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“Get in the fucking house and lock the doors. I’m calling the guardhouse. I want you to go into my office and stay there. There is a lock on the door. Don’t open it for anyone but me.”
I’m about to protest, afraid it was just my imagination, but he’s already hung up. With one last look behind me, I head upstairs, stopping in the bedroom long enough to grab a throw off the chair in the corner before I head to Valen’s office. Once I’m inside, I lock the door like he told me to and take a deep breath as I look around.
The walls are a soft brown, sorta a milky coffee color, with a contrasting dark wooden desk and matching chairs that have cream upholstered seats. The same color wood has been used for the bookcase, which takes up the entire wall behind his desk, and for the shelves on the wall near the door.
There is a matching sideboard, which, on further inspection, is actually a bar with a mini fridge, and beside that is a cream faux fur rug covering most of the cherry wood floor.
It’s a masculine room, but cozy as heck. If this were my office, I’d have an oversized armchair near the floor-to-ceiling window so I had a place to snuggle and read one of the many books he has in here.
Moving around to Valen’s side of the desk, I pull out his cream leather chair and sit in it, tugging the throw over my legs. With my phone still in my hand, I open my Kindle app and try to lose myself in a book for a little while. My eyes keep drifting out the window to that spot in the trees, as if I expect someone to jump out at me.
I’ve probably only been in here for like ten minutes—but it feels like forever—when I hear knocking on the door.
“Open up, Rue, it’s me.”
I toss my cell on the desk, jump out of the chair, and hurry to the door, flipping the lock. As soon as the door swings open, I throw myself into his arms.
He lifts me up, his arms banding tightly around me as I wrap my legs around his waist. “It’s alright, I’ve got you.”
I bury my face against his neck and breathe him in, instantly feeling myself begin to relax.
“Tell me what happened,” he orders.
I pull back as he walks us into the office. I gesture to the window, so he heads over, and I point to the space where I thought I saw the person. I look up at Valen as he stares out the window.
“I was on the beach and thought I saw someone standing there watching me. I came inside, locked the door, and when I looked out, they were still there.”
“You see what they look like?”
“No, I could only make out the color of their sweatshirt. I ran up to grab my cell phone to call you, but when I looked out again, he was gone. Now, I’m not one hundred percent sure if I saw anyone at all or if my mind was just playing tricks on me.”
“I don’t give a fuck. Always listen to your instincts. One day, they might just save your life.”
“I know. It’s just… I don’t know if maybe I’m just being paranoid and seeing things. I feel stupid now.”
“Hey, you have nothing to feel stupid for. After everything you’ve been through, I think you should cut yourself a little slack. Imagine if you did nothing, waiting out there because you didn’t want to look like a fool, only to find there was someone there. Someone armed.”
I blow out a breath, realizing he’s right. Who cares if I look dumb? I have a serial killer after me, for god’s sake. Being cautious is my new way of life.
“How come you’re back? Not that I’m complaining, but it’s only been ten minutes since I spoke to you and your office is an hour away. ”
“I was on my way back already. I couldn’t concentrate knowing I’d left you naked in my bed.”
I grin before I lean forward and kiss him. The memory of us from before flashes in my head, making me pull back.
“I had a flashback.”
He tenses, waiting for me to continue.
“It was one of me and you.”
He stays tense, making me frown.
“We were rolling around in bed together, laughing. I remember feeling happy.”
He relaxes and steals a kiss of his own before I can question his odd reaction. By the time he’s finished, I’ve forgotten all about it.
“How about you get dressed, and I’ll take you out for dinner? You’ve been cooped up in here long enough.”
