The Chase by Amber Riel (books to read for self improvement TXT) 📖

          That taxicab driver how did he know anyways?  How could he have found us?  Was he following us since we left the airport?  Something about him wasn’t right then…. After last night…. Last night…. Something’s wrong; really wrong.  I tried to figure out how he had even known to follow us in the first place and how odd it was that he was the same guy who had drove Sam and Lainie back to the mansion the same day of the break in.  I had the scenarios playing in my mind.  It can’t be a coincidence…. Lord, is there some connection to him and the break in that I’m not seeing yet?

          I worked my way downstairs and into the living room for a moment.  I looked around as I hit the light switch and noticed Imhotep was on the floor staring at me for a moment, trying to consider if he was too lazy to get up or not.

          “Hello there boy,” I told the oversized puppy as he stood up and walked over to me, sniffing around to make sure I wasn’t messing with other dogs while I was gone.  “Don’t worry boy…. When I’m friends with a dog, I’m commented…. I won’t go behind your back with another mutt.”

          He looked up at me as his mouth fell open slightly and the tip of his pink tongue hung out.

          “How are Carmen and Eric treating you?” I asked as I kind of laughed as if he could answer.

          He just stared with interest with his big black eyes.

          “It’s good to see you too, Imhotep,” I told him as I patted the top of his head.  I turned toward the hall and switched the light off.  I knew Carmen would kill me if I left it on, running up the light bill.

          I walked back toward the kitchen where I heard the two girls chatting about me.

          Carmen sighed as she took a deep breath.  “He’s not afraid to love…. That’s not his problem…. He’s afraid of what he could lose if he loves…. It’s not---”

          I cleared my throat to let them know I was there as I eyed Carmen with anger.  I loved my sister but sometimes she didn’t know when to stop talking.

          She whispered something to Sam then stood up and started to head out of the door.  “I’m going to go ahead and get ready for bed.  You’re extra change of clothes you left here, Louis?”

          “Yep,” I answered as I felt Sam’s gaze as she looked over at me.

          “Oh, Samantha, I don’t know if you could fit in any of my clothes but I might have some clothes you could wear including night clothes so that way you don’t have to be stuck in the same outfit.  I’ll bring some down when I get back.”

          “Oh thank you…. That sounds great,” Sam replied.

          Carmen quickly hurried out of the room and I worked my way over to the table and picked up the glass of water I had earlier.  “Want anything to drink?  Carmen won’t care.”

          “Water please.”

          “Okay.”  I finished the sip I had left and then turned my attention toward the facet and refilled it.  Once I had a full glass, I turned the facet off and opened the door to the cabinet which was filled with a variety of cups and glasses and pulled out another glass cup.  I repeated the action with the facet then closed the cabinet door as I picked up my glass and walked over to the table.  I took a seat as I handed the new glass to Sam and then took a sip out of my glass.

          “Thank you.”

          “Sure.”

          “Your sister seems nice.”

          “Yea, she’s a people person…. If it were up to her, this place would most likely be filled with homeless people or orphans or possibly both.”

          “Wow.”

          “Yep.  Her husband don’t want that to happen…. Not that he hates people just this isn’t a big place…. It’d be different if they lived in like a mansion like what Ron and Annie live in but they don’t…. Not only that but she’s pregnant…. Don’t tell her I said anything though…. They’re not trying to be too excited about it….”

          “Why not?  A pregnancy that’s great---”

          “Not when they had two miscarriages already…. They’re happy about it but at the same time weary because they know that they could lose it again and they don’t want to have to go through that.”

          “Oh…. That makes since.”

          I nodded, taking another sip from my glass.  I noticed that Sam stared at me as if she was waiting for me to do or say something to entice her or something.  It was kind of bugging me that she wouldn’t look away.  Her expression made me think that she was under some sort of spell or something.  “What?” I asked.

          She shook head as she snapped back into the real world.  “Nothing.”

          I raised an eyebrow knowing that she was lying and locked eyes with her.  I was kind of confused but knew that it was time for another shield.  “Look I’m not the talkative type so if you have questions then keep them to your damn self,” I told her with a rude tone.

          She dropped her mouth in anger and the next thing I knew she picked up her glass and threw water on me as Carmen entered the room.  “Just when I thought that you were a good guy you go and say that with that rude tone of yours again,” she retorted as she stood up and slammed her hands onto the table.

          I deserved that, I thought but at the same time, Sam was kind of hot when she was angry.

          “Well it looks like you two are getting a long,” Carmen replied as she kind of smiled with the tone which meant her words were fake.

          She took a deep breath and turned her attention toward Carmen.  “I’m sorry but your brother was just being a jerk.”

