“Hailey. How’re you doing?”
“Fine. You?”
“Okay. Did I interrupt something?”
“No, not really.”Just an awesome kiss.She glanced at Goldie, who stared at the fire.
“Have you seen Garth? I asked him to keep an eye on you. I worry about you. When I heard that ex-creep may be in Alina, I called Garth right away.”
“Things are fine. They really are.”
“Have you seen Garth?”
“Yeah. I’ve been so busy running the floral shop. Most of the time I’m either there or at home.” She wanted to get him off the subject of her and Goldie.
“How’s Aunt Patty doing?”
“Good.”
“Watch out for Garth. Even though he’s my best buddy and he’s doing me a favor, I wouldn’t put it past him to make a play for you. He’s a womanizer at heart. Make sure you keep him at a distance. Speaking of guys, have you met anyone worth talking about?”
“No. Like I said, I’m super busy. When am I going to see you?”
“Working on it. I’ll let you know. I gotta go. Take care of yourself.”
“I will.”
When silence replaced Ryan’s voice, an emptiness filled her. She missed him and wished he’d be sent stateside so they could see each other and talk more often.
“That was Ryan on the phone.” It was a statement, not a question. She nodded, her heart sinking when he sighed and stood up. “I should go. You gonna be okay?”
“Of course. You secured everything.”
“I’ll be back in the morning with my brothers. If you need or want anything, call me. I could stretch out on the couch and crash if you want me to.”
“It’s pouring out there.”
“I have my rain jacket in my saddlebags. I’ve ridden in worse. If you’re worried about me, don’t be. If you want me to stay, I can do that.”
She wanted him to stay so she could be back in his arms, kissing his warm, smooth lips. “You don’t have to. I’ll be fine.”
Nodding, he walked over to the door and unlocked it. Without another word, he slipped out into the darkness and headed to his bike. She closed the door and heard the rumble of his Harley.
And just like that, he was gone.
Chapter Seventeen
“Fuck!” he screamedas he hit the steering wheel over and over. His fury matched the howling wind and sheets of rain as he drove away from Hailey’s house. The damn biker had to screw everything up. He’d planned the execution so carefully. He’d broken into her house a half hour after he’d seen her leave that morning. He wanted to get the feel of the layout and know which room was hers so when he came back later that night, he’d know right where to go. He’d unlocked the side window and spent the rest of the day anticipating what was to come.
By the time the day had ended, his whole body was tense with sexual current. Not daring to go home, he went to the diner for some dinner, but his heightened state dulled his appetite. Instead, he sat staring at the clock as it painfully edged toward seven: the time the flower shop closed.
Parked a few cars away, he waited patiently for her to close the shop and come out. Part of the fun in his game was to watch his prey before he pounced. He’d spotted her car by the park, and when it appeared that she was finally finishing up, he’d quickly headed that way and positioned himself behind the bushes. Then he’d waited until he heard the solitary echo of her shoes on the pavement. When she’d come into sight, he’d almost jumped her and dragged her into the safety of the bushes to have his way with her; he’d been that wound up. When her headlights turned out and he saw her terrified face, he almost lost it in his pants. The only thing stopping him was the anticipation of taking his time and torturing her for the rest of the night.
When he’d arrived at her house, he’d been surprised to see her still in her car. A short time later,heappeared, ruining everything. Hoping the biker had just come by for a visit, his craving for Hailey turned to pure rage when he’d seen the leather-clad man locking the window.
Weeks of stalking, fantasizing, and planning had disappeared. His body shook with anger and his hard-on throbbed painfully. Some would say he could just grab a random woman to work out his anger and sexual frustration on, but if he did that, it would only be worse. What made him tick before he attacked was the planning and stalking of his victim, and he’d invested quite a bit of time in Hailey Shilley.
I’m not letting all that go to waste. I know you’re going to be delicious.His lips turned up in a snarl as he turned onto his street. He was positive the biker would secure the house; he had that look of concern and determination on his face as he went from room to room.I’ll have to find another way to get to you. And Iwillget to you and enjoy every ounce of fear that’ll course through your body.
