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Knowing someone had violated her privacy—their intimate moments—was too much to bear. His mind had roiled with agony all day as he tried to find answers.
He had also struggled with ways to tell her what he found. Nothing sounded good. How did you tell someone you found cameras all over their house? That they’d been spied on from the moment they stepped into the space?
He’d spoken with Mindy, who had been appalled by the news. Duke had spoken to her first, getting the information about the previous tenants, but Griffin had wanted to speak to her as well. She had nothing new to report. No idea who could have installed cameras in the house. That’s what bothered Griffin the most. Who could have gotten access to the property to do such a thing? Sure, he hadn’t had a security system until recently, but he had good locks on the windows and doors. It would’ve been hard to break in without making it noticeable, and he found no indication someone had done so.
The place had been used as a rental for the past two years. The first year went smoothly with a nice couple, who after the first year, decided to buy their own house in town. They had wanted to see if living in a town with Christmas cheer every day was something they’d like. They had. Since they had moved out, no one had lasted long.
Griffin had decided he’d follow up with them first while Duke tackled the other people. Of course, when he went by Scott and Erica’s place, they weren’t home. Scott worked at one of the two doctor’s offices in town as a pediatrician. That’s when he found out they were on vacation and wouldn’t be back for another few days. It had disappointed him, but he hadn’t sweated over it. He wasn’t sure what they’d be able to tell him anyway.
He’d spent the rest of the day changing the locks and installing cameras outside the front and back doors. No one was getting inside without him knowing this time. He had it all hooked up to an app on his phone that would alert him of any approaching company.
They’d left Eve’s car at the cafe. He’d bring her to work tomorrow, something he never minded doing. When he parked the car in his driveway, they sat there in silence for a few moments.
“I think—”
“What did—”
They stopped speaking, looking at each other. He could drown in the depths of her emerald eyes. Right now, they held a hint of fear, but also curiosity. She had been about to ask what he found out today. And he had almost stupidly ruined everything by suggesting she move in with him.
He knew better than that.
Pushing her too soon, too fast, and he knew she’d flee as far as she could. But the thought of her stepping into the cottage alone had him itching to make her stay in his house—forever.
Her lips twisted into an easy grin, though the fear still touched her eyes. “You go first.”
“I think we should eat on the patio tonight. Have a glass of wine.”
Her brows puckered. “Okay, maybe I should’ve gone first. What did you find? What aren’t you telling me?”
Yeah, that was silly of him, thinking he could gloss over the subject and she would let it go. At least she didn’t call him on his lie. That hadn’t been what he originally wanted to say and she knew it.
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then everything came out. From the moment he found the first camera to making sure each piece of equipment they found was searched with a fine-tooth comb. He wanted answers and he wanted them now!
She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, her gaze turning from him to the cottage.
“I wasn’t going crazy.”
“I’m so sorry, Eve. I am so unbelievably sorry.”
Her head whipped to him, her hand reaching across the seat to graze his cheek. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
He grasped her hand, setting it down between them, yet didn’t let go. “I should’ve known what was going on. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
Keeping the venom out of his tone was impossible. By the way she flinched, he should’ve done a better job of hiding it.
“It’s not your fault, Griffin. I don’t know why you’d think it is.”
“It’s my house.”
She unbuckled her belt, scooting closer, bringing her free hand to his face. “Always the protector. You know now, and I’m not worried. You make me feel safe. It’s over now.”
That’s where she was wrong. It wouldn’t be over until he found the culprit. He wouldn’t sleep easy until that happened.
“Stay with me tonight.” His grip on her hand tightened, forcing himself to keep the remainder of his plea inside. For her to stay forever in his domain.
“I’d like that.”
She removed her hand from his cheek, tugging on her other hand for him to let go. Reluctantly, he did. They fell into their easy routine of making supper, eating and cleaning up as if they’d been doing it for years together. He walked with her to her house to grab a few things, pointing out after she insisted where the cameras had been.
