Page 155 of Prey for You

I cried like a child, then got embarrassed. But I was so worn out, anddone.

He looked like he might cry when he gave me the final kiss and whispered goodbye, but somehow that made me feel better.

Somehow, I was able to get back to sleep—until the pounding on my door startled me awake with such a surge of adrenaline that I grabbed my chest because my heart was leaping in my chest.

Scrambling and disoriented, I threw on Sam’s massive hoodie because it covered me to my knees, and ran to the front door, yanking it open… to find Jeremy standing on the stoop.

I swore. “What the fuck, Jeremy? You scared theshitout of me!”

He stared at me—how the hell was he in a fucking suit at the ass crack of dawn? But he was. And he had his hands fisted on his hips so his jacket pushed back, lips thin, and his eyes scanning me. And I flinched.

I hadn’t spoken to him—not really—since he told me I’d married my father. I was still smarting about that. And now indignant on Sam’s behalf. Not that I’d tell Jeremy that.

I was also suddenlyveryaware of being naked under the long hoodie.

I waited a few more seconds, but he still didn’t talk. So I shook my head and slammed the door on him.

Or tried to. He slapped a hand up to catch it before it closed all the way, and put his foot in at the base so I couldn’t force it shut.

“Fuck, Bridget.”

Already taken care of.God, I wanted to say it out loud.

Then he swallowed and took a deep breath. “I’m here to tell you I’m sorry,” he said reluctantly.

I almost fell over. I gaped at him, waiting to hear what the hell was behindthis.But then he let go of the door and stepped out of the way.

“That’s it,” he muttered. “I’m sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have said that about your dad.”

I folded my arms, feeling suddenly very exposed, even though Jeremy had seen me far more revealed than this. “No, you shouldn’t have,” I said, my voice husky with lack of sleep and all the crying of Sam’s name last night. “You know, the irony is, you’re the one who’s like my father.”

Jeremy prickled. “No, I’m not. But… only because I want what’sbestfor you. Which is exactly why I have to tell you: Sam was prowling last night. We don’t know how he got out, but we clocked him coming home this morning. So your prince charming isn’t. He’s still doing this Primal Dom shit. And I’m sorry if that hurts you, but you needed to know, because it’s going to come up in Court. We haveevidencenow. They didn’t want to tell you, but I knew that would hit hard, so I’m telling you now so you don’t get side-swiped, okay?”

“I…what?!”How had they caught him? He said he’d used a different car and—

“He was stalking last night. Black clothes, tools in his car, the whole bit. He got pulled over so we have a record and—”

He cut off and his head tilted, his expression narrowing. Then his eyes scanned me again, all the way to my toes, then back to my face.

“You havegotto be shitting me.”

I frowned, but my heart slammed on my ribs. “What?”

Jeremy looked over his shoulder, then plowed in the door, nudging me back and shutting it behind him like he was hiding me from someone. Then the turned on me.

“He was here? You took him back? Are youout of your fucking mind?!”

“You aren’t… that’s not… it’s none of your business what I do with my life, Jeremy!”

“We have a fucking no-contact order, Bridget! I told you that! After that debacle in the courtroom the judge granted one—you aren’t even supposed to go to Court when he’s there!”

“You didwhat?!”

“I told you!”

“No you didn’t—”

Jeremy shook his head. “You don’t even remember, do you? Thursday? After we showed him up? God, Bridget. You’re a fuckingmess.”

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