2: My Life; His Game

‘He knows my name?!’

My body goes icy cold. 

In my head, millions of conflicting ideas take flight. Immediately I get a grip, I dash in like a lunatic, and slam the door shut. 

I secure the lock and press my back to the wooden door. My heart is pounding in my chest. 

‘Who are you?’ 

I still can't get any words out. 

‘Is it James?’ 

‘No. James never smelled this good. He was always a mix of ginger and sweat. He used his excuse as a bar owner to never clean up.’ 

‘Then who?’

I don't have any friends in the city. I moved away from home just to get my shit together. Not having the time to think straight, I ensure the door is locked over and over again. 

Next, I close the windows, and sit up in bed, frightened. My shirt is literally soaked with sweat. The night is still fresh, and I am about to pass out from anxiety. 

‘Call the damn cops! What if it's a false alarm?!’ 

Slowly, I lose grip of consciousness.

I don’t know how long I passed out, but a text from my phone startled me. 

‘Cleaning request from Jax Harper. 10 AM prompt. 789 Oakwood Drive, Suburbiaville, CA- Boss.’

Jax is our company’s richest client. Hence, his requests are only handled by our boss. He has tons of buildings scattered in the city and every time he seeks our services, it’s always in a different apartment. 

My eyes peel off the phone and fall on the box from last night. After work, I’ll go straight to the station and make a report. 

Morning brings along a sense of peace. I take a quick shower and dress in simple blue jeans and a black shirt, and my hair carelessly falls around my shoulders. I carry my cleaning supplies and the box, then shut the door behind me. 

My phone buzzes. It’s my boss.

“Miss Tessa, I suppose you're on your way.”

I flag down a cab and slip in the backseat. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. You know what to do. I’d hate to entertain any queries.”

“Of course, sir.”

The call ends. 

I soon arrive at his estate. The huge golden gate automatically opens, revealing a mansion equivalent to heaven. It’s made of marble and rare stones. The middle area has transparent glass and there is a fine pool atop. 

An advanced lady in a neat uniform walks in my direction. We meet in the middle. 

“Miss Tessa?” 

I nod a reply. 

“This way.” 

She leads me inside and briefly narrates what’s needed of me. As the house is mostly deserted, the rooms are dusty. 

Set to work, I plug in my earphones and tone out of reality. Moved from one room to another until I lost count; it took about six hours to clean the entire house. 

My bones snap. My muscles burn. My head feels light. 

I walk down to the living room where the lady from earlier is. 

“I’m done. I have to go.”

She grins sheepishly. “Not so fast, honey. You’ve done a really good job and should be rewarded.” 

“Thanks but…”

“My boss wants to see you. This way, please.” 

I walk behind her as she navigates through the back of the house. It’s equally breathtaking. The garden is neatly groomed, there’s a game house at the extreme, and the vast land is covered in artificial greens. 

On a stool at the well-erected bar, there’s a tall man in a sleeveless shirt that gives off his thick biceps and tattoos and ripped shorts that expose his long hairy legs. His back is to us. 

“I’ll leave you now.”

She signals for me to hurry along and turns to walk away. 

I double my pace, too tired to entertain anyone. A few inches more, I stop. My heart resumes beating hard.

That scent… 

I can detect it anywhere. 

Wait… 

He doesn’t give me the time to process my thoughts as he turns to face me. He looks sophisticated, with eyes hidden in dark designer shades, jaws hard as a rock, and small, thin lips. 

I push my thoughts to the back of my mind and hurriedly close the distance. 

“Good day… Uh, Mr. Jax.” I stammer. 

The scent… 

Is this a coincidence? 

In silence, he pushes over a glass of milkshake. 

My mouth waters, but my mind is still in a state of frenzy. “Uh… Thanks, sir, but I…”

Ignoring me, he pumps in whipped cream and a drizzle of foreign honey. The yummy goodness melts into the mix, leaving a beautiful sight. 

His jaws harden.

Against my will, I curl my fingers around the glass and take a sip. 

Damn! 

My tastebuds burst with the yummy flavors. And it’s just as cold as my body craves. 

He pushes a bundle of hundred-dollar notes over to me.

