Page 59 of Protector

“Yeah. But he loved my long hair, so it was a great way of sayingfuck youwithout saying it to his face.”

She’s quiet a few moments, and I let her rest with her thoughts. Plus, I don’t know what to say. Then I see her shake her head slightly. “I’ve learned a lot since then. Changed.” She turns and looks at me. “I might be hiding, but I won’t ever be a victim again, and if he should cross my path, I won’t be afraid. I’ll take that asshole down.”

Everything about her tone and face tell me she believes it. I wonder if I’d have the strength and courage like that if I ever had to face my stalker. “I believe you will. And I’m sorry you had to go through that. Can I ask…how did it happen? You don’t seem like…” The words don’t sound right, and I don’t want to offend her, but before I can regroup, she answers.

“It’s crazy how fast it escalated. Like he seemed to literally change overnight. I don’t know if something happened at work he didn’t tell me about, or he was just great at hiding his true self, but one minute things were great, and the next they weren’t.” She pauses, her eyes drifting back in memory. “Part of me kept it quiet because I was embarrassed, and part of me was worried about Brooks, what he’d do…”

Fear spreads over me at the thought, even though the threat is not present. Then again, maybe it is. She’s here because this thing’s not over. Maybe a part of me is afraid because her words remind me that Brooks is in danger as much as I am, and I hate the thought of that.

Before I know what’s happening, emotion takes me, and my eyes fill with tears. In an instant, Jade is kneeling beside me.

“Hey, it’s okay.” She takes my hands, and I look at her. “Me and my big mouth. I know it’s scary, but Brooks is…well, you know. He won’t let anything happen…to either of us.”

“I know. I trust him. But like you said yourself. I’m…”

She grins. “I can see how much you care about my brother.”

I nod.

“This is what he does. And listen. I wasn’t afraid Brooks would get hurt.” She pauses to make sure I’m listening. “I was afraid he was going to kill the bastard.”

Jade laughs, and I do too.

She gives me a moment to get myself together, then slides onto the couch next to me. After a while, she says, “You know…there’s more we can do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, from what you’ve told me already, it seems like figuring out who this guy is, is the key.”

“Well, yeah. I mean, we’ve tried.”

“But have you really? Like…think of this as a research project. Let’s dedicate some real time and energy to going over every detail, thinking about your life for the last few years. Maybe we can come up with a clue. Maybewecan figure this thing out.”

Simple and obvious, her words catch me off guard. “Yeah, maybe we can.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

Brooks

Arriving back just after sundown, I find Jade and Shay at the small kitchen table, a bottle of red wine, filled glasses, and Shay’s laptop in front of them.

“Please tell me you two are watching videos of adorable animals.” I eye them as I pass to the kitchen, go right to the fridge, and grab a beer. I’m sure I’ll need it.

“Nope!” Jade throws over her shoulder as I pop the top on a Sierra Nevada.

“Porn?”

“You wish,” Shay says.

I come up behind them. “So what’s all this?”

Shay turns her body to face me, one foot hiked up onto the chair. “We’re being productive. Going through all the information we have on Stalker Sam, all the correspondence, dates, everything.”

I catch my grin and store it away, focusing on what’s important. “It’s a good idea, except we’ve done this, Shay. I don’t want you to stress over it. Obsessing isnotgood. Let me take care of it.”

“We want to help,” Shay says, passing her gaze from me to Jade and back.

“I know, but what we need is something new to go on. That’s why—”

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