Page 16 of Surrender (Angels Halo MC Next Gen)

After we said goodbye, I waited until Mom texted to let me know she was home and was helping him to bed. During that short time, I allowed myself a silent cry. It was all too much. Being so close to Elias, having him touch me, look at me with almost everything I’d ever hoped to see in his eyes, being the focus of his full attention… It was pure bliss. I was riding high on the endorphins until I crashed back to reality after a single conversation with the first man to own my heart.

Not bothering to wipe away my tears, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Head beneath the spray, I felt a prickle of awareness slither up my spine. Jerking back, I scanned the bathroom, my heart racing. Straining my ears, I tried to listen without turning off the water in case someone was stupid enough to break in.

I waited a full minute without sensing another person before shaking off the feeling. My damn PTSD was making me twitchy. But still, I felt unsettled and rushed through the rest of my routine before turning off the water.

Reaching for a towel, I wrapped it around me while wringing out my hair. The bathroom was steamy, the scents of my hair care products and body wash blending together to relax me.

Until I turned and saw the message written in the condensation on the mirror. Blood turning to ice in my veins, I stepped closer to the sink. Nothing on the counter looked disrupted, but a single red rose petal lay beside my toothbrush, and a message drawn out by someone’s finger was already starting to fade as the steam evaporated.

Knock knock, Baby V. See you soon.

Gross. Some perv had been in there while I was naked, showering, vulnerable.

I almost laughed when I considered the vulnerability aspect. I kept a blade behind my hair products. Oddly enough, not something my mom had taught me, but a lesson Papa had instilled in me. He always did prefer a knife over a gun.

At least the shower was frosted and my stalker hadn’t gotten a free show.

I shook my head at the vague threat fading on the mirror. Whoever it was had been close enough to touch me, attempt to kill me if that was what they truly wanted. Instead, they had tried to scare me.

Someone wanted to play games with me?

Too bad for them, I always played to win.

CHAPTEREIGHT

elias

Reid was changingthe blown lightbulb in the parking lot when I walked out to my truck the next morning. Ignoring him, I drove off, noticing Samara’s car was already gone.

After a quick stop for something to eat at Aggie’s, I pulled into work with ten minutes to spare before the conference call. Hearing the phones already ringing nonstop, I stomped past the unstaffed reception desk and barged into my mom’s office.

“Morning, bud,” she greeted with a smile that slipped when she noticed how stormy my face was. “Uh-oh. What happened?”

“We need a reliable receptionist. Those phones constantly ringing are driving me nuts. She’s late. Again.” My annoyance with the front office staff was minuscule compared to all the other bullshit swirling around in my brain, but it was the only thing I could complain about to my mother.

She didn’t need to hear that I hadn’t slept all night because I couldn’t stop thinking about Samara. I thrived on anticipation, but only a few hours away from her, and I was turning into a fucking rage monster.

And Mom really didn’t need to know that I’d nearly broken my brother’s nose. Word about that would get back to her soon enough when someone saw his black eye. Whether she decided to whup him or me over it was a coin flip. Knowing her, she’d go after us both. She didn’t play favorites. Joslyn Barker Reid wasn’t of the mind-set that “boys will be boys.” She would kick her sons’ asses in a heartbeat if we were disrespectful to anyone, including each other.

Calmly, she sat back in her chair, her eyes scanning over me in that all-knowing mom way that never failed to make me feel like I was ten years old again. “You’re right. I already have a few interviews lined up. Hopefully I’ll have her replacement by the end of the week. I’ll let her work until then, though. Because late or not, at least she does handle the phones well when she does get to work.”

“I’ll be in the conference room,” I informed her. “Everything ready to go for the call?”

“Should be. Sammy is setting it up.” She smiled. “I’m so glad she’s interning with us. What little I’ve seen of her talent so far, we could expand Barker & Reid into Oregon and farther south if she decides to work for us full time. With the two of you working together, we could—”

“Mom, stop,” I chided. “This is Samara we’re talking about. She’s not going to want to stick around any longer than she needs to. Why would she? There’s an entire company back in New York waiting for her to take the helm.”

But I want her to stay. Need. Fucking need her to stay. So goddamn bad.

Mom shrugged, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “You never know.”

“I’m going to tell Dad he needs to keep you better occupied. First, you want Reid to marry Sammy and have her spit out grandkids for you. Now, you’re fantasizing about her turning this place into a dynasty.”

“I can dream.” She huffed and tapped her pen on the desk. “And I’m not sure I like her with Reid. He needs someone…softer.”

“Good, we’re on the same page. Besides, if I see him near her again, you’ll never get to hold any grandchildren.”

“I knew it!” She laughed. Seeing how giddy she was nearly made me smile. “You two were sparking off each other left and right yesterday. I think you’re perfect for each other.”

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