For the Love of Layla

by Callie Moss

“If you leave me, Layla, I swear on everything I hold dear I’ll-”

I laugh it off, pretending like that memory didn’t just confirm something…horrifying.

Liam is my stalker… Lick, suck, bite. God, how could I have been so fucking stupid?

Liam has always hated change. I run my fingers along the ornate bottle of absinthe sitting on the corner of the large desk. He only ever drank when he was stressed. I suppose stalking, murdering and assaulting people would be stressful.

Keep it together until you get home, Layla. Find your proof. You need more than kinky daydreams in a court of law.

The police said nothing. Would they help me now? Even with proof? No. They wouldn’t. They haven’t… is that his doing?

Everything that happens next shouldn’t. I should say no, I should stop him, but I can’t. I can’t do what’s best for him because I’m weak against this man. Weak against them both. The thought of it all terrifies me.

He lays me down, hovering over me as I push up into him, begging for friction. For a touch that doesn’t belong to a stranger. To a monster. A real monster, not the one I painted this man to be.

he takes up every sense I have. All I smell is Liam, all I feel is his skin against mine touching me in the way I’ve longed for. All I taste is his lips and all I see are those deep blue eyes staring down at me like I hung the sun in the sky.

Although I’m not sure what I feel guilty about exactly. Am I placing a target on his back? Will this hurt him? I shouldn’t care, but I think I do.

“I’ll just…meet you at your place after I grab her. I can take an Uber or something.” My own words fill me with dread as I take a step back. A step away from the safety he offers. It’s not safe for him. It’s not safe for me. “No fucking way in hell you’re leaving my side.” He growls and my heart skips a beat. This can’t last. I’ll lean on him… but only for tonight. No matter how badly it hurts, I can’t put more people at risk.

“I’ll carry you, you aren’t leaving my side.” He says before reaching for my arm to lift me. I snatch it away, “For fuck’s sake. Where could I possibly go? I’ll stay right here, I promise.” He clenches his jaw, “Layla…” “Liam…” He groans, running his hand through his hair, “Stay right here. Do not leave or so help me-” “Yeah, yeah, punishment games. I remember.” I say a little too loudly, making the people around us stare.

“You seem to have enjoyed yourself, distracting my son from his obligations.” She sneers. You have no idea. I can’t stop the giggle that escapes from my mouth. “Liam is a grown man. He can make his own decisions. I didn’t distract him from anything.” “You won’t be laughing when he tires of you, throwing you out just like all the others. Liam doesn’t get attached, darling. Especially to nosey girls with a lower… pedigree than his.” I frown, her condescending tone burning straight through me. What the fuck is her problem? What fucking others?

Something in her eyes makes bile rise to my throat, I clench my fist, trying to convince myself all of the reasons why it’s not socially acceptable to punch your ex’s mom in the face. Number one being a toddler could probably beat me in a fist fight. Especially tonight.

“Never fucking touch her.” He warns, his voice sending chills down my spine. That voice… “Liam, let go.” I whisper, tugging on his sleeve lightly. He blinks a few times, still holding his mom’s wrist as she grits her teeth, looking too scared to move. She’s scared… of him.

A faint smile spreads across my face. It would be so easy to slip back into this life with this man. I can’t. What he did to Mr. Danvers was wrong, it doesn’t matter how noble his intentions were. I trusted him when he said he wouldn’t hurt him. He lied. Will Liam even let me go after this? God, why do my arms and legs feel so heavy? I’m so tired. I lick my dry lips as he hums a song… it’s familiar. So familiar. Liam?

She was pulling away from me. That simply won’t do, I need Layla to snap so viscerally she can’t exist without my hand to hold. My arms to steady her. That means I’ve got work to do.

If she did die, I’d be close behind her and I don’t particularly feel like committing suicide, not when we’re so close to our happily ever after. I smile, rubbing my hand over her stomach, imagining what it will look like swollen with my children. I’ve wanted her to get pregnant from the first moment I saw her. She’d be an amazing mother. For so many reasons it would take too long to list. The idea of something made from me growing inside her, tying us together in such a meaningful way, makes my heart thump painfully in my chest.

