Unfinished: A Small Town, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Suspense (Amber Ridge Book 6), page 13
It wasn’t. Shelley’s expectations were. And every day, Bonnie stood up for herself a little more.
Was it because of Dean? Shelley hadn’t grown up here, but maybe she’d heard whispers around town.
Who the heck knew?
When she stepped out of the shower, she wanted to throw on her oversized shirt and slide into bed, but she also wanted to see Zane. Maybe she’d down an aspirin, eat a slice of pizza, and go to his apartment.
After pulling on some yoga pants and a sweatshirt, she moved to the kitchen, where she swallowed the aspirin with some water. As she waited for her pizza, she lifted her phone, hesitating before typing out the text.
She should ask him in person. But she was impatient and texting took less courage.
Bonnie: Why didn’t you tell me?
The second she hit send, she scrunched her eyes. They popped right back open when the text came through.
Zane: Because my past is heavy and complicated, and I didn’t want to pile that on you. You have enough going on. It was a mistake. I should have realized you can handle it.
She was about to respond when a knock came at the door. She frowned. Was that the pizza? She’d expected to collect it downstairs. Had someone let them in?
She crossed to the door and looked through the peephole, but no one was there.
Strange.
She unlocked the door and tugged it open. A pizza sat in the hall.
Another frown. Had she even given her apartment number? She didn’t think so.
Her hands turned clammy, heart racing just a bit faster.
With shaking fingers, she lifted the box and closed the door. She set it on her dining room table.
But the second it was down, she noticed red on her palms.
What the hell?
She studied her hand and fingertips…it was everywhere.
Her chest started to heave as she looked back at the box, now noticing red liquid on the sides. It was paint, right? It had to be paint.
A voice in her head told her not to open the box. Hell, it screamed it.
But she had to. She had to know what was inside.
Slowly, she lifted the lid.
Nausea hit her so hard, she leaned over and was almost sick.
She stumbled back before looking at the box again. Still there. She hadn’t made it up.
There was a dead mouse on top of the pizza. Only it wasn’t the entire mouse…the creature was missing its head, and there was blood everywhere.
She couldn’t breathe. Out. She needed to get out!
Her knees shook as she stumbled toward the door and out into the hall, only stopping when she reached his door.
She needed Zane.
“He’s being transferred.”
Zane stopped in his kitchen, fingers tightening around his cell. “What do you mean, Monty’s being transferred. Why?”
“Overcrowding.” There was a pause from Ethan. “They’re sending him and a handful of other prisoners to Dawson County Corrections. The transfer’s happening in a month.”
He shouldn’t care. This should be a non-fucking issue. But that transfer would move him closer to Amber Ridge. And Zane didn’t want that scumbag anywhere near him or his town. “Can you get all the details? Time. Names of other prisoners. Even the guards.”
“I’ll see what I can find.”
He poured himself a shot of scotch, hoping like hell he was worrying about nothing.
“Abernathy Koch’s correction article is also supposed to come out in a few days,” Ethan added.
Zane tipped back the scotch, the liquid burning his throat. “The damage is already done.”
“The gym doing okay?”
“Business has been picking up these last few days. Being the only gym in Amber Ridge doesn’t leave locals a lot of options.”
“I’m glad not everyone’s bought into the bullshit.”
“How’s Deep River? Any new information on the missing person?”
Ethan sighed. “None. As far as Ward’s concerned, she’s a missing person who won’t be found.”
“Shit, he’s annoying.”
“That’s putting it lightly.”
“Anything I can do to help?”
“No. My trips to Amber Ridge are helping by giving me a much-needed break from the guy. He seems to be everywhere. I can’t walk down the street without seeing him.”
“I’m always happy to have you here.”
“Thanks. I, uh…also went on a date.”
Zane’s lips twitched. “A good date?”
“Pretty good.”
Zane frowned. That wasn’t convincing. “You gonna go on another?”
“I haven’t decided. I should. She’s nice.”
Nice? That one word told Zane everything. It wasn’t going anywhere. “You should give her a chance.” Ethan rarely dated.
“I should.” He sighed. “I should go.”
“Thanks for keeping an eye on everything.”
“I’m on your side, always.”
Zane hung up and scrubbed a hand over his mouth. Monty was being transferred. It would be fine. Prisoners were transferred all the time. This was just a small change.
He’d just put the glass in the sink when banging sounded on the door.
Was that Bonnie? He shot a glance at the time. It had only been half an hour.
He moved to the door and looked through the peephole. A string of curses fell from his mouth at the fear on her face. He yanked it open. “What’s wrong?”
Her chest heaved and her face was so pale there was barely a scrap of color in it. She glanced down the hall to her apartment, then back to him. “There was…I…I can’t…”
“Hey.” He stepped into the hall and placed a hand on the small of her back. “It’s okay. Come inside.”
She moved inside his apartment, but before following, he glanced down the hall.
Empty.
Once the door was locked, he turned back to her. “Bonnie, what—” He stopped, eyes narrowing on the red staining her hands. The fuck? “Are you hurt?” He gripped her wrists and lifted her hands, searching for injuries.
