Page 35 of Sutton and the CEO Forever

She looked at her side yard and then blinked hard and looked closer. Where she had made an absolute mess of things previously stood a sweet rose garden. The trim was new, and the mulch was tidy.

Katie felt her stomach flip. Someone had been in her yard when she was sleeping. Katie wasn’t even sure she had locked the door. What if this person had broken in and done something terrible to her?

All of her deputy training started flashing through her mind. Katie was new to the job and didn’t have much experience in law enforcement. But she watched CSI and knew all about the creepy things that stalkers did for people.

Her heart pounded, and she felt sick. She needed to tell someone. Knox? No, there wasn’t any evidence. What could Knox do?

Katie glanced at her watch. If she didn’t leave right then, she would be late for work. With an uneasy stomach, she made her way to the police station. Throughout the day, she made one mistake after another.

Finally, Knox sent her out on a bogus assignment. They both knew it, and it didn’t help to improve Katie’s mood.

By the time she went home, Katie was grumpier than a mad hornet. When she saw the flower beds, all of her earlier concerns seeped in, and she made up her mind to nip the problem in the bud—pun completely intended.

Katie marched up to Brian’s door and banged on it until he answered.

“What?” Brian scowled at Katie in her cute uniform. “Did you have to knock at the door like that?”

Katie blew out a short breath, “I have a stalker problem.”

“You stalk people?” Brian repeated in confusion.

Katie rolled her eyes, “No, ugh, I have someone stalking me. I need to hire a private investigator.”

Brian immediately went on alert. He wrapped an arm around her waist and whisked her into his house.

“Come away from the windows,” he barked. “Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner? Was this why you were on the countertop? Did you see the stalker?”

Katie shook her head, “No, I only learned about it this morning.”

Brian sat back, “You’ve had a stalker for less than a day?”

“Look, do you want the case or not? I am willing to pay cold hard cash!”

Brian’s lips twitched. He wondered if she had any idea how much it would cost to retain his firm. Likely more than she made in the last five years.

“Why don’t you tell me everything? Please start at the beginning.”

Katie took a deep breath, “Okay, well, I was backing out of my driveway when I saw it.”

“A note? What did it say? Do you have it?” Brian felt the familiar zing of adrenaline that came when working on a case.

Katie shook her head, “No, it was the rosebushes.”

Brian felt his cheeks begin to darken. In a gruff voice, he questioned, “What about them?”

Katie leaned in, and Brian smelled her light perfume. It washed over him and caused his dick to twitch. She was so close that Brian could feel her sweet breath against his ear.

“The stalker was in my rosebushes. I’ve been thinking, and maybe it’s a metaphor. Maybe he wants to cut me up and bury me there?”

Brian’s jaw dropped open. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

18

Julio pulled his car into the beautifully kept neighborhood. He was driving a nondescript sedan and had no issues pulling up next to the minivan in the drive. He locked the doors and made his way up the walk with a whistle under his breath. Before he could knock, the door was flung open by a short, curvy Latina wearing a large grin on her face.

“Julio! We are so happy to see you! Come in, come in!”

Julio reached out and kissed her cheeks, “I do think you are lovelier every time I see you, Gina. How are Marco and the baby?”

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