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“We need to get up. You don’t want to be late,” Brandon says, moving to get up and discard the damp towel in the hamper.
“Do we have to? I’d like to just stay in bed with you all day,” I plead.
“Unfortunately, we can’t do that,” Brandon says, leaning over to kiss my lips.
Staying in bed all day is exactly what I want. Even though I’m the one who was determined not to become isolated due to this stalker, all I want now is for Brandon to hold me and not have to deal with the outside world for a little longer.
“Fine,” I say, moving back over toward him and planting a lingering kiss on his smooth lips. “Race you to the shower.”
Brandon lifts a brow at my suggestion.
“What does the winner get?”
I pretend to think this over. “The winner gets on their knees.”
“You’re on,” Brandon says, leaping from bed. I jump out of bed, right on his heels, not at all sorry to be in second place.
CHAPTER 12
Brandon
The first thing I spot is a white card in front of Ava’s door. There’s irony in seeing a nice, expensive-looking cardstock just waiting for Ava.
The stalker is letting us know how near they’d been.
“What’s wrong, Brandon?”
I don’t immediately answer Ava, wanting to make sure the threat isn’t still here. The hallway is empty and there are no sounds from the first floor below. The lack of security at the main building door would make it quite easy for anyone to traipse around and be mistaken as a resident of the building or deliveryman if caught.
The only sign anyone is near are the snowy footprints on the black square of tile at the building’s entryway. The only evidence is already melting.
“Oh my God, Brandon! What is that?”
“Stay right there, Ava.”
I turn to make sure she’s still in the apartment and able to lock herself in at a moment’s notice in case whoever was here comes back. I pick up the cardstock and scan the note. The handwriting is a neat scrawl like they’d employed a professional calligrapher.
Why do you keep running from me Ava? I just want to love you.
A note from an admirer? The first person who comes to mind is Reid. He was all over Ava at that club, possessively handling her and angry when she refused the drugs he offered her. Could this stalking be retribution for spurning his advances?
I didn’t trust Reid Buford in the slightest. Last night’s altercation only angered him more, but without solid evidence, the police will only dismiss us just like the last time.
I turn at the sound of the door cracking back open. Ava peeks her head out and gives me puppy dog eyes after I just told her to keep the door closed.
I sigh and return to the apartment, shutting and locking the front door behind me.
“So, what is it, Brandon?”
Reluctantly, I flash her the note. Her eyes widen after reading the short message.
“You think someone just put it outside the door?” she asks.
“There’s fresh snow prints a few inches away from where whoever dropped the note.”
A guilty feeling sinks in at the turn of events since I’ve been in charge of protecting Ava. I should have been keeping guard around the door and of the building. Instead, I was in the apartment fucking her, so deeply engrossed that nothing could have torn my body apart from Ava’s.
“I’m sorry, Ava. This is all my fault?—”
