AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I have my ways,” he says, winking at me. I stand from his lap, and he stands behind me, leading me out of the room and down the hall. We head downstairs, and just like he said, there’s food sitting on the counter. He pulls boxes out of the bags andsets them down as I open them. Eggs, sausage, bacon, everything you can think of is inside.
“How many people are we feeding?” I tease him.
“I’m a starvin’ man, Olson.” He laughs, and it’s the perfect sound. I don’t think I’ve heard him laugh much in the time we’ve been together, but this is perfect.
Ridge and I ate in comfortable silence, just enjoying the company of the other. Inside? I’m falling apart. Outside, I’m trying to hold myself together for him. I don’t want him to see just how much of a mess I am.
We finish up our food, and Ridge cleans up the mess when it hits me.
“Gabe hasn’t tried anything today,” I say out loud.
“Maybe he won’t.”
“You don’t think he’d at least try something on a holiday?” I ask him. Ridge shrugs before leaning against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest.
“It wouldn’t be smart with me here.”
“I know, but he didn’t seem to care when he left the photos or broke the window.”
“I honestly don’t know, Olson. I figured he would do somethin’, and, oddly, he hasn’t. I didn’t want to scare you, though,” he explains truthfully.
“I don’t know how I feel. I know I should be scared, but I’m not. Not really, anyway. I think it’s weird that he followed me home, but he hasn’t tried to hurt me physically.”
“He threw a rock through your window,” he reminds me.
“But I think that was more to get my attention, don’t you?”
“I don’t know what to think, Olson. These kinds of people don’t just back off. They’re stalkers, yeah? They don’t just give up.”
“So, you don’t think he’s just gone away?”
“I don’t think he’s going to. Guys like him don’t just disappear.”
21
Ridge
Italked to her security. No, I threatened her security. I made sure they knew I’d be all over their asses if anything happened to her while they were in charge. I don’t know if they got the message or not, but I will kill anyone who allows her to be hurt.
“So, New Year. You’ll be there?” she asks once more. I hate saying goodbye to her. I hate I have to let her go now. It’s eating me up inside, but I promised her I would be there for New Year’s with her, and I’ll keep that promise. It’s only a few more days, right?
“I’ll be there, Princess. I promise.”
“Okay. This is harder than I thought it would be,” she says as I run my hands up and down her arms. I know she has to go but fuck me. I want to keep her around a little longer.
“I know, but it’s a few days,” I remind her. “I’ll be there in a few days then you can show me what Cali is all about.”
“Okay.”
“Okay. You gotta go, Princess.”
“I know,” she whispers. I pull her into my arms and hold her for a long second. I don’t want to let her go either, but I know we have to. I know this is the way things have to be.
I lean down and kiss her once more before pulling away and opening her car door. She hesitates for a second before she finally sighs and climbs in.
“A few days,” I tell her. She nods her head and kisses me once more before I step back and close the door. I move back so the car can leave, watching her wave and wiping her eyes as they go.
“Fuck,” I grumble under my breath when a hand lands on my shoulder.
