Page 4 of Safe Haven

AUDREY

OF ALL THE people I thought might come climbing through my bedroom window tonight, Maddox wasn’t at the top of the list. Or the middle.

Or the bottom.

That being said, I’m not exactly upset about it. Outside of one little issue.

“Why didn’t you call and tell me you were coming?” Even ifhecouldn’t call me, someone from Alaskan security should have. I’ve been sitting here in my apartment for days, jumping at every little sound, thinking my time in this world was almost up. It woulda been real freaking nice to know help was on the way.

“That’s a complicated answer, and I don’t have all the information I need to be able to give it to you.” Maddox bends down to pick up the baseball bat I’ve been snuggling at night. “So for now, I’m gonna need you to keep your voice down.” His eyes narrow on my weapon of choice. “And you need to put a sock on the end of this thing so whoever you swing it at next can’t take it from you.”

That has me sealing my lips together and my eyes snapping around the room. Is someone else here? Listening? In need of a baseball bat to their head?

Shit. I don’t have a sock handy.

Maddox shakes his head, like he can hear what I’m thinking. “No one’s inside, but I’m a little concerned about who might be outside.” He’s been speaking softly, but his voice lowers even more. “And I want to be sure there’s no cameras or devices in here before we talk about anything, okay?”

I nod. “Okay,” I whisper, trying to be as quiet as he is.

I knew something was going on. Had a pretty good idea what it was about and who was behind it. But I didn’t think it had gotten quite far enough that I should be worried about cameras in my apartment. Not yet, anyway. I did see it heading in that direction though, which is why I’ve been sleeping with a baseball bat while waiting to hear back from Alaskan Security.

I stay by the door as Maddox lays the bat across my dresser and begins to systematically move through the space, checking around door frames and peering at knobs. He inspects the shelves of my closet and goes through all the items on my bookshelf. He doesn’t seem to come up with anything, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

When he checks my bedside lamp and peeks behind my headboard, I figure he’s probably finished in here, so I step out of the way, expecting him to come to the door.

But then he reaches for the drawer of my nightstand, and my stomach drops to my feet as I rush to stop him. “Don’t—”

Shit. The most gorgeous, memorable man I’ve ever met in my life is staring straight at my vibrator. The way his whole body goes still makes it obvious he knows exactly what it is too. Closing my eyes, face on fire, I wait to discover if a person can die from embarrassment.

Apparently that’s not a thing, because I remain living and breathing as he closes the drawer and continues on, acting like nothing happened.

When Maddox straightens and turns to face me, I can’t meet his gaze.

“I need you to do me a favor.” His voice is still low as he continues laying out his request. “Go through your apartment and turn off all the lights. That’ll make it less likely anyone who might be watching can identify me while I do a sweep.”

“I can do that.” I’m actually totally cool with turning off all the lights right now. I’m also cool if he wants to dig me a hole I can crawl into.

I flip off the bedroom light first, breathing a little easier now that I’m not staring down the man who just gave my little lavender friend a long look. After opening the door, I do the same with the hall light. The bathroom switch is already off, so I pass it and the darkened kitchen to switch off the lamps and television in the living room. My place is small, so in under thirty seconds it’s completely dark.

Normally, the reduced visibility would make me uneasy, but I’m actually breathing better than I have in a long damn time. I might be completely mortified right now, but I also feel completely safe for the first time in months, and that’s worth a little embarrassment any day of the week.

Staying quiet so I don’t distract him from this very important task, I watch Maddox in the darkness, eyes adjusting as I track his shadowy movements while he investigates the apartment I currently call home. It’s nothing like the million-dollar mansion I lived in before, but there’s not enough money in the world to make me go back to the luxurious life I lived. I’d rather die.

I was starting to think that might be a very real possibility.

But now Maddox is here, so maybe everything really will be alright. Maybe it will be possible for me to get through this. For me to move on.

For me to have a life. One I’m in control of. One I enjoy. One that’s not filled with fear and shame and sadness.

It feels like it takes forever, but eventually, Maddox has looked through every inch of my apartment and deems it safe, which I’m going to guess just means no one has hidden any cameras or recording devices in it. Because I am pretty confident I’m about as far from safe as it gets.

And that’s not for lack of trying.

I honestly believed I’d crossed all my Ts and dotted all my Is when I left my husband. I genuinely thought I was smart enough to get away.

But yet again, I think I underestimated Trevor.

“Can I turn the lights back on now?” I’m reaching for one of the lamps when Maddox stops me.

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