Page 66 of Full House

“No suspicious ticking noises?”

He scowled over his shoulder. “Not funny.”

Okay, in light of her accident, maybe it wasn’t.

Nate opened the front door, and Victoria took that as her cue it was okay to follow him in. He walked through the entry and living room, disappearing into the kitchen. He already had the paper off the box by the time she joined him.

It really was a shoe box. Victoria frowned at the bold black swoosh on the side of the box. Someone sent her sneakers?

Nate lifted the lid. “Fuck,” he said, blocking her view of the contents with his body.

“What is it?”

“Nothing.” He closed the lid, shoving the box down the counter. “Why don’t you go on up and get ready for bed. I’ll be up in a minute.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and jutted a hip out to rest it against the counter, crossing her feet at the ankles. “Really? Please don’t tell me you thought that would work.”

He had the grace to look sheepish. “I was hoping it would.”

She shook her head. “Not a chance. What’s in the box?”

He went to her, placing his hands on her stiff upper arms. “Something sent by some sick fucker that I don’t want you to see.”

“Is it a body part?”

He barked a laugh. “What? No!”

“Then I can handle it.”

“Tori—”

“Nate,” she talked over him.

They were at a deadlock. Him not wanting to show her. Her not wanting to be sent up to her room like a little girl.

They had a staring contest. A long one. One she was determined to win.

Finally, he let out a long breath. “Fine.”

They went back to the box, and Nate lifted the lid. A bouquet of dead roses, their petals darkened and brittle with age with the stems cut short to fit in the box and tied with a black ribbon, lay nestled on a bed of white tissue paper.

They were silent a few moments until she said, “There’s a card.” Shoved at the side of the box was a white envelope with Victoria’s name scrawled across it in black marker.

“I know, but I don’t want to touch it until the cops get here.”

“You’re going to call them tonight?” she asked in surprise, though she didn’t know why she was other than the fact it was late.

“Yeah.” Nate pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts. “You might want to change into something more comfortable. I have a feeling it’s going to be a long night.”

Victoria eyed his expensive, custom-tailored suit. “You too.”

He looked up from his phone with a smile. “I’ll be up as soon as I make this call.”

Using his shoulder for support, she raised on her tiptoes and brushed his cheek with a kiss. “Okay.”

Feet dragging, she left the kitchen, bemoaning the unexpected and definitely unwelcome twist to the evening.

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