Page 14 of Montana Heat

One more thing the stalker had stolen from me.

When we got to the crosswalk, a man approached, walking directly toward us with focused purpose. I couldn’t help but tense and prepare to run. I hadn’t worn my good boots, but surely the shoes I had on would give me enough traction in this snow.

“Hi, Lucas,” Susanna said to the man.

Okay. Susanna knew him. I tried my best to still my heart that seemed to be thundering in my chest, hating that being scared and wanting to flee were my first reactions to meeting someone who didn’t mean any harm.

“Hey, Susanna. How’s Jensen treating you?” Lucas greeted, nodding in my direction. He seemed nice enough, but he was huge, like a linebacker, and it made me a little uneasy.

Susanna laughed and waved her thermos around. “Oh, you know. Still having to run out for the good stuff if I want any drinkable coffee, but everything else is great.”Then she turned to me. “This is Lucas Everett, Evelyn’s husband. He helps run the Resting Warrior Ranch. Lucas, this is Kenzie Hurst.”

I nodded, recognizing the name from our coffee shop conversation.

“Kenzie.” Lucas held out his hand. Warily, I watched my small hand engulfed in his large palm. I pulled it back quickly.

“Hi, nice to meet you.” I mustered a semi-smile.

If my stalker was someone of his size, I’d surely be done for.

“Uh, I’m going to head back to my place.” I turned to Susanna. “I’m eager to start unpacking. I don’t want to keep you from your work any longer anyway. You can finish showing me around another time.”

It was a pathetic excuse. Unpacking didn’t sound fun, and I was already finished anyway, but with my nerves still bouncing around from Lucas’s huge presence, I needed a little space.

I didn’t want them to think I was a nutcase who couldn’t handle meeting new people. Even if it was the truth right now.

Susanna waved bye and reminded me again that she’d contact me once she knew more from Jensen. I carried my little plant back to my temporary home, constantly watching for threats on my way. By the time I made it to the apartment complex, the tension had given me a headache.

I wanted to cry.

I missed my life, my friends, and my business. I thrived on the go-go-go feeling I got from meeting with clients and helping people find the perfect places to suit their needs. I loved teaching my seminars and showing people new to the business how to be successful.

I was not used to sitting around doing nothing.

I spent the entire afternoon reorganizing everything. It was mind-numbingly boring as far as tasks went, and with each thing I set out, I wondered, why bother? I didn’t want to stay here.

I looked around the place. Even with my possessions in place, it still felt empty.

“Maybe I should’ve gotten flowers too,” I mumbled. Not that that was going to help.

I took a glass of wine to the couch and decided to text Leah, then Zoe, and belatedly remembered they’d be meeting up for their weekly margaritas now. I was supposed to have as little contact with them as possible anyway.

Damn, I missed them. I moved to the next person on my list,my mother. Texting with my mom did help a bit, but she was at work and couldn’t actively chat. As a park ranger at Pawnee National Grassland, she sometimes led evening hikes.

Still bored, I decided to check on my social media business site that I used primarily for my seminars. I knew I probably shouldn’t since I wasn’t supposed to be doing anything business-related, but I just wanted to take a quick look.

Nothing of any consequence. My seminars for the next month had been canceled, but I still had some scheduled for this coming spring. Surely everything would be taken care of by then. I was glad to see the number of people registering was still relatively decent.

I was just about to shut everything down when I got a DM notification. I froze, not sure what to do. Open it? Delete it without opening? Maybe it was someone who had a legitimate question.

This was how it had all started. Direct messages on my social media accounts. My fingers trembled as I tapped the icon to open the stranger’s message.

As soon as I did, I wished I hadn’t.

Getting out of Denver isn’t far enough. Trust me.

I sucked in a breath, eyes widening, and continued to read.

You need to leave the state, or the blood on your walls will be yours next time.

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