A hush had fallen over the room hours ago, broken only by the gentle, rhythmic sound of Rin's breathing. The stillness made Rory hesitate, and for a moment, he almost abandoned the idea of leaving entirely. He let out a soft sigh, allowing the subtle glow from his phone to cast light over Rin's peaceful, sleeping face. It was still early considering the late hour they'd gone to bed, but Rory assumed Rin would probably sleep for a while longer. He hoped so, at least.
Moving with as much care as he could manage, Rory gently lifted Rin's arm from around his waist, easing himself toward the edge of the bed. He had just managed to sit up when a sudden grip closed around his wrist. Rory's heart hammered in his chest as he turned his gaze back toward Rin, uncertain whether he had been caught or if sleep still held sway over Rin's senses.
Rin's eyes were heavy with sleep, barely open at all. "Where are you going, babe?"
Rory wracked his brain for any excuse he could muster. "Thirsty…" He cleared his panic-hoarse throat.
"Ah… bring me back something too, will ya?" Rin murmured before rolling over with a lazy smile.
"Yeah, of course." Rory stuttered, surprised his excuse had worked. He quickly shot up from the bed before he lost his nerve. He retrieved the robe from the floor and pulled it around himself before scampering from the room.
Rory scanned the empty hallway before darting across it to his own room. He quickly pulled out the empty suitcase from under the bed and moved to the closet. He paused as his eyes moved over the full rack. There was so much more now than what he'd come with. Even after the initial enormous pile of clothes Rin had given him, it hadn't ended there. Rin had continued showering him with new items constantly; shoes, ties, watches… anything his gaze had lingered on a moment too long, anything Rin deemed 'his style', or more often than not, 'just because'. Now he was burdened with guilt as he struggled to decide what to take and what to leave. His eyes moved to the small clock by his bed. Ten minutes had already passed… He didn't have time to continue playing this game with himself… Rory blew out a sigh and blindly reached into the closet. Whatever he pulled out would have to be good enough, be it his old clothes or something new. He kept his eyes closed as he tossed the armload of clothes into the suitcase and moved to the dresser. He tossed in his underwear and socks before wrestling the large case shut, then zipped it. He dashed toward the bathroom and tossed his remaining toiletries into the bag he hadn't unpacked from the latest event.
Rory slowly turned the knob of his bedroom door, carefully peeking out into the quiet hallway before finally stepping out. Every muscle in his body was tense. He flinched as the wheels of his luggage clinked loudly over the wooden floor, the sound echoing sharply through the otherwise silent house. His heart pounded so hard it nearly drowned out the clattering of the suitcase as he rolled it down the long hall.
With each creak of the wheels or squeak of his shoes against the wooden floors, Rory's heart would leap against his chest a bit faster. By the time he had reached the front of the house, his vision had begun to blur, and his pounding head was dizzy from the rise of his blood pressure, surely caused by the stress of it all.
When he finally reached the front door, his hand trembled as he extended it toward the knob, only for the door to turn before he could touch it. Suddenly, rays of the afternoon sun burst into the house as the door was pulled open, momentarily blinding him and obscuring the face of the person standing on the other side. Instinctively, Rory tried to hide his luggage with his body, shielding his eyes from the harsh sunlight, but it was already too late. It only took two stunned words from the figure in front of him for Rory to realize his attempt at a quiet escape had failed. He'd been caught.
"You're leaving?" Sabastian gawked at Rory as he stood in the doorway. He furrowed his brows as he tilted his head. "But why? You won. Why would you leave now?"
Rory saw his chance and quickly shook himself from his own stunned worry. "This is what you want, isn't it? Why question it and just help me instead?"
Sabastian arched a brow. "Help you?"
Rory nodded as he tugged the luggage past the threshold of the house. "You can't let them know you saw me leave, for one…"
"Obviously…" Sabastian held his hand out for one of the bags. "And where will you be going?"
