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Allie fidgeted and shifted her angry gaze away, two signs she was hiding something.
He gripped her chin and turned her head up to face him. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Everything okay here?”
Jerking out of his hold, she smiled at the security guard, and Brett hid the knife and note behind him. Allie didn’t need this spread around her workplace.
“Hi, Chuck. I have a flat tire is all. We’ll change it and be on our way.”
“I can help.” Chuck looked at Brett, who nodded.
“Let me put my jacket in my truck. I’ll be right back.” Returning to his vehicle, Brett set the knife with the note still attached on the seat then shed his suit coat and covered it before closing the door.
They were able to switch out the tire in no time, and Brett was more than ready to pump Allie for answers by the time he thanked Chuck for his help. “I’ll follow you to your place,” he told her when the security guard left. They would continue their discussion in private. “Are you okay to drive?”
“I’m pissed, not some wilting damsel in distress,” she replied, a combination of frustration and worry coloring her tone.
“God forbid,” he drawled, offering an amused quirk of one brow to lighten her mood despite his own feelings on the matter mirroring hers.
Yanking her car door open, Allie tossed him a falsely sweet smile. “Bite me.”
“We might get to that, little one, if I find out you’ve held back on me. Chances are, though, it’ll be my hand delivering that sting before my teeth.” The flare of heat in her eyes had him shaking his head before she could say anything. “Get in and drive careful.”
As Brett followed Allie to her apartment, he called Reed, asking him to pass on this latest threat to his friend at the Casper PD who had taken Allie’s report.
“This leaves no doubt the incidents are connected,” Reed returned, his voice grim. “What are your plans now?”
“Trying to convince her to accept protection. When I can’t stay with her or have her at my place, I want to hire Matt at Crawford Investigations and Protection.” Matt was not only a regular member at their private parties, but Brett used his services often on his cases. “Allie’s worried enough, I don’t think she’ll argue, at least not too much.”
“Slade and I aren’t strangers, so if she’s not comfortable with Matt, let us know. Between the three of us, we can be there with her until this fucker is caught. Find him soon, bro. I’ll get back to you.”
“Thanks, Reed.” Brett hung up, planning to do just that if he could get a clue as to who had it in for Allie. He still thought it was doubtful, but he’d get Gina’s alibis for the times in question and rule her out for sure.
––––––––
Allie drove home, Brett’spresence behind her and offer to stick close until whoever was behind the threats against her a much needed balm to her frayed nerves right now. He had surprised her with his unexpected appearance at work then pissed her off when he’d taken in her moderate work attire. Her rush to a snap judgment had been uncalled for, her mercurial temperament the past few days enough to drive her nuts. When he’d insisted on staying with her after finding that note, she experienced nothing but gratitude and relief, to hell with maintaining her independence. When she added in the slow, escalating desire to spend time with him during the past few weeks, it confirmed she was gone over a man for the first time. Relishing the admission, a slow spread of warmth encompassed her chest. Not one to fight the obvious, once they neutralized these threats and she could breathe easier, Allie planned to embrace this new path life was leading her toward.
In the meantime, figuring out who had it in for her took precedence. Turning in to her complex’s lot, Allie cringed when Ricky stepped out of his apartment as soon as she parked. The last thing she needed was two men in protective mode coming face-to-face. She much preferred cozying up to Brett while letting him take the lead in finding her stalker to getting close to her ex again.
Ricky opened her door, eyeing Brett’s arrival with a frown. “You’re home early,” she said, wondering if his appointment with a new client was canceled. Brett strolled over, and she held her breath, hoping for a polite introduction.
Ignoring her remark, Ricky held out his hand to Brett. “Ricky Michaels, Allie’s neighbor.”
“Brett Kincaid.” He gave her an amused look then said, “Allie’s boyfriend.”
Brett would find that funny. Other than Ricky’s jaw tightening, he showed no reaction to hearing she had moved on when he replied, “Nice to meet you,” before returning to focus on Allie. “Everything okay? Has someone scared you again, even after we reported the barred door to the manager?” His face reflected worry and clouded his gaze.
Allie tried to speak before Brett released the questioning fury brewing in his green eyes, but he stalled her when he stepped between her and Ricky. “What barred door?”
She tried to get around his big body, but he put an arm out, blocking her. “Brett, damn it, we can discuss this inside.”
“She didn’t tell you someone locked her in the laundry room Sunday night?”
Allie hated the smug satisfaction on Ricky’s face and snapped back at the same time Brett responded with a growled no. “Not yet.”
“Excuse us. We need to talk.” Taking her arm, Brett steered her toward her door.
Since she was annoyed with both men, she didn’t bother saying anything else to Ricky, leaving Brett to follow her inside. He shut the door with extra force, and she whirled around, placed her hands on her hips, and glared. “Don’t get your dick bent out of shape over this. The laundry incident and dead flowers were pranks, likely by twelve-year-old twin boys who live here and run wild during the summer while their single mother is at work.”
