Wendy knew she was in trouble as she glanced at the knife in Jake’s hand. She had come down to her car to get a folder she had forgotten for a meeting she had that afternoon.
Jake slowly walked toward Wendy. “Where is she? All you have to do is tell me. I won’t hurt you or Carla ever again. I love her.”
Wendy swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. It was her last day at work before her wedding. She had almost not come today. Closing her eyes, she whispered a prayer.
Jake stood in front of her. He reached out and gently touched a piece of hair that had come loose from her bun. He smiled as she turned her face away and then spoke. “I never really looked at you. You are beautiful.”
Wendy tried not to show her fear, but the tears she was trying to keep in her eyes started to make their way down her cheeks. She knew she didn’t want to make him mad. Her wrist was still in a cast. She looked down at her feet and whispered softly. “Thank you.”
Jake stood closer to Wendy now. He took a deep breath. “You smell so nice.”
Wendy was shaking. She felt the knife on her neck. “Please Jake…”
Jake was not really concerned where Clair was. Being close to Wendy was an absolute rush. He kissed her forehead and was surprised to hear a sob escape her throat. “It’s ok. I won’t hurt you. Don’t you like me?”
Wendy nodded. “I like you, Jake. I… I just am having a difficult time breathing.”
Jake put the knife he had in his pocket. In his warped mind, this was his new girlfriend. He put his arms around Wendy and pulled her close. “Why are you so tense?”
Wendy’s voice hiccupped as she answered him. “Jake I… Please I can’t breathe.”
Jake chuckled. “I’m sorry.” He stepped a little bit away from her. “Is this better?”
Wendy nodded. “It is. Thank you.” Wendy’s mind was racing. Jake was obviously crazy. He still stood between her and freedom. She had to find a way to get around him.
Jake looked at Wendy’s cast. He gently picked up her arm. “I’m sorry. You know I didn’t mean to do this?”
Wendy glanced up at him. “It’s ok. Jake, can we walk?”
Jake’s eyes narrowed. He pulled her back into his arms. “I would like to go for a drive. Why don’t we do that instead?”
Wendy was not getting into a car with him. She started shaking. “Jake, I think I’m going to be sick.”
Jake frowned at her. “Is my baby not feeling well?”
Wendy hit her knees. She felt him hold her hair back as she became violently sick. She had to get away from him. He was now behind her. If she could just get him to let go of her hair, she could run. She took his outstretched hand as she stood back up. She stumbled back against him on purpose throwing him off balance. “I’m sorry.”
Jake smiled down at her as he helped her steady herself. “You don’t have to be sorry.”
As soon as he released her Wendy kicked him as hard as she could and ran. She heard him yell. Wendy screamed as she heard his footsteps start after her. She hit the elevator button but knew he would get her if she waited for it to open. She ran between two cars. As she crouched down, she listened for his footsteps.
Jake looked around the garage. He was furious. How could she treat him like that? Didn’t she know how much he loved her? “Come on Wendy… Come out and talk to me.”
Wendy prayed quietly. She heard the door of the elevator open but knew he stood between her and the elevator. She laid down flat on the ground and eased herself under the SUV she was beside. She held her breath as she watched his feet walk toward the space she had just occupied. When she observed him in the area she had just vacated, she eased out on the other side.
Stefan looked at Sabrina. “Have you seen Wendy?”
Sabrina smiled at him. “She went down to get a folder from the car.”
Stefan glanced down at his watch. They had agreed to meet in his office to review some things. It was not like her to be late. He looked back at Sabrina. “How long ago did she go?”
Sabrina glanced at her computer screen. “She should be back any second. It has been almost ten minutes.”
Stefan started walking away. He turned back around. Something wasn’t right. He looked at Sabrina. “Please call security and have them meet me in the garage on level three.”
Sabrina picked up her phone to do as he said. She watched him push the elevator button.
Stefan was feeling sick in his stomach. Something was wrong. When the door opened, he got in and pushed the button for the parking garage. He whispered a prayer. “Please help her be ok.”
