"NO!" Rory cried out, interrupting Rin and drawing a groan from Dillon as he pushed himself up using Dillon's lower abdomen.
Rin frowned. "How long have you been awake?"
Rory's brows knitted. "Does it matter? I say no!"
Rin blew out an exasperated breath as he ran both hands through his hair. "Listen, Rory, this is our best chance regardless of who this person is. You're tired of running, aren't you? Let's catch this bastard and be done with it."
"It's not going to work!" Rory's entire body trembled as he thought of the possibility.
Finally recovering his breath, Dillon set forward and clasped Rory's shoulders. "Calm down. Let's all sleep on this and talk about it with clear heads tomorrow." His gaze moved to Rin. "This is a lot… and it involves all of us, so it needs to be discussed as a group. Wouldn't you agree?"
Rin shrugged. "I… guess…"
Dillon leaned forward, retrieved the bottle of pills, and handed them to Rory. "It says to take them while in bed. "Try to get some rest."
Rory swallowed hard as his gaze moved between the two and the bottle. He knew good and well they were just trying to get rid of him, but he held his hand out for the bottle anyway. He pushed up from the couch on unsteady legs and forced his feet to move. Before he could manage two steps, though, the back of his shirt was being tugged on. He glanced back.
Dillon held up Rory's barely touched drink. "Don't forget this."
Rory bit his lip, trying to mask his disappointment. "Thanks… good night…"
"I'll be through in a bit to check on you," Dillon added.
Rory quickly turned as he nodded, further masking his growing disappointment. He moved sluggishly through the living room, waiting for Rin to say something… anything, but the words never came.
Dillon shook his head once Rory was out of the room. "You're a real asshole, man."
Rin frowned. "I… I don't know what to say to him right now…"
"Good night… I love you… Probably would have made his night… but what do I know…"
Rin ran his hand through his hair as he flopped against the back of the seat. "Fuck…" Rin trained his gaze on the ceiling. "I know this plan will work."
Dillon furrowed his brows. "Baiting a psychopath could backfire horrifically, Rin. You think of that?"
"Sure, but if we have the detective on standby."
"I don't like this plan."
"But it's the best one we have."
**
Rory's entire body trembled as his heart thudded against his chest. He clasped the front of his shirt as he backed away from the curtain leading out onto the stage. "There… there's too many people. I… I can't do this."
Rin adjusted his tie as he cleared his throat. "Just follow my lead and do what we discussed."
Rory could feel the blood drain from his face. "I… I can't…" His clammy skin began to break out in beads of cold sweat.
Dillon stepped behind Rory and clasped Rory's shoulders. "You've got this. We are all right here with you. The three of us will be beside you the entire time, and there are detectives planted in the audience. We're going to catch this bastard."
Rory nodded as another hand slid into his. He glanced to his side to meet Sabastian's worried eyes.
"We are in this together." The heavier accent bespoke Sabastian's own nervousness.
"They're right. We're in this together. You're safe." Rin muttered quietly as he took the first steps out onto the stage. Rin forced a wide, welcoming grin as he waved to the crowd. "Welcome!" He adjusted his mic as he moved across the stage. "We'd like to apologize for the sudden changes to the event schedule, but as most of you know, that have been some unsavory incidents lately that have left some serious impacts on our team." Rin pulled out the chairs for Rory, Dillon, and Sabastian, and waited while they each took their seats. His gaze moved slowly over the room, looking for anyone suspicious. Rin lifted his arms and sent the crowd an even wider smirk. "But who would we be to cancel on such late notice? This may not be the show you wanted, but we'll do our best to make it worth your ticket price. What do you say?"
Clapping rang out around the room. As the lights lowered over the audience, the applause and eruption of voices settled into a dull roar that echoed through Rory's ears, throwing off his equilibrium. His wide eyes tried to see past the bright lights of the stage into the dark, shadowed recesses of the audience, but it was no use. The tightness in his chest grew, causing him to want to claw at it, to dig at the insides as if there was a wild animal trapped inside, needing to be freed. The vast shadows were playing tricks on him… he knew that was it… just tricks of his mind causing the hallucinations he'd been having to grow worse as each face morphed into the hooded figure. He could hear the distant, muffled murmur of Rin's voice coming from nearby, but couldn't make out the words he was saying. Cold beads of sweat ran down his face and neck as more muffled voices permeated the loud pulsing in his ears. He jerked as hands clasped his waist and lifted him onto a lap. Though familiar, he couldn't contain the tremor that coursed through his body.
