The Harlequin - 12. Chapter 12

The hot shower spray tapped at Adams skin, soothing his tired body. Since before dawn, he'd moved up and down stairs with boxes, lamps, and chairs. His family saved him again when they showed up and helped finish setting up his office and apartment. He was going to have to do something special for them.

For right now his mind was on the man next door, who, he’d hoped, was taking his shower at that very moment. He noticed through the long, dark curtains, which parted in the middle, the bathroom light across the way glowing. Adam had a fair view of the bathroom sink and door, but not the shower. Which was best, considering earlier, he never wanted Patrick to think he was a perv.

But Patrick would get an eyeful of him if he’d open the curtains wider. His hand touched his hard cock and slid back and forth; thinking of Patrick’s lips on him as he focused on the other bathroom, when something caught his eye.

The dark figure walked past the window and faced the door. Adam’s heart thundered in his chest as the realization of who it was came in focus.

If asked how he got dressed in jeans, leather jacket, no shirt, and biker boots so fast after being under a shower Adam couldn’t say. He only knew he needed to reach Patrick before it was too late. Taking the stairs would prove to be an obstacle, knowing the front doors to his and the building next door was reinforced with a double steel shielding, so he needed a short cut.

Then he remembered the key; the key Patrick used to open Gavin's door. He had noticed Patrick's urgency to retrieve it, but he wasn't fast enough to shield its hiding place. Adam bolted down the fire escape stairs, which were closer to Gavin's door. He opened the hidden panel to where the key was and unlocked the door. He skipped steps to reach the apartment door and thankfully found it unlocked. He raced down the hall towards the bedroom.

“Patrick!” Adam called out, as he entered the bedroom.

The Harlequin threw a punch to his ribs that knocked Adam backward, giving the Harlequin a chance to wrap Adam in a hug and back him into a nearby dresser cracking the wall behind it. Patrick wanted to help and saw his opportunity, remembering his cell. He looked around and remembered he left it on the bed. He forced himself to scramble to it and saw the cell by Gavin’s foot. He snatched it up and began to dial the police.

He glanced back and saw the Harlequin pulling Adam into the bathroom.

Adam had underestimated how strong the Harlequin was. He had dragged Adam back into the bathroom and pushed him out the damaged window. Adam gripped the edge of the landing and held on, dangling over the alley as the Harlequin just glared at him, then something caught the killer’s attention, causing him to walk away.

The dispatcher answered on the first ring.

“Emergency,” said a male voice.

“Yes. I need help! There’s an intruder in my home!”

“What is the address sir?”

As Patrick started to give the dispatcher the address, a hand grabbed his arm and twisted him around. The Harlequin smacked the cell from his hand, sending it flying across the room, than seized his neck, pushing him back onto the mattress, blocking his air flow. Patrick clawed at the vice-like grip choking him. He saw the Harlequin’s sleeve cuff had shifted exposing a tattoo of two dark figures on the inside of his wrist.

Patrick’s vision became blurred as his body relaxed in the powerful grip. Once satisfied Patrick wasn’t going to put up a fight, he left him lying limp on the bed. Half conscious and half dazed, Patrick took deep breaths, watching through hazy eyes as the Harlequin returned to the bathroom.

“He’s going back for Patrick,” Adam thought as he used his upper body to pull himself back inside. But once he got a leg into the room, the Harlequin rushed towards him, shoving him back out the window. Adam grasped the sides of the window frame and held tighter. The Harlequin gripped Adam’s neck. He leaned on Adam as he grabbed one of his wrists, wrenching it free from the frame. Adam was losing his hold when the Harlequin’s grip on his neck and arm lightened as Adam witnessed Patrick jumping on his back, tearing at the mask.

The Harlequin backed away carrying Patrick out of the bathroom. Adam regained his hold, climbed through the window, and rushed into the bedroom. Patrick wasn’t there. He saw a naked dead man on the bed. He saw it wasn’t Patrick as he rushed into the hall, finding the apartment door open.

*************

Patrick had enough of being shoved around as he jumped on the Harlequin’s back, trying to stop Adam from falling to his death. But his efforts were in vain as the masked man backed him out of the room and spun him around, putting Patrick’s wrists in a vice-like hold. He dragged him out of the bedroom towards the front door.

“Let me go, you bastard!” Patrick tried to break free as his attacker dragged him out of the apartment and hauled him down the stairs. Once the Harlequin reached the street, police sirens echoed in the distance, moving closer. He had to make a decision and taking Patrick was out of the question.

“The cops are coming; you’re not going to get away with killing Gavin,” Patrick snapped. The Harlequin stared back with his cracked face and laughed at Patrick, who found the broken voice chilling as the killer pulled him close to his masked face.

“No matter how you whore yourself you’ll never belong to anyone but me.” Patrick saw a familiar gaze looking at him before he was shoved to the cold ground and watched the Harlequin run off.

Adam appeared through the door and saw Patrick sitting dazed on the sidewalk before watching the Harlequin sprint away. He started to give chase, but didn’t want to leave Patrick unattended again.

He returned to his side and gathered Patrick in his arms helping him to stand just as the police cars pulled up.

hr />I wanted to post this now because of the close connection to the last chapter and it's a short one.
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