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The guard was watching her, smirking as she crossed her arms defensively. He was getting bolder. Their first encounter had been downstairs by the main rooms. Tonight, he had come upstairs to the bedrooms. All the other doors were shut, however, with the lights turned off. Everyone was asleep.
“You make it too easy, you know?” He stepped up to her.
Ana blanked her face, praying her disinterest would bore him. But she was terrified on the inside, painfully aware of his every movement. She tensed as he spoke close enough to rustle her hair. “Every night, you follow the same routine. Scarf through dinner and rush away to your room, always taking the back stairs up to avoid any family conversations and nagging.”
God.
Horror washed over her as he recounted her activities to the tee.
How long had he been watching her? She had been so vigilant in searching out for him, but she had never spotted him.
“It’s my job, sweetheart,” the guard explained conceitedly. “That’s why I was highly recommended to your family…I observe and learn patterns. And where there is a pattern, there is an opening.”
An opening for what?
But he didn’t explain. “Just some free advice as your in-house security expert.” Stepping back, he watched her with an ominous challenge in his eyes. Smug and self-assured.
“You should try switching up your routine,” he advised. “Break your pattern.”
His eyes swept down her form.
“Then, we can see if I can still catch you.”
Hands clamped around her throat.
Jolting her awake.
A shrill scream pierced through the house, spreading from corner to corner.
Ana gasped convulsively, scratching at her throat as the nightmare swallowed her whole. She kicked and pushed out with all her might.
Oh, God.
Help!
Please, no.
No…no…no.
Whimpers rose out of her like a wounded animal. Keening and moaning helplessly as the pain suffused her without end.
‘Ana.’
Hands touched her.
No, no.
She lurched back, kicking.
“ANA!”
The light clicked on, illuminating him towering over her. She gasped, uncomprehending.
Until he came into sight.
Gio.
Pieces of reality started coming into focus as she noticed her tangled hair and the twisted sheets wound around her legs. As well as her husband, who stood over her, shirtless with his curly hair mussed up. He looked almost…scared.