Rin paused, his smile tightening as he shifted his gaze toward Rory for the first time since the event had begun. Sure enough, something was wrong… bad wrong… Rin tapped Dillon's foot with his own and gestured for him to take Rory. "Well, it looks like Rory here is still a bit shaken up from everything that has happened. What do you say we hold questions for him until a later time?" Rin frowned as the audience erupted into more questions. He slid Rory over to Dillon. "Do you think you can calm him down here, or do you think you'll have to leave the stage?" Rin whispered, but with the mic attached to his suit jacket, it was still projected over the audience.
Dillon frowned. "I'll try my best, but if I can't, I'll go ahead and take him up to the room."
Rin nodded before turning his focus back toward the excited crowd. He missed no opportunity to taunt or make jabs at the stalker as he continued filling the audience in on all the events of the past several weeks.
Dillon lowered his lips beside Rory's ear as he held him tightly against his chest. "Rory, can you relax some?" He shifted Rory in his arms and brushed the damp hair that clung to his forehead away. "You're starting to hyperventilate… on stage… Do you need to leave?"
Rory clung to the front of Dillon's black button-up as he tried to steady his breathing, but failed to do so.
Dillon frowned. "Rin, I'm going to have to take him on up."
Rin sent him a dismissive wave under the table and began to quickly apologize to the crowd.
Dillon shook his head in irritation as he waited for the security guard to escort them from backstage to their room. He didn't reply when the guard's curious gaze traveled over Rory's trembling body, nestled in his arms. He refused to reply to any of the guard's small talk as they made their way upstairs.
His irritation grew more when the door to the room was opened, only to find it already filled with gifts left by fans. Dillon blew out a groan as he carefully kicked bags and baskets out of the way. He carried Rory over to the only cleared off bed and carefully laid him down before sitting on the edge of the bed beside him. He cupped Rory's face. "You're safe now. There is no one else in here except you and me." He slid his hand down Rory's neck and rested it on his chest, filling the frantic rise and fall of his breathing and manic thump of his heart. The rough, frowning lines of his face deepened. "I told Rin this wasn't a good idea…" He shifted and stretched out beside Rory, keeping his hand on his chest as he slid the other under Rory's head and pulled him against his body. "I have you. You're not going anywhere, and no one will hurt you. Just breathe."
Rory turned onto his side and nodded into Dillon's shirt as he buried his face against the soft fabric.
Dillon cupped the back of Rory's head and held him against his chest. "That's it. Listen to my breathing and the beat of my heart. Try to match yours with mine. In and out." Dillon drew in a deep breath and blew it out as he coached Rory through the breathing exercise.
Once Rory had begun to calm down, he relaxed against Dillon.
Dillon stroked Rory's damp hair, and he loosened his hold. "Are you feeling better now?"
Rory nodded. "Yeah… thank you…" He pressed his ear against his chest. "You know… You said to match my heartbeat with yours… but yours isn't all that slow right now…" Rory teased quietly.
Dillon's arms tightened around him. "It's because you're in my arms… doesn't matter the reason…"
Rory could feel a blush creep up his cheeks, and as clad Dillon couldn't see his face. "I… see…"
"Rory, I meant it… I don't agree with what Rin's doing, but I'll be here beside you and do all I can to keep you safe… keep both of you as safe as I can…" He leaned away to study Rory's expression, but before either of them could say more, the door busted open.
"How is he?" Rin asked as he shot through the door. He drew to a halt when his phone began to buzz with a notification. His brow furrowed, and his eyes moved from the phone screen to the fan gifts scattered around the room. "Guys, I don't mean to make things worse… but there's a tracking device in one of these bags."
Dillon snapped up from the bed and rushed over to Rin, yanking the phone from his hand. "Fuck!" He barked out as he stared dumbfoundedly at the screen. He shook his head as his eyes moved over the many bags and baskets. "Well, I'm glad I talked you into downloading that app."
"Right?!" Rin muttered.
"Do you think it's the stalker?" Sabastian asked as he clutched his arms by the door.