She shook her head, fingers shaking. “No. It’s…it’s not my blood.”
“Whose is it?”
“I ordered a pizza from Burt’s and it was left at my door, but there was…”
“You’re safe, Bon. Deep breaths.”
Her chest rose and fell before she looked at him again. “There was a decapitated mouse in the box. And there was blood everywhere.”
The son of a bitch. Zane was going to tear the fucker apart with his bare hands. But first, he needed to take care of Bonnie.
Gently, he gripped her hips and led her down the hall. In the bathroom, he stood behind her at the basin and turned on the water, making it warm. Then, gently, he guided her hands under the stream.
As the water turned crimson, he felt that thing again. Not anger. This was darker. This clawed at his insides, almost making him shake with the need to hurt the person who’d hurt Bonnie.
With soap on his fingers, he ran his hands over her palms, making sure every inch of her skin was clean.
Her entire body shook, and it sharpened every instinct in him with this unbearable need to fix this. Protect her. Guard her.
Once the water ran clear, he grabbed a towel and dried her hands before leading her into his bedroom. She sat at the foot of the bed while he grabbed one of his sweatshirts. There was a smear of blood on hers, and he couldn’t fucking look at it without feeling like he was going to explode.
He crouched in front of her. “Lift for me, honey.”
She lifted her arms. He tugged the sweatshirt over her head, barely looking at the soft skin pressing at her lacy bra. This wasn’t about sex. All he cared about was making sure Bonnie was okay.
Once his sweatshirt was over her head, he gripped her thighs. “I’m going to your apartment.”
Her eyes flared. “You don’t want to see it.”
“I’ve seen worse.” He slipped a piece of hair behind her ear. “Will you be all right while I’m gone?”
“Yeah. I might, um, lie down if that’s okay. I’ve got the worst headache.”
He cupped her cheek, studying her eyes, wishing there was more color to her skin. “I’ll get you some Tylenol.”
“I’ve already taken aspirin. But I think the two are okay to take together.”
“As a one-off, it’s actually a more effective painkiller combination.”
He pulled back the covers at the head of the bed before going into the kitchen and grabbing a glass of water and two pills. When he returned, Bonnie was still exactly where he’d left her.
She took the pills and water.
“Do you want me to call your brother or sister?” he asked.
She shook her head before he’d finished speaking. “I’m tired. I’ll call them tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’m going to call Jesse though. He needs to know what happened.”
Her brow creased. “I’m not up to talking to him tonight.”
“I know.”
She nibbled her bottom lip before looking at him again. “Thank you.”
“I’m so fucking angry for you. But you coming to me…that’s the only part I’m grateful for.”
She leaned forward, her temple touching his chest.
For a moment, he didn’t move. He couldn’t. She trusted him to protect her. To look after her. To hold her. And fuck, that was everything.
It wasn’t until she sat back that he forced himself up and out of the room.
When he reached the hall, he locked his apartment door before crossing to hers. The door was still open, and he saw the mess the second he stepped inside. It sat on the dining table, lid open, a headless mouse on top of the pizza.
Dead. This person who was messing with her was going to breathe his last damn breath pretty fucking soon.
It took every ounce of self-restraint he possessed to remain inside the apartment. To turn around and search the place for Bonnie’s cell. It was on the dresser in her room. He lifted it and searched for the number he was looking for.
Jesse answered immediately. “Bonnie, is everything okay?”
“This is Zane Merrick.”
There was a small pause. “Why are you calling from Bonnie’s cell?”
“Someone decapitated a mouse and left it on top of a pizza by her front door.”
Jesse cursed viciously. “I’ll be there in ten.”
“Bonnie isn’t up to talking to anyone tonight. But I’ll send you my number and a photo of the pizza box. Text me when you arrive and I’ll let you into her apartment.”
“Is she okay?”
“No. Not even a little bit.”
Jesse’s voice was harder now. “I’ll be there soon.”
Zane took Bonnie’s phone and keys with him before heading back to his apartment. He thought she might still be sitting where he’d left her. She wasn’t. She was lying in the bed, eyes closed, chest rising and falling rhythmically.
Asleep.
He tugged the sheet and comforter higher, making a vow that he would find the asshole messing with her, and he’d make this stop. All of it.
CHAPTER 18
Bonnie checked her watch, the music bouncing off the walls and blasting in her ears.
Ten? How was it only ten? She felt like she’d been at this party for hours.
A guy bumped into her, his beer spilling on her shirt.
He muttered a sorry before stumbling away.
That was it. She was done.
She weaved through the throng of people. Everyone from her grade danced and drank and laughed. It was wild that she could be surrounded by a roomful of people, people she’d gone through her entire school life with, and still feel completely alone. Maybe more alone than if she was actually by herself.
Where was Dean? She wanted to go, and if he wanted a lift home, he needed to go too.
She slipped through the crowd, searching. Her phone vibrated with a text. She pulled it out.
