Page 49 of Rex

“You didn’t ruin anything. We were rushing, and we don’t need to. I want to take my time with you and explore all your best parts,” Rex replies with a grin. “I also want to take you on a proper date. Get to know you better and not just in bed.”

“I want that too,” I admit.

Now that things have cooled, I realize his phone isn’t the only one sending out alerts. Annoyed, I reach over and grab my own. Frowning, I look at it in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” Rex asks.

“I’m not sure. It’s an alert from the alarm system, but I’ve never gotten one before, so I’m clueless about what it means,” I answer while still staring at my phone.

Rex slides my body off his and next to him on the couch before reaching for my phone. I hand it over and watch as his fingers fly across the screen, accessing the security app. I see his finger tap the camera icon and then pull back in surprise when he bolts off the couch.

“Rex?” I ask in alarm.

“Stay here and keep your phone with you. Lock the door behind me,” he orders, then tosses my phone to me.

I watch him cross the living room, unlock then pull open the door. Stepping outside, he shuts the door behind him. I rush over to relock it as he said to do. Glancing down at the phone in my hand, I see Rex walking across the small front yard. It’s the size of a postage stamp, so it only takes a few strides, and he disappears around the side of the building.

Wishing now that I’d spent time familiarizing myself with the app, I tap several times before I find the right camera. Rex moves along the edge of the small strip of grass that makes up my backyard and stops by the patio then moves to a window. After a moment, he returns to the front side and then walks across the parking lot. He disappears for a few seconds, walking in and around a few trees before he bends over and picks something up. When he’s almost back to my front door, I open it and wait.

Rex enters, shuts and locks the door, and moves to my kitchen area. He sets an empty beer bottle on the counter and stares at it. Unnerved, I remain quiet, letting him think through whatever has him concerned. Finally, he looks up at me and asks for my phone. Handing it to him unlocked, I watch again as his fingers tap several times on the screen.

“Fuck. Aria, I don’t want to worry you, but I need you to look at a picture your camera took, okay?”

“Okay,” I answer, nodding and waiting to see what has him so uptight.

“Do you recognize this person?”

Taking the phone, I examine an image of a man’s face that’s tilted down a little. It’s not a good picture because not much of the face is showing. The man has a baseball hat on, and only a sliver of his face is visible. Still, he seems familiar, but I don’t know why. I tell Rex exactly that.

“I need you to think about it and study each feature,” he insists. “I think I know this guy, but I can’t place his face.”

I do, but I still can’t place why the man seems familiar to me.

“Which camera took this picture? The one above the front door?” I ask.

“No. One that’s placed near your back patio. I have the picture zoomed in to see his features better, but if you zoom out, you can tell the angle it was taken from. The bastard was trying to peer in your window over there,” Rex answers then points to a small window on the backside of my living room.

I instantly realize that if he could have seen in that window, he would have had a clear view of Rex and me on the couch.

“Was he there when we were, uh, when…” I start to ask in a horrified voice.

“Yeah, the times line up. I don’t think he could see in, though, since your blinds are pulled, and I couldn’t see in when I was out back,” Rex replies before pulling me into his arms and holding me against him.

“You went across the parking lot,” I say.

“Another camera picked up movement over there, but all I found was that bottle. It’s okay, honey. We’ll find out who this is and deal with him. I don’t want you here by yourself tonight, though.Pack a bag and follow me to my place,” Rex says with a gentle hug before he steps back.

Without question, I do as Rex requested. I pack a quick bag, and we clean up our snacks, me following in my car as Rex leads on his bike to his condo. Entering it, I realize I’m more than a little freaked out over the peeper at my home. Rex picks up on it immediately and again pulls me against him.

“It’ll be okay, baby. Tomorrow, I’ll go over your system again to make sure there are no weaknesses in it, and I’ll go through each file from before to see if I can find him on any of them. If not, this might have been a first-time thing for him.”

“Okay, Rex. Thank you,” I say, but I don’t move away from his warmth.

“Are you okay staying here with me? Would you feel better staying with your brother or Lisa?” Rex questions softly.

“I’d rather be here if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all. Let’s get you ready for bed. You’ve had a long day busting Axel’s balls, and now this,” Rex says with a soft kiss on my forehead.

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