Chapter 69 A signal.

Chapter 69 A signal.
Vincent

That bastard sedated me again. I only realised after a few minutes of staring blankly at the white ceiling of Ariel's room.

Fuck. I’d had the nightmare again—if I could call that distorted horror of my memories a nightmare—and I was breathing heavily with beads of sweat dripping down my neck.

I pulled myself up into a sitting position, painfully, after almost an hour of trying to gather my thoughts and memories.

How many hours has it been? I couldn't exactly tell if it was morning because of how shut tight the curtains across the window were and the fact that there were no sounds coming from outside the bedroom to indicate that anyone was at home.

I took a glance around the large room. Bare walls, minimum furniture, high ceiling. I reached for the bag Kael had brought over with some cloths and the burner.

We'd agreed to talk over the phone for the most part to avoid exposing my location with frequent visits. We'd also agreed to start with the operation in two days.

I turned on the phone and checked the time. 4:08 pm. Hmm… of which day? The 28th. Even with that information, I couldn't exactly tell how many days it has been since the accident or since the attack at the hospital.

Fuck. I groaned as I pulled my legs over the edge of the bed. I needed to move my body from this very still position. Also, I needed a glass of water. My throat was very dry. 

I managed to stand up after more groans and – oh, that was when I noticed the bottle of water beside the bed.

Oh fuck.

Still… was the house empty? Where is Ariel? Kael? And now that I'm actually thinking about it, I couldn't help but feel uneasy yet again at the thought of staying in this apartment with her.

It must be because I'm not used to the idea of living with someone. I've never liked it.

And the fact that I'm pretty unfamiliar with her.

Also maybe because I'm quite vulnerable and, like it or not, I'm the enemy to her.

I pulled open the door after using the wall as my support throughout the two-second walk from the bed—it had felt like five minutes, though—and stepped out into the short hallway.

I immediately took note of the doors along the hallway. The one I was currently standing in front of, the one opposite it and another one right before the large living room space with an open-floor kitchen.

There was another short hallway to the left with one single door at the end and paintings of various sizes along the wall. 

I moved slowly through each room to figure out if anyone else was home and found two locked doors. The one opposite the room I'd come out from and the single door in the left hallway with the paintings.

The only other door that I'd found open, I knew immediately, was Ariel's room. It's not like it had any personality to it, just a bed, dresser and bedside table, but the single poster on the wall told me what I needed to know. 

I leaned against the wall as my ribs and leg started to protest yet again and winced. I should really go sit my ass down. 



Ariel

“So… how are you feeling?” I glanced at Jonas, who was way more excited about the results of our most current A&R meeting than me. “Your song is getting onto the tracklist.” 

I shrugged. “Great.” 

He pursed his lips. “You do not look great.”

Yeah, maybe. Mostly because I wasn't exactly sure how I felt. I mean, I guess I'm excited but I'm also nervous and numb and just unsure about this new opportunity.

“I am."

“Are you not happy?”

I folded my arms in front of the elevator on the conference rooms' floor as we waited for it to come up.

“I am. I'm just nervous.”

"Oh, valid. I mean, this is the first time your song is getting the recognition it deserves since you debuted. Anyone would be nervous.”

“Yeah.”

"Well, recording sessions are going to start from next week. Keke said she's going to communicate the time and dates of the concept meetings once everything is set. You're to be in attendance to chip in your ideas for the album identity… if you're interested. You don't have to.”

The elevator doors opened and we entered. “I’m… interested.”

“Okay, good. I'll add it to your schedule then.”

“What is next?” I asked when we got to the work van in the underground parking lot.

"Final fittings with Sofia Bellucci for the CMA event.”

Oh right. “And that will be all for today. Tomorrow is pretty light so you don't need to be at the company till…” He took out his tablet and fished out my schedule. “... 5. Dance rehearsals.”

Great.

“I'll send the van for you.”

\~~~

Everywhere was dark when I stepped into my apartment later that night. Not surprising, of course, because I normally kept the overhead lights off even when I was at home. What was surprising, though, was the cold edge of an object that made contact with my neck right before I could turn the strip lights on.

I gasped, obviously startled, and dropped the purse in my hand. “Oh God! W-who are you? What do you want?”

“Ariel?” I recognised his voice immediately and felt my chest tighten with instant relief when he dropped whatever that object was. He turned on the overhead lights. 

Seriously?! “What was that for?”

I'd thought for a moment that it was an intruder or something but honestly, I should have known it would be him.

“I thought it was an intruder.”

He limped away slowly with the support of the wall like he hadn't just threatened me with a… knife! I saw it glisten in his hand now as he collapsed on the couch. What the fuck?!

He placed it down beside him as he relaxed against the couch.

“We should create a signal to announce your arrival.”

“A signal?”

“Yes. So I don't accidentally slit your throat thinking you're an intruder.”

Oh God. Seriously. I have to do that in my own home when he's actually the intruder here.

“How about three fast knocks, two slow knocks and then three fast knocks… or you could just send me a text through the burner when you're headed home.”

He fished out a phone from the dark blue pants he was now wearing and raised it up. He was still shirtless, unfortunately, with half of his torso wrapped in a bandage and tattoos and the bandage around his head was now removed, revealing his full head of hair.

“Call this number now.” He said as he tapped away on the phone. 

I started to look inside my purse for my phone after picking it up from the floor before I realised that he probably meant the burner.

I fished that out and typed out the number he began to call.

Once I'd called him and we established the ground rules for me entering my own home to avoid getting killed, I finally excused myself to go to my room.