Page 29 of Demon
Gizmo nodded once, then continued.By the time Demon had finished eating, Gizmo had given him all the details.
“Just so you know, I already took this to Tuck and Sadist.You’re good with us to go cover her.I don’t know how well she’ll take to you playing bodyguard, or how much you’ll have to tell her to get her to agree to it, but that’s up to you, as long as you don’t blow our cover.”
Demon nodded as he stood.He picked up his dishes and carried them into the kitchen.It only took a few minutes to take care of them, then he detoured up to his room to grab his truck keys and headed out.It was early, only a little after four, but he didn’t know what time she got started so he wanted to be there when she left for the day.
Demonpulledupacrossthe street from Ronnie’s condo and parked the truck.He looked up and down the street, noticing that the street lights on either side of her place, as well as the one down the intersecting street, were out.There was no way to tell right now if that was deliberate or merely a coincidence.When it came to his woman’s safety, Demon didn’t believe in coincidences.
The lack of light would work both in and against his favor.It would keep anyone from seeing him sitting here in the cab of his truck, but it also made it more difficult for him to make out what was going on at her place, and it was only sixty feet away.
From here he could tell there were two cars in the car port, but he couldn’t get enough light to make out any details about them.
Since there were no lights on inside, he glanced around before getting out of the truck.He knew enough to act like he belonged there as he approached Ronnie’s place and got a good look at the vehicles.One was her SUV, the one she’d been in the first day and the same one he’d pinned her against and kissed the shit out of her last night.The other was a late model sedan with out of state plates and the sticker for a rental company on the driver’s side window.
He moved into the shadows so he wouldn’t be seen from the street and scowled at the rental.Who was here and were they part of Ronnie’s father’s scheme to get rid of her?If so, why was she still here?Was she actually still here?Son of a bitch.Now he needed to make sure she was here and safe.
He checked his watch, 4:34 A.M.The neighbors would likely start coming out of their houses and moving around soon.If he wanted to get this done with as little chance as possible about being seen, he had to do this now.He glanced up and down the street, looking for movement that could be someone out and alert.When he saw nothing, he went to the side of the house to the gate in the dog ear picket fence.Not seeing a latch on this side, he reached over and got lucky when he found the latch only a few inches below the top of the gate.
As he let himself in, he made a mental note to secure that latch so no one else could do what he’d just done.Or at least he would make it more difficult for anyone who shouldn’t be there, to get access.He knew it was ironic that he was planning to remove the security gap that he had no hesitation using for his own end.He didn’t care.What he cared about was making sure Ronnie was safe, not that he gave people with less than honorable intentions easy access to her.
There was a little more light in her backyard, but not much.Before he moved, he checked the wall and eaves for lights, half hoping she would have motion detector lights mounted back here.It wouldn’t help him, but it would make him feel better about this place.As far as he could see, there were none.
That was another thing he’d fix, first chance he got.He crept around the corner of the house, noticing that the fence went all the way around and there were no other gates, at least that he could see so far.He glanced up, the sky was getting a little lighter.The sun would be up soon, then he’d be more visible, but he’d also be able to see better.
He made his way across the yard, noticing she had a narrow porch that stretched the length of the house, with a pair of French doors leading out.
Demon scanned the yard, looking for hazards as he made his way across as well as anything that might be considered a gap in defense.He didn’t like that French door, but he’d have to take a look and see how it was secured.Too many people didn’t know how to lock them to make it harder for someone to break in through them.He’d reached the far corner of the house from the gate where he’d entered the yard when a light turned on in one of the windows.He froze, waiting to see what would happen next.Would she look out and find him?Was it even her in there?Was it whoever was in the rental car instead of her?He waited, hoping to get just a glimpse to be sure she was still there.Then he’d go across the street and wait for her to leave.He planned on tailing her all day, just in case today was the day the Devils decided to capture her.
He stayed silent as the minutes ticked by.Lights turned on in another room.This one wasn’t covered with blinds.He could see small, lacy curtains at the top and assumed that was the kitchen.A moment later a head appeared.
Demon blinked and clenched his fists but remained still.That wasn’t Ronnie.It was a man.She’d told him she wasn’t seeing anyone.Had she lied to him?Was it some off again, on again thing that he just happened to be in town?
He wanted to burst in there, demand to know who he was and what in the fuck he was doing spending the night at Ronnie’s, but he held still.He still didn’t know if she was here.Just because things seemed okay, and her truck was out front, didn’t mean much.Not until he saw her and could see for himself that she was okay.
A couple of minutes later Ronnie’s face appeared in front of the window.Some of the tension he’d been ignoring drained from him.She looked good, and not like she was in any duress or being forced to do anything.Now that he knew she was there, he could figure out how best to approach this.
16
Therichscentofcoffee brewing teased Ronnie into consciousness.She lay in bed a moment wondering who was making coffee, then remembered the night before, Gavin’s news and that he’d stayed.
It was Gavin making coffee, she told herself, knowing it was most likely.Still, something in the back of her head told her to get up and be sure.She would be the kind of idiot who ended up strapped face down to a bench, taking it up the ass in some billionaire’s playroom, then in a cage the rest of the time.All because she hadn’t bothered to make sure the coffee that woke her was her brother’s and not some stranger.
She threw the blanket off and touched the lamp on the nightstand, turning on the light as she threw her legs off the edge of the bed.
Glancing around, she didn’t see Opie anywhere.Had he woken Gavin?Was that why her brother was up at this ungodly hour.She checked the clock.Almost five.
She bit back the groan that threatened to escape as she stood.First things first, make sure it’s Gavin moving around, then coffee.If she had to be up this early, she needed caffeine to fuel her brain.
Aware that she still hadn’t confirmed it was Gavin, she slipped quietly from her room, then down the hall, she was still in the living room, around the corner from being able to see who was in the kitchen when she heard him whistling to himself.
She didn’t bother to bite back her groan as she remembered that her brother was a morning person.Mornings were not her friend, and she’d long held a belief that morning people weren’t to be trusted.Except that the one person she knew she could trust, no matter what, was one of those sick and twisted people.No longer needing to stay quiet, she shuffled into the kitchen and glared at Gavin as she went to the coffee pot, put in a fresh pod, moved her favorite mug, a yellow one with goggles and overalls under the spout and hit the button to start the magic.
She stared at her cup, willing it to fill, but also taking comfort in the goofy smile on the cup.She knew it was a character from a kids movie, but she didn’t care.The tiny creatures that were always so happy to please made her smile.
“I didn’t mean to wake you up.I just couldn’t sleep any longer.”
Ronnie bit the inside of her lip to keep from growling.“I thought with all the traveling you’ve done, you’d sleep in for a change.”
Gavin’s laugh grated across her nerves.
