“Of course, but do you really think she’s going to want someone tagging along while she’s trying to do her job?”
Gavin raised his eyebrow. “I don’t think she really has an option. It’s that, or I’m throwing her over my shoulder and bringing her home. There’s no way I’m risking anyone catching her alone.”
“I like the way you think.” Devon smiled at him and grabbed his keys. “So, where are we going?”
Gavin’s eyes widened. “I don’t know. I thought you’d have a better idea where her office was considering this is where you’re from. I guess I can call her.”
“I have her phone, and she has mine. I’ll look through her numbers and maybe call Evelyn or Stephen. They’ll give us the address.”
Gavin followed Devon outside and got into his truck. The sound of the loud diesel felt oddly fitting for a place like this. He looked around at the palm trees and the seagulls flying in the gray sky. He never felt more at home. Now, once they found Sarah, he’d feel even better.
Chapter 13
If Sarah played one more game on her computer, she’d scream. Looking at her watch, she grabbed her purse, ready to meet her friends for their daily lunch ritual. Evelyn hadn’t come into work today, and Melissa was out showing a house, so she called explaining she might be a little late. Julie and Natalie were already on their way.
“If I have any calls, just take a message. I don’t have my phone on me today,” Sarah said, stopping at the receptionist’s desk.
“Will do, honey.”
The older woman smiled as Sarah grabbed a peppermint out of the woven basket on the counter and waved goodbye. Stunned, Sarah stopped and stared. Devon and Gavin leaned against the truck, both looking good enough to eat. She smiled at the warmth crossing their faces and walked to meet them.
The heels of her stilettos clicked against the sidewalk as she slowed her pace. It wouldn’t look too good if she acted as excited as she felt.
“What are you both doing here? I thought you’d be off doing… guy things.” What exactly they’d be doing she couldn’t imagine, but her guess consisted of them being together. She needed the bonding to happen quickly. Every minute without feeling their presence ate away at her until she felt the compulsion to rush home to see them.
“Well, Stephen stopped by.” Devon didn’t say anymore. She noticed how he studied her face.
“And? What did he say?”
“We’re at a dead end. The car didn’t reveal anything.” “
Oh, so what does that mean?”
The guys looked at each other and then looked back at her. “I’m going to spend the rest of the day with you until you’ve finished work.”
“Oh no you’re not,” Sarah laughed, shaking her head no.
Gavin’s eyes narrowed, but the smile remained.
“Yes…I am. With Tom still on the loose, I’m not risking leaving you alone. Either I can stay with you at the office or you can call an early day, but it’s your choice.”
Sarah turned to Devon, who raised his hands in surrender. “You’re kidding me, right? You can’t be serious.”
“I’m dead serious.”
Gavin walked over, dropping his head. “Sarah, please don’t make this harder than it has to be. I want to keep you safe. Please allow me to do that. If something happened to you, Devon and I would never forgive ourselves.”
Placing her hands on her hips, she tilted her head, maintaining eye contact. “Is this just for today, or are we talking about tomorrow and the next day and the day after that?”
“For as long as it takes,” Devon said, coming up beside them. “Sarah, I’m not going to pretend you’re not pissed right now. I know the temper you keep hidden but do us a favor and think about this. There’s a man who’s after you. He knows where you live and probably where you work. He’s seen your car, and more than likely, he’s waiting to make his next move. You possibly might not be the only target. If he saw you with your friends, they’re at risk, too. Why do you think Stephen kept Evelyn home today?”
Shaken, Sarah let the words sink in. It was one thing to assume everything would be fine, but the situation changed when she thought her friends might be at risk.
“All right,” she whispered. “Fine, you both can take turns coming to work with me, but right now, I’m headed to lunch with the girls. I’m assuming that means Gavin’s coming with me so why don’t you follow us, and we’ll all have lunch together? You can get to know my friends. They’re a big part of my life, so I guess you’ve just inherited them, too.”
“Let’s go. I’ll follow you.”
Sarah walked to her car with Gavin following. She got in and headed toward the beach restaurant where everyone surely would be waiting. The ride was quiet as she mulled over her thoughts. In just days, they’d all been thrown into this whirlwind of a situation, and she wasn’t sure how to take things. Everything, from the events of her sexual experiences with the men to Tom floated around her mind, taunting her emotions.
Pulling into the parking lot, Sarah sat quietly in the seat. She could do this. Introducing them to her friends was the easy part. The following minutes were the ones that would matter. They’d either embrace her choice, or they wouldn’t. Either way, it wasn’t as if she could go back. The thought only made her heart accelerate even more. This situation was as permanent as it got, and she couldn’t control anything about it.
Movement from the corner of her eye made her turn toward Gavin. The fingers he brushed against her cheek sent an odd, calming sensation through her. “You worry too much. I’m here for you if you ever want to talk.”
She smiled and grabbed his hand, kissing his knuckles. “Thank you. You make me feel better. I’m just worried about how things are going to go. Everything’s happening so fast. I understand, but they won’t. They’ll have no idea why, in just days, I’ve gone from not needing a man to needing two.”
