Page 28 of Stalked By the Recruiter

And ashamed.

He’d learned about Sam and his abuse through court documents. Pictures that had been taken as evidence at the hospital the last time my ex had had a little too much to drink. I stared at the woman in the image, a woman I no longer recognized. One I no longer was.

Broken and bruised. With an emptiness in her gaze, wearing a baggy beige shirt to hide herself and make herself as little as possible.

I’d been so lost back then. Sam had chipped away everything that had made me who I was. Hindsight, he’d done that before we even walked down the aisle. I hadn’t noticed until it was too late.

I looked away and caught sight of my reflection on the screen of his desktop.

I wasn’t that person anymore. I hadn’t been her in a long time.

I started to shut all the windows I’d opened, and just as I stood, about to shut the laptop screen, there he was.

“Andres.” I swallowed. He didn’t move a muscle, but his eyes tracked me. Sliding down my face to the laptop and back to me, until our gaze connected. He stood at the door, so big it felt like he shut the world away behind him.

And even with everything I had found out, what I knew he knew about me, I couldn’t help but think of how beautiful hewas. Masculine and strong.Mine,a voice still whispered in the back of my head at the sight of him.

“I brought you lunch.” I pointed at the bag I’d set down on the desk. “I was looking for a pen and paper to leave you a note because I have to be back at the library but…”

“You found a little more than you were looking for?” he filled in when my voice drifted off to nothing.

“Something like that.” I swallowed, and he leaned against the door. I wasn’t sure what to say, but as crazy as it sounded, I wasn’t running. I’d done a couple of crazy things, too. We’d both stalked each other. Sure, his had been for longer but… I shook my head. This was not the time or place to figure it out.

“I told you.” He broke the heavy silence that had fallen between us. “I warned you.” It was obvious by the deep concern in his dark eyes and the way he held his body that he was worried.

“Andres––“ I started to say, but someone walked by.

“Hey, man!” A tall, bulky man who looked familiar came up to him, “Don’t forget we have that admin coach meeting.”

“I’ll be there,” he muttered without looking away from me.

“Is everything okay?” the guy asked, peeking his head inside. “Oh, hey!” The guy smiled. “I’m Red, Red Bridges.”

“Football coach, right?” I asked, hoping I remembered it right.

“Right. Nice to meet you…” He paused, and when I didn’t fill in the blank, his eyes went to Andres, then back to me.

“Oh, umm?—“

“Carmen Villalobos. She’s the school’s head librarian,” Andres introduced.The school’s head librarian. Is that all I am?

“You’re a librarian?” He was clearly surprised. I nodded. “Well, I can see why my players’ GPAs are higher than usual,” he complimented, but by the growl-like sound Andres made, I knew he didn’t appreciate it.

“Don’t you have a woman at home?” My eyes widened with how rude Andres sounded.

“I have a very happy wife at home.” Red Bridges laughed. “You should learn from me.” He smugly grinned before patting Andres on the back. They were saying something without words, and I wasn’t privy to it. But it was obvious Red Bridges was one of the few men in this would who Andres couldn’t intimidate with a look. “What did I tell you about the water here?” he oddly said. A muscle ticked at Andres jawline.

“Fuck you,” he cursed. Red chuckled before turning his attention to me. My hands were still on the laptop.

Why aren’t I telling the assistant coach about what I just discovered?This was my chance. Red would walk away and leave, and then I’d be stuck with a man who had been watching me. Reading the dirty lowdown details about my failed marriage.

“It was nice meeting you, Carmen.” The assistant coach smiled politely, and my chance to leave too went with him.

I knew it before Andres shut the door behind him. I stood and glanced around the office. It had a big window, but with all the blinds pulled shut, it was just the two of us. The clear click of the lock snapping in place made me look at him.

“No take-backs, you promised.”

“I did,” I started, but when I went to say more, he shook his head.

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