Chapter 358 Defending the Stalkers

Chapter 358 Defending the Stalkers
Lucian and Dominic sat in Lucian's office.  Valerie winked at them as she closed the door behind her, taking everyone else out to lunch, telling Bernardo and Nats she wanted to start talking about the wedding in Italy in April. She was so happy the boys were going to have bro talk. Dominic didn’t even care that it was obvious Lucian had texted Valerie and told her everything.  He figured the more people like them involved the better it probably was for him anyways.  After all, they knew Lou and they knew about soulmates and all of that stuff.  In a nut shell, they knew exactly what he was going through. Lucian leaned back in his chair after handing Dominic a small pour of whiskey.  

“So, you just happen to find a new safe house?  Which I’m fine with, by the way, but it happens to be next to her apartment and she has no idea and you’ve been there…how many times now?”

“Three.”

Lucian took a sip and pinned Dominic with a concerned look. 

“You don’t see how this could potentially backfire?” 

“I guess it could but I don’t know, man. I just feel better when I’m near her.” 

Lucian nodded.

“I remember this stage of insanity well.  Remember how I wouldn’t tell Valerie I was literally living above her for the better part of a year?”

“Yeah, and if I remember correctly, that was the night you got laid after she found out so…”

Lucian, now pinching the bridge of his nose, took a deep breath.

“Okay, maybe not the best example.  I think we need to get Kirstin involved here from a soulmate, who is also a friend of Lou’s, and a shrink standpoint.”

Dominic nodded, feeling some hope bloom at the logic of what Kirstin can bring to the table.

“I can’t decide which version of Kirstin I need more.”

“Ha!  I’m going to go with all three!”

Lucian said as they called her through the conference line. She answered immediately. 

“My guys!  What’s going on?  By the way, Lucian, thanks for the sushi.” 

“We’re having sushi over here, figured you might as well join us virtually and share lunch with us.” 

“You know I’m a stray cat. Whoever feeds me gets my love.  Nial will be home in twenty minutes.  He may confess his everlasting love for you for sending him his own fucking boat load of sushi as well.”

“I actually texted him a bit ago…the sushi was Nial’s idea for today.”

“Of course you did and of course it was.  Now, can I feel like the important one for a minute before he gets home and you all have a virtual circle jerk and forget I’m here?”

“Alright!  Alright!  You’re the reason we called anyways, Kirstin.” 

“Lay it on me.”

Dominic caught Kirstin up with everything.  She sat silently on the other line, the occasional scratch of pen on paper was heard as she took notes.  Finally, Dominic ended with what he’d spent all morning doing and how he’d come up empty on it.  Kirstin sighed.

“Well, we’re in deep, indeed.”

“We are.”

Lucian agreed.

“I’m still in control.” 

Dominic insisted, earning silence from both Kirsten and Lucian. 

“Right then…I can tell you really think that, too, Dominic.  Now, it’s my turn…I think as far as the apartment goes…I have personally heard Lou defend stalkers in certain situations. Obviously not all of them.  Not the dangerous ones.  But she’s been known to not mind that level of…intensity. 

“Not that I’m admitting to being a stalker or anything like that but…please…go on.” 

Dominic said, now sitting up in his chair. 

“Well, think about it.  If you are ignored and told you you’re not special for all of your life what is a stalker if not full focus and being special to someone…so long as they’re not going to hurt you…I feel really strange saying these things as a trauma counselor, by the way.”

“It’s weird hearing a psychologist say it.  But, it makes sense and I didn’t think of it like that.”

Lucian said, his tone serious. 

“Don’t take what I’m saying as written in stone.  I’m not saying she’s going to go gaga over the fact that you have that apartment you haven’t told her about, but I think you could be more of yourself around her than you think you can, Dominic.  Being both a good friend and therapist, I’m not going to tell you her secrets and I’m not going to give away a lot, but I know you’ve researched all of us and I know you’re very thorough. Have you found the stories in the newspaper? They were just local pieces because her dad wasn’t a big wig at the time, when she was a younger child.” 

“I don’t think so. I’ll check some local papers.  Maybe a library down there has paper archives…” 

Dominic wrote another note in his phone as his voice trailed off.

“Some interesting things happened to her as a kid. I’m toeing the line between what she’s told me in confidence and what’s public knowledge that I’ve heard her say a crowded room so I’m going to say that’s enough on that from me, but I think it’ll help you a lot.” 

“Thanks, Kirstin.  You’re a genius.  Usually I feel more confident about my research, however, I think this is my worst docket work yet.”

“I think you were thinking with the wrong part of your anatomy, Domi.”

Lucian quipped, taking a sip of his whiskey while chuckling at his friend who just nodded, agreeing.

"I think I just need to confirm, for my own sanity, that we were soulmates because I feel like I’m spiraling out of control over the idea of that not being reciprocated by her.  I don’t know if I could survive getting rejected by my own soulmate.”

Kirstin, sensing his spiral, cut in, her level tone stabilizing Dominic’s emotions.

“You know, Dominic, not everyone gets a soulmate in every life. Remember that World War II dream Nial had I told you about where I wasn’t with him in that life?” 

“I know.  I remember and it’s not fair to put that pressure on myself, on her, or the universe. I just see what you have with Nial and I see what Valerie has with Lucian and I would be celibate for the rest of my life to have that with someone.  Lou just feels so…right.  To the point where literally anyone else feels wrong.”

“Well, then I think we know what you need to do next, Domi.”

Lucian said, leaning forward and patting his friend’s shoulder.

“Sign up for electro-shock therapy?”

Kirstin laughed.

“Actually, yes.  But not for this.  For this specific topic, you need to do what we’ve all done. The tried and true test of soulmates is dream walking. Invite Lou to a dream walk tonight. See what happens.”

“She’s going to think I’m an obsessive stalker!”

“Even more than she would about the apartment?”

Lucian asked, his eyebrow raised. 

“Okay, fine. I see your point.”

Lucian leaned back and rubbed a hand along his jaw, his face turning more serious.

“Kirstin, I need you to switch to the family business professional now.”

“Oh, yes sir!  Super elite mafia hat is on!”

Lucian cleared his throat and crossed his leg, putting his own mask on of the intimidating mafia don.

“Where could she have gone last night that’s so secretive between the hours of…what was it, Dominic?” 

“Between 12:30 and 2 AM. In the industrial district. She parked in a random parking lot. It was a basement a steel door. Like I told you, I went back this morning and it was locked down like area 51 kind of shit.” 

Kristin was silent for a little too long for both men’s liking and then she cleared her throat.