“Aah,” Olivia yelled and rose from the floor forgetting about the pain in her head. Panic filled her body with full remembrance of the nightmare she had experienced. She clung to Durbin’s arm and peeked around him. Blood pooled around the man’s torso. “Is he dead? Did I kill him?”
“No. I checked his pulse. He’s not dead,” Durbin said. “He passed out.”
“Humph. My aim had to have been off. I need to work on my shot.” Olivia growled in disappointment. She inched closer to the man on the floor, unsure if he would awaken and attempt to grab her foot.
“You didn’t shoot him,” Durbin said.
Olivia snapped her head in his direction. “There’s blood on the floor. He has a bullet in his side. I shot him.” She waved a hand above the man.
“No.” Durbin removed a gun from inside of his jacket. “I did.”
Olivia slammed her hand to her mouth. “What? H-how?” she stammered.
Durbin slid his glasses higher on his nose. “I have alerts set for motion detection on the cameras around your house. I noticed him breaking in and called you. You didn’t answer.”
“I was settling in to go to sleep when you called.” Olivia shook her head.
“I wanted to warn you. When you didn’t answer, I called the cops. I grabbed my gun and headed here not knowing how long it would be for them to arrive. I entered through the window in the guest room. Your intruder left it cracked open. I followed your screams and found the two of you running around in the kitchen.”
“He snuck into my bedroom. Thank God, I heard him and hid in the closet with my gun. I tried to shoot him. My gun jammed.” Olivia’s body tremored. “I remember him ramming into me. I managed to get away and ran into the kitchen.”
“I’m glad I made it here just in time.” Although Durbin’s voice had a reassuring calmness to it, the veins protruding from his neck showed his angered emotions about the situation.
“Me, too. Thank God.”
They stood together and stared at the unmoving body on the floor. The reality of the night’s events began to set in. Durbin placed his hands on Olivia’s shoulders and rotated her to face him. His eyes darted back and forth across her face. “You’re safe now. He can’t harm you anymore.”
Olivia realized she’d been holding her breath from the tension in her body. She wrapped her arms around Durbin and enjoyed the security of his strength. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up.” She leaned back and gazed at Durbin with appreciation.
“I’m glad you’re okay.”
Olivia turned from Durbin and leaned above the intruder. She bent at the waist and yanked the ski mask from his face.
“You, bastard,” she screamed and slapped the man on his cheek as hard as she could. He didn’t budge.
“Olivia, stop.” Durbin pulled Olivia back. “Do you know him?”
“Yes. I’ve known him for years,” Olivia spat. “He’s my psychologist of all people. Dr. Blair Fluellen. I can’t believe this psycho broke into my house.”
“No way. Why do you think he did it?” Durbin asked and kept his eyes on Blair.
“I don’t even know. I had a strange encounter with him on my last visit. He’s married to one of my classmates, Quinn. She’s in a mental health facility and he told me not to visit her,” Olivia recalled. “I did anyway. Quinn told me he drugged her and committed her to the psych ward. He had to have been afraid of the possibility of me turning him in to the police.”
“I bet you’re right,” Durbin replied.
Anger filled Olivia’s chest. She raised her hand and slapped both sides of Blair’s face again. He stirred with a labored moan. His eyes flew open.
Durbin yanked the gun from his back pocket. He aimed it at Blair. “Don’t move. If you do, I’ll shoot.”
Blair’s eyes widened with fear. He held his hands in front of his chest in surrender. “I’m not moving. Please, don’t shoot me.”
“He won’t put another bullet in you. I should.” Olivia cocked her arm back and punched him in his chin. Her knuckles hurt from the impact. She didn’t care. “How dare you come into my house and attack me.”
“Oww. Olivia, stop hitting me.” Blair grabbed his face where her fist landed. “Can’t you see I have a bullet in my side? I think I’m dying.”
“Are you kidding me? Do you think I care? You’re lucky I didn’t get my shot off, too. I aimed for your heart,” Olivia seethed. “Now, you’re lying on my floor making a mess with your nasty blood.”
“I need an ambulance,” Blair moaned. He clutched his bloody abdomen with his hands. His face scrunched with agonizing pain.
“Oh. You’ll get an ambulance alright, along with handcuffs.” Olivia let out a sinister laugh. “Hear those sirens? Yes, sir. They’re coming for you. What the hell made you think breaking into my house was okay?”
Blair’s face clouded in anger. “We were supposed to be together.”
“Me and you?” Olivia exclaimed in disbelief.
“Why do you think I sent the flowers and a new racquet? I wanted to make you believe someone cared about you.”
“You sent those things to me? You could’ve saved your money,” Olivia scoffed. “Blair, have you forgotten the fact you are married to Quinn?”
“I wasn’t married the first seven times I asked you out on a date. I only married her since I didn’t have a choice,” Blair bellowed. Durbin moved closer with his gun still pointed at him. “You need to pay for ruining my life.” Spit sprayed from his lips. He coughed and gripped his side.
“What are you talking about, Blair? You sound ridiculous right now. How could I ruin your life?” Olivia asked.
“You were meant to be mine. I only married Quinn since she claimed to be pregnant. She lied.” His eyes blazed at Olivia with hatred. “I wanted you. I never would’ve been with her. You forced me into Quinn’s
