Page 14 of Protected By the Bikers Next Door
I lead them into the kitchen, wiping away the few tears that managed to escape with the corner of my robe. They study the contents of the envelope, firing off questions in rapid succession that I’m unable to answer.
“Have you seen anyone unusual hanging around?”
“No, no one.”
“Did you notice anything this morning?”
“Nothing.”
“Any idea when the envelope was delivered?”
“I think it could have been what woke me up early, but there was no one when I came down a few minutes later.”
“Can you think of anyone who might be doing this?”
“No, no one,” I lie.
“Not your ex?”
“I don’t think so.”
I don’t know why I hold back from telling them everything, from exposing my deepest fear. That he’s finally found me, but it can’t be him, can it? He’s safely locked away, and even if he’d sent others after me, there’s no way he could have found us. We were so careful. It can’t be him. I refuse even to entertain the idea, or I’ll lose it completely.
“Mommy?”
We all whirl around to the sound of Jenny’s confused, sleepy voice. She’s clutching her favorite teddy bear, her eyes still squinting from sleep as she stands there in her PJs, looking confused by the presence of our neighbors in our house.
“Morning, sweetie,” I say, plastering a big grin on my face. “Look, Bear, Wolf, and Hawk came over to have some pancakes with us!”
In her trusting naivety, Jenny takes this at face value. Thankfully, Hawk has quickly swept away the photos, tucking them into his pocket before she can see them. I proceed to make the pancakes while the guys entertain Jenny, pretending everything is normal. We don’t discuss things further until Jenny goes upstairs to get ready for school. Once she’s out of earshot, Wolf tells me that he will install security cameras and alarms all over the house.
“I can’t afford that,” I admit.
He waves my protests away, insisting he will pay. “And you’re staying with us tonight. Until everything is fully up and running, I’m not letting you stay here alone.”
I weakly protest, though in all honesty, I have no desire to stay here alone while our stalker lurks outside. If he wanted, he could easily break in and hurt us both.
“This isn’t a request, Harper,” Wolf says firmly, and I relent.
***
There was no possibility of my getting any work done today. I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than fixating on who is leaving me these notes. We decided that it was best to send Jenny to school rather than disrupt her routine. However, that was easier said than done. I only relented in leaving her there when the guys promised they would ensure someone was watching the school all day to prevent anyone from hanging around or getting to Jenny. The school also has strict policies about pick up, so the guys convinced me that she was safe there.
Still, I spent the whole day fretting about her. When Bear and I collected her from school, I clung to her until she wiggledfrom my grasp. Already, she’s embarrassed to be seen hugging her mom at school.
Although the guys managed to beef up my security system and install cameras while Jenny was at school, Wolf still insisted we stay the night until the system is fully operational. They’ve also replaced all of the doors and windows with new, more secure ones.
Jenny was delighted by the prospect of a sleepover at the guys’ house and has been loving every moment since we got back from school. The guys have been keeping her entertained, helping her with her homework, and playing games with her. The sight of three big, macho men playing dolls with her was enough to leave me smiling for the first time since finding the pictures.
Despite my anxiety over everything that’s happened, I have been able to relax and pretend it was just that for her sake. As a much-needed distraction, I insisted on cooking dinner for everyone. I spent the best part of the day preparing it. After much deliberation, I decided to make fried chicken, mac and cheese, and an apple pie for dessert.
“Dinner’s ready,” I call out as I place the dishes on the table.
“That smells incredible,” Wolf says as he comes and sits at the head of the table.
Bear walks in with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Wait till you see what Jenny’s done to Hawk. Boy, am I glad that I shave my head,” he says with a rueful chuckle.
At that moment, we hear Jenny pleading with Hawk. “Come on, Hawk, Mommy made her famous mac and cheeseand fried chicken just for you! It’s my favorite. You have to try it!” Jenny drags a reluctant Hawk in, pulling him along by the hand.
