Yours' Endlessly Book 4

4..

When he finally calmed down, we were sitting at the table eating dinner. Neither of us was talking much. He was trying to make conversation, but I was too busy thinking about everything that had gone down. What was I going to do? I had to talk to more people. I was worried, though. The more people I told, the higher the chance of him going to jail was. Maybe that is what he deserved.

“Are we going to sleep next to each other tonight?” he asked. I wasn’t sure. I didn’t think it was a good idea. If I were going to leave him, it would only make things worse by giving him hope.

“I don’t think that is a good idea. However, I will not kick you out of the room, so I will sleep elsewhere,” I replied, watching Dean tense up.

“If you are sleeping in this house, then you’re going to be sleeping next to me, Ivy,” he responded. I was shocked. Did he really want to push me away right now with his demands?

“Then I will not be sleeping here,” I said while standing up. I walked up the stairs, and Dean followed.

“Ivy, I wasn’t telling you to leave. That is the last thing I want. I just want you next to me. I know myself well, and I wouldn’t be able to sleep without you.”

“You had been sleeping without me forever until last week. I think you can manage.”

I started packing a few clothes and items I would need for a night away and shoved them into a bag.

“Stop packing,” he said, but I didn’t listen. “Damn it, Ivy. I said stop packing,” he shouted as he picked up the bag and threw it out the door. I went to grab it, but he blocked my way and grabbed ahold of me, bringing me to his chest.

“I can’t let you go,” he whispered.

“I need some time.”

“After being with you these past weeks, including when you didn’t know who I was, I was the happiest man alive. I don’t want you to go, Ivy.”

I started struggling to get out of his grip, but he just pulled me tighter. It was becoming hard to breathe. “Dean, let me go,” I growled. He didn’t want to, but he released me slowly. He didn’t remove his arms, but at least I could breathe again.

He tried to kiss my lips, and I pulled away. I didn’t want to give him hope in case I couldn’t get past this. I removed his arms the rest of the way and walked toward the door. He didn’t stop me this time, and I picked up the bag and headed out to my car. I could feel him following me the whole way there.

“Please answer my calls and text messages. I don’t want to be left in the dark.”

“Okay.”

“Can I have a kiss before you go, Baby,” he said softly.

I knew it would be a bad idea, but I gave him a quick kiss, and I could see the hope on his face just like I thought it would. I started my car and backed out. But where was I going to go? I decided to drive to the beach first. It was getting rather late, and I wasn’t sure where else to go. I could think of a few places, but I knew that would just anger Dean. Although, now that we were not together, did I have to do as he said?

It was dark out when I got to the beach. Nothing was going on, and I just sat and stared at the waves for a little while. I didn’t even leave my car. I jumped when the passenger door opened, and Colin sat in the car with me.

Colin looked severely beaten, and there was blood dripping down his chin and nose. I quickly grabbed a shirt from my bag and put it on his perfect lips to try to stop the bleeding. I felt Dean had something to do with this, but I decided to ask what happened anyway.

“What the hell happened to you?”

“I was sent to find you by your father, and I had to go to Dean’s to look for you. He wasn’t too happy to see me, and I told him what I thought. So, he punched me a couple of times,” he said.

“I’m so sorry, Colin,” I replied. “He has done so much wrong. I don’t know what to do.”

“You will be apologizing for him forever if you stay with him, Ivy. I know he is your stalker. I have put all the pieces together. And him hitting me after I told him what I thought only confirmed my suspicions. I don’t want you to stay with him any longer.”

“I have nowhere else to go, Colin.”

“Come with me; I’m staying at your father’s now. It used to be an old hotel. There are plenty of rooms. You shouldn’t be with him,” he said as he spit out more blood onto my front seat.

“Well, I’m not.”

A smile came to his face after I said that. I figured I should say more. “I’m not right now. I need to see if I can move past things first.”

I heard my phone go off then. It was Dean, and it was a text.

So, broken up for three hours, you’re already getting back with Colin at the beach.

I looked around me, and Dean was sitting on the same rock as before. He was dressed as my stalker, wearing all black and a ski mask. I was far from impressed. No way was he still acting that way after I had already found out who he was. I wasn’t sure what to do, though. Colin would see if I approached him to confront him about it. But I knew I couldn’t let him get away with it.

I can’t believe you are dressed up like him again. I thought he was gone.

I sent the text and returned to listening to Colin, who still hadn’t realized that my stalker was sitting just outside his door. And there it was; I called Dean my stalker again. This relationship was never going to work. He was my stalker. I needed to know where to go and what to do about all this, but I didn’t feel like this was a decision I should make on my own. Because of how many people Dean had hurt, I needed to get their opinions on things. I didn’t want everyone to hate me for being with the bad guy.

“Colin, when my stalker kidnapped you and held you hostage to get me to come back, what all did he do to you?”

“He was somewhat nice to me,” he replied, wondering why I was asking this now.

“Meaning what?”

“Well, he snuck up behind me and put me to sleep. When I woke, I was in the abandoned building we had searched when all this started. I was chained up, and then he let me go,” he said. That was because I forced him to. I wonder what would have happened to Colin if I hadn’t gotten my stalker to let him go.

“Did he hurt you in any way?”

“No, unless you count the handcuffs that were too tight.”

“Has he ever hurt you?”

“Yes, he shot me twice when your father’s house was being attacked.”

“That’s right. Do you forgive my stalker?” I asked. I knew it was wishful thinking, but I was hopeful.

“You mean, do I forgive Dean for it? The answer is no.”

“How did you figure out that Dean was my stalker?”

“Well, once you two got together, everything started falling into place, and it was easy to put the pieces together. I see you have fallen for Dean. It hurts, and I don’t think you should do it,” he replied. His face held pain, and I didn’t like seeing it.

“I have left him for the time. I don’t know if I can get over everything he has done. He is dressed as my stalker and staring at us right now. Like, what is he thinking?”

Colin looked around us and noticed Dean sitting on the rock. Colin exited the car and walked up to my stalker, unafraid. Dean didn’t back down either and stood his ground. The men were nose to nose, getting ready to throw hands. I could hear heavy breathing, and then I spoke up to try and de-escalate the situation.

“Colin, it’s okay,” I said, pulling on his arm. He stepped back, looked at me, and backed up a little to let me talk.

“Of course, he does what you tell him to do. He is in love with you and wants you. Yet you go and spend alone time with him,” Dean said in a nasty tone, his voice covered up like always.

“Everything we did was innocent. Colin never mentioned being in love with me in the car, didn’t touch me, and was a complete gentleman. More than I can say for you.”

“Come with me,” Dean said, holding out his hand.

“I don’t want to, and I am pretty sure I will be staying at my father’s for now. I told you I needed space.”

His red eyes turned to sadness, and he lowered his hand. He had to pay for what he had done. I couldn’t just let him get away with everything. Before I could stop him, I watched as he threw a punch at Colin, hitting him in the mouth, which was already bleeding. Colin hit the ground, and I was left wide-eyed.

“What the hell, Dean,” I shouted, going to Colin’s side.

“Just tell the truth, Ivy. You’re leaving me for him.”

“Just go away. Leave,” I shouted at Dean. He did as I asked, and then I grabbed the shirt out of the car and pushed it back to Colin’s lips to stop the bleeding once more.

“Oh, and your stalker has hit me three times now,” Colin added to the list of wrongs my stalker had done.

“I’m so sorry, Colin.”