One of the many reasons I had to bury myself in that tight little cunt of hers tonight, to explain the soreness. Not that sex with Layla needs any ulterior motives. Watching her come apart on me, the way her pink lips part as she pants…her breasts heaving.

Her waking up to find me knuckle deep in her vagina would be… difficult to explain. When I feel the texture of the string, I grip it between my gloved fingers, steeling myself before I start to pull slow and steady, careful not to hurt her any more than necessary. She whimpers quietly, making me bite down on my inner cheek. Almost done, little love, hang in there. I let out a heavy breath as the IUD slides from her.

I flick on the night light Layla always needed when she was here. I personally can’t stand sleeping with lights on, but I’ve done it every night since she hesitantly admitted she needed one. To feel closer to my little love, I suppose. I just didn’t feel right leaving it off all night. What if she came home and got scared?

I clench my jaw as I notice the plastic bag tucked underneath her arm. Hiding something, are we, little star?

I watch as she bends over, making her baby blue sundress ride up, showing the bottom of her white lacy underwear. You most certainly shouldn’t have left wearing that. That’s what I get for getting too wrapped up in work. Not paying close enough attention to my little star. We’ve only been dating for about a month. It’s been the best month of my life.

“I don’t mind a night light if it makes you feel more comfortable.” I kiss her nose gently, “You should’ve told me sooner.” “It’s embarrassing.” That won’t do. I grip her chin tightly, pressing my forehead against hers, “You never have to be embarrassed around me, Layla. I’m entirely enamored with every part of you. You’re mine, right?” “Yours.” She responds, smiling. I could stare at that smile every second of every day, and it still wouldn’t be enough.

I hum our song, it’s a risk, sure, but I like to think I’m filling her dreams with it. “Sweet dreams, little star.” I whisper, kissing the top of her head, “I love you. More than you know.”

“What was I supposed to say, Layla? You stood there and tore my fucking heart out. What was I supposed to say!? Tell me the right words and I’ll say them! You’re supposed to be mine!” I just stare at him, his chest rising and falling quickly with anger as those intense eyes bore into me. I’m supposed to be yours, yes. How could I possibly be when I’m living underneath his thumb? God knows what he’ll do to me for coming here. What price I’ll pay for feeling safe for one night? This moment right here with you is all I’ve dreamed of for far too many months. The moment you want to fix things, the moment you fight for me. Of course, it comes when I can’t have you. The deafening sound of another crack forming in my heart nearly drowns out our heavy breathing as I realize what I have to do, to protect myself…to protect him. Wrapping him into this would be wrong, as much anger as I feel towards him he doesn’t deserve my baggage. Not when it comes with such a heavy price. I can’t survive another person I care for having a target painted on their back.

gawk at the fact that he changed my underwear at some point last night. Strange things like that used to make me fall so much harder for him. He was always so… attentive. Uncomfortably so, but I loved it. I loved- “If you need me, don’t hesitate to call. You don’t have to do this alone, Layla, you don’t have to be alone.” I’m not, that’s the problem. He will never let me be alone. I’m not doing this to you, Liam, I’m doing it for you.

What will he do to punish me for my absence? Does he know I was with another man? I rest my forehead against the cold glass, staring blankly into the ruined front entrance of my grandpa’s house…my home. I can tell the damage continues inside. Why wouldn’t it? I betrayed him. That was clear by the bulk of texts I received as my phone came to life earlier. He felt hurt, betrayed. Thank God Peaches wasn’t home. He warned me there would be consequences if I disobeyed him…I was so sure I had the answers. So sure he was Liam. Now I’ve declared open season on everyone I know. Everything I care about. I wish he’d just fucking end it already. Maybe I should beat him to it.

“All of our years together, she made me feel like the most loved man in the world. Had that kind of love that blinded you to everything else. She never wore a mask. What you saw in Zoe, you got. If you’re ever fortunate enough to find someone that loves you so ferociously, it turns your world inside out with napalm skies. Never let them go.”

