Cherished Enough, page 14
I looked at Ryan in horror. “How does he know the layout of the apartment if he hasn’t been in it?”
He slowly shook his head. “I don’t know. Detective Billings is going to start questioning all the construction guys who worked on the apartment.”
Closing my eyes, I rubbed my temples to ease the headache that was building. “I can’t believe this. It’s been so quiet…I thought maybe he’d forgotten about me and moved on.”
Suddenly remembering my feeling in the bathroom, I jerked my gaze up to look at Ryan. “He’s here,” I blurted out.
With a confused expression, Ryan shook his head. “No, Rose was here earlier, but that’s it.”
I frantically shook my head. “No, Ryan, he’s here! I felt someone watching me through the windows in the bathroom. He’s here—or he was. Watching. I know he was. I felt it in my core.”
Ryan reached for his phone and hit a number.
“Did you see anyone following us?” he asked into his cell. “Morgan thinks he was watching her. Fuck! Well, he might be here anyway… Yeah. I’ll meet you outside.”
He hung up, kissed me on the mouth quickly, then lifted me and deposited me on the sofa. “Stay inside, Morgan—and put some pants on.”
“Wait! Who was that? Who are you meeting outside?”
“I’ll explain in a bit. Don’t come outside—do you hear me? No matter what, do not come outside. And lock the door when I leave.”
Swallowing hard, I watched Ryan reach for his bag, and then gasped when I saw what he pulled out. “Why do you have a gun?” I asked, panic filling my voice.
He returned to the couch and kissed me again. “I’ll explain everything once I come back in. Please don’t come outside. Promise me.”
“Ryan, you’re scaring me.”
His expression softened as he cupped my cheek in his hand, his thumb moving softly over my skin. “I’m being cautious. That’s all.”
And just like that, he turned and rushed out the door.
I jumped up and locked it, then stood there for a moment, listening. The sound of a car door shutting had me racing to the window. There was a car parked beyond the range of the outdoor lights, so I couldn’t see who got out, but it was definitely a man. He was a bit taller than Ryan. They spoke for a couple of seconds, then both of them went off in different directions.
Spinning around, I raced to the bathroom so I could search for pants and my phone. Slipping on a pair of lounge pants, I grabbed my cell and tapped Blayze’s number.
“Hey, is everything okay?” he answered.
“No! I mean, I don’t know! Why does Ryan have a gun?”
“What?” Blayze asked, clearly confused.
“Ryan met some man outside the cabin because I told him I felt like I was being watched in the bathroom. He called someone, said he’d meet him outside, then he got a gun out of his bag, Blayze, and went outside to meet this man!”
“Morgan, calm down and take a few deep breaths, okay? First of all, you have a stalker doing all kinds of crazy shit to you, of course Ryan has a gun. It’s not the first time you’ve ever seen him with a gun.”
I closed my eyes. “I guess so, but he was hunting then. But yes, I see what you mean. It was just a shock to see it.”
Blayze exhaled. “The guy is most likely Nox. A friend of ours.”
Nox? Why did that name sound so familiar? Then I remembered. It was the name on Ryan’s phone a couple weeks back. “Who’s Nox?”
Blayze cursed. I heard him moving, then the sound of a door shutting. “Nox is someone we met in college our freshman year. He’s probably the smartest guy I’ve ever known. Anyway, he ended up leaving school and went to work for the government. Doing what, I have no idea. I’m not sure Ryan does, either…but maybe. He and Ryan had a closer relationship. Ryan actually spent a whole summer with Nox, but don’t ask me why. I never asked. All I know is, if Ryan called Nox for help, it was either to assist in finding the guy doing this to you, or to…” His voice trailed off.
“Or to what?”
He sighed. “Watch you.”
“Watch me? As in, follow me around?”
“Morgan, don’t get upset with Ryan. He only wants to keep you safe.”
“But if he has someone watching me, why didn’t they see the kid break into the apartment today?”
“Because he probably had his eyes on you in the boutique.”
“Ryan isn’t involved with the government, is he?”
Blayze laughed. “No, I promise you he’s not. He is, however, very proficient with a gun, and I think that has everything to do with Nox. From the little Ryan has told me about the summer he spent with the guy, I’m pretty damn sure he was attempting to recruit Ryan for something. He said no—and I’m even more sure that was because of you.”
“Me?” I asked.
“Morgan…Ryan has had a thing for you ever since you were a teenager. He may not have admitted it to me, maybe not even to himself, but it was always obvious that most of the decisions he’s made in his life have had everything to do with you.”
I closed my eyes and fought the tears that threatened to escape. “He’s out there right now, Blayze. What if that lunatic is still here? I would die if anything happened to Ryan!”
“Trust me when I say that Ryan can take care of himself.”
I heard the lock disengage, then the door to the cabin opened and I let out a huge sigh of relief. “He’s back.” My eyes jerked over to a large man dressed entirely in camo. “And…he has GI Joe with him.”
Blayze actually laughed at that. “Everything okay?”
“Blayze wants to know if everything’s okay?” I called out.
Ryan smiled and nodded, though the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
At the same time, Nox shook his head. I instantly liked the guy.
