Page 96 of Dozer

Pippa shook her head and dissolved into a wash of tears. She melted into Hana, clinging to her shoulders. Levi came into the room, sat next to her, and held her hand.

I slid down the wall until my butt hit the floor. She’d been broken, but it wasn’t the asshole leaving her notes. I’d broken her. I’d finally pulled her into the same dark abyss that had me.

Vance went into the bathroom and turned off the shower. He returned with another note in his hand. “Did he leave this?”

Pippa lifted her tear-stained face. She nodded as her gaze focused on the note.

Vance read the note aloud. “Sweet, sweet Pippa. I came for you. With your scent on your pillow, I came for you again. Next time I come, I’ll be coming for you, but instead of on your pillows and sheets, I’ll be coming in you. Q.”

“You need to tell them everything,” Hana said as she comforted Pippa.

We filled the bedroom.

Hana and Levi kept Pippa between them. Vance leaned against the wall near the bathroom. I stayed on the floor.

Romeo sat next to me. “I know what you’re thinking,” he said. “Same thing I am.”

I glanced at Romeo and nodded. No cops, no reports. Hellers handled their own justice.

Blade squatted down in front of her. “Who is he?”

“He was my professor.” Her voice grew quiet. “We sort of dated. I ended it before the end of last semester.”

Her eyes met mine shrinking me down to the smallest form of life. She retold the encounters since the first of the semester. This wasn’t a scorned lover. He’d stalked her. Just his presence was enough to scare her.

“He was promoted to the dean of my department. Any problems with a professor start with him. Since that wasn’t an option, I went to the university ombudsman. I needed more than some notes left on my car, especially since I’m not his student anymore.”

“I’m pretty sure he left plenty of evidence all over your bed.” Hana tucked Pippa’s hair behind her ear.

“Oh, I probably shouldn’t have shoved everything into the shower. It was just so gross. I’ll never sleep in that bed again. It’s not going to hold any good memories for me now anyway.”

Fuck. Those last words were for me. I lunged to my feet and scrubbed my head with my palms. I couldn’t blame her for hating me. I felt the sameloathing every time I looked in the mirror, but she couldn’t pretend that what we had wasn’t fucking real.

The front door slammed.

“Pippa!” Gabriella crashed into the room. Pippa jumped from the floor and launched into her sister’s arms. “Was he still here? Are you okay?”

“He was gone. He left a note, and he masturbated on my bed.”

“Grab a bag. I’ll take you home.”

“Not home as in with Mom and Dad. I’m not going back to life with Leo and Angela.” She glanced over her shoulder to Hana. “You’re never home anyway. Can I stay at your place?”

“Nah,” I said. “Not with the situation with the Crawlers.”

“You don’t get a vote in this,” Pippa said.

I pushed away from the wall. “Not asking for a vote. You can fucking hate me, but you’re not staying here alone.” And no one else was staying with her, not in the house or in her bed. “I’m not letting this asshole professor get to you.”

“I’ve got one stalker in my life. I didn’t realize I was getting another one.”

I took a step toward her. “None of this shit would be between us if you’d just told me what was going on.”

“I’m not explaining myself to you,” she hissed. “You fight, and you don’t think of the consequences. This is the dean of my department. I can’t levy accusations without the evidence to back it up. He can ruin me. You don’t get to fight my battles, just like I can’t fight yours. Not with the Crawlers, the cartel, or any of the other shit you’re into.”

“What if you’d been here alone? He could’ve hurt you.” My heart slammed against my ribs. “He’s fucking unhinged. Who knows what he could have planned. He could have killed you.”

“Enough,” Blade said and sighed. “Hana, take her out back and smoke a blunt or something. Anything to calm her down.”

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