The doors closed leaving Crystal and Sabrina looking at each other. Worry for their boss and friend was written all over their faces.
Wendy moved silently between the cars. She could see Jake’s feet and did her best to keep distance between her and him. She held her breath as he walked past the car she had managed to squeeze under. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She blinked trying her best to keep her vision clear.
Jake voice was angry. “Is this how you treat someone who loves you? Wendy, I came here to find Clair but after seeing you again… Can’t you see we are supposed to be together? When I find you, and I will find you, I will teach you how to respect a man.”
Wendy slowly let out a shaky breath as his feet moved away from the car. When she saw his feet leave, she eased out from under the car. Crawling on her knees, she continued to try to keep him in her sights as she slowly maneuvered her way toward the elevator.
Jake stopped and listened. He smiled and started walking toward a sound he assumed was Wendy.
Wendy saw him coming her way fast. She didn’t have time to get under a car. Standing, she ran. Tears blurred her vision as she tried to get away from him.
Jake grabbed Wendy and pulled her back against his chest. He whispered softly. “Now we leave.”
Wendy went wild until he held the knife up to her throat. She decided to pretend to pass out. Maybe if he had her dead weight to carry it would slow him down. She closed her eyes and went limp.
Jake picked Wendy up into his arms and started for his car. He was almost there when the elevator door opened. He ducked between two cars and sat down with her between his legs. Putting the knife back up to Wendy’s throat, he whispered in her ear. “I know you can hear me. If you want to live you will stay quiet.”
Wendy whimpered as she nodded her head. She could feel the cold blade against her throat. She turned her head into Jake’s chest pretending to seek comfort from him. Very slowly she eased her hand up putting it between her neck and the blade.
Stefan looked around. He didn’t see Wendy anywhere. The elevator opened again. He turned and watched as three security guards walked out. He was just getting ready to tell them he overreacted when Wendy screamed.
Wendy pushed against the blade with her hands as she screamed. She threw her weight back against Jake and tried to stand. He tripped her causing her to hit her knees.
Stefan watched in horror as Jake raised his knife above Wendy. He yelled her name.
Jake felt a sharp pain in his chest. He was suddenly unable to breathe. He looked around as everything became fuzzy. The last thing he saw was a security guard with his gun drawn looking at him.
Wendy screamed as Jake’s dead body fell on top of her. “Get him off me!” She kicked and pushed at him as she continued to cry. “Get him off…”
Stefan ran to her and pulled her from under Jake. He pulled her close. His voice was choked. “I have you. I’m here.”
Wendy sobbed into his chest. “He wanted to take me. He didn’t want Clair anymore. He wanted to take me…” She continued to repeat her words over and over again. Her body would not stop shaking as she tried to tell Stefan what had happened.
Stefan picked her up into his arms. He started for the elevator.
“We will be in my office when the police and EMS arrive.”
One of the guards walked over. “I’ll come with you.”
Stefan held Wendy close as the guard pushed the elevator button. When they stepped in, she shuddered against him again. “I’m right here.”
Wendy was starting to calm down. She was now whispering one phrase over and over again as her body continued to shiver in fear. “He wouldn’t let me go.”
Stefan kissed the side of her head to calm her. He was surprised when she started pushing at him and screaming. Her one hand was sliced open and bleeding. He couldn’t let her hurt herself. “Wendy it’s me.”
Wendy felt Jakes lips on her head again. She shoved against him. “Let me go!”
Stefan let her go. He watched as she shoved her way into the corner of the elevator. “Wendy it’s me.”
Wendy looked up at the guard and then back at Stefan. The elevator door was open now. She could see the staff looking at her. “Stefan…?”
Stefan nodded. “It’s me.”
Wendy started sobbing again. When Stefan bent and picked her back up, she grabbed the front of his shirt. “He wouldn’t let me go.”
Stefan whispered softly. “I know. I have you now.”
Liam came out of his office. “What happened?”
Stefan started down the hall toward his office. “Jake changed his affections.”
Liam looked at the guard. “Is she ok.”
The guard nodded. “She should probably go to the hospital because she has a nice sized slice on her one hand, but I think she will be just fine.”
