Mitchell
A normal person would be asleep, in their house, in a warm bed. I was sitting in my office, with paper piles on my desk, buried in more files, and the thickest red tape known to man every time I searched for Kaden, when my phone rang. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
"Hello, Kaden. What…"
"Mitch, good morning," he interrupts "You need to head over to Box Hill A.S.A.P. I'll send my location. There's something you need to see."
As I drive down to Box Hill, I wonder why he didn't contact the police within the area. An ugly feeling grows inside me as I drive, hoping it's just a random issue, but all that's dashed to the curb when I pull up at the address. Kaden is pacing back and forth and muttering to himself. As calm as he comes across, the man is seriously spooked this time.
It looks like the same person who snuck into his parents' house stopped by here too. The person was obviously angrier though, and someone called Sera is tagged several times in swirling red spray paint. A whole can of paint seems to have been flung at the door and window and there is a fetid smell that I can't identify that's lingering in the air.
"Is anyone hurt?"
"No, I just stepped out and saw this. It must have been done a few hours ago because my…friend stepped out to dismiss my driver then."
I notice the hesitation on "friend" but decide to disregard it for now.
"Okay, I'll need to speak with your friend…"
"She is still sleeping and doesn't know anything about this."
Hmmm, the friend is a she, and he is awfully defensive about her. Interesting.
"I'll still need to speak with her in case she heard or saw something. Let me call the guys so we can start."
Sera
I'm still in shock as I sit across Detective Mitchell. Tall with soft blue eyes, a blond buzz cut, and skin that blushes easily, he seems to know Kaden somehow but neither of them is talking about that yet. Instead, I've given my statement on everything that happened last night. Of course, I skipped the more risque parts of the night, but I am sure the person who did this was not around when I asked Thomas to leave. Detective Mitchell has requested data from the few cameras in the area and cross-checked both mine and Kaden's statements with Thomas' own recount.
What's more horrifying to me is the fact that someone took the trouble to spray my name all over the door, walls, and floor warning me to stay away. Away from who? What? Where? No other clues were left apart from a small flower painting that gave me a headache the longer I stared at it.
By the time Detective Mitchell gives me his card and clears the cleaning up of the place, I have a pounding headache and just want to lie down somewhere. I am lying on the couch when Kaden comes back in. He has been extremely helpful today, taking charge of everything, but I can't help but feel he is also a little distant. Still in yesterday's clothes, he looks a little rumpled but still put together. Not at all like the man who hovered over me with blazing eyes last night.
Nope. No. Not thinking about that.
Sitting down on my lumpy couch, my body tilts towards him due to his weight and he uses that as an opportunity to lift me up and take me to the bed, where he wastes no time hugging me to his chest. I snuggle closer, content to be surrounded by his soothing scent that's somehow lulling my headache to a dull throb. He doesn't say anything for a while and I am nodding off when he finally speaks.
"Move in with me, Sera."
I'm suddenly wide awake, alert, and very confused.
Sitting up, I look at him and ask stupidly, "What?"
"Move in with me Sera." he repeats.
Furrowing my eyebrows, I ask "Is this because of what happened this morning?"
"Yes, of course. What else would it be about?"
"I'm not leaving my house because of some juvenile teenager," I say dismissively.
Warm hands stop me from sliding back into bed.
"Sera, whoever it is wrote your name in red paint. How did they know where you live? The person might even be following you. Detective Mitchell found a dead rat smoking in the bin behind your apartment. I just want you to be safe, and your apartment, no offence, is not the safest please possible."
"Kade," I run my hands down his face, gratified when his eyes slide shut. "It was probably just a kid messing around. Maybe they heard me on the phone, maybe they heard someone call me, I don't know. I just moved in, Kaden. It's not even been two months yet, so no one can chase me out. Thank you for your care and concern for me but I'll be fine."
I can see that he isn't ready to agree but a knock on the door rouses him. It's Thomas with a whole tray of food. Dropping it on the bed beside me, he sits down and stares at me earnestly.
"I need to go and see Mitch and I know you've not had anything to eat." At my raised brow, he adds, "Yes, I haven't either, but I'll eat something once I get home. Please stay indoors. My people have cleaned the doorway, and I'll pay any fine if your landlord is not satisfied."
Leaning down, he kisses me softly on the forehead then stands up. He walks halfway to the living room before turning back quickly and sliding his lips over mine firmly. A small whimper sneaks out that he inhales, fisting his left hand in my hair while his right hand holds his weight off me. By the time he lifts his head, we are both breathing deeply and I watch him visibly calm himself down before dropping a much gentler kiss on my forehead and leaving quickly.