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As much as Olivia wanted to stay in this peaceful place, the incident with David wouldn’t stop plaguing her. She scrubbed a glass. “When the Houston Police Department talked to David, they verified he had an alibi for the night I was attacked, right?”
“He was supposedly with his mom. However, they could both be lying.”
That wasn’t what she wanted to hear. Olivia bit her lip. “The way he hugged me in the bakery today… it was the first time he’s ever done that. I keep thinking about our interactions over the year he worked for me, wondering if I missed something. Like maybe he had feelings for me and I never knew it. And then my mind spins in a circle because I could be misconstruing innocent encounters?—”
“I don’t think you’re misconstruing anything.” Cole stepped closer and gently removed the glass from her hands. “That’s clean. If you scrub it anymore, it’ll turn into sand.”
She blew out a breath, sending a strand of hair fluttering across her forehead. Then she turned to face him. “So you still think David could be my stalker?”
“I think it’s a possibility. He was polite when you introduced me as your assistant, but there was an undercurrent of jealousy. David was being territorial. I think that’s what the hug was about.” Rather than an I-told-you-so tone, Cole’s voice was filled with sympathy. “While we were at the bakery, I texted Eli and asked him to do a deeper background check on David. He called right before dinner. David was arrested in college for stalking his ex-girlfriend. The charges were dropped. But still…”
“If he did it once, he could do it again.” Olivia planted her palms on the counter. She was sick to her stomach.
She felt rather than saw Cole come closer. A moment later, his firm and gentle hand cupped her nape. His fingers slid between the strands of her hair. Unlike when David touched her, Olivia felt no urge to pull away. In fact, it was the exact opposite. She was tempted to turn and bury her head in his broad chest.
“It’s going to be okay, Olivia. Eli is currently looking for David’s ex-girlfriend. In a day or two, we’ll have more answers.”
“I don’t want this to be someone I know. Someone I trust.”
“I know.”
His voice was full of so much sympathy, it nearly cracked her. Olivia was used to relying on herself. Had been doing it for a long time. She had her grandparents, yes, but rarely leaned on them. They worried too much about her as it was. She didn’t want to make it worse. And Aaron… he’d been wonderful, but he’d always tried to fix the issue. He’d never simply supported her through it.
She was so tired. Being strong every hour of every day was exhausting. And just once she wanted to fall apart and know it was okay.
Cole came closer. With a gentle tug, he pulled her into his arms. “I know you’re scared, but I’ve got you, Olivia. You’re not alone.”
Those kind words, coupled with his gentle embrace, unleashed her tears. She stopped fighting them, instead wrapping her arms around Cole’s waist and giving into her desire to rest her head on his chest. His steady heartbeat thumped against her ear. He was warm. Solid. Strong and brave. Everything she needed to get through this.
A loud blaring from her cell phone interrupted the moment. Olivia jolted. She stepped out of the sanctuary of Cole’s arms and crossed the kitchen. An alert flashed on her screen.
“What is it?” Cole asked.
Any sense of safety fled, leaving nothing but fear in its place. “It’s an alert from my new security system. Someone’s in my house.”
TWELVE
Cole removed Olivia’s cell phone from her white-knuckled grip as quickly as he could without hurting her. Urgency fueled his movements as he accessed the live feed from the cameras on her home. The screen from a rear bedroom window lay on the grass. A curtain panel, pulled through the broken pane by the wind, fluttered like a flag. Someone was inside the house.
The stalker. He obviously wasn’t aware that Olivia was staying with her grandparents across the street. Sienna had made good on her word, and a new security system was installed in Olivia’s house this afternoon. It included the ability to control lights inside the house remotely. Cole had programmed it to turn on and off lamps in the living room and primary bedroom throughout the evening.
Additionally, the alarm, when tripped, was also silent, thanks to a programmable setting. The intruder didn’t know the security system had sent an alert to Olivia’s phone. As far as he was concerned, no one knew about his presence inside the house.
Keeping an eye on the cameras, Cole used his own phone to call the Serenity Police Department. He quickly identified himself and reported the intruder. Officers were en route, but it would take them fifteen minutes to get there. Far too long. Frustration twisted Cole’s insides.
What would the stalker do once he realized Olivia wasn’t home? Would he come across the street to her grandparents? It was a possibility. The stalker hadn’t attempted to hurt anyone other than Olivia, but that was small comfort. As his desperation grew, so would the potential of harm to innocent bystanders.
First things first, he needed to take precautions. Cole gently snagged Olivia’s arm. “Let’s go.”
He pulled her from the kitchen into the living room.
Willie sat up in his recliner, sensing trouble. “What’s the matter?”
“Someone broke into Olivia’s house. I need the three of you inside the primary bedroom closet. Now.” Cole had planned for every contingency. The closet was an interior room with one way in and out. If the stalker decided to make his way across the street, he’d have to go through Cole in order to get to Olivia and her family.
Willie helped Alyssa from her own recliner before hustling to the hall closet. He pulled a hard-sided case from the top shelf and quickly opened it, revealing a shotgun. The weapon was so clean it practically sparkled. Willie efficiently loaded the weapon. Determination glinted in his steely gaze. “No one is touching my girls. What do you need, Cole?”
He hesitated. He desperately wanted to go after the stalker. To stop this now. But his first priority had to be Olivia. She’d taken her grandmother to the primary bedroom closet. For the moment, the women were safe. Cole checked the security camera on Olivia’s cell phone. No change. The intruder was still inside.
