Page 3 of Ruthless Regret

“Theysmashedthe window on the back door. Locking it won’t make any fucking difference if they want to get back in. You were supposed to have people here.”

“Then go into a room that has a lock on it and wait there.” His voice is calm. It annoys the fuck out of me.

“McFadden—” But he’s already ended the call.

Swearing beneath my breath, I turn my focus back to the woman walking beside me, guiding her through the door and into the house. She’s quiet, probably in shock, and doesn’t argue when I motion for her to sit down. I lock the back door—not that it’ll stop anyone coming in if they want to. The window has been destroyed. There’s glass on the floor, and my mind goes back to the other house … and another smashed window.

I put that down to one of the neighbors, but what if it wasn’t? What if it was the same person? What if they’ve been watching the entire time?

Fuck. Where the fuck are the police? They are supposed to be in place already … They were supposed to be here before we arrived.

“Zain.” I swing around at her voice. “Who was it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Who were you talking to?” She plucks at the hem of the T-shirt she’s wearing.

Fuck … that’sallshe’s wearing. When she walked out of the living room, she’d been mostly naked, and her T-shirt barely covers anything. I look around. There’s nothing in here I can give her to cover herself up. I’m not even wearing a T-shirt. She took that with her when she went to the restroom.

I cross the room, drag a chair out, spin it around, and straddle the seat so I can rest my arms across the back, and look at her.

“What happened after you left the living room?”

She blinks at me.

“Ashley, I need you to focus.”

She frowns. “I-I went to the bathroom.” She waves a shaking hand toward the door which leads through to the laundry room, and beyond that a small room where there’s a toilet and sink. “I cleaned up, and then came back out. There was someone standing in the kitchen.”

“Did you see their face?”

She shakes her head. “I think I surprised them. I tried to run for the door, to come and get you, but they came after me and grabbed me. I should have shouted for you.” She pauses, frowning. “Why didn’t I just shout? They dragged me across the kitchen, and I think their elbow went through the glass when I tried to stop them from taking me outside.” Her gaze shifts over my shoulder to the back door. “Who was it? You spoke to someone on the phone.”

The doorbell sounds, saving me from replying. I hesitate before standing up.

I don’t think they’ll risk coming back. Not yet, anyway.

But I don’t like the idea of her being in here alone. “Go into the other room. Get dressed.”

The doorbell chimes again.

“I think the police are here.”

“Already?”

“As soon as I heard you scream, I called the sheriff. That’s who was on the phone.”

“Oh …” She stands carefully, her gaze dropping to the floor. Her cheeks redden.

I think she’s just realized how little she’s wearing. Reaching out, I tip her chin up with one finger. “Ashley, go and get dressed.”

She gives a small nod, and turns. I follow her out of the room and along the hallway. She turns left into the living room, and I carry on toward the front door.

Sheriff McFadden is standing outside when I open it.

CHAPTER TWO

ASHLEY

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