Page 50 of Koa's Little Girl
“That’s a lot of assumptions,” Giana pointed out.
“But logical ones. I wonder if the police or apartment management would know who has a protective order in that area.”
Giana shrugged her shoulders as her mind whirled. The man she’d had the unpleasant encounters with had a boiling temper. “Why would he have trashed my apartment?” She shivered at the thought that someone out of control had focused on her.
Koa was quickly at her side. Kneeling next to her chair, Koa pulled her into his arms to hug her close. “I know this is scary, Flame.”
“The worst part is there’s so much we don’t know,” she said and pushed against his hard chest to meet his concerned gaze.
“It’s possible he has some mental problems, little girl. Or he’s gotten you mixed up with someone else. Or he’s pissed off about something totally different and has made you his target. Who knows?”
“Hopefully with me moved out, this will all go away.”
“That would be incredible, but keep your guard up. A guy that angry doesn’t give up easily,” Koa warned.
“How could he find me?” Giana asked, trying to squelch that small voice in the back of her mind that had been working overtime to put her on edge.
“You have fire department emblems on your truck. Does it tell which station you’re at?”
“Not anymore. I had those a few years ago, but random guys showed up at the station to ask me for a date. I advise all the female firefighters at my station to learn from my mistake.”
“Smart. I’m glad you’re looking out for others, but now, you need to focus on heeding your inner radar that tells you something is wrong. You call the police and then me immediately. We could get you one of those medallions that send out an alert.”
“It’s against policy, I can’t. Not the warning device itself, but all jewelry is forbidden. The high-heat conditions would melt metal in a snap. No one wants jewelry embedding into their skin,” Giana explained.
“Understandable. We have regulations as well.”
An aroma wafted to her. “Um, Koa?” She waved a hand toward the grill.
“Fuck!” Koa jumped to his feet and raced back to the grill. He picked up one blackened hamburger patty. He tossed the meat onto a platter, where it landed with a hard thunk. Others followed as she tried not to laugh, covering her mouth with her hand.
He met her gaze before ruefully shaking his head. “You’re not going to believe this, but I’m actually a grill master.”
“Of course you are, Daddy,” she said and then failed miserably at containing her giggles. Shaking his head, Koa joined her mirth. His deep laughter meshed perfectly with hers.
When she could talk, Giana said, “I really wanted pizza tonight, anyway. Take out?”
“I’ll call,” Koa muttered, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
Giana peeked up at Koa as he called her favorite Italian place. She didn’t argue when he added vegetables to their pizza. She was getting really crafty at hiding them in her napkin.
He lifted an eyebrow when she smiled at that thought. Thank goodness he had to focus on the shopkeeper’s questions. She lifted her shoulders and looked back at him as if she were completely innocent. Koa tilted his head, holding her gaze. Giana knew he was on to her and slumped back against her chair. She’d eat the vegetables. Tonight.
Giana scopedout the parking lot as she drove into the apartment complex three days later. Her insurance and the managers had come to an agreement. They needed her to sign some papers, and the hassle would be over.
Laughing at herself for pulling her truck instinctively in her old parking spot, Giana slid out of the cab. “One last time for old times,” she said to herself and headed to the complex office.
As she pulled the decorative door open, a woman with a hoodie pulled over her head approached on her way out. The woman froze in place and kept her head down. Fear radiated from her.
“Hi,” Giana said cheerfully and stepped out of the doorway to allow her to leave.
“Sorry,” the other woman mumbled and tucked a few strands of her long brown hair that had escaped back under the material before stepping outside.
Concerned, Giana watched her scan the area as the woman scurried to a shaded area by the brick exterior. She never raised her head to reveal her face. Giana got a brief glimpse of her profile.
Not wishing to stare, Giana stepped into the office and turned to make sure the swinging door had closed. She saw a movement a small distance away and focused on it automatically. To Giana’s surprise, the mysterious woman walked into a building. The same building that Giana had vacated.
“Are you ready to be done with us, Giana?” a familiar voice called.
