Page 102 of Stormswept Colorado

“I didn’t let things get too far. It started with…” Her eyes closed. “There was something else even before Paul came at me with his bullshit.”

A text came in while as she was talking. The notification crossed the top of my screen.

River

Ayla got a response from Biggest Fan. Let me know when we can talk.

I’d have to write him back later. “Did you get an email from the stalker?”

She blinked, and tears dotted her lashes before she rubbed them away. “You saw it?”

“River just texted me. He must have some kind of automated monitoring system on your email account.” I doubted he was staring at it every minute, and River was nothing if not resourceful.

“I’m sending you a screenshot.” Ayla fiddled with her phone.

“Alright, but keep talking. Tell me what happened after you got the email.”

“Paul came up to me. It was obvious I was upset. I told him I was leaving, but he wouldn’t let me. He pulled me into a hallway and admitted he knew about my stalker. Biggest Fan. Somebody had told him about it. He claimed he wanted to help and got mad when I refused him.”

“Okay,” I rumbled.Calm. I was totally calm.

“Then he said we could be good together if I stopped fighting it. And tried to kiss me.”

That settled it. Paul Ruxton was dead. Would Dane loan me the money for a hit man? No, that wasn’t good enough. Dane could loan me the funds to pull off the hit myself…

Her frown turned vicious. “I kneed him in the balls and told him I’d cut them off if he ever touches me again.”

“Good. That’s my Troublemaker. Are you almost home?”

She glanced at the window. “Yeah. I want to lock all the doors and just be with you, however we can.”

She was tearing my heart out.

I stayed on the call with Ayla as she reached her house. Heard her talking to Bryan and the other security guard on duty. Then she went inside, making sure everything was locked up and all her curtains were closed. I wished I could be there doing all of that for her.

Especially as she stood in her kitchen making a mug of herbal tea. “I wish I could make that for you,” I said.

“Yeah?” She smiled weakly. Her eyes were glazed.

“If I were there, I would draw you a bath and bring your tea when it was ready. Then afterward, I would carry you to bed and hold you and kiss you.”

“That would be perfect.”

“Do you want to change clothes? Put on something more comfortable?”

She nodded.

“Go do that. I’ll be right here. And when you’re back, your tea will probably be ready.”

“Okay.” Ayla disappeared to change into comfier clothes. She left her phone on her kitchen island.

I took the opportunity to glance at the screenshot she’d sent. Another creepy-as-hell message from Biggest Fan and a photo of her. Probably to prove he was “always watching.” Asshole.

The photo had been taken on a public street, at least. Could’ve been downloaded from a paparazzi site.

I sent a quick text to River.

Can you run a reverse image search on the photo attached in the latest stalker email? See if this one is publicly available?

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