After making his decision about the stalker, he went with Dom to see Hayden at The Coffee Mill.
“I spent three weeks with my parents and for what? It made no fucking difference. They’re still following me, still leaving notes. At least they don’t have my number this time.” Seb was bouncing. He wished he had something stronger than just coffee to drink, but he didn’t think it was wise this time of day. “But you know what? I’m done. Let them do their worst. I won’t run from it anymore.” He was fucking fuming at this point.
Dom rubbed his back, trying his best to comfort him, but it wasn’t working. Seb shrugged him off but instantly regretted it when he saw the look of hurt on his friend’s face.
“I’m sorry; I just feel like it’s all spinning out of control. I wish they’d do something other than leave fucking notes. At least then we could put this all behind us and carry on as normal.”
“Yeah, until he fucking kills you, Seb. That last note was a direct threat. ‘You and me together in life and death.’ Fuck that. He means to kill you, and I’m not OK with that.” Dom had tears in his eyes as he looked at him. “The police need to do their fucking job and catch this creep. It’s gone on for long enough.”
“I agree, but you’ve been with me when we’ve spoken to them. There’s no proof. It’s just photos, notes and phone messages. None of which can be traced. Unless they have some physical evidence on who’s doing this, it’ll carry on. None of us like this, especially me, but what can I do? I’ve gone away, changed the locks, changed my number, kept note of every interaction in a fucking journal, for all the good that’s done.”
“Come on, you should eat.” Hayden placed a plate of cookies in front of them both, but Seb pushed it away.
“I’m not hungry. I just can’t face anything at the moment.” Seb rubbed his face in frustration. “Let’s talk about something else, shall we?
“Are you going to go and see Joe?” Dom asked him.
He didn’t want to talk about that either.
“I was thinking of going to see him,” Seb admitted reluctantly. “I need to be able to move on, and I can’t if I don’t know what’s going on. If he’s back with Clare, it’s off for good.”
“And if it’s off with Clare? Then what?”
“I’ll see what he has to say. I need to know that the studio won’t be affected if, and this is a big if, we decide to see where things lead.”
So, that was how Seb found himself at the end of Joe’s drive on Saturday, in the pouring rain.
He knew it was a mistake the moment he was about to pull into Joe’s drive. There were a few cars outside the house and, as he looked at the front door, he saw Clare kissing Joe and then hugging him. Clearly things weren’t over between them. He banged his hand on the steering wheel in frustration.
Without pulling into the driveway, he carried on past and drove home. Tears stung his eyes, and he blinked them away. How could he have been so stupid as to think he should give him a second chance? Even though they hadn’t got married today, it was obvious from their embrace that they were still together.
Seb phoned Dom to tell him he was on his way home and to get the margaritas ready. It was going to be a long afternoon and evening of drinking and listening to cheesy breakup songs. Tomorrow would be another day, the day that he moved on from Joe and got on with the rest of his life.
He pulled into the car park of the apartment and sat in the car as he contemplated today’s bad decision. The weather hadn’t let up any. In fact, it looked as if it were getting worse; the sky had got dark quick. It could have been nighttime, not a summer afternoon.
He decided to make a run for it, opened the car door, and stepped out into the torrential rain. He could hardly see his hand in front of his face. If he waited for it to let up, he could be sat there all afternoon. No, he needed to go now. Seb stumbled as he got out of the car, unprepared for the force of the rain. Jesus, it hadn’t been this bad in ages.
He locked the car and turned towards his apartment door. It took his mind a few seconds to realise that someone was standing in front of him, blocking his way. It took his brain a few more seconds to register the blow. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the pain but slumped forward as another hit turned his world black.
Seb didn’t know how long he’d been out; he just knew that his head hurt. He was lying down in the back of a moving car, his hands and ankles bound tightly in front of him.
Shit, where the fuck was he? He knew it wasn’t his car—it was too big for that—and the smell from the rotting fast food and wrappers he could see was making him nauseous. Thankfully, he hadn’t been gagged and was able to breathe through his mouth to try to lessen the stench.
He couldn’t see who was driving the car, could just see the back of a head, but he could hear muttering. Definitely male. He tried to stay as quiet as possible so as not to alert his attacker that he was awake.
It wasn’t completely dark out, so he couldn’t have been unconscious for that long, but he couldn’t see anything out of the windows, just the driving rain and the streetlights passing by.
“I can tell you’re awake, Seb.”
Bollocks, he’d recognise that voice anywhere. He didn’t want to believe it, but Ed’s voice rang out loud and clear, if a little shaky. Daniel’s brother. This was why he’d thought it was Daniel. They’d always looked similar, but Ed was a little taller.
“Long time, no see. Well, for you anyway. I’ve been watching for a while now. Quite the interesting life you lead these days. Men everywhere.” Ed’s voice sounded strained, as if he were barely holding on.
“Why are you doing this, Ed? What did I ever do to you?” Seb knew they’d had their moments after Daniel had died, but to do this? Ed must really have it in for him.
