He Follows ✔

Chapter 23

Michelle's world was a blur. Detective Bradley had explained what happened over and over, but she still didn't know what was real anymore.

She had tried to explain it to Detective Bradley, but he looked at her as if she was insane.

Detective Hank had dropped the case, and she couldn't be more relieved. His face brought back nightmares that she didn't want to have to endure anymore.

It had been three days and she still had not slept. Her eyes held giant bags under them and she could barely hold her head up.

Detective Bradley had looked at her with pity as she slumped down in the chair in his office. They had been meeting there these past few days to try and get on the same page.

"Michelle, you look horrible. When is the last time you slept?"

"The last time you woke me up three days ago."

"Michelle you are going to kill yourself if you don't get some sleep."

"I can't sleep in my dad's bed anymore. It scares me."

Detective Bradley kept talking as Michelle started to doze off.

"Michelle"

"Michelle"

"Hmmm"

Detective Bradley truly felt bad for Michelle. In the past week her life had completely changed. He couldn't leave her there, so he decided to take her to his house.

Hank gave him a wink as he walked out the door with Michelle in his arms.

***

"I finally have you Michelle. You thought you were unbreakable, but now you see, we will live a whole life together."

Hank's face leered down at Michelle as she sat eating breakfast. He kissed her neck and then walked away.

"Get ready for tonight my love."

***

Michelle woke with a scream. A hand clamped down over her mouth, and she went crazy. She began kicking and screaming. She felt a body climb on top of her and hold her arms and legs down.

"Michelle, Michelle, it's me, it's Bradley."

Michelle stopped struggling and tried to make out his face in the dark.

"What is going on? Where am I?"

"Michelle, calm down. You are at my house. You fell asleep in my office chair at work."

"Did you...did you touch me?"

"No, I have been sleeping on the couch all night. I only came in because I heard you screaming."

Michelle calmed down.

"Thank you for being so patient with me. I know you must think I am insane."

"You are not insane."

***

An arm was draped over Michelle when she woke up. She looked over to find that Bradley was laying beside her. She shook him to try and wake him up.

"Bradley, wake up."

"Hmmm."

Bradley opened his eyes and smiled at Michelle. He then blinked a couple of times and the smile disappeared.

"I am sorry. I must have accidentally forgot to go back to the couch. I didn't mean to..."

"It's ok. I trust you. You are the only one who has been there for me."

Bradley wiped the sleep from his eyes and sat up.

"You know, you are quite beautiful when you sleep."

Michelle blushed. She had gotten plenty of complements from men before, but to get one from him was unexpected.

"Thanks, and you are quite handsome with your bed head hair."

They both laughed and it felt good. Michelle couldn't remember the last time she had smiled.

"Do you want some coffee?"

Michelle nodded as Bradley got up. She blushed again when she saw him without his shirt.

"You like what you see?"

Without giving her time to respond, he left the room to go and make them some coffee.

Michelle felt more confident after a long night's sleep. When Bradley came back with two cups of coffee and a tray with cream and sugar, Michelle had formed an idea. She needed to confront the two people she had been avoiding. She thought that maybe if she faced the truth head on, that her nightmares would finally go away.

"Bradley. I want to speak with Hank privately and after that, I want to speak with Benito please."

Bradley looked at her with shock.

"You spend one night in my house, and you are already handing out orders?"