My eyes bulge at the note, not sure if my broke ass is playing pranks on me. When I blink and look again, the bundle of about fifteen notes stack together still remains beside me. The drink goes the wrong way, causing me to cough and spill the milky liquid all over the well-polished bar surface. 

“I… I’m sorry, sir. It’s not intentional.”

My shaky hands reach to wipe his shirt, but he pulls back. 

Still silent, he brings out a napkin, cleans the drop off his bare arm, and hands it over. 

His silence speaks volumes. I can’t see his eyes, but I’m too self-conscious. I haphazardly brush off the mess, and look up to express my shock. 

“This too much, sir…” Silence. “I'm sorry, but I can't accept it.” 

What I hate the most is the feeling of being indebted to men. 

“You've already paid for the services and our company's policy kicks against taking tips.” 

Lies. All lies. 

With a short bow, I scramble out. 

The next stop is at the Police station. Once the officer on duty is less busy, the receptionist signals for me to come.

“The last office by your left.” 

I nod thanks and hurry along. 

A chubby lady in her uniform drums her fingers on the fine mahogany desk. She lowers her spectacles and scoffs. 

“You mean to say that someone leaves a jacket worth fifty-five thousand dollars to stalk you?” Her fingers play with the price tag. 

Her question leaves me dumbfounded. Is it a compliment? 

“What's the worth of stalking?” I demand, quite irritated.

“Did you see his face?” 

“No,” I repeated my ordeal, hoping she would listen this time. 

“How long has this been going on?” 

“Last night.” My tone is flat. "I've noticed the odd pattern of him thoroughly cleaning my house whenever I'm away." Once I spill, it clicks. 

It's him! It has to be! Until his appearance, I've never recorded anything of such. 

"You're saying that a man stalks you to clean your house and leaves a luxury jacket later?" Following my nod, she heaves a sigh like I wasted her precious time. “Young lady, if it persists, call the emergency line.” With that, she presses the bell. 

Angry to my bones, I walk out of the station, cussing out loud. 

“I wonder how people like her get employed. Nasty ass… shit!” 

A hard figure accidentally bumps into me. 

The box drops on the tarred road. I gasp, too anxious. 

He’s wearing a hoodie with the cap thrown over his head. His hands dip in his pockets… 

The scent! 

Goosebumps creep along my skin. 

As if he didn’t just hit me, he takes the sharp bend. 

Acting on impulse, I run after him, my small legs pounding on the hard floor. 

Emptiness. 

He's gone. 

My eyes scan the quiet street, but I still can't find him. 

‘He isn't far gone.’ 

I double my pace and run down the quiet lane. The farther I go, the more scared I get. 

‘What if this is a bloody trap?’ 

Without thinking twice, I turn and run back to the junction. I'm this close to running wild. 

‘Is my mind messing with me?’ 

I need to leave here immediately. I grab the box, and there's a small note beneath it. 

‘See you tonight, Tessa.’ 

*** ***

10 PM.

I hit the last nail on the wood, securing it to my window. The two woods form a firm cross. 

Next, I double-check to make sure the door is locked. My phone is at the bedside, with the emergency line on speed dial. My body is covered in thick sweat by the time I finished. Done with a quick shower, I sit up in bed, naked as always. My eyes widen, too scared to bat a lid. 

Ticking the calender or fucking myself is the last thing on my mind. 

The soft creaking of my door jerks me up, shaking off the last shred of sleep. 

‘He is here.’ 

12 AM

Instantly, I pick up my phone, and dial the number. 

Not reachable. 

All of a sudden, my network bar is terribly empty. 

‘Oh, god.’ 

A wave of panic attacks hits me. 

Dumping the phone in bed, I hurry over to grab the first thing I can touch; a frying pan. Not satisfied, I add the spatula lying around. 

My shaky legs hurry over to the door and I hide behind it, counting to the time he’d open. The scent grows stronger in seconds. 

Three. Two. One…

With the speed of light but the force of a toddler, I aim for the intruder's skull. 

A firm hand grips my wrist and flips me as easily as a toast. He slams me to his hard frame and his coarse palm presses flat on my bare belly.

What the fuck!!! 

I’m naked!!! 

The shocking realization makes the weapons drop from my hands. 

He leans lower, assaulting me with his strong intoxicating cologne. His steady breath strokes my skin, and the rough feel of his mask grazes my ear. 

“Sit.”