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I shrugged. “He helped me move some stuff after it became clear Stacy wasn’t coming back soon.”
Diesel nodded, accepting my answer. “I still don’t like him.”
“Me either,” Gio said. “Wanna take a look inside?”
***
While Diesel and Gio were checking out the damage I waited in the car, cranking up the air conditioning until they returned, and wondering what the hell happened to my nice, quiet, uneventful life.
As if to underscore the fact that my life was turning into a drama, a vehicle from the sheriff’s office pulled up and a man stepped out. My heart sank, the last thing I wanted was to involve the cops. In my experience, they were pretty damn useless—or at least the ones investigating my sister’s disappearance had been. The handsome middle-aged man in the beige uniform ambled over to the front door and knocked on my window. “Ma’am?”
Reluctantly, I rolled down the window. “How may I help you, Officer?”
He smiled. “Sheriff Cross. Rumor has it someone tried to redecorate your home?”
I huffed out a bitter laugh. “That’s one way to put it. Who called you?”
Before the man could answer, Diesel strolled out and greeted the sheriff with a handshake and a semblance of a smile, which was answer enough. They spoke in hushed tones that I couldn’t hear even with the window down.
This is my chance, I told myself. I could just shift into reverse, hit the gas, and drive east until I ran out of gas. I could fill up and keep going until I found a new place to call home. I could do that, but Diesel would never stop looking for me. Oh, I wasn’t foolish enough to believe he’d come for me, but I was dead certain he would come for Leo.
Which meant I wasn’t going anywhere.
Diesel lifted his head as if he could hear my thoughts, and his gaze slammed into mine. His lips curled into a small smile, but then as he glanced down the street, the smile faded, and a serious expression took over. He was as worried as I was, maybe more.
The sheriff stood in front of me and cleared his throat as if he’d been standing there for a while. “Ellie, right?”
I nodded.
“I have a few crime scene guys coming by to see if they can find any prints or anything to point to who might have done this. Do you have a place to stay for the next day or two?”
“She’s staying with me,” Diesel answered before I could. Like a neanderthal.
An incredibly hot biker neanderthal with piercing blue eyes and a magical cock.
“I guess I’m staying with him,” I said with a half-defeated sigh.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Diesel
“Now do you see why I wanted to keep you and Leo safe?” I paced the living room as soon as we got Leo settled into bed, raking a frustrated hand through my hair.
Ellie let out a humorless laugh, her hands fisted at her hips. “What difference does it make where I am? You know my every move because you’re having me followed!”
“Followed?” I shook my head as I got in her face. “Not followed, protected. I was worried. And it’s a good damn thing I asked Gio to keep an eye on you because you wouldn’t have told me about what happened at your place. Would you?” It was a stupid fucking question, of course she wasn’t going to tell me about this.
Ellie held her chin high in the air, defiance radiating off her delicate shoulders, which was answer enough. “I would have handled it either way.”
I let out a low growl. “That is not the goddamn point, Ellie.” I reached for her and slammed her against my chest, hugging her so tight my body vibrated with the relief that pulsed through my veins. “I’m so fucking glad you’re all right.”
Her body sank against mine and eventually her arms wrapped around my waist. “I’m fine.”
She was fine. This time. But the vandalism inside told me someone was pissed off—at me or her, I didn’t know—and they were looking to make their disdain known. “Ellie, I know you wanted some space, but will you please stay here with me until we find out who’s behind this? I was originally going to suggest that one of the prospects could stay at yours, but after today I don’t think your place is safe.”
Ellie nodded against my chest, her words muffled when she finally spoke. “I’ll stay.”
“Was it something I did?” I sounded like a pussy and I knew it, but I needed to know. She said she needed space, but was being around me so bad? I knew I could be a bit over-protective sometimes, but when you’ve seen the kind of shit that I have, then you want to keep those you love safe.