“Life is fleeting, Layla. I’m an old man. I’m sure the things I prattle on about must sound silly to you. They would’ve to me at that age.”

“Keep your head above the water. What they had it’s in you. You can have the happy ending they never got. You gotta be kind to yourself. Give me your keys.”

“I hope when he tires of me, you’re the one that finds my corpse.” The shocked expression on his face doesn’t fill me with half the satisfaction I thought it would as I close the door that half hangs from the hinges. That’s how this ends, right? I die, we both die or I…what? Succumb to the Stockholm Syndrome and ride off into the sunset on my stalker’s ridiculously large dick?

Do you believe yourself? The things that you call me? Your tormentor, your stalker… if I’m being honest, I don’t mind what label you attach to me as long as you call me yours. I think you’ll feel better if you’re honest about how I make you feel. We’ll both feel better if you’d open your fucking eyes. You’re smart, Layla, so smart. Ignorance isn’t always bliss.

Layla: Liam? …. Unknown: Stalker, tormentor, Liam… you can call me whatever you want, little love. I’m yours as much as you are mine. I shake my head to the empty house. Should’ve known better than to expect a semblance of closure. I’ve never had that, not ever. Never so much as a glimpse.

One week since she’s started ignoring me. Acting like I wasn’t there. One fucking week. It doesn’t matter how I try to provoke her. How many times I text, threaten or call she pretends she can’t see me. I have to be seen by her. Why all of this restraint now? After she was getting so close, she knows it’s me. She has to. My sweet little star… what the fuck are you doing to me?

I know better than most there is no limit to that woman’s depravity. Which paints a target on the back of my little love. Nobody is allowed to threaten her but me. Mother… ever delusional, tasked me with taking care of what she dubbed the fiancé problem.

Everything is a blur, the past ten months of my life all cumulating in one stupid decision. One fucking thing I shouldn’t do. It could ruin everything. This isn’t part of the plan, but there’s no stopping me now. She suspects me. She’s not stupid and I don’t care. There’s one place I belong and my bones and soul ache. Fuck the games I’ve played trying to wiggle my way back to there. Back to her.

Did you do that for him, baby? For me? I free my throbbing cock from my sweatpants, not bothering to prepare her before I’m sliding into her wet cunt. If I’ve learned anything the past few months it’s that my sweet little star likes to be taken by surprise. She doesn’t want to be ready for me.

She gasps, trying to pull my hand away. No. “It’s too much.” She begs as I continue ramming my cock in and out, her arousal dripping onto my legs. I nip at her soft lips before kissing them roughly, “You’ll take it.” She bites down on her lip, her legs trembling around my waist as she cries out again.

A growl forms deep in my chest, you’re mine. Every part of you. “So fucking pretty.” I murmur as my cock jerks, erupting inside of her. She has no clue what this could mean, no idea what I’ve done. I pull out of her, letting her crumple to the floor at my feet before I tuck myself back in my pants, lowering to my knees beside her. “I’ll always be beside you, Layla.” I whisper before pulling her into my arms, my mouth finding hers again in another frantic kiss. Out of all the mistakes I’ve made, this is my favorite.

“You can go too, Liam.” I beg your fucking pardon? She takes a deep breath pushing off of me, “If you hadn’t shown up tonight this wouldn’t have happened. I’m… his at least for the time being.” Her voice breaks, tugging on the strings of my heart as she grips her arms tightly across her chest. Yes… yes you are. All mine.

Don’t become a problem I have to solve, Officer. “It’s easy for women, especially ones that have been traumatized by their fathers to excite themselves. Perhaps for attention. Don’t worry too much about her, don’t get yourself in trouble on her account, like hitting a cop. There’s no evidence anything is actually happening to her.” He adjusts his utility belt, leaning back against my car. I bite down on my inner cheek, hard enough to draw blood before responding carefully. Making sure everything is wiped clean from my face, I sigh nodding back towards the house, “If you really think that’s the case.”