Page 72 of Biker's Baby

THIRTY-TWO

Iris

My handsstill shook as I sat back down at the table.

“Do you want a cup of coffee?” I asked Abe. “I should have thought of that before I sat back down.”

“I’ll get it myself,” he said, grabbing the pot and a mug.

“Fill me back up here, bud,” Glenn said. Abe obeyed, but I declined to have a refill. I didn’t really want anything right now after having that scare first thing in the morning, but I was drinking some coffee anyway, mostly for the sake of something to do while Glenn was there.

I hadn’t suspected Joel would make another move like this. For crying out loud, I was living with another man! If he paid any attention at all to what I was doing – which I was sure he was – then he would know that.

But, when I woke up that morning, I decided I was going to start the day right and go to a nearby coffee shop to treat myself with outside coffee today. I woke up Tristan with a promise of giving him a muffin, then we headed out the door. I hadn’t even taken the time to dress him, sure that he would be back asleep by the time I got back home.

Once I reached my car, however, my plans changed in an instant.

There was a little note tucked neatly under one of the windshield wipers. It didn’t look like much at first, and I initially thought someone was complaining that my car had been parked there for too long without being moved. But, once I opened the note, my heart skipped a beat then started palpitating.

I looked around, suddenly sure someone was watching me.

Without waiting even a second, I made a dash for the house with Tristan still tucked in my arms. I didn’t slow until I made sure both the house door and the deadbolt were locked behind me. And even then, I didn’t feel entirely safe.

Why did Joel come back? He hadn’t had anything to say to me for more than two weeks now, and I was sure he had seen me out with Abe more than once. Perhaps he had even spoken to some of the people back at my old workplace and they told him that I was with someone who would kick his ass if he tried anything.

I didn’t know, but I also didn’t care what his reason was for leaving me alone as long as he did. I just wanted him out of my life one hundred percent. We shared nothing together, and that made me even more convinced there was no reason for him to have anything to do with me.

But this note changed everything. This note was just another threat like all the rest that he had given me ever since I broke up with him. He was coming for me. He would have me. I could run, but he would be there to find me. I was destined to spend the rest of my life with him no matter what. He still loved me, and he wasn’t ever going to let me go.

There was always a list of reasons or some subtle threat made on every note he gave me, along with the promise that he was still out there and waiting.

It wasn’t even the note itself that scared me, but the fact that he had left it once again. I knew he had to be the one leaving these notes personally, and it bothered me not knowing when he’d been to the house to leave them. For all I knew, he could have been there right after Abe left.

He could be watching the house and making sure I was alone before he dared to come close enough to leave these notes. He had been photographed by Abe that one time, and though Abe never did tell me where he had gotten the photo of my ex, I had a feeling it was taken right here at the house.

Joel was good at stalking. It was scary, it was sad, but it was also true. And that left me with the feeling that no matter what, I would never be safe. Until they were able to make sure once and for all he wasn’t going to come after me again, there was always that chance he would come back.

He was smart enough to figure out when I was alone in the house, and I was sure he would make a move to try to kidnap me. He was bound to do something that would get me to come back to him, even if I didn’t want to. But then, Joel wasn’t the kind of guy to care whether it was what I wanted or not.

All he cared about was what he wanted.

And he chose me.

He didn’t care what he had to do to get me. He would do it until I was worn down enough to just give into what he wanted. It was sickening that he felt that way, but it was the truth. Joel had very little standards when it came to getting what he wanted.

As long as he had it at the end of the day, he would be pleased with himself for going through what he did to get it.

Abe reached over and put his hand on top of mine. He was talking to Glenn about how they were going to take care of this problem, and though I hated violence, I was starting to think that I wouldn’t mind if he had to use it to get rid of Joel once and for all.

“Do you think beating him within an inch of his life would do the trick?” Glenn asked.

“I’m not sure if he would take it or run to the cops,” Abe said. “He could very well use that against us to get us in trouble, then she’d be open for him to take.”

“Then what?” Glenn asked.

“I think we need to make the clear message to him that he’s putting his safety on the line if he comes near her,” Abe said. “I mean his actual life. I’m not in the business of murder, but I’ll tell you right now, I’m not going to fuck around with someone who keeps coming after Iris when she’s already made it clear she want’s nothing to do with him.”

“Who says it’s murder?” Glenn asked with a grin. “I’m thinking if this guy keeps coming like this, if something happens to him, it’s just self-defense, right?”

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