“What the hell were you thinking?” Dennis barked.
Jonah shrugged, trying not to piss his pants. He’d seen his boss’s wrath directed at many others over the years, but he’d always stayed on his good side. To remain unscathed.
“She’s the sheriff’s fucking daughter! What is wrong with you?”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Yeah, well, now everyone in the county knows that. He’s gunning for you, and since you work for me, he’s gunning for me. What the hell did you tell her?”
Jonah squirmed. He could still see her face in his mind. Her beautiful brown hair and her stunning eyes. She wasn’t a perfect match for the woman he really wanted, but she was close enough. And she’d been easy to talk to. Too easy.
“I… I don’t remember.”
Dennis raised an eyebrow. A single lift that said more than any words could say. He was calling bullshit, and they both knew it. They also both knew if Jonah didn’t tell the truth, he wouldn’t get a second chance. Any of the men waiting outside the immaculate office would happily clean up his dismembered body and dispose of it in a way that made it clear that Jonah had betrayed their boss. He would be a lesson to others.
Just like the man who had Jonah’s job before him was.
“I mentioned a few things. But nothing recent. Nothing that we’re tied to.”
“Apparently, you were wrong about that, too. Shaw said my name was on all those cases as a person of interest. She sang like a bird to her daddy and now they’re looking for me. They even brought in an outside team to help with this one. We’re fucked because you couldn’t keep your damn mouth shut.”
“I’m sorry, boss. I didn’t realize. I didn’t mean to cause any trouble. I’ll do anything. Anything. Let me fix this.”
He shook his head and said, “This is why I’m thinking of bringing in my oldest to take over instead of you. Fucking worthless.”
Jonah swallowed his rage at the man and clenched his fists. He was not going to let him know how much he got to him.
Dennis leaned back in his black leather chair. With his elbows on the armrests, he steepled his fingers in front of his jaw and glared down his long nose at Jonah. His dark hair was all gray around his temples with sprinkles of gray over his entire head, but instead of making him look weak, he was seasoned and even more deadly. He’d survived longer than many men who’d taken up the mantle of an organization like theirs. And he knew how dangerous that meant he was.
Dennis cleared his throat and leaned forward again. “Fine. I’ll give you time to clean up your mess. Don’t fuck up again or you’ll be the mess that needs cleaning up.”
Jonah nodded rapidly. He scrambled to stand and leave the office before Dennis changed his mind.
Jonah hurried down the long marble hallway to his own office, only pausing once he was inside. He wasn’t safe in there, since Dennis owned his entire world, but he was safer than sitting across from the man he’d known most of his life.
Jonah’s hands rattled, and his bladder and lunch threatened a revolt. Jonah took a deep breath and stilled them all. He was not going to lose it. Not after all the work he’d done. He was close to getting everything he wanted. Victory was within his sights. He couldn’t stop now. Even better, his two goals were coming together.
Taylor was scared on the phone, and she had no fucking clue who he was. That stung, but Jonah didn’t expect her to recognize his voice. He knew he was invisible on her quest for success. But he wouldn’t be invisible forever. Soon she’d see him. She’d have no choice.
Taylor walked into her bathroom and stripped. It had been another long day, and she needed to relax. Steam from the shower blocked out her reflection. She drew a breath and let the warm air fill her lungs and heat her up from the inside. She’d been cold since the bird arrived in her office. Cold and scared.
She walked under the stream and tipped her head back. The water ran through her hair and down her back, washing away the last two days.
After a minute, Taylor grabbed the shampoo and started to wash herself. She let her mind go gloriously blank as she went through the motions of her shower. She didn’t want to think about her company or the mystery man or her brother’s friend. She just wanted quiet in her mind.
She stepped out of her shower, and every hair on her body stood up. She froze, trying to place the uneasy feeling that wrapped around her throat and tried to choke her. The cool air settled on her wet skin and pushed goosebumps to the surface, making her hyperaware of everything. Taylor reached for her towel, trying to pretend she was fine. If there was a problem, her alarm would have gone off. It was just her mind playing tricks on her.
She still couldn’t shake the feeling as she dried off and dressed. Something was off. Something wasn’t right. Someone was watching her.
Taylor grabbed the baseball bat she kept next to her bed and crept out of her room. All her windows were covered, so whoever was watching her had to be inside her home. Her sanctuary.
Her alarm never went off, but she could feel it. She could feel the air, the change. Something was wrong.
She made it downstairs before she heard a sound. The soft intake of breath, a moment of panic. She was definitely not alone.
“What are you doing in my house?” she asked the silence.
“I just wanted to say hi, Tay-tay,” someone answered. A man. The man from the phone.
Taylor spun toward his voice, but he was in shadows. All she could see was that he was bigger than her. His clothes were dark, but the light flashed against the knife he held in his hand.
“Get out of my house,” Taylor said, her voice shaky and unreliable, just like her knees.
“Is that any way to talk to an old friend?”
“If we were friends, you would have rung the doorbell and waited for me to invite you in. Get out now and maybe you won’t get arrested when the police arrive. I have a silent alarm, and someone is on the way as we speak.”
