Page 81 of Stalker

I hesitated, remembering the way Lincoln cooked me breakfast the other morning after breaking into my space, guns blazing, to protect me. “I think he’s as nice as he knows how to be.”

“Oof,” She cringed, “He’s one of those types then? The kind that is so used to being alone, he doesn’t know how to let the sweet, sexy woman he’s trapped with, past his sky high walls and protections around his heart?”

I snorted, “You’ve watched too many Disney fairytales, kid.”

“Beauty and the Beast always was your favorite.” She hummed, “There was something you loved about the big, unlovable monsterworming his way into her heart. So misunderstood by everyone else but her.”

I stared off into the distance as she spoke and realized that Lincoln Bryce was exactly like the Beast. He was guarded, angry, and full of misunderstood motives and mystery.

And I was just like Belle, ready to face him on to prove he was just a big fluffy kitty under that fur.

I just wasn’t sure where he fit in, with my own dark and dangerous shadow, who actually was a monster, lurking around every corner.

Wouldn’t it be a fucking wild world if I could somehow have them both?

Ieyed my phone on my two-hour break in the middle of the day and squinted in disbelief. Not one mean or threatening text, email, DM, or phone call had come through all day.

Tyson was silent.

Which was terrifying. My ex boyfriend was many things over the length of our relationship, but silent was never one of them. And I still wasn’t sure what happened exactly to get him to leave, considering Dane refused to even speak about him after his interruption. But the longer his silence stretched, the more worried I got.

And then there was the awkward conversation with my mom that I had right after Olivia’s call, explaining that Ty and I were no longer together and anything he said was probably just out of spite.

I shuddered remembering the barrage of questions she threw my way before six in the morning about my future, my eggs, and my internal clock. Ick, I was only twenty-nine after all.

Olivia’s words fluttered back into my brain as I took a bite of my sandwich.

Ty claimed someone beat him up when he came over last night. But Dane was with me the whole time.

My body froze as I imagined Lincoln coming out, like he had the other night when his brother showed up unexpectedly. What if Lincoln Bryce beat up Tyson?

“Holy shit.” I whispered, suddenly wet at the idea of him once again defending my honor physically.

I expected that kind of behavior from Dane, yet I had made him promise not to leave the house.

Which left only Lincoln.

And Dane had told me that Lincoln had a state-of-the-art security system, with cameras included. What if he got a security warning and beat the shit out of Ty, thinking he was trying to rob the place or break in?

“Dane?” I called out, picking my phone up and laying it against my bottle of water so I could see the black screen. “Hello?”

“Puppet.” His deep vibratory voice echoed a moment later, “Miss me?”

“Are you blocking Tyson from reaching out to me?”

There was an annoyed sigh as I waited for his response, “Why?”

“Because he’s radio silent.” I stated plainly, treading carefully with my volatile man. “And that’s scary.”

“You don’t have to worry about him. He can’t hurt you.”

“Not physically,” I mused, setting my sandwich down, “You proved that last night.”

“Then why are you worried?”

Sighing, I tried to explain. “Because he’s a vindictive man who won’t just move on silently.”

“Meaning?” He prodded.

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