Liam shook his head. “Hopefully they put him behind bars now.”
The guard shook his head. “He is dead. Chase shot him. He will not be bothering anyone ever again.”
Sabrina walked past Liam. “I’m going to her. She needs more than Stefan right now.”
Crystal agreed. She nodded at Liam as she passed him.
Stefan looked up from his office sofa when the women walked in. Wendy was curled against him. “She is starting to calm.”
Crystal nodded as she walked over to Wendy. She sat down beside Stefan and touched her gently. “Are you ok?”
Sabrina looked at the blank stare on Wendy’s face. “It will be ok. We are right here. When you are ready, you talk to us.”
Liam had called Trevor up from a meeting a few floors down. The two walked into Stefan’s office. Trevor shook his head. “She is bleeding. She needs medical attention.”
Stefan knew Trevor was right. His voice was gentle. “Are you feeling better? Do you know who I am?”
Wendy whispered softly. “He wasn’t going to let me go.”
Stefan swallowed the lump in his throat. “I’m here. Wendy, do you know who I am?”
Wendy buried her face in Stefan’s chest. She started sobbing again. “He was touching me and holding me. He wasn’t going to let me go.”
Stefan held her close. “Who has you now?”
Trevor held his breath as he waited for Wendy to answer Stefan.
Wendy took a deep breath. She started to calm down. She whispered softly. “You have me, Stefan.”
Stefan looked at her face as she leaned away from him. He softly kissed her forehead. “Who kissed you?”
Wendy touched his face with her shaky hand. “You did. Stefan, I was so scared.”
Stefan cupped her face in his hands. “I am so sorry I didn’t try to find you sooner. I’m sorry he hurt you again.”
Wendy closed her eyes as Stefan’s thumbs wiped away her tears. Her voice was barely audible. “You came. I knew you would.”
Stefan pulled her back against his chest. When she was settled, he spoke again. “Wendy, he is gone now. One of the security guards shot him.”
Wendy nodded against his chest. She understood what he was saying. She watched as paramedics came into Stefan’s office.
Stefan could feel her tensing up. He knew she didn’t want to go to the hospital. “I need to know you are ok.”
Wendy started shaking her head. “I’m staying.”
Stefan closed his eyes. He could hear the fear in her voice. “Wendy, you are hurt.”
Wendy started crying again. “I don’t want to. Don’t make me. Please, Stefan don’t make me.”
Stefan spoke to her gently. “I’ll be with you. If they don’t let me come with you, I’ll take you myself, but you need medical care.”
Wendy sniffled. “You won’t leave me?”
Stefan’s voice was choked. “I will not leave you. I will be there the entire time.”
Wendy watched as an EMT hunched down beside her. When he gently took her arm and put a blood pressure cuff on it, she didn’t fight him. “I’ll go if you can.”
The medic nodded and smiled at Stefan assuring him he could go with Wendy. Stefan watched as they took her vitals. When they got out a needle to start an IV, he grimaced. “Is that necessary?”
Wendy saw the needle and tried to pull her hand away. She shook her head. “I don’t want one.”
Stefan listened as the medic explained why an IV site would be helpful. He knew Wendy was not convinced. She kept her un-casted hand buried in his chest.
Wendy listened to the medic. When he was finished explaining the IV site she whispered. “I don’t want one. I don’t want them to give me anything that will make me sleepy. I don’t care if it is to help me stay calm.”
The medic nodded and put the stuff back in his bag. Stefan felt Wendy tense up when it was time to put her on the gurney. She started shaking again. “You won’t leave me?”
Stefan held her hand. He could feel the blood from her wound but knew she didn’t want him to let go of her. “I’m staying right here with you.”
Wendy reluctantly let Stefan put her down. She held onto his hand as they secured her on the gurney and then wheeled her out of his office toward the elevator. She closed her eyes and focused on the feel of Stefan’s hand. She knew he would keep his word and stay with her. She breathed in and out allowing his touch to calm her completely. This was not how the day was supposed to go, but she was grateful to have Stefan by her side.