Riley's POV

"You cannot get away from me." An electricized voice say as I ran in the middle of nowhere. My heart was racing as fear consumed me. I cannot let him get to me. Then I heard the malicious voice laughing at me.

"Run all you want but I will catch you." It said mocking me.

My face was covered in sweat and tears. Even after running for so long I was getting nowhere. I kept looking back to make sure I was running away from that monster. I never saw his face as he concealed himself in black clothes and a black mask. Why was this happening again? I asked myself. No matter what I tried this monster kept coming back. I turned back again to find behind him right behind me extending an arm to catch me. I screamed and moved my legs as fast as I could. Suddenly I tripped and fell on the ground. Thud, thud, thud. My heart beat a tattoo on my chest. My throat was dry as sand paper and I did not have the strength to get up.

"I have got you now." Said the voice again. I wrapped my hands around myself laying in a fetal position. No! I whispered as a dark shadow loomed over me.

In an instant the dark shadow disappears and I hear a groan. I get up to see my stalker pinned down to the floor by someone else. Who is he? I wondered. That man started to beat the guy beneath him. His muscles bulged through the material of his t-shirt. I couldn't look away. He felt so familiar. My stalker kept receiving punch after punch and yelled in pain.

The man stood up and kicked that stalker in the stomach. My eyes suddenly noticed the ink on the back of his neck. It was of an infinity symbol which finished with the word 'faith' underneath it. I gasped. There was only one person I knew that had the same tattoo.

"You." I whispered as everything faded into darkness.

I woke in my bed safe, but disheveled and disoriented. That tattoo cannot mean anything. Again. Why would I possibly see him in midst of everything else? Am I going crazy? My nightmares have been going on for the past two months. Ever since my life has been threatened by that mystery stalker. I was in Brooklyn for a meeting when he attacked me. I kept getting recorded messages afterwards which were mostly about finding and killing me. He tried to choke me with a pillow in my hotel room. He could've killed me that day but he didn't deliberately. On his way out he left the door open and while later a hotel staff found me on the floor. I was rushed to the ER and my parents were informed. My adoptive parents, Ryland and Leslie Maddox. They had been very worried and my father, Ryland had hired PIs and had left no stones unturned to look for the man who caused me such pain. We had not yet found him because I had no idea what he looked like. The only thing I remember was that he was wearing all black. There were a bunch of phone calls over time. All had been the same electronic voice that told me I was going to die in his hands.

We are not being able to understand the meaning of this. Who would want to hurt me so badly? The investigators suggested that it might be the cause of being the Child, adopted nonetheless, of a multi-millionaire. Maybe that's the reason but it is still unclear that why this man was after my life. He did not even ask for ransom.

Paranoia gripped me at every moment of my life now. I kept busy with my new company, Havenly Homes, my precious dream. The company is my baby and I couldn't let anything get in the way of it. I was recommended time off work but to be honest it is was kept me distracted from all the chaos.

It said 5 am on the clock and I did not have to leave till seven thirty. I followed into my regular routine of yoga, meditation and cooking breakfast. Freely showered and ready at around seven I checked my messages while making my breakfast. The answer machine tinged.

"One new message." it said.

"Hey kiddo. I know you're probably up by now so come over to our house for lunch today. Leslie will make her famous Arepas and also that we haven't talked in a long time. Just making sure that you're okay kiddo. Bye. Love you." said Ryland

It had been a long time since I visited them. Now I felt guilty. I just didn't want to burden them anymore. Ever since the accident they act so careful around me, as if they were walking on egg shells. I didn't want that. I wanted my family back. Just the way we were when they adopted me. I made myself some eggs and toast and started my day.

___________________________________________________________________

"It's lunchtime, girly." said my assistant, Ethan.

"It is already? I didn't even realize that." I asked looking at the time.

"How would ya? Your pretty little brain has all the fuel it needs with the amount of coffee I ordered you. You are high on caffeine, girl. Do you even drink water?" he said reprimanding me. Ethan is my good friend and assistant. A twenty-year-old queer African-American dude with a lip gloss that was always popping.

"Yes, I do drink water, Ethan. The coffee just keeps me from crashing anytime soon." I said rubbing my eyes.

"Still having trouble sleeping?" he asked sympathetically.

"Yup." I said gathering my things. Ethan came up from behind to help me with my blazer and asked, "Is it the usual or did you see anything new?"

His question reminded me of the tattoo and the man who bore it. I quickly dismissed the thought and said, "No. Same old terrifying nightmare."

"Girl you should talk about it to someone else too. Tell your parents about it ." he said.

"I don't want to. Please just drop it. I have to go now." I said.

"Uh, uh. Where you think you going?" he asked.

"To lunch with my parents. I thought I had told you." I said stating the obvious.

"Oh, I know and I'm coming with ya. I cannot miss any chance of seeing that sexy dad of yours." he said reapplying his lip gloss.

