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“I’m glad you liked it,” he replied, and she got the impression it was very important to him that she really did like it. “But I get the feeling this is about more than my present. Is this about Shelby? I know she’s been a little moody lately, but it’s just been a hard week for her.”
“No, this isn’t about Shelby, although we probably should talk about that sometime soon,” she said, pausing and chewing on her lip before continuing. “Something happened, and I guess I needed to talk about it. Maybe I shouldn’t have called you, but I wasn’t sure who else to call. The pitfalls of keeping to myself, I suppose.”
“What?” he barked, surprising her with his suddenly alert and demanding tone. “What happened?”
Frowning over his urgency, she replied, “It might not be a big deal, I don’t really know. It could have been random, but it felt targeted. Okay, sorry, I’m rambling. When I went to leave school a little bit ago, I found the tires on my car slashed. And—” pausing when her voice went weak, she swallowed hard. “And on the back window, someone wrote ‘whore’ in red paint.”
“Where are you now, Holly?” His voice was voice hard like she’d never heard it before.
“I went back to my classroom. I can’t leave without a car. I called the sheriff, and they’re sending someone out now to take a look.”
“I’m heading over there now. Lock the door to your room and don’t leave until I get there. I’m not far away, so I’ll be there soon.”
She opened her mouth to protest but closed it when she realized he already hung up. That was a reaction she hadn’t been expecting. She’d just wanted someone to tell, someone to talk to, until the sheriff got here. Clutching her phone, she hobbled back over to her desk, looking around blankly before pulling her tiger back out of the bag.
It seemed like hardly any time had passed when a knock came on the door to the classroom, and she jumped, clutching the tiger tightly. Relaxing when she saw it was Ian, she stood up and limped to the door, surprised that he got here so quickly. He even beat the cops.
As soon as she swung the door open, he pushed inside, shutting it behind him and pulling her into his arms, holding her tightly. Bemused, she automatically wrapped her arms around him in response. Soon, his warmth was flowing into her, relaxing muscles she hadn’t realized were as tense as they were. Tightening her arms, she snuggled deeper into his arms, breathing in his scent.
God, when was the last time she was held like this? Years ago, and she hadn’t realized she’d craved it so badly. Or maybe it felt so good because it was Ian. This hug felt amazing, and right, and like everything she hadn’t known she needed.
He pulled back, keeping his arms wrapped around her waist. “I saw your car. You’re all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Upset, but I’m all right.”
He was opening his mouth to say more when another knock came on the door. They both stiffened and then relaxed at the same time as they realized it was the sheriff’s deputy. They walked out to her car, and Holly answered a few questions while the deputy made his report. Leaving soon after with a promise to patrol the area more frequently, he told her the report would be ready in about a week.
Staring after him in surprise, she finally turned to Ian, noticing he was scanning their surroundings with narrowed eyes. “I don’t know why, but I expected more than that. I guess I should call a tow truck.”
Taking her hands in his, he squeezed as he said, “I want you to come back to Rocky River with me. Stay there for now.”
Eyes widening, she frowned as she searched his silver specked gaze. “What? Why would I do that? I’m shaken up, sure, but this could have been a one-time deal. The deputy didn’t even seem that concerned about it. Said maybe it was high school kids up to no good.”
Blowing out a breath, he looked into her eyes, his face set in grim lines. “I think this is more than that, Holly. I don’t want to get into it right now, not when we’re standing here out in the open, but I promise I’ll tell you more once we’re back at the ranch house. And if it makes you feel better, we won’t be there alone. Shelby’s there, of course, but so are all the fighters. We’ve been circling the wagons so to speak the last week or so.”
Frowning, she was quiet as she took in his words. She wanted to protest, wanted to ask him to tell her what was going on right now, but the look in his eyes stopped her. She’d never seen him look so grim and serious. Whatever was going on was real. At least, it was to him, and if it was enough to shake a tough, unshakeable fighter like him, she wasn’t going to question it. At least, not right now.
“I need to get clothes. I can’t just go with what I have on my back.”
Relief flashed through his eyes and he nodded. “That’s fine. Let’s get your stuff and then we’ll stop by your apartment so you can pack a bag.”
She quickly grabbed her school bag and purse, and then they made the drive to her apartment in silence. Walking inside with her, he peered into every room as she watched with a frown, before moving to stand by the door. Shaking her head, she grabbed a suitcase out of her closet and started packing a few outfits, not knowing how long she’d be staying.
Pausing with a skirt in her hand, she suddenly wondered what in the world she was doing. So her car got vandalized. So what? Stuff like that happened all the time. Maybe not in Eagle Creek, but it did elsewhere. And then here comes Ian, big and strong and so worried, asking her to stay at his house with him, and she agrees, just like that? She hadn’t known him long at all, certainly not long enough to just trot off to his house, no questions asked. What was wrong with her? Maybe she was more broken than she thought before.
“You doing okay in there?” Ian asked, deep voice loud so she could hear him.
“I’m fine. Almost finished.”
“No rush. Well, maybe a little, but take as long as you need.”
His voice washed over her, feeling like a tangible caress against her skin, and as suddenly as she freaked out and started questioning everything, she relaxed. No, she hadn’t known him long, and maybe she shouldn’t trust him so early or easily. But she did, utterly. It was insane and if someone asked her why, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to answer them. But she did, one hundred percent. She knew he’d never hurt her, and she also knew nothing would happen that she didn’t want to happen.
Maybe that was the real problem. She’d decided she wanted to try to ease into this with him, go slowly. But that’s not really what she wa
nted. She wanted everything with that amazing man out there, and she wanted it now. Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm the rising fear inside her.
Because right or wrong, she was in this now. She wasn’t sure how it would turn out, wasn’t sure if she’d truly be able to put her fears behind her and be there like he needed, like Shelby needed. But she was going to try.
