Page 174 of Menace in Vegas

“Today. After Gram and I left the psychic shop. Across the street. Hoodie. Sunglasses. Just… standing there. Watching me.”

His eyes widen. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I’m telling you now.” I glare. “Unlike you, who still hasn’t told me anything.”

He grabs his phone, muttering under his breath.

“What did he look like? Height? Build? Did he follow you? Did Gram see him?”

I lift a hand. “Nope. You don’t get to fire off questions until you answer mine.”

He stops. Turns to me. His jaw is tight. Hands fisted at his sides.

“Allie…”

“No.” I take a step forward. “I’m not just your wife when it’s convenient. I’m not your responsibility to protect while you play hero. I’m your partner. Start treating me like one. Tell me what’s going on.”

He stares at me, torn between the instinct to protect and the need to be honest. Then, finally, his shoulders drop.

When he speaks, his voice is low. Raw. “I think someone’s watching us. Watching you. And I think it’s tied to Peyton.”

My stomach drops.

I nod, keeping my voice steady. Calm. Showing him I’m not going to fall apart. “Start from the beginning.”

77

CONNOR

Allie deserves the truth.

At least, as much of it as I’ve got.

I scrub a hand through my hair, trying to untangle the mess in my head.

After chasing shadows all morning and coming up empty, I picked up flowers for her. Some dumb, romantic attempt to soften the mood before I admitted something was wrong.

She hasn’t even noticed them. They’re lying on the kitchen table now, wilting like my last ounce of chill.

Worse?

The asshole I chased earlier wasn’t just lurking. He was watching my wife.

“I saw him,” I say quietly. “Hoodie up, hovering by the smoothie shop. He followed us when we started walking. Slipped behind a group of tourists when I turned around. By the time they moved, he was gone.”

Allie’s eyes widen. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was trying to confirm it wasn’t just some sketchy tourist. I didn’t want to worry you.”

She stares at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Connor?—”

“I know,” I cut in. “I should’ve told you. But the second I saw him again today, I knew. It’s not random. It’s not harmless. And it’s sure as hell not over.”

I start pacing again, fists clenched, blood boiling with the need to protect her.

“He’s not just watching anymore. He’s waiting. That kind of stillness? That’s not curiosity. It’s intent.”

Allie crosses her arms. “So now what?”

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