Chapter 3 The Neighbor Behind the Wall
I shut the door of unit 402 with trembling hands. The sound of my heartbeat pounded loudly in my ears, in rhythm with the fading footsteps of the man in the hallway.
I leaned my back against the cold wooden door and closed my eyes. That man knew Julian. They worked together. And now, I was living right across from their nest.
Once I was sure the hallway had gone completely silent, I forced myself to step further inside. The studio apartment was actually quite luxurious for someone like me. The main space had polished oak floors, with a queen-sized bed in the corner dressed in crisp white sheets. On the other side, a small kitchen stood with a black marble counter and two tall stools.
I walked toward the bathroom on the right. It was small but clean, with dark gray tiled walls and a minimalist glass shower. I needed a shower. I had to wash away the remnants of that disgusting night from my skin.
I placed my shopping bags on the marble counter and stepped into the bathroom. As my hand reached for the glass door handle, a chill ran down my spine. I froze, glancing around the room. It felt like something was watching me, an unseen gaze that still felt real. I looked up at the small vent, then toward the mirror, but there was no one.
“You’re just traumatized, Evelyn. Calm down,” I whispered to myself.
I pulled off the oversized black hoodie, then slowly slid down my jeans and underwear until they pooled at my feet. I stood bare in front of the mirror, noticing the faint bruises on my shoulder from Mark’s grip the night before. Then I stepped under the shower and turned on the warm water.
Water cascaded over my head, flowing down the curve of my shoulders, my back, and my chest. It felt incredibly relieving. I reached for the vanilla-scented body wash and began to lather it over my skin. My fingers moved across my slick, soapy body, washing away the grime from that warehouse. I closed my eyes as I shampooed, letting the foam cover my face.
Then suddenly, Julian’s image appeared in the darkness behind my eyelids. I remembered how he had lifted me in that warehouse, how his lips had pressed against mine. His kiss had been controlled, deliberate, and strangely… safe. So different from Mark. Every time Mark kissed me, it was rough, demanding, making me feel like something he owned. Julian… he kissed me like I was something valuable.
I flinched and opened my eyes. Water splashed over my face, rinsing away the stinging shampoo. “What are you thinking, Evelyn? He’s part of that syndicate,” I muttered to myself. I quickly rinsed off, turned off the water, and stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body.
The next morning, I woke up with my stomach growling. I left the apartment in a casual T-shirt and jeans, heading to a small bakery called Brooklyn Crust at the end of Borden Avenue.
I sat in the corner, starting on a chocolate croissant and a cup of black coffee. But my bite froze halfway when I saw a figure I recognized all too well standing at the counter.
“Mark?”
My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. How did he find me so quickly? I lowered my head, trying to finish my food as fast as possible so I could leave. But as I stood to go, his eyes caught me.
“Evelyn?” His voice boomed through the quiet shop.
I quickened my pace toward the door, but Mark was faster. He chased me onto the sidewalk and suddenly grabbed my waist from behind, pulling me tightly into his grip.
“Where do you think you’re going, you bitch? You think you can hide from me in this city?” he growled into my ear.
“Let go, Mark! Please!” I struggled, hitting his arm as it locked around me.
“Come with me now!”
“She’s not going anywhere with you.”
That baritone voice came out of nowhere. I turned and saw Julian standing there, dressed in an expensive dark gray suit. He stepped forward calmly, then with one swift motion, pulled my arm free from Mark’s grip and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
“Let’s go, sweetheart. You took forever getting breakfast,” Julian said in a deliberately gentle tone.
Mark froze. His eyes burned with hatred and shock as he stared at Julian. “You… Julian? Since when do you know her?”
I went still. They really did know each other. Julian simply gave a faint smile, the kind that made chills crawl up your spine. “Keep your dirty hands off her, Mark. Evelyn is my girlfriend now. If you touch her again, I won’t hesitate to send you back to Chicago in a wooden box.”
Mark let out a mocking laugh, though his face had gone pale. “Girlfriend? Don’t lie. I know your taste, Julian. You don’t date girls like her.”
Julian glanced at me, then back at Mark. “You need proof?”
Without waiting, he tilted my chin up and leaned down. His lips captured mine for the second time. But this time was different. This wasn’t just an act for show. He pressed harder, deeper, his control unmistakable as he kissed me with burning intensity.
To make Mark leave, I had no choice but to respond. I parted my lips, returning the kiss just enough to make it convincing. The soft, wet sound of it filled the busy sidewalk.
Mark growled in anger at the sight. He tried to pull us apart, but Julian quickly released one hand from my waist and shoved Mark hard in the chest, sending him stumbling onto the pavement.
“Damn you, Julian!” Mark shouted as he got back up. “I’ll destroy your business! I’ll make sure you rot in prison for what you’re doing in this city!”
Julian didn’t flinch. He simply watched Mark with a blank expression until Mark finally stormed off.
The moment Mark was gone, Julian let go of me. I steadied my uneven breathing, wiping my lips that still felt warm.
“How do you know Mark? Are you really part of that syndicate?” I demanded immediately.
Julian glanced at me, adjusting his slightly rumpled suit. “You should be thanking me for saving you again, Evelyn. And as for your question… New York is a small city for people like us.”
“What kind of people?”
Instead of answering, he asked, “Who is he to you?”
“My ex. The most toxic and insane one,” I replied honestly.
Julian nodded slowly. “Do you need protection? I can give it to you.”
I hesitated, then let out a small, cynical laugh. “Protection from you? I don’t even know who you are. No, thank you.”
Julian shrugged and turned toward the parking area. “Be careful out there, Evelyn. New York isn’t kind to a girl on her own.”
I stood there, watching him walk away. He was dangerous, I knew that. But Mark had already found me, and I had no one here. Without thinking, I ran after him toward his sleek silver car.
“Wait! Julian!”
He stopped, hand on the car door handle. “Yes?”
“I… I’m new here. I don’t know my way around the city. Could you take me to the nearest art supply store? I need painting tools. I’ll pay you later,” I said quickly, before my courage disappeared.
Julian gave a faint smile, this time almost genuine. “Get in.”
We drove to Artist & Craftsman Supply in Long Island City. I bought everything, canvases in various sizes, a professional set of oil paints, soft-bristle brushes, palettes, and thinner. Julian said nothing, simply watching as I picked out colors with quiet enthusiasm.
When I was done, I asked him to take me home. I gave him my new apartment address, and he only nodded without asking questions. Once we arrived, I helped carry my things from the trunk.
“How much do I owe you?” I asked when we reached the fourth floor, right in front of my unit.
Julian shook his head and pulled a key from his pocket. “Nothing.”
I frowned in confusion as I watched him walk toward the door right next to mine. Unit 401.
“You… you live here?” I blurted out in shock. “We’re neighbors?”
He inserted his key and glanced back at me, expression flat. “Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You didn’t ask last night or this morning, Evelyn.”
I let out a small, awkward laugh, feeling foolish. So my escape had brought me right next to the man I should probably fear the most.
Suddenly, the door of unit 401 opened from the inside. A woman stepped out, dressed boldly in a thin T-shirt without a bra, her nipples clearly visible through the fabric, and extremely short shorts.
“Julian! You took forever,” she said, then suddenly rose on her toes and kissed his cheek casually.
Julian looked startled and immediately pulled away, irritation flashing across his face. “Sarah! What are you doing here?”
The woman named Sarah didn’t answer. Her eyes shifted to me instead. She scanned me from head to toe with a condescending look, then glanced back at Julian with a sly smile.
“Well, well. So this is why you’re late getting home?” she said, gesturing toward me with her chin. “Is she your new toy, Julian?”