His laugh sent a chill up her spine. It reminded her of something, someone. Her mind tried to find the memory deep in the recesses, but it came up blank.
“We both know no one is coming, Tay-tay. Why don’t you put that bat down and we can chat? Or you can get down on your knees for me right now.”
“I’ll bite it off, you sick fuck.”
That pissed him off. He lunged for her, swinging the knife. She tried to block it, but he caught her forearm. The bat was still in her hands, but he was stronger than her. His breath reeked, even from a few feet away. His body smelled like he needed a shower and had for days. The pungent odor made her eyes water and made it harder for her to fight back.
He punched her in the ribs, knocking the wind out of her, but knocking some sense back into her. He wasn’t there for a chat. He was there to hurt her. Maybe kill her. If she wanted to see daylight again, she needed to fight back.
Taylor swung the bat, albeit weakly, and connected with his shoulder. He growled in frustration and swung at her with his knife again. A sting on her side said he got her, but she didn’t care. Adrenaline pumped through her body and swung the bat for her. She got his hip that time, a blow that had him stumbling backward and howling in pain.
“You bitch. You were always a bitch. And one day, you’re going to be my bitch.” He held his hip with his hand and hurried for the sliding glass door that was wide open. Taylor’s hands shuddered as he vanished into the night, blending into the darkness as soon as he was outside.
She followed him to the door and pushed it closed, locking it and yanking the curtains over it. Sweat beaded on her body as her fear pumped through her bloodstream and fueled her actions.
Without thinking, she dumped out her purse and found what she was looking for. She fumbled with her phone and punched in the unfamiliar numbers, keeping her gaze locked on the traitorous back door.
“Hamilton,” he barked in answer.
“Mr. Hamilton?” she asked, even though he already said his name.
“Yes. Who is this?”
“Taylor Wright. We, um, we met earlier today in my office.”
“Yes, of course.” His voice softened with recognition. “Is there something I can do for you, Ms. Wright?”
“Someone was just in my house. I, um…”
“What’s your address, Ms. Wright?”
Taylor drew a shaky breath and held it. She blew it out slowly, forcing the panic from her body for the second time in less than thirty minutes. Had it really been less than that since she stepped out of her shower and felt like everything was going to be okay? “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you.”
“What is your address? At least let me check out your property and make sure no one is still there.”
Her eyes flipped to the other doors, doors she’d loved when she moved in. They meant she could open her home and let the outside in. Doors that allowed her siblings to flow through her home and enjoy the riches she’d earned with her blood, sweat, and tears. Doors that now felt like a burden instead of a blessing.
“I, um…”
“Ms. Wright, I will call your brother and get your address from him if you don’t tell me. Someone was inside your home. I’m assuming from the frantic call, this was someone you don’t know and someone you didn’t invite into your home. You’re scared, and you have every right to be scared. Let me come over. Let me make sure you’re safe for the night. Please, Ms. Wright.”
Taylor sighed and pulled in another shaky breath. He was right. And she knew he would definitely call Braden if she didn’t tell him where she lived. She recited her address and whispered, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Ms. Wright. I’ll be there in five minutes. Keep the doors locked. I’ll send you a text when I arrive and come into the house first. I will not be walking around outside until after I’ve come in to see you. I’m on my way.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“Can you… um, I mean, do you mind…”
“Do you want me to stay on the phone with you?”
“Yes,” she said quietly, the word painful to admit.
“Of course. Why don’t you tell me about your company? Birds of a Feather. Where did you come up with it?”
Taylor took a breath and started talking. She could talk about her company all night if she had to.
Dex listened to Taylor’s voice as it went from panicked and wild to calm and happy the longer she spoke. He liked listening to her, almost as much as he liked that she called him when she needed something.
He kicked himself for not having gone there. She told him she didn’t need or want his help, but he should have known if Braden was calling, there was a reason to be concerned. Instead, Dex had left a beautiful woman unguarded and in danger.
He pulled into her driveway and told her he was there. Her voice changed back to the panicked one, and he wished he could have kept her talking about her company.
“Should I unlock the door?” she asked.
“Hang on. I’ll knock twice when I get to your door. I’m getting out of my car right now. I’m walking up. Okay, this is me, Ms. Wright.” He knocked twice.
The door opened before he’d pulled his hand back. Her wet locks hung down her back and teased their way over her shoulders. She wore a pair of loose pants that fluttered with her jerky movements. Her tank top was tight and bright and hugged her curves in a way that made his mouth water.
But Dex wasn’t there for that. She was Braden’s sister, not some woman he was going to sleep with.
“Mr. Hamilton,” she breathed, her voice doing things to his cock that a woman hadn’t done in far too long. Dex used to think of himself as a little bit of a ladies’ man, but it had been far too long since he let himself enjoy all the treasures of a woman’s body.
“Ms. Wright. Are you hurt?” His gaze scanned her body, landing on the bloodstain on the side of her shirt. “You are. Let me see it.”
She lifted her arm as he backed her inside and closed the door. He locked it, making a mental note that the lock didn’t appear to have been tampered with.
