Eli
Thecycleofstalkingthe same women bored me. It was a routine I needed to break.
I thought it was the watching I needed curing from. But it wasn’t. No, watching Emily is never boring.
She hasn’t seen me yet. That’s okay, though. I’m content to just observe her.
Her smile is radiant as she chats with Carina, Tess, and Izzy—who’s visiting from the States. The four of them are out for dinner, while I’m perched against the wall opposite, waiting for her to finish.
Nate appears beside me, leaning against the wall too. “Should have known you’d be here too,” he laughs, nudging me.
“You’re one to talk.”
He lifts one shoulder, not denying his own stalkerish tendencies.
His phone chimes. When he reads the message, he barks out a laugh, then turns the screen for me to read.
Kai:You two need to chill.
Nate types something back, then another message pings.
Nate:How would you know what we’re doing?
Kai:No comment.
“He’s hacked into the CCTV. Hypocritical stalker,” Nate huffs, crossing his arms and getting back into his watching position.
At the same moment, the door to the restaurant opens. Both of us snap to attention as the women step outside.
The car closest to the restaurant’s doors opens, and Enzo steps out, helping Izzy inside. I can’t stop the laugh that slips out. We’re all obsessed.
Enzo talks to Tess for a moment before rolling his eyes and opening the door for her too. Once she’s inside, he lifts his head to us, giving us a single nod before closing the door and pulling away into the night.
Nate pushes off the wall, making his way to Carina, who lights up the moment she sees him.
But I don’t pay any more attention to them. My focus is on Emily, who’s scanning the street. I see the moment she finds me. She bites her lip, walking quickly across the road.
I’m not expecting her to jump into my arms, but I catch her all the same, my hands splayed over her ass.
Her fingers tangle in my hair, her arms wrapped around me, and I smile, feeling the cold press of her wedding ring against my scalp (because, of course I tied her to me legally).
“Hi, Angel,” I say, smiling at her.
“Hey,” she whispers, her own grin mirroring mine.
“Good night?”
She giggles. “So good. Thanks for coming to pick me up.”
Sure. It's not like I’ve been here for the entire two hours or anything.
“Ready to go home?”
“Please,” she yawns, resting her head on my shoulder.
I spent thirty years watching from the darkness because I was terrified of what might happen if someone saw the real me. My whole life, I was never the first choice. I thought that the watching was all I needed to fill that void.
I was wrong.