like running for my life.

"Go change, clip one of those roses and tuck it into your left ear, and come on. I'm to escort you to dinner, where you'll meet Andrew." He says.

"Um, I never agreed to go on a date, and I certainly don't need a bodyguard." I laugh.