Off Limits, Brother's Best Friend Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Please Stop Texting Me

Brianna

Our apartment was finally ready and we were moving this weekend. It was a good thing that I have some off during the week because I have been busy preparing the house. It was a breath of fresh air to have some space, to be away from Callan. He hasn't spoken a word to me since our tense moment in the kitchen the other night but that has only driven me even more crazy. I had finally bought myself a pair of sweatpants and I was wearing them now as I pushed boxes around and ordered the furniture. The apartment came mostly furnished but I was making it my own.

The way the place looked was somewhat like Callan's apartment, only without the second floor. You enter through the door, not the elevator to the large living room with a skyline view window which flooded the room with natural lights. The kitchen and dining area was in a similar location to Callan's only a scale smaller. Our two bedrooms are opposite ends of the apartment which I kind of liked. If Bryce brings girls home, I don't want to know about it. My room was just off the living room and his was after the dining area.

My bedroom was painted a mushroom almost purplish gray which I liked and I brought new bedding to fit the queen size bed I have now. There were two doors, my bathroom and a walk-in closet which is perfect for all my clothes, shoes, bags and accessories. I had purchased a black light mirror for my personal bathroom which made the counter space feel more like a vanity. Everything was perfect.

I loved my sweatpants with my soft baby tank and long open knit cardigan sweater. It was cozy as heck, I was casual, relaxed and alone. We were a few floors down from Callan but he could be a million miles away if I wanted to pretend he was because I wasn't planning on seeing him any time soon. Since the building is very secure, not just anyone can come up to our floor, I got a call from downstairs that I received a delivery which was waiting for me at the front desk. I threw some shoes on to take the elevator downstairs and I was surprised when there was a vase of beautiful flowers waiting for me. Rose and sunflower with bits of purple lavender in between, it was so beautiful that I didn't even read the card until I got back upstairs. Something fluttered in my gut when I read the message.

'Welcome to the building, De Harold.’

I know it was meant for both me and my brother but still it made my inside flutter like a rapture of butterflies. Damn him, I tucked the card away but put the flowers on the living room table to brighten the space. I fought the smile forming on my lips. Why did he send this?

Later in the day, I got a text from an unknown number and my heart skipped a beat. Was it him?

'Port Harcourt suits you.” I opened the message, I was sure what to say back so I hesitated for a few minutes, trying to think of something to say.

'I think so too,’ My response was a bit lame but it was all I could think of.

He didn't confirm it was him but who else would it be?

'You aren't going to ask who this is?’

I paused and wasn't sure if this was him playing with me or if this was really someone else.

'Who is this?’ I asked and the person left me hanging for a good twenty minutes and I can only assume that was done on purpose.

'I will give you a hint, baby boo.’

I read the message and my veins turned to ice. I almost dropped the phone at the sight of those two words. Baby boo was all Ezekiel used to call me. No, how did he find my number? This can't be possible, maybe I was overthinking this. It can't be him. How would he know I live in Port Harcourt and how would he have my number? I tried to calm the tremble in my hand and quickly responded.

'How did you get this number?’ I asked, again they made me wait but this time only for a few minutes.

He is doing it again, psychological warfare. He makes me nervous and keeps me waiting to weaken me.

'You don't want to ask how I am doing? You just want to know I got your phone number. That is cool, baby boo.’ The words make my skin crawl.

This is actually him, this is Ezekiel. I threw my phone down on my bed and just stared at it. I know I just saw Mary and sure maybe she told him I am living in Port Harcourt now but how the hell would he get my number from all that? Mary doesn't even have my number.

'Ezekiel, I don't know what you want but I am not interested in opening a line of communication with you.’ I said outright, he didn't make me wait this time, his response was instant and I can sense the anger in his words.

'Of course, you don't. You just like to run off on the phone and disappear, I knew you couldn't be gone for long. I figured I would find you sooner or later.’

Should his words feel threatening to me? Has he tried finding me over the years or is he just talking crap? How is this happening to me right now?

'Please stop texting me.’

I wasn't sure if that would anger him but I wanted to make my intention clear. I had no interest in pursuing a conversation with him.

'Are you sure about that? Suppose I could text your brother instead. Does he know you are a whore?’

Now that was a treat, my hands trembling so hard that it was difficult to text back.

'Don't, leave my brother out of this.’ I took a calming breath, deciding I would talk to him to see what he wanted from me and when my phone started ringing, I was so nervous to answer it but I needed to be sure he wouldn't text my brother.

“Hello?” My voice came out weak and I scolded myself in my head.

“Hey, beautiful.” His tone was already mocking with that smirk I could still picture.

“Why are you threatening me? What do you want?” There was only a second pause before he responded.

“You,” he muttered and I didn't know what to say or do. He can't be serious.

“Ezekiel, please we have been over for years. I can't play these mind games with you again. So, what do you really want?” I tried to stay strong.

I wasn't the same weak teenage girl but he does bring this immature nervous girl side out of me just by the damage he caused me back then.