“If they’re your true friends, they’ll accept whatever you decide to tell them.”
“Evelyn has, but Melissa, Julie, and Natalie, I just don’t know.”
Devon tapped on the glass, a look of confusion on his face. She could tell he was tired.
Knowing him, he probably still hadn’t slept.
“They will, trust me. And if they don’t, then maybe they weren’t your true friends. Friendship holds no judgment.”
“I’m not sure I agree one hundred percent, but I guess we’ll see. Let’s go eat, shall we? Devon needs to head back soon and get some rest.”
“Sarah, I know you don’t like the position you’ve been put in with us having to go to work with you, but would you consider taking a small vacation? At least until this guy is caught.”
Opening the door, Sarah got out of the car and looked over the short roof at Gavin. “How long is this supposed to take? It’s possible we may never see Tom again. I’d be taking off of work for nothing. I can’t afford to miss potential sales, and I don’t like having to put my clients off either.”
“All right.”
Conflicted, Sarah walked into the restaurant. The loud laughter coming from their usual table died the moment they noticed the two men following behind her.
“Well, well, look who we have here,” Melissa said, glaring.
Sarah immediately remembered their confrontation at the bar. “Knock it off, Mel, not today, okay.”
“Have you lost your freaking mind? Am I the only one who remembers the weeks, shit, months of your pain?”
“Try years, and no, I haven’t forgotten. I’ve learned to forgive and so should you.” Devon and Gavin pulled up a chair, sitting on each side of her. The girls stared, confused.
Sarah rolled her eyes as she began to relay the news of Tom to them.
“So, you’re telling me that hot ass guy you left with almost a year ago has turned all stalker on you?” Julie asked, shocked. “Fucking amazing. I knew he seemed a little off, but wow.”
“Who made that bet for you anyway?”
She looke
d at Melissa, raising her eyebrow. “You did, genius.”
“Well, shit, Sarah. I don’t remember anymore. We play this game every weekend. How am I supposed to remember some guy you left with a year ago? I mean, seriously, I try my best to forget their names.”
“Melissa, you may not remember him, but I’m sure he remembers all of you. I want everyone to be careful until this guy is caught. He shouldn’t be hard to miss. His eyes will give him away.”
“Eyes?” Julie whispered. “That’s right. His eyes were the lightest blue I’ve ever seen.”
“Holy shit! I know who you’re talking about now. Dark hair, light eyes, a little over six-foot, kind of on the lean side, but still pretty built. Wow, I was so proud of that bet. Too bad he turned out to be a fruit.”
“Yeah, well, that fruit could be after any of us so I want everyone on the lookout for him.
If you see him, call Stephen or me. Devon and Gavin will be with me at all times.”
“Speaking of which, what is going on with you three? Please don’t tell me I’m seeing another Evelyn romance in the making.”
Sarah looked at the redhead and tried to control her anger. “And if you are, then what, Melissa?”
“Then nothing, but how? I feel like I’m missing something. You’ve known these guys for what, five minutes? Now they’re your entourage? Why not stay with me or Ev? Why risk this,” she said, gesturing her hand toward Devon, again? He hurt you,” she whispered, her pain showing on her face.
“Melissa.” Sarah fought the tears in her eyes. “You have to know I loved him. I still do. Love like that never truly dies.”
She grew quiet so long the food arrived. Sarah was surprised Devon, most of all, remained quiet throughout their conversation. He usually stood up to people who spoke their minds so easily. Especially, to her.
“So, tell me something. If you love Devon, why are you not denying Hotness over there? You’re basically admitting to wanting to be with both of them. How are all of you okay with that? Guys don’t submit so easily. Dammit. Sarah, you’re hiding something,” Melissa snapped, frustrated. “This shit just doesn’t happen? Men don’t agree to relationships like this.”
“Now is not the time to discuss this,” Gavin said softly.
Sarah picked at her food as throbbing in her head nearly made her sick. Maybe taking off the rest of the day wasn’t such a bad idea. She kept quiet while she tried forcing something in her stomach. Melissa’s attitude toward Devon really upset her. More than anyone, she knew the pain he caused her, and yes, her friend’s intentions were good, but the decision was hers to make and no one else’s.
Gavin rested his hand on her thigh and peace spiked with a sense of heat. “Devon, do you have my phone on you?”
She watched while he pulled it out of his pocket. “Thanks.” Sarah hit the office’s number and waited until the reception answered. “Hey, this is Sarah. Listen, I’m not feeling so well. My head is killing me. I’ll be going home. Can you just take a message for anyone who calls and tell them I’ll get in touch with them tomorrow? Thanks.”
Gavin’s fingers tightened on her thigh, and she looked up to see a grin spread across his face. Placing the phone in her purse, Sarah handed Devon’s back to him. “Well, ladies, I’m going home.”
The smile that came to Sarah’s face felt plastered on. Damn, she really had wanted this meeting to go better. The men instantly stood beside her. She placed money on the table and took both of their hands. “Let’s go home, shall we?”
“Gladly,” Devon said, kissing her forehead. “You all have a great day.”
