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Back Stalker Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. EPILOGUE
  63. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  64. MORE FROM GEMMA ROGERS
  65. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  66. ABOUT BOLDWOOD BOOKS

I tried to avoid an awkward goodnight by retiring early and not indulging in too much wine. I stopped at two glasses and made sure there was no lingering in doorways. The feelings were still there, for me at least, but to act on them would only confuse Ben and I didn’t want to lead him on. He could have a chance with a normal girl, not a crazy one. It didn’t stop me lying in the dark and thinking about the kiss we’d shared a couple of weeks ago. It couldn’t be helped; the timing wasn’t right and now I had too many secrets to hide. Ben wouldn’t approve of my plan and it was easier to keep him out of it. Safer too, If anything happened to me, I didn’t want to be responsible for dragging him into it.

27

TUESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2017

‘Hello, stranger,’ Jason said as I entered the boxing club around 9 a.m., his tone laced with sarcasm.

I bowed my head and raised my palms up in surrender, I knew my absence wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. I’d spent most of the week at Pulse, watching Ian, when my body would allow it. I’d started taking supplements and drinking protein shakes and I had to give it to Jason, it was working. My muscles were recovering quicker, I was starting to look toned, almost pumped. I liked this new me. I felt strong, like a warrior. I’d been trying to work out Ian’s schedule, so I could work mine around his, conscious not to go every day that he went. I didn’t want anyone to notice our training was aligned. He hadn’t spoken to me yet and things weren’t moving as fast as I’d like, but I couldn’t rush it. It needed to seem natural, not forced. Ian showed no signs of recognising me and my anxiety was easing on that front. Wearing the contacts helped; I almost felt like a different person when I put them in. Being in the same room with him still made my skin crawl though.

‘Sorry, things have been a bit hectic.’ I slung my towel over my shoulder and held my fists out for Jason to tape. There were a couple of people in the gym, including a girl who looked to be in her late teens giving the punchbag a hammering. ‘A girl? That’s great.’ I had been the only one up to now.

‘Her probation officer brought her in. We talked about doing a community programme. Getting the waifs and strays off the streets.’

‘That would be fantastic.’ We moved to the mats and Jason lifted the pads for me to strike. My shoulders felt heavy; after a week of not boxing, I was already losing my agility. Rowing just wasn’t the same workout.

‘Wanna tell me what’s going on? You in trouble?’