Mom: What time will you be home?
She pushed her cell back into her pocket. She loved her parents, but they didn’t understand her. No one in her family did. They were too different. Happy and driven, and her siblings knew exactly what they were doing with their lives. While she didn’t even know what she was doing in the next couple weeks.
She had no drive to do…anything. Sometimes she wondered if something was wrong with her.
But when she said any of that to her parents, they told her she was perfect. That she’d figure things out. That she just needed to throw herself into stuff.
She bumped into a big body.
Theodore turned, eyes glazed as a lazy smile curved his lips. “Bonnie…baby! Wanna dance?”
He slipped an arm around her waist and started to sway.
She shoved at his chest. “Stop. I’m looking for Dean.”
The frown on his face was almost comical. “You still want Dean when you have a masterpiece like me right in front of you?”
Another shove at his chest. “Do you know where he is?”
He huffed and stepped back. “Weren’t you two fighting earlier?”
They always fought. Today, it was about her possibly going to college in Santa Fe. Yesterday, it was about not wanting to have sex. Fighting seemed to be all they were good at lately. “Do you know where he is or not?”
His gaze flicked to the stairs, then back to her. “No. I haven’t seen him.”
She frowned. “Why did you look to the stairs?”
“Uh…because I like stairs.”
Her frown deepened—and she turned toward the stairs.
“Bonnie…give him time to cool off.”
She ignored Theodore. Dean’s best friend was a tool ninety percent of the time.
She jogged up the steps and knocked on the bathroom door. When no one answered, she cracked it open.
Empty.
She opened the next door—a spare bedroom. Again, it was empty.
Maybe no one was up here. She knocked and opened the third door, not waiting for a response.
Curses sounded, and the rustle of sheets. Then she saw them.
Her jaw dropped—because there, in the bed, were Dean and Maisie.
Maisie tugged the sheet over her body while Dean gaped, mouth so far open it was almost comical. “Bonnie.”
Interesting. She didn’t feel upset or disappointed. She didn’t even want to cry.
Anger, though? Yeah, she definitely felt that.
Dean grabbed his briefs and pulled them on before stepping toward her. “I can explain.”
“Don’t. I’m leaving. Maisie, I’m sure you can give him a ride home.” She closed the door and jogged down the stairs. Every step made the rage inside her ripple and burn.
Her boyfriend and her best friend.
Her freaking boyfriend and best damn friend!
She’d trusted them. Both of them. There were so few people in the world she trusted, but them? She’d told them everything. About her lack of ambition. Her feelings of not fitting into her family.
Dean called to her from the top of the stairs, but she ignored him and stormed outside. A few people stood on the grass. One drinking, a couple smoking, another person throwing up in the bushes.
All she wanted was to get away. To go where, she wasn’t sure.
She was halfway across the lawn when rough fingers wrapped around her arm and swung her around. “Bonnie. Stop! I didn’t mean to.”
Her brows shot up. “Really? You didn’t mean to put your dick in my best friend? What did you mean to do?”
“Jesus, keep your voice down!”
“Why? Because you don’t want everyone knowing you’re a cheating piece of shit?”
Maisie stepped outside, cell to her ear.
Dean tugged Bonnie closer and growled between gritted teeth, “I said, keep your damn voice down.”
“No.” She shoved his chest hard and walked away.
“You’re a fucking mouse, you know that? Weak. Passive. Worthless. What did you expect me to do? Put up with your shit forever?”
She kept walking, angry tears falling down her cheeks.
“Bonnie.”
Her arm was grabbed again, this time softer.
“Bonnie. Wake up.”
Her eyes swung open and she shot up, chest heaving.
Darkness. It surrounded her.
She looked down at the hand on her arm, then at the shirtless man beside her. “Zane.”
Zane’s eyes flashed open. Not at any sound. At the movement beside him. The dipping of the mattress. The rustle of the sheets.
He turned his head to see Bonnie’s head moving, brows tugged together in a deep frown.
He sat up. “Bonnie.”
She continued to throw her head from side to side.
He grabbed her arm gently but firmly. “Bonnie, wake up.”
Her eyes flashed open and she shot up in bed. Her breathing was ragged, and her gaze darted around the dark room before they zeroed in on his hand. When she looked at him, she frowned. “Zane.”
“Hey, Bon.” He kept his voice soft. “Everything okay?”
Her gaze shifted between his eyes. “He called me a mouse.”
“Who?”
“Dean. When we fought, that last night, he called me a mouse. He told me I was weak and passive and worthless.” A shudder ran down her spine. “It was the last thing he ever said to me.”
The pieces clicked together. The headless mouse delivered to her doorstep hadn’t just been to scare her…it was a threat. She was the mouse.
Motherfucker.
“Who knows?” Zane asked quietly.
She blinked. “What?”
“Who knows that he called you that?”
“Well…Maisie, because she was outside. And there were a handful of other people too. But I also told the police, so it’s probably in a police report, which I’m sure his parents got a copy of.”
“We’ll tell Jesse in the morning.”
