Rabbit Hole (Romantic-Suspense)

Chapter 15: Mae

Chapter 15: Mae

Alice's POV

And that's how we arrived here together. Going back to the present, I couldn't help but feel dumbstruck—wow, all the gimmicks he did this morning indeed paid off.

I thought, sarcastically thinking of how ridiculously my first relationship started—far from the romantic one I'd been dreaming of.

Exhaling depressingly, as exactly when the throbbing ache faded away in my head, I sighed and prayed not to experience it again.

Looking up, holding the railing, I took out my phone, dialing the number of the person I had come here for.

Thinking about it, I couldn't make a call earlier because of Lennox. If he were to know who I'm here for, he might disagree and just take me away as he pleases. Dialing the number, I put it on my ear as I continued to head up.

Right, Alice, this is what you came for. There's no turning back. You have been through a lot of stress since last night. Don't waste all the brainstorming you did. Get it together. Soon you'll get on top of this matter. I thought, encouraging myself.

Finally, landing my feet on the unit floor, I saw two bulky men in black just outside of this person's unit. Banging the door loudly, they yelled—

"Open the goddamned door!" One of them said. Annoyed, I marched forward to them, tapping their shoulders to get their attention.

"Hey! Who are you, people? What are you doing here?I'm going to call the police-"

"Alice? Where are you? Help me! Open the door—or wait, what's your passcode? Hurry! Please! Some people are after me!" With Mae's sudden outburst of sobs through the phone, I immediately took a step back. As the people I assume who's after her is here in front of me, looking down with their big physique.

Fuck.

I thought no other words could come out of my mouth when I successfully snatched their attention from Mae's door.

Now, what do I do?!

Stoned with cold feet, I stood there exchanging gazes with them as, at the same time, I could hear Mae's cracking and panicking breathless voice on the phone asking for my passcode, which led me to the conclusion that she was not inside her apartment unit but waiting outside the mine.

Adding to the considerations that this is the first time in a while that I'm talking with her after trying to call her for God knows how many times and these two seemingly harmful men are banging and standing right in front of her door. I gulped as nervousness struck me.

Just what in the world has she gone up with?!

"What do you want? We're busy, so make sure it's worth our while." Infuriated, one of the men with the bigger physique said, turning his angry gazes at me.

Who are these people?!

For a moment, feeling as if I had just stepped into a land mine, my voice stammered. Getting daunted by these two angry men staring at me as I successfully caught their attention, who are the possible people Mae is about.

"Ah-uhm—"

"Alice? Alice, help—"I, without thinking much, given the suffocating pressure the two men have been giving me with their striking stares. I hung up the call impulsively.

"Tsk, we don't have time for whores like you, get lost while we're kind." One of them said and tapped the man's shoulder with a bigger physique.

Probably saying they shouldn't waste time on me. At that time, I know. I know, I should have let the flow take their attention from me but, I—

"But—"Then, I realized it was too late when they abruptly turned back their sharp bursting faces on me.

Covering my mouth, I gulped and immediately regretted the sudden outburst of my justice-hungry side. Then, without any warning, the man with the bigger physique who seemed to be fuming without annoyance, stepped closer, charging towards me.

"Why are you still standing there?! Tsk! Get lost, you f*****g w***e—"

For a moment, I felt myself cowering before him, for I know, no matter how good I am with open confrontation attacks just like this one—I won't be able to defend myself in my current condition. Sure, lack of sleep and stress are taking quite a toll on my body.

Then, just like that, standing on my feet, I stood there waiting, couldn't even move my feet, and was left with no choice but to expect his hands in the air to hit me somewhere.

But, an unexpectedly familiar voice coming from my back echoed, which made the man who was supposedly going to hit me, stopped.

Irritated, the man looked at the person behind me. At that time, I felt incapable of not being able to defend myself. Realizing, I even stopped breathing just to prepare myself for the hit's impact.

I bit my lower lip, rapidly took a step back, and glanced over the person who had just stolen the spotlight.

"What are you doing here?!" I asked, aggravated.

Did he just see me, standing there? Waiting and accepting this douchebag's hit?! I thought, hating the fact that he witnessed me being in a vulnerable moment.

Fuck, if only I had enough sleep, I couldn't have at least taken a stance— right, then I stopped thinking when I heard a siren approaching. With that, I saw a confronting smile from him, but the moment he shifted his eyes onto the men behind me, his confronting smile began to fade away. From a warm looking face, his expression becomes rough all of a sudden.

This person—I swear, he has some switches in him somewhere in his brain.

"If I were you, I'd get going before the police arrive here." He said, warning them with his calm yet intimidating demeanor. Just like that, Lennox effectively turned the tables.

"Huh?! Now, what do we have here?! Who do you think you are, huh?! Acting like a knight in shining armor—"Agitated, the man that bothers me that most spoke but was cut off by the man who seemed to understand more. By just merely tapping his big shoulders, he looked at him carefully, and with only a quick exchange of looks, they nodded at each other.

