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“I changed my mind after I talked to him. It seemed silly to call them for such a harmless thing.” Clearing her throat, she continued on before Jake could tell her what he thought of her decision, not that he needed to. His expression reflected his opinion beautifully. “Anyway, on Friday, I panicked when I thought a car followed me all the way from here to Dumfries.” And the bullet threw Rock’s window completely totally freaked me out. She kept the last thought to herself. Her cousin didn’t need to know every minute detail.
“You’re leaving something out. I don’t know what, but there’s something you’re not saying.”
Just call her cousin Jake the Observant. How he managed to know when people were leaving details out, she didn’t know, but he’d always been that way. “Remember my accident in February?”
“Quit the stalling.”
Dumb question, of course he remembered. He’d been the first person at the hospital that night and she’d stayed with him and Charlie for the first few days afterward. “I thought I was being followed that night too. If I hadn’t been paying so much attention to the car behind me, I might have avoided the accident all together.”
“And you didn’t bother to tell the police any of this, right?” Jake pinched the bridge of his nose. “Never mind. It’s not important now. Okay, so you hired our friendly gun-toting buddy out there to watch your back. Have you called the police yet?”
“No.” The single word had Jake opening his mouth. Before he could offer up a protest, she continued. “But if either Connor or Neil see anything suspicious, I’ll call them right away. We both know they can’t do anything without evidence.”
“Until this gets figured out, come stay with us. If someone is stalking you, I’d rather you not be living alone.”
Stalking. She’d avoided using the word and pushed it out of her thoughts now. Instead, she considered her cousin’s offer. No one who didn’t belong got into Jake’s gated community, and if Rock wasn’t playing her temporary roommate, she’d take her cousin up on his offer for a little while. “I’m not alone. Rock’s staying with me.”
The corner of his mouth quirked up and he leaned his arms on her desk. “Yeah, Derek mentioned how well you two have been getting to know each other.” Talking about the fact they were dating was one thing. Jake’s tone made it clear Derek had shared more than just that information with him.
Heat started on the tops of her ears and spread to her face. Just because Derek freely discussed his sex life didn’t give him the right to talk about hers, even if they were twins. The next time they spoke, she’d give him hell for sharing such personal information with Jake. “Derek’s got a big mouth.”
“Yep, he does, but your relationship’s not a secret either. I’ve seen the pics of you and Rock on the Internet.” Jake’s smirk disappeared. “Don’t worry, I didn’t share what Derek said with anyone else. And I promise I won’t.”
If Jake gave her his word, he’d keep it. Now could she get him to promise not tell the rest of the family about her armed friend sitting outside? Doubtful. “Can you also keep this little situation a secret? You know how protective Dad can be.”
“Protective? Is that what you call it?” Jake chuckled, not that she blamed him.
Even before her mom passed away, her dad had been more protective of her than any of her brothers. After her mom’s death though, his desire to keep her safe hit a whole new level. Even now he occasionally acted as is she was a ten-year-old little girl who needed someone to take care of her. In fact, before her move, she’d sat through several heated discussions with him. He’d tried every argument he could to keep her from moving away from Rhode Island.
A little begging never hurt. “Please, Jake. Lets keep this between us for now, and if Elite Force uncovers anything, I’ll call him right away.”
Seconds ticked by. At least he didn’t say no immediately. It’s a start.
“You’ve got a Marine living with you and a bodyguard. You sound safe enough.”
And here comes “the but.” She heard it in Jake’s voice already.
“Allison, you can’t keep this from Uncle Mark. What if he stops in and visits. You know he and Abby are headed to DC, right? They’re attending Congressman Paul Wickford’s birthday party this weekend,” Jake said, referring to a close friend of her dad’s.
Damn it to hell, her brother Gray’s favorite curse, popped into her head. If her dad and stepmother were that close, they’d visit and not necessarily call first either. Rock’s presences she could easily explain. Thanks to the media, her father must know about their relationship. If her dad and Abby showed up, however, and either Connor or Neil answered the door instead, she’d have a lot of explaining to do.
“Fine. I’ll tell him.” But only if I have no other choice. Later she’d call him and work on convincing him to let her and Rock visit him and Abby in the city rather than at her house. “But don’t tell anyone else.” If Jake shared the news with any of her brothers, she find them all at her door tomorrow.
***
Rock rounded the corner and ignored the slight twinge in his left hamstring. Considering the amount of weight he’d deadlifted this afternoon, the slight discomfort came as no big shock. Tomorrow he expected even more, considering the fact today had been his first workout in days. The last time he’d exercised had been Thursday morning when he went for his morning run. He never took downtime like that. Even the flu the previous winter hadn’t kept him from exercising. Staying at Allison’s all weekend screwed up his routine, not that he’d do anything differently. She needed him and he didn’t intend on letting anyone hurt her.
She disagreed with him of course. Again this morning, she’d insisted they’d overreacted on Friday night. She’d argued the car behind her had simply been a coincidence. His instincts said otherwise. They were never wrong.
Someone, the same someone who’d sent her the teddy bear, wanted her. He had no doubts the bullet through his apartment window was somehow related. He just didn’t know if it had been meant for him or her. Stalkers did crazy things. The person may have decided that if he couldn’t have Allison, no one else would.
Ice ran through his veins at the thought of a bullet tearing into Allison soft skin. It’s not happening. She had a bodyguard with her during the day and him at night. She’d remain safe. For about the fiftieth time since Friday, he wished he could stay with her all day instead of the men she’d hired. His own responsibilities made it impossible. Maybe if they were married, he could get some emergency leave, but under the current circumstances, he’d have to trust Neil and Connor to keep her safe when they were apart.
“Hey, Rock,” a familiar southern drawl called out to him as he reached his truck and he saw Brayden Delray approaching. “Heading home?”
Close enough. “Yeah. You?”
“Not yet. My mother-in-law is here. She’s not leaving until tomorrow night.” Brayden grimaced. “Been trying to stay away from home as much as possible until she’s gone.”
