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I stood there for a few seconds, too stunned to move. What was happening? One moment I was in a blissful heaven, and the next there was chaos.
The sound of the car alarm finally penetrated my shock, and I rushed over and opened my dresser drawer. I hadn’t even finished unpacking all of my clothes yet. I grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeve shirt and threw them on.
I ran out into the living room. “Ryan? Ryan?”
The back door wasn’t closed all the way, and my heart started to pound. I looked around. Where was my phone?
“Fuck!” I cried out as I frantically looked for the clutch I’d taken to dinner.
The door flew open, and I nearly screamed until I saw it was Ryan. He looked pissed.
It was then I noticed the alarm had stopped.
“What happened?” I asked, watching his gaze bounce around the apartment until he finally found what he was looking for. “Ryan! What happened?”
He grabbed his phone and finally glanced at me. His expression instantly softened and he stalked over, pulling me into his arms. He moved his hand softly, comfortingly over my back. “Shh, I’m sorry, sweetheart. Everything’s okay.”
“Was that your truck or my car?”
He kissed the top of my head, then leaned back so he could look at me while he talked. “It was my truck. Someone threw a rock through the driver’s side window.”
I sucked in a breath. “What?”
“And we need to call the police.”
Fear instantly spread through my body. “Why?”
Ryan looked as if he didn’t want to answer my question, but he did. “There’s a note tied to the rock, and I don’t want to touch it.”
I covered my mouth with my hand. “Oh my God.”
“Let me call the police, then I’ll call Blayze.”
I grabbed his arm. “No! I don’t want him or my parents rushing over here this late. Let’s call the police and wait to tell my family for now.”
Narrowing his eyes, Ryan said, “Your father will kill me if we keep this from him.”
“Just for tonight! Please?”
He nodded, then called nine-one-one as I stumbled over to the sofa and sat down. Wrapping my arms around my body, I sat there, completely stunned that something had happened again. Already.
“Why is this happening?” I whispered as I closed my eyes and tried to go back to the place I’d been only minutes ago…safe in Ryan’s arms.
Chapter Twelve
THE RINGMASTER
How could she let him touch her?
I’d seen the way her eyes lit up when I observed them from afar in the restaurant. She hadn’t even realized I was watching. Of course, she hadn’t noticed any of the times I’d watched her.
I noticed everything, though. Like the moment his hand had touched her knee under the table…and she’d smiled! Why was she encouraging him?
And now he was there with her. Living with her. That whore! How could she do this to me?!
Staring up at her back door, I shook my head. “I won’t let him have you, Morgan. Not when you’re mine.”
Chapter Thirteen
RYAN
I wasn’t sure how I could go from being the happiest I’d ever been to being so pissed off I wanted to kill someone. When I found the person doing this to Morgan, I was going to rip them to pieces with my bare hands.
I was sitting across from Morgan, who was on the sofa talking to the detective who’d shown up not long after the police had arrived. One of the cops had read the disturbing note tied to the rock. He hadn’t wanted to read it in front of Morgan, but she’d insisted. My stomach still lurched when I thought about what the anonymous person had written.
She’s mine, and you fucking touched her tonight at the restaurant. I saw you slip your hand under the table and touch WHAT IS MINE! Leave Morgan alone, or I’ll make you pay, you fucking bastard!
The detective’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.
“You haven’t noticed anyone following you at all?”
Morgan shook her head. “No. I’m usually pretty aware of my surroundings.”
“Did you notice anything off at the restaurant this evening?” Detective Billings asked me.
I shook my head. “I texted my friend, Bradford, and asked if he might have noticed anything.”
“What did he say?” she asked as I saw her write down Bradford’s name.
“He said he hadn’t, but he was in the kitchen most of the night. He did step out a few times to talk to us and his girlfriend. He’s going to ask Savannah if she noticed something, and he’ll check their security cameras as well.”
“Savannah is the girlfriend?” Billings asked.
I nodded.
“And have you noticed anyone following you?” she asked me.
“No, but to be honest, I haven’t been paying attention. I will be now.”
Morgan wiped away a tear. “He threatened you,” she said softly.
Detective Billings turned back to Morgan. “I don’t want you to worry, Morgan. I know the note is scary, but most of the time it’s all talk. He’s trying to scare Ryan away from you.”