“What do you think you did to me?” Ed spat out. “You took my brother from me. Let him get wrapped up in drugs and kicked him out when things got bad.”
Seb tried to remain calm. The last thing he wanted to do was infuriate him any further.
“He left me, Ed. We’ve talked about this.” He spoke in a smooth voice, hoping he could calm him down.
“No, you talked. I pretended to listen. I knew you were no good for him, but he wouldn’t listen. It was always Seb this, Seb that. I got sick of hearing about you, and then you abandoned him, just when he needed you.” Ed was near hysterical at this point.
Seb wasn’t sure what to say, didn’t know how to handle this. That wasn’t how it had gone down at all. Daniel hadn’t told Ed the truth.
Ed’s voice sounded strange, rushed, and he kept mumbling to himself as if responding to voices Seb couldn’t hear. Seb felt the best course of action was to stay quiet. Then Ed stopped the car and jumped out of his seat.
The rear door opened, and Ed dragged Seb out by his feet onto the side of the road. He landed painfully on his back, and he cracked his head again on the sill of the car. Fuck, that hurt. A wave of nausea passed through him.
Pain ricocheted in his head and stole his breath. Ed pulled him to his feet; his ruddy face was close to his. Spittle flew from his mouth, splattering Seb’s face as he spoke. Ed’s face was sunken, his eyes dark, and his breath caused Seb to gag.
“Let’s get you in the front of the car, then we can talk properly.” He was talking to himself again and tilted his head to the side as if listening to a voice only he could hear. His eyes were wild, and his face twitched as he spoke. The smell that came from him was horrific, as if he hadn’t washed for weeks, dirt ingrained into his skin.
Ed opened the passenger door and hefted Seb into the front seat. He was amazed at his strength. Ed looked no more than skin and bone.
“Best buckle you in, don’t want you escaping before I’m done with you.” He kissed Seb on the lips, and it took all he had not to throw up. Seb spat to the side only to receive a slap around his face. He felt a trickle of what he imagined was blood run down his face.
He closed the door and Seb slumped against it, the seatbelt barely keeping him upright. He closed his eyes, no clue how he was going to get out of this. He didn’t even know where his phone was; he couldn’t even check his pockets.
Ed got back in and started driving again. From what Seb could see, they were heading out of the city along some minor roads, possibly towards Wales. He couldn’t see any other traffic, so there’d be no chance to signal to any other drivers.
“I know. I’ll tell him. Stop talking to me, stop shouting at me.” Ed became more hysterical, his words garbled. Seb was struggling to understand what he was saying.
“Daniel loved you, although I don’t know why. I kept telling him you were no good for him, but he wouldn’t listen.” Ed was rubbing at his thigh, his other hand on the steering wheel. “I said I’d tell him. I said it, didn’t I?” His voice was becoming higher as he spoke. Seb had no idea who he was talking to but could see Ed’s eyes darting from side to side.
He turned to Seb. “I loved him. Why couldn’t he see that? You took him away from me. You stole the only person I loved, and for that, you’ll pay.” Ed’s face was becoming more flushed, and his eyes were wild, flicking between the road and Seb. He knew Ed didn’t know the roads around here, and he was starting to panic.
He wished he’d at least concentrate on the road. Between the weather and Ed’s erratic driving, Seb could feel another anxiety attack building. He knew there were bends ahead, and in this weather… he didn’t even want to finish the thought.
“I love him. I love him.” Ed was crying now, scrubbing his hand across his face. “You took him away, and you’re gonna die for that, gonna die. Daniel said I had to make you mine, for him, to please him, but I couldn’t. The others told me to kill you. Said you were no good. So that’s what I’m gonna do.”
Seb looked over at Ed. His movements were becoming jumpy, and he could see the sweat on his face. “Daniel did love you, Ed. He talked about you all the time.” He didn’t know if this was helping, but what else could he do? He tried to speak as calmly as he could. He was fucking scared now, for both of them.
“No, he only loved you. They told me, told me I have to kill you. You should be grateful, Seb. We can be free, both of us. Free to go to Daniel. He’ll love me, won’t he?” Ed turned to look at him, tears streaming down his face now. “Please tell me he’ll love me. We can be together, can’t we? Daniel and me, like it should have been. Not you, never you.”
These last words were whispered. The pain he could hear in Ed’s voice was heartbreaking. If only Seb had known he felt like this. Would it have made a difference? Would he have still done this?
Seb could feel the car accelerating, and he started to breathe heavily, the panic rising. These roads, this speed, the weather. He started to brace himself, watching as the fields sped by.
Ed was no longer watching the road. He was turned towards Seb, and he cried and shouted how Daniel would love him. How they’d both be free. His eyes searched for something in the semi-darkness, flitting from side to side.
Seb could see what was going to happen before it did. There was a sharp bend, and Ed lifted his hands from the steering wheel, their speed increased. Seb brought his hands up to his face as the car hurtled forward. His last thought was of Joe as the hedge at the side of the road slowed their progress, but he thought no more as the tree in front of them brought the car to a dead stop.