Rory paused as he glanced over his shoulder at Sabastian. "I… I'm not sure yet…" He straightened his shoulders and turned forward once again. "But I'm leaving… It's for the best…"
Sabastian chased after him. "So, you have no plan, nowhere to go… you're not telling anyone… with a crazy stalker after you? And this? This is your idea!" Sabastian shot a glance toward the house, then to Rory. "Rin and Dillon are both going to be pissed. They are going to be pissed more if they find out I knew and did nothing…"
Rory swiveled on his heels and yanked his bag from Sabastian. "You did plenty. You warned me just now… That's enough…" He opened the back door of his old, worn-out car and tossed the bag into the back seat before shoving the luggage in next. He was rounding the back when a hand clasped his arm. He turned a skeptical glare toward Sabastian as he shoved his hand away. "You're going to get me caught. Surely you don't really want that?"
Sabastian's turbulent gaze shot to the house, then back to Rory. "Go to my apartment… It is safe and would be the last place they would suspect…" His nervous gaze shot back to the house as he shoved Rory forward. "I will send you the address. Go now. There is an extra key under the dead plant by the front door. Lift the plant." His eyes didn't move from the front door of the house as he continued shoving Rory toward the driver's side of the car. "You go now!"
Rory stumbled forward and pushed Sabastian's hands away. "Ok! Stop already!" He pulled open the door and lowered himself inside. He narrowed his eyes as he started the car. "You don't think it's going to be unusual for you to be in there when I'm discovered as missing?"
Sabastian shook his head. "I'm a better actor than you. They were asleep, no? I will go about my usual activities and let the chaos ensue as it shall."
"Whatever…" Rory didn't wait for the Frenchman to say anything else as he slammed the car door shut and slammed the car into drive. Tiny gravel clattered against the asphalt as he sped down the driveway. He had nearly made it to town before his cellphone pinged with a text. It was an address from Sabastian. Luckily, he'd saved his number due to work, and he assumed Sabastian had done the same. Another twenty minutes later, another text from Sabastian came through that caused Rory's stomach to clench.
"Brace yourself, they're awake…"
Rory frowned down at his phone. Without a doubt, Rin would call and text first thing, and when that didn't work, Dillon would, then Mandy, and so on… "Too bad I need the GPS," Rory muttered as his phone began to ring. How many calls and texts could he ignore before he finally broke?
Twenty minutes later, Rory was about at the end of his rope. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he prepared himself for the call he was about to answer. He pressed the speaker button on the call, and Mandy's worried voice immediately answered.
"Rory! You answered! Where are you? Rin said they've called you several times now and you've ignored all their calls!"
"Yes, Mandy… Did Rin also tell you I quit?"
"What?! No! But why? Everything has been going so well, your work, the performances, Mr. Perish, even! This isn't about last night, is it?" Mandy rushed on. "I assure you, we have a team looking into the situation. We'll hire security if you're that concerned."
"Mandy, I appreciate it, but this is bigger than a simple stalker. It's not safe. As long as I'm around, Rin will not be safe either. More things like last night will happen… maybe even worse things… I can't put him in danger like that again. I'm sure Mr. Perish understands and agrees."
"Rory, I assure you, Mr. Perish is only concerned about how he can turn a profit out of all this. Of course, you didn't hear that from me, but it's the truth! Rin needs you! You've been the best thing in that kid's life for a long time. Rin's going crazy right now without you!"
Rory blew out a heavy sigh. "It's better to be crazy without me than severely injured or dead with me…"
"Come on, Rory, isn't that a bit of an overexaggeration? Besides, shouldn't it be Rin's call how much danger he's willing to endure for you?" Mandy pushed on.
Rory clenched the wheel. "Mandy, I'm not arguing this. I've made up my mind… It was a hard enough decision to leave… Please… just leave me alone now…"
Mandy was quiet for several long moments before she finally added. "What about this… We consider it paid leave due to mental duress… from the stalker and wreck…"
Rory blew out a breath. "Whatever you need to do, Mandy…"
"Then, where should I send the new paperwork? You know an address or something where you'll be staying?"
