The Stalker Next Door: 15. The Break In

“Hello?” she whispered, instantly regretting it.

A shape rose from the darkness below, quick and silent. A gloved hand gripped the sill. Another followed. And then the second shadow pulled himself over the ledge and into her apartment with the grace of a predator.

Mara stumbled back, her breath locked in her throat. He was taller up close, broader, his hood pulled low over his face. Black tactical fabric clung to his frame. He carried no flashlight, no bag. Just a blade strapped to his thigh.

He closed the window behind him without a sound.

“Don’t scream,” he murmured.

Her voice trembled. “Who are you?”

He stepped closer, his presence like a storm pressing into the room. “Someone who’s been watching longer than he has,” he said softly. “Someone who’s going to get you out.”

Mara’s knees went weak. “Out?”

“Yes.” His gloved fingers brushed her arm, light but insistent. “You have no idea what he’s planning for you.”

She shook her head, back