Page 49 of The Reborn

I lifted a brow. “You trying to convince me or yourself? She’s your daughter. It’s your decision.” I didn’t bother to tell her I already knew the security layout at all places she frequented, including her parents’ house, and knew it was perfectly safe.

“Yes. It is.” Before she could say more, there was a knock at the door.

Elizabeth scrambled down to run to the front, and I made myself scarce while Olivia greeted her parents.

“Justin!” she called, a hint of alarm in her voice.

I poked my head around the corner. “Yeah?”

“You might want to come outside.”

I frowned, confused. “Outside?”

She nodded.

“Are your parents already gone with the girls?”

“Yes, but...” Her gaze flicked to the driveway.

“Okay.” I walked that way, wondering what was with her worried face. What the hell was going on?

I stepped out the front door and headed to the walkway. “What’s—?” I stopped short, immediately understanding why she’d called me outside.

My truck was parked at the far end of the driveway, giving the bulk of the space to her car, and it looked as if it had been pelted in mud... I sniffed... or shit.

“What the—?” Anger flooded my system, hot and fierce. When the hell had this happened, and how had I missed it?

I strode over and circled my truck, taking in the damage. Nothing a thorough cleaning wouldn’t take care of, but still.

As I circled to the passenger side, something caught my eye. A rock about the size of my fist lay on the ground wrapped in a piece of paper and twine. I glanced around before bending to pick it up. It had clearly been lobbed at my truck, close enough to make a point, but not close enough to cause damage. I untied the twine and opened the muddy note.

YOU CAN’T PROTECT HER FROM ME.

I looked around again, scouring the area. Nothing.

The motherfucker thought it was cute to toy with me now?

Game. On.

“Everything okay?”

I snapped around at her concerned voice. “Fine,” I said before throwing the rock into the yard and tucking the note in my back pocket.

After I’d hosed off the shit on my truck, I went back inside and checked the security app, scouring it for footage of who had slipped by me, but the truck was too far away to make out much other than grainy footage of a car slowing down in the street. Nothing usable.

Too bad Kade wasn’t still outside, then we would’ve caught the son of a bitch and been done with the whole matter.

“Is everything okay? You seem . . . disturbed.”

I looked up at Olivia and forced myself to take a breath. “I’m good. Just pissed someone would do that to my truck.” I held back about the note, knowing it wouldn’t do any good to worry her with it right now.

“Anything on the camera?”

I shook my head.

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me, too.”

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