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Everything happens quickly after that. Sarah calls our boss while I dial the police with trembling fingers. Mr. Sampson takes one look at my inbox and immediately starts making calls about IT security and blocking the sender. The same officer from last night shows up within twenty minutes, her expression grim as she reviews the emails.

“This is definitely escalation,” she confirms, scrolling through message after message. Her reaction is as terrifying as it was last night. Appalled, worried, even angry on my behalf.

“Is it Matt?” My throat is so dry the words rasp out of me.

“We’re still trying to find him. Seems he’s on vacation.”

That can’t be good, right? Matt is conveniently out of town while all of this is happening? But that doesn’t mean he’s guilty. Who else could it be though? He’s been so pissed off lately.

The officer looks away from the screen. “I strongly recommend you work from home for the foreseeable future. And not from any accounts linked to your real name.”

Ryan scowls from across the office, probably pissed that I’m getting special treatment or attention or whatever his problem is. Laura is nowhere to be found. Honestly, it’s probably better that way. She’d be annoyed, or, well, more annoyed than usual.

Co-workers aside, all I can think about is those subject lines, those threats, the promise that whoever this is knows where I sleep.

“Do you have someone here who can drive you home? You shouldn’t drive like this.”

What she means is I shouldn’t drive when I’m halfway to cracking up.

Sarah appears, car keys in hand. “I can take her home.”

The officer nods. “Good.” She turns back to me. “Call me if anything else happens. Anything at all.”

I want to argue that I can take care of myself, but she’s right. My hands are still shaking, and the thought of being alone in a car right now makes my chest tight with panic.

The ride to the rental is quiet. I text the guys to update them. Cole decides to leave work to meet me at the rental. My heart squeezes. God, I love these guys. I lock my device and stare out of the window as Big Ridge passes by, wondering what I did to deserve this shit.

Sarah doesn’t push me to talk, but she keeps glancing over to make sure I’m okay. When she pulls into the driveway, I almost can’t bring myself to get out of the car, not when the guys are at work and I’ll be alone inside.

“Will you be okay? Should I come in?”

Get it together, Lily. You’ll be fine for a fifteen minutes. Caging my fear, I force myself to nod. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for the ride,” I say. “I promise I’m not always in crisis.”

“Don’t worry about it. We’re friends, right?” Her smile is gentle. “Take care of yourself, okay? And don’t come back until you feel safe.”

With years of being co-workers, I guess she’s right. We’ve forged a friendship. I’m grateful that she’s not annoyed or judging me for everything that’s going on. “Thanks again.” I climb out and watch her drive away then drag myself up the front steps.

The house is too quiet. Too foreign. Too empty without the guys. I lock the door behind me and flip the deadbolt too, double checking that they’re in place. Maybe it’s overly paranoid, but I check every window to make sure it’s secure, pulling the curtains tight. I verify that the backdoor is locked as well and then check everything again.

Fully assured that there’s no secret way for someone to break in, I head straight for the bedroom. I’m about to collapse on the bed when a terrifying thought occurs to me. What if someone is already inside? With fear spurring me on, I check under the bed, in the closet, and every possible hiding place in the house, needing to see that I’m alone before I can breathe easy.

When I’m done, I’m exhausted, the adrenaline quickly fading and leaving me completely drained. I collapse onto the bed and bury myself under the covers, pulling them over my head as if I can hide from everything. The darkness is suffocating, but it feels safer than facing the world. My phone buzzes with texts from the guys, probably an update from Cole, but I can’t bring myself to look.

I want it all to go away. The emails, the threats, the fear that’s lodged itself in my chest like a splinter. I want to wake up and have this all be some horrible nightmare.

But the cotton sheets smell like the rental’s generic detergent instead of the guys’ familiar scent, and I know I’m not dreaming. This is my reality now. Hiding under covers in a house that isn’t home, terrified of my own shadow.

Chapter Twenty-Three

LILY

The credits of the show we’ve been watching roll across the screen, but none of us are paying attention. We’re sprawled across the couch in the short-term rental, Cole’s head in my lap while I mindlessly run my fingers through his dark hair. Hudson’s pressed against my left side, one arm around my shoulders, and Gage sits on the other couch, elbows on his knees while he’s deep in thought.

It’s been four days since we packed up our essentials and left the house. Ninety-six hours of living out of suitcases and trying to pretend everything’s normal while we wait for updates from the police.

A sharp knock on the door makes us all freeze.

Cole sits up, his body coiled like a spring. “Who is that?” he asks the question we’re all wary of answering.