Rin and Dillon both nodded as they began searching the gifts. Dillon lifted a suspicious strawberry plushie and examined it. Sure enough, there were tampered seams along the concealed leaves. Dillon forced his thumbs through the delicate seams and ripped it apart, then plucked the airtag from inside. He arched a brow as he studied it. "Guy really likes to rub it in that he knows your favorite berry… Does he believe there's nothing else you like?" Dillon was about to toss the tag to the ground when Rin stopped him.
"No, we need to turn this over to the detectives." His smile curved gleefully. "It worked. We've got the bastard! He's here. If we go back out and put on-"
"Go back out there!? Are you kidding me? As you said, that psycho is here right now. You really think it's smart to drag Rory back out there?" Dillon barked out.
"Well, yeah, he'll be perfectly safe. We have the entire security staff on the lookout right now and a handful of officers out there. If we just lure the guy a bit more. Bam, got him. AND just think how crazy the fans will go if we make the bust during the show. That shit will go viral in an instant! You couldn't stage it if you tried!"
"You fucking kidding! That's where your mind is right now?!" Dillon rammed his hands through his hair as he kicked some of the gifts across the room. He shook his head. "You're just like fucking Rodric. You say you fucking hate him, but at the end of the day, you both think exactly the same." He hurled the airtag at Rin. "Fine, you go out there. Be your father's fucking dancing puppet, but the rest of us are going home."
Rin blew out a defeated breath. "That… was harsh… but you're right… We'll call security and the detectives up right now. I'll also contact the event staff and let them know we'll be canceling the remaining shows."
**
Rory couldn't help the wave of terror that coursed through him as he stared at the officer who was now standing in the center of the room. A wide, charming grin spread across his face as he spoke with Rin and Dillon. Rory scooted involuntarily closer to Sabastian on the bed and clutched his arm.
Sabastian cupped his hand over Rory's but didn't look away from the conversation. When the conversation seemed to end, the officer's expressive face turned toward them, but instantly became focused on Rory. Rory grew rigid as he tightened his hold on Sabastian. Something about the officer's gaze seemed taunting, even menacing to him.
"Is there anything else you'd like to add, Mr. Hartings?" The officer asked with a tantalizing smile.
Rory quickly shook his head, but then thought better of it. He hesitated for a brief moment before forcing the question past his lips. "Do… do I know you from somewhere?"
The officer's smile widened wolfishly. "It is possible you've seen me around the station on one of your trips in Mr. Hartings. I know I've seen you on multiple occasions now." He added with what seemed to be an unusual undertone that sent a shiver down Rory's spine.
Rory nodded, wanting to be done with the creepy exchange. "I'm sure that's it then…"
The officer tilted his head, his smile returning to normal. "Have you received any messages along with today's 'gift'?"
"Oh… I hadn't checked…" Rory hesitated as he glanced toward his phone on the nightstand.
The officer held out his hand. "May I?"
Rory quickly unlocked it and handed it up to the officer. The officer scrolled through Rory's phone for several minutes before finally handing it back. "Looks clear." His eyes shifted back to Dillon and Rin. "Though I do agree with you. It may be best to wrap things up here and head home early to be on the safe side." He closed the small notebook he was carrying and shoved it back into his pocket. "I suggest leaving the remainder of these gifts and having security escort you out when you do leave."
Rin and Dillon nodded their agreement as they watched the officer leave the room. Dillon ran his hand through his hair. "I'll stay here and wrap up this shit. You need to get him home as quickly as possible."
Rin blew out a long sigh. "Yeah… You're right…" He shifted his gaze to Rory but quickly furrowed his brows in confusion. "Rory, what's wrong?"
Rory shook his head. "I… I can't shake the feeling that I know him from somewhere else… From… from…" His troubled eyes moved between Rin and Dillon. "But it can't be, right? I'm just being paranoid, right?"
Rin stood frozen in place as Dillon hurried over and pulled Rory against him. "That's right, Rory. It's just your mind messing with you. Like the officer said, you've only seen him in passing at the station when we've stopped in."
Dillon sent Rin a pleading glare, causing him to rush over as well. Rin fell to his knees on the floor between Rory's feet. "I'm so sorry I've forced you to go through all this. We're going home right now. I promise. Then you'll be safe and not have to worry about any of this. We'll not leave the house again for any of this shit until this fucker is caught, alright."