“Yeah, it’s okay,” I said, not wanting to worry Blayze. “I’m sorry I interrupted your evening. I’ll talk to you later.”
“I love you, Morgan.”
“Love you too.”
Hitting End, I stood and approached Nox. Jesus, the man was huge, and not the type of guy I would want to be on the wrong side of. He was all muscle and at least six two, with brown hair that was cut in a military style. His eyes were a beautiful light blue, but there was something in them that said he’d seen his fair share of terrible things. Holding out a hand, I said, “I’m Morgan Shaw.”
“Nox Miller. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Morgan, although I wish it was under different circumstances.”
I forced a weak smile. “Me too. Since Ryan is clearly lying… Was he out there?”
Nox shot a bemused look in Ryan’s direction. “I see what you mean.”
Raising a brow, I gave Ryan a questioning look. He ignored it and said, “Someone was here; we found fresh tracks behind the cabin…and whoever they are, they got sloppy when they took off and left these behind.”
Ryan raised a pair of binoculars up by the strap. I instantly wrapped my arms around my waist. He had been here—and he’d been watching us. Had he seen me in the bathroom? The thought made me sick to my stomach. “Do you think you can get prints off of them?” I asked.
Nox shook his head. “Already checked it with a UV light and got nothing. My guess is he wore gloves. The only reason he probably dropped them was because Ryan and I likely surprised him. I could hear him running, but he already had a good lead on us.”
“I didn’t want to leave you alone here, in case he’s working with someone,” Ryan added.
My eyes widened. “Working with someone?”
Ryan walked over to me and rubbed his hands up and down my arms. “I don’t think he is. I was just playing it safe.”
I let out a shaky breath. “This is insane! Does this guy not have a damn life? How in the hell did he know we were here?”
“He didn’t follow you, I can tell you that,” Nox stated. “That leads me to believe he already knew you’d be here.”
“How?” Ryan and I asked at the same time.
“Who all knew you were planning this evening?” Nox asked Ryan.
“Morgan’s cousin Rose, and her friend who owns this place. I told Blayze…and that’s it. I didn’t tell anyone else.”
Nox nodded. “Could Rose have told someone?”
Ryan shrugged. “I mean, it’s possible, but she’s been up at school taking summer classes. She only came down this afternoon to decorate for us.”
“Oh God! He could’ve been here while Rose was out here by herself!” I said, filled with sheer panic at the thought. I couldn’t let anyone else get hurt by this psycho!
“Hey,” Ryan said, pulling me to him and hugging me. “Don’t think like that, okay? We don’t know for sure that he didn’t follow us here.”
I saw the look Nox gave Ryan. He knew we hadn’t been followed, so that meant this crazy asshole had to have known where we’d be. He somehow found out about the cabin and came here earlier. Maybe even while my cousin was here alone.
“I’ve got two of my best guys on their way already, Morgan,” Nox said. “Only I have been shadowing you so far, but with your permission, I want to have one of my guys with you at all times.”
“All times?” I asked as Ryan eased back and slid his arm around my waist. “Like, as in…a bodyguard? Do you think that’s necessary?” I looked up at Ryan.
“Yes. I definitely think so, sweetheart. This guy knows the layout of the apartment, and he somehow discovered we were going to be here tonight. That means he’s closer to us than we realized. For your safety and my sanity, I agree with Nox. You should have someone with you when I’m not around.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want this nutcase to know he’s scaring me or intimidating me to the point that I need a bodyguard.”
“Morgan, having a bodyguard isn’t a sign of weakness,” Nox argued. “This guy isn’t messing around, and it seems like he’s starting to get more daring, maybe even a little desperate. Now that Ryan’s in the picture, the closer you two become seems to only make the guy angrier.”
“How long do you think he’s been stalking me?”
Ryan and Nox both looked at each other, then at me. Nox shook his head. “I’m not sure. Maybe he saw you on break from school, maybe he saw you a few weeks ago when you returned…it’s impossible to say.”
I blew out a frustrated breath. “It pisses me off that this guy is dictating part of my life.”
“I know, but if he made a mistake tonight, maybe he’ll make an even bigger one next time.”
“That’s the part that scares me,” I said softly. “The next time.”
Ryan laced his fingers with mine. “Do you think you can find anything out from the binoculars?” he asked Nox.
He gave us a one-shoulder shrug. “I’ll see if I can, but they’re a pretty everyday, run-of-the-mill set. Anyone could have bought them from a number of stores.” Nox gave me a sympathetic look. “I hate to do this, but I think the two of you should probably head back to your place where there’s plenty of security. Nothing says the guy won’t try to come back here tonight.”
“Even if he sees you and knows we have someone watching?” I asked.
Ryan squeezed my hand. “If he had the balls to hire someone to break into the apartment while the store was having its grand opening, God knows what else he might do.”
Nox nodded. “Ryan’s right, Morgan. You’re safer at your place. Plus, we can have a uniform drive by every so often. Send a message to our guy that your place is being watched as well.”
Looking into Ryan’s eyes, I frowned. “I’m sorry this ruined the night you had planned.”
He leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. “It doesn’t matter where we are, as long as we’re together.”
