Keeping my contact with Nicolas from people was turning out to be more difficult than I had originally thought. His demands were usually "keep quiet," "go for a walk now," or "wear red today," so I knew that he had eyes on me.

I just didn't understand what he wanted from me. But at the same time, I did.

He wanted to prove I was puppet in this game, and that I was completely under his thumb, that he could, at any given moment, kill me, my sister, her husband, and my nephew.

God, hearing them was a blessing and curse. I hadn't seen them or heard from them in four years, so some part of me was grateful for the small piece of contact. But the terror in their voices, the defeat in Charlie's voice, the confusion of Ben, and the urgency of Ash.

She knew that I was going to do anything to protect them, even if that meant putting myself in harm's way. But she still tried to tell me to sacrifice them. She was so selfless, and I missed her so much.

Spencer had begun to grow suspicious. I was taking at least a call a day from Nicolas, cancelling plans left and right. Before I knew it, it had been three months of this awful cat and mouse game.

"Sarah, are you okay? You look tired," Spencer asked one day as we were sitting at Backroads.

"Yeah, just having trouble sleeping," I said, inwardly adding, "because a psychopath has the only family I have left, captive."

"Maybe because of the caffeine?" he said, pointing at my black coffee. "I thought you hated black coffee."

"Cheaper," I said, sipping it, cringing at the taste. I had been drinking way more coffee because of my nighttime activities, which included holding a loaded gun behind my locked front door all night long, or until I passed out.

"Sarah, I'm worried about you," Spencer said, reaching across the table. "You aren't taking care of yourself and you are pushing me away."

"I'm sorry," I said. "Work has been busy." Just as Spencer opened his mouth to speak, my phone rang, prompting him to shoot me a look that said, "Really?"

"One sec," I said, answering the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello Dani," came Nicolas' voice. I hated when he called me that.

"Yeah, this is Sarah. How are you doing today?" I said, silently excusing myself from the table, much to Spencer's displeasure, to exit the coffee shop.

"Rather warm greeting today," he said.

"What do you want?"

"Right to it, huh? No foreplay?" I grimaced.

"Nicolas, what do you want?" I said, more forcefully this time.

"Who's that skinny man with you?" he asked.

"That's none of your business."

"I would have thought you would've learned by now," he chuckled, "everything you do is my business, love."

"He's…a friend," I said, hoping that he hadn't seen me with Spencer before.

"Based on the display a few nights ago, maybe I should be a friend of yours too…quite the little fiend in bed, aren't you?"

"You can see in my apartment?" I whispered, feeling my skin crawl. That's it, I'm moving out.

"Of course, and, darling, you should get some sleep…When I come for you, a gun and locked door won't stop me."

"Fine. He's my boyfriend," I said, wanting him to shut up.

"How long?"

"About six months," I said, "I swear, leave him out of this."

"Well, that's up to you."

"What do you mean?"

"I know he is FBI darling, and I just can't have him around you."

"No-" I began, but was cut off by the click of a gun.

"Remember who you are talking to…Maybe I'll start with little Ben here? Or Ash, and you know I would take my sweet time with her, before going to Charlie? Or maybe-"

"Don't you dare."

"That's up to you. And remember, I have eyes and ears, everywhere." And with that the phone clicked.

I felt tears prick at my eyes. How could I do this to Spencer?

I love him.

Oh my God.

I love him.

But I couldn't put my happiness before my family and their safety. Taking a breath, I knew exactly what I had to do. I walked back into the shop and sat at the table.

"Work again?" Spencer asked. Perfect. At least I could start a fight and make this come out of nowhere.

"Yeah, but, you know, you really can't complain about it, so I don't want to hear it," I said, snapping.

"Woah, what's this about?" His voice sounded shocked, and I knew that he was. This was coming out of nowhere.

"You. Being gone all the time! Never letting me know if you are okay. Never telling me anything. Acting like you're the smartest in the room," I said, knowing that the last statement would sting. He hated that.

"Sarah-"

"And then you have the nerve to get upset when I have to take a phone call for work! Like, what is that Spencer?"

"I get annoyed because you work a job that shouldn't require you to pick up the phone when we are on a date," he said.

"Oh, so just because I'm not chasing serial killers means my job isn't as important as yours? Real nice, Spencer."

"That's not what I meant-"

"Well, then how did you mean it Spencer? Please, enlighten me, oh brilliant one."

"What has gotten into you?"

"Maybe this isn't working," I said.

"What?"

"This…us," I said. "We are clearly fooling ourselves if we think that this is healthy."

We sat in silence with Spencer looking at his coffee cup, not speaking. God, I hated seeing him upset and confused. My chest physically hurt for him.

But I had family to think about, and there was no telling what Nicolas would to them and Spencer if I refused his order. So, I stood up and grabbed my purse.

"I'm sorry Spencer. This isn't working," I said. "We're done." I refused to meet his eyes, leaving the coffee shop and walked home, ignoring the fact that he didn't try to stop me.

I made my way to the apartment building, entering my apartment and dropping my bag at the sight that laid before me.

My apartment had been ransacked. There was stuff thrown around. I ran to my room, praying that the safe was fine.

I opened the door and nearly screamed.

My walls were covered in pictures of me, from meetings at the park with Daniel to Spencer and I watching TV together on my couch. My flower picture was thrown on the ground, the safe was completely empty, but most disturbingly, there was a single yellow rose on my neat bed, a stark contrast to the mess that was now my apartment.

He had been here.

He was in my apartment.

And he left the rose.

He left his calling card.

Picking up the rose, I felt the dread fill up within me.

He was coming for me.

And that thought made me rush to the bathroom and throw up.

I then grabbed my purse and left my apartment. I grabbed a cab and made my way to the cheapest hotel in Stafford.

Then I called Daniel, knowing the consequences of contacting him. Hopefully, my rapid movements meant that he couldn't figure out what I was doing. As the phone rang, my gut tightened in fear for my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew.

But I couldn't live like this anymore.

"Daniel, I'm at Franny's Motel. We need to talk. Now."