Dex held her arm up and walked with her toward the kitchen. Her home could have been in a magazine or on one of those shows Lily, Ashleigh, and the other women liked. Everything was white and bright, with pops of color throughout the space. Her kitchen had white cabinets and white countertops with mismatched, colorful pulls. Pendant lights hung over the island and cast bright blues and reds around the room. It reminded him of her office with the blank, bright canvas and the brilliant colors that brought the place to life.
“Do you have a paper towel or something I can use to clean the blood away?” Dex asked.
She pointed, then reached under one of the upper cabinets. She pulled a roll of paper towels off a hidden holder and handed it to him.
“Thanks.” Dex ran a few sheets under warm water and got to work cleaning up her arm. The cut wasn’t deep, but it was long. When he finished cleaning it, he asked if she had other cuts.
“I’m not sure. Um, but, maybe on my side? And he punched me.”
She was starting to crash. Dex could hear it in her voice. “Why don’t you sit and I can look?” He held her arm and guided her to the stools on the other side of the island. The dining room chairs were fabric and would stain, same as the couch, but the stools were shiny and could be wiped clean.
Taylor didn’t fight him as he helped her sit. She leaned against the counter and winced. “Ow, yeah, it hurts. I didn’t realize…”
“It’s fine. Can I lift your shirt?”
She nodded and turned away.
Dex lifted the edge of her shirt and let his gaze flip between her face and her wounded skin. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth as her cheeks darkened. He wondered if it was pain or something else that had her pulling back from him.
The gash on her side was similar to the one on her arm. The blood he noticed on her shirt definitely came from this cut, which told him before he got a good look at it that it was likely deeper. He cleaned it carefully, watching her face for signs of pain as he worked quickly.
“I don’t think either will need stitches, but I’m not a doctor. I can take you to the hospital.”
“No,” she blurted. “No hospitals and no cops.”
“No cops? What do you mean?”
“Ms. Wright—”
“No, Mr. Hamilton, no. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you and put you in the middle of this.” She made a move to stand, but Dex blocked her escape.
“Ms. Wright, please at least let me bandage your cuts.”
She looked up at him. Their faces were close since she moved to get away. Close enough that Dex could feel the warmth of her breath on his face. They stared at each other, neither of them moving. She swayed toward him, just slightly, then pulled back and settled in her chair again. “Okay,” she whispered.
Dex wasn’t sure he would ever breathe normally again. His body pumped with desire. But she was off-limits. She was a client and a friend’s sister and a favor, not… available for him.
Dex focused once more on the task at hand. Taylor had a well-stocked first aid kit. He closed the wound on her side with butterfly strips and covered it with a gauze pad. The one on her arm got the same treatment. Dex tried not to memorize how soft her skin was or how good she smelled as he worked, but it was pointless. He knew the first chance he got, he’d fantasize about all the things he couldn’t do with Ms. Taylor Wright.
Once her wounds were bandaged, Dex cleaned up and asked if she was feeling better.
“I think so. I just…” She sucked in a breath and stared at her back door.
“Is that where he came in?” She nodded. “Do you have a security system?” She nodded again. “And it was set but didn’t go off?”
“Yep.”
“I’ll check everything out. Are you okay in here for a little while?”
“Yeah. I can—” She made a move to get off the stool and winced. He reached for her, but she waved him off and walked across the room and settled on her purple couch. “Is it okay if I sit here?”
“Of course. I’ll check around the house and see if I can find out how he gained access. Do you have a hidden key or anything?”
“No, nothing.”
“Okay. Where are your keys?”
“My keys?”
“I will lock the door on my way out and let myself back in so you don’t need to get up. You’re injured, Ms. Wright. I want you to rest.”
“Oh, okay. In my purse.”
Dex found them and looked at her once more, then walked outside into the darkness.
He slipped effortlessly into warrior mode once he was outside. Protecting Taylor was all that mattered. He walked around the entire house, checking windows and doors and looking for anything that seemed off. He didn’t know what normal looked like for her, but he didn’t see anything that alarmed him.
Which alarmed him.
He let himself back into her home. Taylor hadn’t moved from the couch, but she was staring at the door when he walked in. Her teeth left an imprint on her lower lip. “Anything?”
“No, unfortunately.”
“I thought that was good. You sound like that’s a bad thing. Why is that not good?”
Dex moved across the room toward her. “It means I don’t know how he got into your home. Which means he could do it again.”
She pulled her knees up onto the couch and hugged them. “I… He knows me. I don’t know who he is, but he knows me. He keeps calling me by my childhood nickname.”
“Keeps calling you? This wasn’t the first time he’s been in your home?”
“It was, but it wasn’t the first time I’d spoken to him. He called me last night. He’s the one who sent me the bird.”
Dex tried not to let his anger show, but he was pissed. She had a stalker, a dangerous one, and she was only now telling him. After she refused his protection.
He felt even more guilty for not being there. It didn’t matter that he didn’t have all the facts; he was a soldier. He was supposed to have a sixth sense about these kinds of things. Instead, he was fantasizing about the client and worrying about another case.
“Tell me everything, Ms. Wright. Now.”
