Caught In The Shadow [Jenlisa]

Epilogue 4

After our pancakes (and an obscene amount of syrup on some very interesting body parts), Jennie informed me she had to go to her apartment and get ready for work. I wasn't too happy about it, but I decided to be cordial and allow her some sense of normalcy. We'd had a lot of sex and done more talking than I cared for, but there were still plenty of things unresolved between us. I had my work cut out for me with Jennie. She wouldn't even let me take her home.

"I can take a cab home. I'll be in a rush when I get there and I'd feel bad ignoring you." She smiled at me while putting on her shoes. "Can I call you when I get off work? It'll be a little before midnight since it's a Monday."

I was still in bed, naked. I hoped my silent protest about putting on clothes after our shower would have inspired her to keep me company, but it didn't work. She still hadn't said anything about my confession. It was making me more nervous than I cared to admit.

"I still don't understand why you're leaving me. You know I'll get up to no good without you."

She smiled at me again and walked toward the bed. She bent down and kissed me on the cheek.

"I trust you." She moved away before I could drag her back into bed.

"You're not wearing any underwear," I teased. The last thing I wanted was for her to run into trouble with some cab driver.

"I think the odds of being kidnapped twice in a lifetime are pretty slim. Don't you?" Her tone was meant to convey sarcasm, but there was an edge to her words that smacked of resentment.

I forced myself to smile when all I wanted to do was tell her I was through taking her shit. I knew I deserved it. I deserved much more than she was giving. It's just not in my nature to let people kick me while I'm already down.

"I suppose you're right. I'll be here if you call." I rolled out of bed, kissed her on the top of her head, and walked into the bathroom to take a leak. I heard the door shut.

I tried to keep my mind away from Jennie by keeping busy. I read a book. I returned the Lamborghini. I ate. I searched through local and international news. Regardless of my intentions, it wasn't long before my thoughts veered toward Jennie again.

I thought about the night before and her hasty exit in the morning. One set of thoughts made me smile; the other had me on high alert.

Jennie's apartment was near her school. I researched the campus and neighborhood. Crime was relatively low. The internet wasn't flush with stories of sexual assault at her college. However, I doubted the university would willingly offer such information. I made a mental note to investigate for myself at a later time. Jennie had a tendency to trust too easily.

I'd already done my due diligence and researched her neighbors. The man across the hall from Jennie had been arrested for domestic violence the year before but hadn't been in trouble since. He'd been living with a female student at the time. I'd be keeping a close eye on him as well.

I showered around ten-thirty.

I had champagne brought up an hour later.

By midnight, I was expecting the phone to ring at any moment.

With each passing minute, I realized the void inside me was alive and well. It was thriving. It had a taste for a new sort of misery—hope. It had been a long time since I had allowed myself such an emotion.

The void feasted on it while old memories reminded me how dangerous it could be. Hope and fear are different sides of the same coin. I had gone from missing Jennie to hoping I could be the man she wanted. I didn't know which was worse.