"Eww, Ethan. He is my father. Oh god! Do you always have to do that? What about your fiancé?"

"My man knows that he has all of me and I love him to death but that does not mean I can't look." he said with a dreamy smile. Sometimes Ethan can get so annoying. No. Scratch that he is always very annoying. I admit that Ryland is very attractive. He is like only 38 years old. He has got that charming smile and all that everyone digs. I feel weird about saying these things about a guy who is supposedly my adoptive father. I have people come up to me and tell me your dad is hot. Im like come on he is married with three kids including me.

"Not at all cool, dude. If you flirt with him in front of me, I'm gonna puke." I said walking to the elevator.

"Oh, calm your tits girl. I will be at a safe a distance admiring that Adonis okay. Once I'm there dear Leslie won't let me leave without eating and then I get to stay." he said clapping his hands.

"Sometimes I wonder why do I keep you around." I said.

"You love me." he said winking. I rolled my eyes hiding the smile.

_____________________________________________________________________

"Hey sweetie." Leslie said hugging. I kiss both of her cheeks and greet.

"What's up kiddo?" Ryland said hugging me.

"Hey, dad". I said hugging him back. I do not call him dad always. It was like a spur of the moment. Whenever I felt comfortable, I called him that and most of the time by his name. However, I never had the urge to call Leslie 'mom'. I just never felt like it but they both were comfortable with that. Leslie talked to Ethan inviting him in as expected and we all sat for lunch with delicious Mexican and Venezuelan food cooked by Leslie. Ryland and Leslie both were from Venezuela and had made me love their culture. We ate and talked about recent events and what not.

"The twins miss you a lot. They are at a picnic from school or else you could've met them." she said.

"I miss them too." I said. Oscar and Alaia were Ryland and Leslie's 4-year-old children. They are IVF twins and were born when I was eighteen. After many years of trying to have a kid they now had two. Leslie always said that I am a lucky charm for this family. I loved them and spoiled them to death. After many years of having no family it felt great to have them.

"I will see them at the annual party." I said.

"Oh yes. Ethan darling you are invited too. Please bring along your partner." said Leslie.

Ethan had a Cheshire grin on his face. "Thank you, Leslie." I rolled my eyes and turned to Ryland.

"I'm sorry for being so occupied lately. The company is new and we have been getting a lot of clients." I said.

"We understand sweetheart. I'm very proud of your achievements despite everything. You have dealt with everything so maturely. I am upset that I wasn't there when you were harmed."

"Ryland. Can we not talk about that further? I want to move on from it." I said. Ryland and Leslie exchanged looks.

"Actually, mi hija we have to tell you something." said Leslie

"What is it? Did they find him?" I asked.

Ryland shook his head. "No, Riley they haven't. As much as it angers me to say this but we have got nothing on him." he said.

My stomach dropped. I gently pushed my plate of desert away. "Then what is it you wanted to say to me?" I asked.

"We have considered every option for your safety and we have decided to hire security personals for you. They will be around you all the time and so you will not be alone. They will be able to protect you keep you safe." he said.

"You mean bodyguards? Like watching me all the time. Live with me etc." I said incredulously.

"Riley, we are worried about you. What happened in Brooklyn was horrible. We just want to keep you safe and never let that happen again." said Ryland.

"but how can I live like that with people hovering over me all the time? I would have no privacy."

"Please Riley. Consider this. You would be safe and you can go wherever you need to; a bodyguard will just be there to look after you. We love you Riley. We just want you to be unharmed. You are our daughter." he said.

I pinched my lips together. This is upsetting. I have been trying so hard to not let this man affect my life but he is anyway.

"All they want is your safety baby girl." said Ethan.

I sighed. "Where will they live? My apartment is small but I do have an extra room, the one where Lenny used to live." I said.

"there will be two bodyguards and you would have to move in with us again." he said.

"two? Ryland this is excessive and I just got my apartment six months ago." I said.

"I know this is hard but sweetie, Ryland is doing what is necessary. Por favor, hija mia. Tratar de entender."(please, my daughter try to understand.)

I huffed. I didn't know what to say. This situation will have me in shackles. I will be tied to this mess forever. At least until they find him.

"I have to go. Ethan and I have work to do. Ethan?" I said. We got up began to walk towards the door.

"Riley." Leslie called out.

I turned around to look at her coming towards me. She took my hands and squeezed them. She then hugged me and said, "We love you. You know, that right?" she said.

I nodded. "I love you guys too. And I'll think about it." I said.

This isn't gonna be easy but since when my life has been easy. I would have to face this challenge head on.

A/N: Hi my beautiful friends. My old readers welcome to a new book and my new readers thank you for giving this book a chance. Hope you guys enjoy this.

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AisheeSaha❤❤❤❤❤

The tattoo that Riley saw.