Reckoning - 14. Chapter 14

Patrick awoke refresh and satisfied. He noticed Adam not beside him and glanced at the clock. It was an hour past Adam’s work hour. Being as his apartment was above his office, Adam made sure he kept a tight schedule so not to neglect his place of business. Patrick rose, feeling the chill in the air and tugged on the top from last night moving to the closet. He stood barefoot wearing one of Adam’s tee shirts in front of a two door closet that was a quarter size of his walk-in closet at his penthouse and even smaller than his wardrobe at his parent’s manor. He pondered the single shelf that stretched across the top. The one bar supporting several items of clothing pushed to the far left, exposing an empty section Adam made for him. When Adam asked him to move in with him Patrick jumped at the invite and had high expectations of his new venture. He’s never lived with any of his past lovers. He scanned the several boxes and suitcases stacked against the wall filled with his belongings. One suitcase laid on the floor opened with his items. He’d wish Poe his trusted A.I. was with him dealing with the chaos. As far back as he can remember, he never unpacked his belongings. When he traveled, he lived out of his suitcase or someone at the hotel put his things away for him.

With a heavy sigh, he rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the tension rise under his skin. He left the bedroom felling overwhelmed and turned his attention to the rest of the apartment. He eyed Adam’s well placed belongings and wondered how his own would fix. A knotted growl rippled through his stomach, and he headed for the kitchen in search of food. He promised Adam he wouldn’t cook after his last attempt as he opened the fridge. A grin spread across his face when he saw the parfait Adam left for him. A beeping caught his attention. He turned and saw the coffee maker he bought, Adam after he damaged the last one, brewing.

“He thought of everything,” Patrick whispered, grabbing his parfait and filling a mug with coffee and cream. Using the spoon from his drink and enjoyed his breakfast in the living room on the couch texting Adam his thanks. When he received Adam’s response, he finished his breakfast and headed for the bathroom. He stripped and turned on the shower. Adjusting the temperature. He brushed his teeth at the sink and on impulse glance out the bathroom window scattered with frost from the dropping temperature from the night before. The view was of the alley and a building with a mural. The building once owned by Gavin Martin, who with Patrick’s boyfriend. Murdered by Patrick’s stalker, Jay An over obsessive fan who wore a Harlequin mask.. A damaged window with old police tape across it reminding him of the danger Adam put himself in to save him from being raped by Jay.

Patrick stuttered at the thought of Adam leaping from his bathroom window, smashing through another. One miscalculation or not enough momentum, Adam would have gotten gravely injured or worst. Patrick spit the toothpaste into the sink and rinsed his mouth. He was about to turn to step into the shower when something in the other building caught his eye.

Someone was standing in the bathroom looking right at him. Patrick grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his privates. He stared back, wondering who the person was. The frost on the window distorted the image. Did Gavin’s Mothers sell or rent the building? He wondered. His cell rang. Happy for the distraction, he turned to grab it off the sink. He saw something that was unfeasible sending shivers down his spin. A picture of an anime character called, Pikachu, and Gavin Martin’s caller ID.