Rory rolled his eyes. "Nice try. If it can't be sent electronically, then don't bother. Like I said, I quit." His words broke, and tears welled up in his eyes. "If that's all, Mandy… I'm driving…"
"Rory… I beg you… Please, reconsider…"
"I can't… I love Rin too much to put him in the kind of harm that I know is headed my way. You may not believe me, and I know he and Dillon don't, but I know it's Mike… I know it the way a mother can sense their child in a room, the way old married couples can find each other in crowds… He's the only person that can make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end and my skin crawl…" Rory involuntarily shook as if something disgusting had just moved over him.
"Rory…"
"I know it sounds insane… I know… but it's true… I promise you I'm not crazy, and I'm not lying. It's him… I know it is. I don't need to see his face or have some definite validation… I just know it!" Rory didn't wait for a reply before hanging up the phone. He ignored the return calls as they came in and focused on the GPS as he continued driving.
**
Mandy blew out a frustrated sigh. "Well, you heard him…"
"Yeah, and had you not muted my fucking end of the call I would have had plenty to say back as well!" Rin barked back.
"Do you think it would have made a difference? He thinks he is protecting you, Rin." Mandy replied sadly.
"Fuck that nonsense! If, IF he's right and this is his psycho ex, then shouldn't he stay where we can protect him! What the hell is it going to do, taking off to god knows where on his own? He's just a walking target out there!" Rin snapped as he paced the living room.
"Rin, you need to calm down."
"I am calm!" Rin yelled, interrupting her before she could finish.
"What I was going to say is, it will be easy enough to track him once he uses his debit card." Mandy countered.
"She has a point, Rin." Dillon threw in. He was already at his laptop typing away. "At some point, he'll need food, gas, and lodging. Even if he uses an ATM, we'll be able to trace the location." Dillon leaned back and spun the laptop in his lap. "That easy."
Rin stomped over and scanned the screen. His eyes moved from the screen to Dillon. "You've seriously already gotten all this set up?"
Dillon nodded. "I set most of it up last night before I went to bed as a safety precaution in case he was ever kidnapped… Who knew I'd be using it to track him as a runaway." Dillon shrugged with a grin.
Sabastian glanced up from his cellphone; he'd been scrolling through most of the evening. "Can you really call him a runaway if he's a grown man who quit a job?"
Rin snapped a harsh glare toward Sabastian. "Don't you have your own place you can fuck off to?"
Sabastian sat up from the armchair he was draped over and shrugged. "Fine, I thought I would be, how you say, supportive of however you need. But if you don't want my support… yet… then I'll leave…" His eyes moved over Rin. "We all know you're a fickle enough of a bitch to move on quickly…"
Rin snarled his lips over his teeth. "I swear to fucking god if you show your face in front of me any time soon, I'll make you regret it!" Rin picked up a full glass of wine and flung it toward Sabastian, but narrowly missed.
"Ha! And miss my chance to get used and abused by you? You think getting kicked out is a punishment?! Fuck you too, Rin Perish!" Sabastian spun on his heels and sauntered from the room. Sabastian waited until he was in the driveway before dialing Rory's number. He was a bit surprised when Rory answered, but grinned as he unhooked his motorcycle helmet from the handlebars of his bike. "I'm on my way now. I bought some time by pissing Rin off."
Rory scrunched his brows. "How does that help you?"
"Rin will get over it." Sabastian laughed as he threw his leg over the bike. "I'm, how you say, playing the long game? Smart, no? He won't come to my house or call me now."
Rory couldn't help but agree. "I mean… I guess…"
Dillon crossed his arms in front of the wide bay windows as he watched Sabastian end a phone call and shove his helmet on. There weren't too many people the Frenchman knew. It wasn't uncommon for Sabastian to meet up with other people when he and Rin were fighting… but something had seemed off with him all evening. Sabastian hadn't seemed surprised nearly enough when the news of Rory leaving was revealed. And to top it off, his attempts to reclaim his spot as Rin's lover had been minuscule at best. The recent fight seemed provoked, maybe even staged, though Sabastian probably wasn't clever enough to pull it off alone. Something felt off. Dillon frowned in irritation as the red taillight disappeared into the darkness. I'll get to the bottom of this… one way or the other… and I'll bring Rory back…