Chapter Nineteen
RYAN
When we arrived back at the apartment, Morgan walked straight to our room. I wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but it was clear Blayze—or maybe Brock—had taken care of everything. The entire old bed was gone, replaced with a new one, along with brand-new sheets and a comforter. The whole room smelled of lavender.
I walked in and stopped behind her, wrapping my arms around her body and resting my chin on her head. “You okay?”
“Who did all of this?”
“I think it was Blayze or your father. Maybe both.”
Her body melted into mine. “I want to be brave, Ryan. I don’t want this lunatic to make me afraid to be in my own home.”
“I know,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry we haven’t found out who he is yet.”
“What if it’s someone I know?”
Turning her, I narrowed my eyes. “What makes you say that?”
She chewed on her lip. “When you mentioned he had to know the layout of the apartment, it got me thinking. I went to school with one of the construction guys. He used to have a crush on me, and during our senior year, he asked me out.”
“Did you go out with him?”
Shaking her head, she replied, “No. I only liked him as a friend.” “What’s his name? I’ll make sure Detective Billings checks him out.”
She gave me a look. “It’s David Keller.”
“The guy you introduced me to? Doesn’t his father own the construction company that worked on the entire building?”
“He does.”
Frowning, I said, “Didn’t he also mention having a girlfriend?”
Morgan began chewing on her thumbnail. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean anything.”
“That’s true. I’ll call Billings in the morning and give her the information. Doesn’t hurt to find out where he was earlier today and this evening.”
She nodded, then sighed. “I’m exhausted.”
Taking her hand in mine, I led her over to the bathroom. “Get ready for bed, and I’ll double check the alarm and check in with Nox.”
Morgan yawned. “I’m too tired to do anything but crawl into bed.”
I walked over and pulled the covers down. Morgan climbed into the bed and lay on her side, her hand tucked under her face. I knew she was going to fall asleep fast. It was nearly two in the morning, and the store would be opening at ten tomorrow.
“I’ll only be a few minutes,” I said.
She mumbled something as she snuggled deeper into the pillow. I kissed her on the forehead, whispered that I loved her, and then headed back into the main living area. After one quick check that all the doors were locked and the alarm was set, I texted Rodney, who was sitting in a vehicle in the back parking lot next to my truck. He’d arrived shortly before we got back to the apartment.
Me: I’m heading to bed. Everything’s locked up and secure.
Rodney: I’ve got a guy up front, and I’ll be back here. Try to get some sleep.
Me: Thanks, Rodney.
I pulled up the security alarm app and looked at each camera. Once I was sure everything was up and running, I headed to the bathroom and quickly changed for bed. After climbing under the covers, I wrapped my arm around Morgan and drew her against my body. She sighed in contentment as I kissed the back of her head and whispered again that I loved her.
I was both mentally and physically exhausted…and it only took a few moments before my eyes drifted shut.
A week and a half later, I slowly walked up to the gelding I’d been working with on my parents’ ranch. “Okay, buddy. Let’s hang out a bit, shall we?”
Ranger was standing next to a log, his lead draped over his neck so that if he wanted to walk away at any time, he was free to do so. I leaned over his back and gave him a bit of my weight before removing it. He didn’t make a move. Trying again, I put more weight on him.
He lifted his front leg and kicked at the dirt once before looking back at me. I couldn’t help but smile.
“Was that permission, or a ‘stay the fuck off my back’?”
He whinnied, and I nodded. “Permission it is.”
Walking to the other side, I repeated the process until I eventually draped my entire body over him. Ranger bopped his head a few times but remained where he was. Each horse was different when it came to saddle training. Some were curious about what the end game was going to be. Others, well…they simply didn’t want anyone or anything on their backs.
I picked up the blanket I’d left on the ground and showed it to Ranger. “See, it’s a blanket. Go on, smell it.”
Ranger bounced his head with excitement.
“Yeah? I think you’re going to love going for rides.”
I ran my hand down his neck and along his body, then back and forth over his back. Gently placing the blanket on him, I moved back to his front. I gave him a good scratch behind his ears and laughed when his upper lip quivered.
“You’re not bothered by that blanket at all, are you, boy?”
Ranger lifted his head and started to nibble on my baseball cap.
“Oh no, this is one of my favorites. I take it you’re not a Seattle Mariners fan?”
“I like him already.”
Turning, I caught sight of my mother. “Why, Tina Marshall, are you saying you’re not a Mariners fan?”
My mother stroked Ranger’s neck lovingly. “Indeed, I am. How’s it going?”
“Good. He’s one hell of a smart horse. Doesn’t seem to mind the idea of something on his back. I think I’ll have him saddle trained in no time.”
Smiling, she looked the horse over. “Good. He’s a pretty boy, and his momma is missing him.”
My phone vibrated in my back pocket. Pulling it out, I said, “I need to take this, it’s Bradford.”
“Of course, I’ll keep Ranger company and tell him all about the Boston Red Sox.”
Rolling my eyes, I swiped the screen. “Hey, what’s up?”
“I’ve got good news and bad.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I decided to get the bad news out of the way. “Give me the bad.”
