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She finishes her coffee before glancing at her watch. “Well, I’ve got to get going, but I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Ten o’clock?”
I nod. “See you then.”
She gets up and leaves while I watch her go. And then I notice that familiar feeling of being watched. A feeling I never understood until Dante admitted to watching me like some possessive stalker.
Glancing up, I scan the coffee shop to find him watching me from a table near the back. His lips quirk into a sly smile when our eyes lock. It makes my stomach flutter as I stand, intending to walk out. After everything that’s happened between us, the last thing we need is to meet in public.
This town is too small. Before I leave the door, a hand settles around my wrist. “Where do you think you’re going, little doe?”
I turn to face him, noticing no one seems to pay us attention. “Home. We can’t talk here.”
His smirk widens. He’s enjoying this a little too much. “I’m merely discussing job requirements with my new employee. Nothing untoward. Walk with me.” He opens the door, releasing my wrist.
I hesitate for a heartbeat, then step out onto the sidewalk beside him. The sun is bright, and the day is warm, starkly contrasting the tension within me.
We walk silently for a while, our footsteps echoing on the sidewalk.
“Were you following me?” I ask, glancing at him.
He shrugs. “Perhaps. I overheard your conversation.”
I narrow my eyes. “How? We weren’t exactly close to your table.”
“I was sitting behind you for most of the conversation. I moved when I heard Eva leaving,” he admits.
“And that isn’t creepy at all.”
He leans toward me. “I thought you liked creepy, little doe.”
It’s true. Dante’s obsessive, stalking tendencies only make me want him more.
“Be careful in the forest tomorrow.”
I arch a brow. “Careful of what? Bears?”
His eyes narrow. “There are bears, yes.”
“How do I know you won’t be following me around like today?”
He smirks. “You don’t.”
Something about his smirk makes my heart pound like a war drum. “You can’t lurk around me all the time.”
His smirk fades into a serious expression. “Can’t isn’t in my vocabulary. I’m not lurking, anyway.”
“What would you call it?” I ask.
“I’m watching, observing.” He pauses, then adds, “Protecting.”
I feel a chill despite the warm sun. “Protecting? From what?”
He stops walking and faces me, his gaze intense. “From anything and anyone who could harm you.” His voice drops lower, “Especially from him.” I don’t need to ask who he’s referring to. We both know he’s talking about my husband.
“Someone will notice in the end, and what happens then?” I demand.
His jaw clenches. “We’ll deal with the fallout, but for now, all that matters is you.”
“I can’t have you jeopardizing the life you’ve built here for me. What if something happens to you?”
