"I'd advise against it until the police need to talk with you," Lev cuts in before Miles can respond. "You shouldn't risk thisperson making contact at all. For now, stay put. Wait a few days. We have someone scoping the building, keeping an eye out for suspicious activity."
I look at Miles. "Have you heard from Archer, Cody, or Micah?"
"Micah and Tallulah are with her folks. Cody—he’s relaxing on a beach along the west coast, and Archer, well, he's spending his time flying all over the place." Sounds about right. Archer doesn't like to stay in place too long.
"The guys and I are going to install a security system inside the apartment. If anyone enters again, we'll be the first to know." Lev looks at his watch and stands. "I got to get home to my woman. If my guys run down any leads, we'll let you know." I stand and shake his hand.
"Thanks."
Not long after Lev takes his leave, I walk with Miles to his car. "I need you to do me a favor."
"Alright." Miles pauses after opening the car door.
"Cat and her grandfather have a loan out on the ranch. I want it taken care of."
Miles eyes me for a second. "She means something to you, doesn't she?"
I look back at the house and notice her grandad stepping outside. "She does."
"Does she know what you're up to?" he asks.
I look at Miles but don't answer.
He sighs. "Your funeral." Then shakes his head. "I'll see what I can find out and take care of it," Miles says. A few minutes later, I watch the taillights of Miles' car disappear the further he drives away from the ranch house. Cat's grandad leans back in his rocking chair on the front porch and folds his arms. "You and my granddaughter have formed a serious attachment to each other." Arthur gazes out at the setting sun.
"Yes, sir. I like her—more than like her if I can be honest." I lower myself to sit on the porch swing nearby.
"I can tell." He pauses for a beat. His chair creaks with the rocking back and forth. "My granddaughter is one of a kind. Doesn't nothing on God's green earth mean more to me than her," Arthur tells me.
"I feel the same."
Arthur clears his throat. "Good." Then stands. "I like you, Easton. Keep making her smile as you do, and it will stay that way." As he's walking toward the door, Cat steps outside.
"Hey." She kisses his cheek. "Your medicine and milk are sitting beside your recliner, and they have a John Wayne marathon playing on the TV."
"Thank you, sweetheart."
Cat joins me on the porch swing, and I tuck her into my side. "So, a cat, huh? I didn’t peg you as a cat person. What happens to him when you're on the road?"
"Take him with me," I tell her, and she laughs.
"You take your cat on tour with you—how does that work?"
"We tour on the bus mostly, so he hangs out there. And, if we happen to stay in a hotel," I shrug, "I sneak him in."
"You must love that cat," Cat says, then we sit in silence for a few minutes before she asks, "Are you concerned with the break-in?"
I sigh. "I am. The letters I've received over the past year never really bothered me, but this shit is too batshit crazy for my liking." Before we can get any deeper into the conversation, my phone rings, I pull it from my pocket, and Cat sees Emerson and my niece's faces on the screen. "My sister." I answer the phone. "Hey," I say to Emerson and look to Cat, who goes to move away.
"I'll give you some privacy. I need to check on my grandad anyway."
"Hold on, Em," I tell my sister, then pull Cat back to me. "Give me your lips before you go."
"You're very bossy."
"You like it." I cover her mouth with mine. When we finally break away, Cat's pupils dilate, and her eyes become hooded with desire. The way she looks at me has my cock swelling. "I'll come to find you."
"You better." Cat walks into the house, and I lift the phone to my ear.