          “Don’t worry about it…. He deserved it.”

          “Hey?” I asked as I threw my arms up.  It was as if they forgot that I was even in the room.

          “Don’t look at me…. I heard what you said…. That was very rude…. I agree with Samantha.”

          “Thank you,” Sam replied.

          “No problem.”  Carmen walked over to Sam and handed a pair of clothes to her.  They both ignored me as I stood up.  “I went ahead and just grabbed a t-shirt and sweat pants for you for tonight and then tomorrow you can help me go through my old clothes that don’t fit me anymore and see if you can wear them.”

          Sam nodded.

          “Why does Eric have to be gone this weekend?  I don’t want to be stuck in a house full of girls.”  I removed my shirt because I thought that it was going to be pointless wearing a wet shirt for the night.

          “Sorry, it just didn’t work out that way but if you guys are still here Sunday then you won’t be the only guy here…. Unless you count Imhotep….” Carmen shook her head as she spoke.  “Eric loves that American movie the Mummy and had to name our dog after the mummy….” She let out a small laugh she was trying to hold in.  “I thought it was a stupid name for a dog especially because we’re not from Egypt but he wouldn’t give up so now we have Imhotep.”

          “I’m not counting the dog,” I answered as I shook my head.  I took my shirt and used it as a towel to dry my face seeing that I wasn’t wearing it anymore.  “I’m going to go ahead to bed and no talking about me when I leave the room, Carmen.”

          Carmen smiled as I began to leave the room.  “Don’t worry…. I’ll be good.”

          I turned out the light and laid in the bed as I stared into the darkness.  I sighed and closed my eyes.  It was peaceful.   I was tired but I couldn’t fall asleep.  My thoughts flew all over the place.  The one thought that continued to bother me was the thought of the man who had managed to sneak into the girls’ hotel room.  What if I hadn’t been there?  What if he had his chance and had his way with Sam?  Possibly with Lainie…. Seems like a sick man anyways and after last night…. I closed my eyes and shook my head slightly.  The thought that any man could even consider to do horrible things to a woman or a child was no man.

          Sam sat in front of me at a small dinner table and smiled.  “This is nice of you.”

          “Yea nice….” I replied but I couldn’t help but smile in return.  “Look, Sam…. You need to know that my first wife was a huge part of my life and I lost her.”

          “To what?”

          I turned my gaze out of a window with sadness.  “To cancer….”

          “Oh…. I’m sorry about that.”

          I sighed as I looked back over at her.  “It’s kind of why I’ve been a jerk to you…. I mean I shouldn’t have been anyways but I have and I feel horrible…. I’m sorry.”

          “That’s why he’s been blocking you out of his life,” Christy had appeared out of nowhere and pulled up a chair.  “I’m Christy…. I want you two to have a good long and happy life together.”  She looked at me with tears of joy instead of sadness.  “It’s time you move on and I think she’s prefect for you.”

          “But---”

          “I’m gone now…. You don’t need me anymore…. Sam on the other hand can actually be there for you unlike me.”  Christy moved her attention over toward Sam.  “I think you two will be great together…. Please don’t break his heart.”

          “I won’t,” Sam replied with a small delightful smile.

          “Good…. I must go now,” Christy replied as she vanished.

          I sat up and looked around as I felt tears fill my eyes.  Damn, I’m a guy this isn’t supposed to happen to me, I thought as I began wiping away the tears.  I couldn’t go back to sleep after that.  I didn’t want to go back to sleep, knowing that I could see Christy or Sam or both.  It bugged me.  My thoughts where roaming around in my mind playing with my emotions…. Toying with my dreams…. Why couldn’t everything stay the way they were before Sam arrived?  It was worse knowing that I was going to be stuck with her for a few more days but then again I was kind of starting to like the idea.  Lord, why is Sam in my thoughts and my dreams?  Why am I thinking about her when all I want to do is push her away?  Please somehow help me to see what’s going on…. To understand what my heart’s trying to tell me.

          I stood up and worked my way over to the dresser in the dark room with only the moonlight to show me the way.  I don’t want to be happy with Sam because I don’t want to lose her like I’ve lost Christy…. I wasn’t able to protect Christy from harm and I don’t want that same thing to happen to Sam…. I’m a horrible, horrible man.  Pushing Sam out was easy but letting her in that was trouble.  I was falling for her but I was trying too hard to let my emotions get the best of me.  I wasn’t ready for love again…. At least I didn’t think I was.  Can’t sleep…. Too much trouble from sleeping and then I have to get up…. Wait no Carmen’s making me stay here…. Damn…. There’s something up her sleeve but what is it?

          I looked around the room, trying to place everything in