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“Joe, there’s nothing—”
She was silenced by his lips. They settled softly on hers, not demanding a thing, just offering simple comfort. “I know you, Rox. What’s wrong?”
Looking into his concerned blue eyes, she couldn’t lie to him. Besides, she didn’t even know what was in the envelope. It could be nothing.
“I got another...” She sighed. “Hang on.”
Stepping around him, Roxie hustled to the living room. She dug through her tote bag and found the offending envelope. Back in the kitchen, she placed it on the counter as if it were a big, hairy spider.
“Son of a bitch,” Joe muttered.
“I saw it when we were heading out. I kinda panicked and didn’t know what to do. Should I call Quinn?”
She could see him debating it.
“Let’s open it first and find out. Besides—”
“It could be nothing,” she finished.Please, please, please let it be nothing.
“Right.” He held her gaze. “It could be nothing.”
She had a feeling they both believed otherwise.
Carefully, Joe opened the envelope. She held her breath, waiting. Then he uttered a curse, and her heart sank.Please, please, please don’t let it be something awful.
Only touching the edges, he pulled out multiple photos. He scanned each one before setting them on the counter for her to see.
Saliva filled her mouth, and for a split second, she feared she was going to be sick, right there in the middle of the kitchen.
Joe was next to her in an instant. He pulled her back to his chest, and his arms circled her in a warm, protective embrace. “I’ve got you, baby,” he murmured repeatedly in her ear, tightening his hold as she trembled.
Three pictures total. All taken the night before. A shudder racked her body.
The first photo showed her hugging one of the knitting ladies goodbye. The second showed her climbing out of June’s car with a dippy, drunk smile on her face. The third showed her standing on the front porch as Joe in the doorway, arms crossed over his broad chest, expression irritated.
“We should call Quinn,” she said, her voice cracking. “I doubt there’s anything he can do, but he should know.”
One hour and zero answers later, Roxie locked the door behind Quinn. Between her lack of sleep last night and the stress of... well, everything, exhaustion threatened to knock her over right then and there. Her mounting anger was the only thing keeping her upright. She thumped her forehead against the wood.
“It’s so damn frustrating. All we can do is sit and wait.” She put her back to the door and rested her weight against it. “Honestly, I kind of wish this person would hurry up and do whatever he’s going to do already.”
Joe’s eyes filled with astonished disbelief. “What?”
“I can’t live like this, with this constant paranoia that someone’s watching me all the time. Someone’s taking pictures of me, and I’m absolutely clueless. Who the hell knows what other pictures they’ve taken? Maybe they have a whole private collection.” She waved her hands in a helpless, frustrated gesture. “It’s so freaking creepy! If this person would just attack or something, then at least we’d know who it is and what they want.”
“I’m sorry, baby.” Pulling her close, he looped his arms around her waist and laid a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. “I completely, five hundred million percent disagree with you, though. The very last thing I want is for anyone to go after you. Even if we had you under constant supervision, there are still too many variables. Too many things that can go wrong. You getting hurt again is the last thing I’d ever risk.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he placed a finger on her lips.
“I understand your frustration. I do. Unfortunately, right now we just have to wait. Stay vigilant. And then wait some more.” He replaced his finger with his lips for a quick kiss. “Is there anything I can do to help you relax? Draw you a bath? Back rub? Anything?”
Sweet, sweet man.
An idea hit. “Hold that thought.”
Roxie slipped from his arms and headed toward the kitchen, motioning for him to follow. She refilled her wineglass that still sat on the island and took a big gulp, then reached for the polka dot box, carefully prying open the lid.
Thisalways had the ability to make her feel better.