Hmm, how do I put it? It's like they're a pair of brain and brawn, but who are they?! They seemed like some gangsters in business suits. I thought about analyzing how to identify the two from each other.

"Tsk. Consider this your lucky day, fuckers." The brawn hissed, pissed off as he was tidying his coat down. Glaring at Lennox, he walked past us while the brain-man just quietly but coldly walked away, keeping up his composure in his sleeves.

"Are you alright?" Lennox worriedly asked when the two of them turned into the corner.

"Yes, thanks, but did you call the police? I told you to stay in the car and wait for me, didn't I?" Still hearing the sirens coming, I asked, ignoring his caring eyes looking at me.

"Sorry, but if I hadn't butted in…I could have done a much worse thing." He said, and at that time, I'm no longer sure if I just imagined it but—his calm voice felt colder than usual. Subtly clenching his jaw at the end of his statement, I frowned.

Huh? What does he mean by—I could have done things much worse? Huh? I don't get it.

"What are you talking about?"

"So, have you met with the person you came here for?" With Lennox cutting me off, the sense of urgency flashed through my veins—brusquely reminding me of Mae's sobbing voice on the phone.

"Sh*t! Mae! Argh, let's go." I said, my heartbeat racing at the mere thought of her being chased by the men we had just run into.

Dashing out of the hallway towards the stairs, I heard Lennox murmur.

"Mae? That friend…" Then, I realized the slip of tongue I had just disregarded. Nonetheless, I couldn't care less anymore and decided to storm out of the building, leaving him there, just as I originally planned to carry things out alone.

Hearing him, catching up to my pace, I didn't spare a glance and immediately called Mae's phone.

"Mae, answer the phone quick! Ugh, I should have registered my loan on texting promos instead!" I uttered, panicking and worried as I couldn't seem to reach her again while completely ignoring Lennox at my side.

"Alice, here use mine. It can still send a text." Lennox suddenly said, shoving his phone in front of me.

At first, it made me suspicious of his calm and unaffected reaction—the total opposite of what I was expecting, considering his confrontation with Mae in the elevator. Nonetheless, I just shrugged it off and quickly used his phone.

"Where are we off to now?" He asked, sounding quite cheerful.

Is this some sort of field trip for him?!

"We?—ugh, I'm going back home," I said, not even sparing a glance.

Texting my passcode to Mae's number as fast as I could while rushing down the stairs, I sent it successfully and instantly deleted the message. Right then, we finally made our way out of the building.

"Hey, thanks, but I think I'll be getting a cad instead—"I paused when I saw a police car just beside Lennox's car with two police officers outside of it.

"Tsk, who the heck called for this prank?! Wasting our time—making us run here for nothing!" One of them angrily uttered, brushing his head while the other one headed back into their car.

With that, I caught the gist of the situation. Glancing over Lennox, who smiled innocently, I sighed, shaking my head.

Realizing he pulled this prank on these poor officers, he must not have taken a second of hesitation from him, knowing he doesn't think like an average person would. I just looked at him disappointedly but not surprised anymore.

"…hey, seems like they're looking for you," I said, roaming eyes on the road to catch some empty cabs running, stepping away from Lennox.

"Hehe, you're quite fast at getting that." But his grasps caught my hand, startled because of him locking his hands on mine, I looked at him.

"Hey—"But before I could resist and refute, I found myself compelled by his charming smile, pulling me inside his car. It almost reminds me of how, in the first place, he managed to get me inside earlier.

"Now, let's get going, shall we?" He said after locking his seatbelt, grinning from ear to ear. There, I found myself waking up from his hypnotizing eyes—aura. I looked at him dumbfounded, trying to unlock the door like earlier just to know it was locked. I felt utterly stupid for even trying.

I sighed, surrendering, glancing over his smiling face. I arched my brow, and when he was about to lean over again to tuck my seatbelt in—I immediately took the initiative to buckle it up.

Gritting my teeth, at the same time swallowing my pride down, Mae's voice didn't leave my mind even a second. And because of that, I looked at Lennox.

Ugh, I can't believe I'm relying on someone else now—and of all people, it's this psycho! I thought to myself, mentally throwing a facepalm at me.

"Drive. Now." I said half-heartedly. Knowing whatever efforts, I make now to get out of his car, it'll only waste the time I have to make for Mae.

So, better yet, I should take the hand that has been waiting to be used.

"Yes, ma'am!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, driving off his car.

Please, Mae…please answer my call again! I thought as I kept on calling her phone.

"What do you want? We're busy so make sure it's worth our while." Then, the brawn's angry faces flashed through my mind.

F*ck, where did you get yourself into Mae?! Who are those people?! Why are they after you?! Ugh, these questions had better get answered! Pick up the damn phone!