Melissa quickly stood. “Sarah, wait. Devon, I’m sorry. But you know Sarah is like my sister. I hated seeing her go through pain. If she forgives you, then I’ll try my best. I trust her judgment, but I know you all are hiding something. One thing before you leave…if you hurt her again, I’ll hunt you down myself.”
Devon laughed. “Thanks, Melissa, but I’m not going anywhere again. I love her. Always have and always will.”
“Me too,” Melissa said, hugging her. “I love you, Sarah. You know that. Go get some rest. You look paler than usual. I think this mess is taking its toll on you.”
“I love you, too, Mel. Call me later.”
Leaving the restaurant, Sarah couldn’t remember feeling more relieved for instant peace and quiet. The need to lie back and relax sounded so good she could feel the tension leaving her body. Devon stopped, wrestling in his tight pockets while they continued forward.
“Want me to drive?”
Gladly, she handed her keys to Gavin, but as she approached the car, fear nearly suffocated her. Twice, she looked around, hoping she wasn’t looking at the right vehicle.
“What the…” Gavin pulled her close. “Devon!”
The sound of footsteps coming up behind them was followed by a string of curses. “I can’t believe this shit. He was here, and we missed him.” Devon sniffed the air, closing his eyes. “He’s been gone for a few minutes.”
Sarah pulled out her phone and called Stephen. It wasn’t moments later she saw him fly up in his police cruiser. The damage to her car looked like a wrecking ball slammed into the side of it. Her whole driver’s side door looked unrecognizable. The glass in all of her windows littered the asphalt parking lot.
“Well, this doesn’t look good,” Stephen said, studying the car while he walked toward them. “I hope you have insurance.”
“Yeah,” Sarah breathed out. “But why is he doing this? I didn’t want to see him again, so what? I don’t understand why rejection would cause him to react this way. And a year later? None of this makes sense to me. There has to be something I’m missing.”
“Stephen, is it just me, or should we be talking to Brandon? No human did this without being caught. His scent held something. It could be vampire, but the trouble with that is vampires all have different scents so it’s hard to tell. I do know he’s definitely not a wolf, though. I’d have picked up on that when he busted the door down.”
“Well, I’ve only met one vampire before Brandon, and they smelled nothing alike so you could be right.”
Sarah breathed heavily. “You say vampire. If he was a vampire, wouldn’t I remember? I mean, I don’t really know the similarities between what happens in the myths compared to reality, but I would think he would have tried to drink my blood, and I sure as hell wouldn’t have forgotten that.”
Stephen narrowed his eyes at her. “Tell me this, Sarah. What do you remember from that night?”
“Well, I’m sure as hell not going to go into detail,” she said, looking at the guys uneasily.
After they all remained quiet waiting for her to go on, she rolled her eyes and continued. “We left the bar and headed to a motel a few blocks away. We fucked and…” Sarah saw the images in her head so vividly she could feel her breathing slow. Calling him an amazing lover would have been an understatement, which suddenly shocked her. She’d never really thought about what happened that night.
Tom lay on top of her, the back of his hand running down her cheek to her throat. She knew they just got done having sex, but pieces of it seemed to be missing. Sarah could feel her breasts pressed against his chest while he eased her face to the side. In her trance-like state, she could feel tender kisses trailing down her jaw line, and suddenly she was at home, in her own bed.
“Oh God,” Sarah whispered.
“What is it? You remember something?” Devon took a step forward, toward her and Gavin.
“It’s not what I remember, it’s what I can’t remember. I don’t know how I made it home. Did I pass out? With the game, for so long, I’ve tried to forget my bets. My mind didn’t want to remember them. They filled the loneliness, so I didn’t want to reflect on what happened behind those closed doors. But this is what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to remember…”
“You felt him as if you were there with him all over again.”
Sarah looked at Gavin. “Yes.” She shuddered. “It felt so real
. It’s hard to explain in words.”
Stephen’s fingers pulled at the uniform’s collar as he appeared to be going over things in his mind. “If he knew you enjoyed it, he’d think you’d want to be with him again. He’s probably waited so long because he figured at some point you’d come around. Now that you have two men in your life, I guess he’s getting desperate. Vampires always think they have all the time in the world. This one must be starting to panic.”
Stephen radioed in a tow truck and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “So, we are dealing with a vampire. Brandon and I know all about wiping memories. We did Evelyn’s when I tried to remove my mark from her. Well, I hate to say this, Sarah, but I think we’re going to have to let Brandon unlock whatever Tom made you forget. It’s the only way we’re going to know anything. But for Brandon to do this, you’re going to have to let him bite you.”
Sarah immediately grabbed her neck. “Does it hurt?”
Stephen laughed. “Not even close. You’ll like it.”
“I’m not so sure about this. What about you, Gavin? Do you feel comfortable letting her get bit?”
“Hell no, but if it helps, what do we have to lose? I want this guy off the streets.”
“She’s going to need one of you, or both, whatever, to be there with her when he does the bite. I don’t think Evelyn’s going to want her attacking Brandon. But do me a favor and mark her. This vampire’s not going to get the picture until you do. Now go home and get that over with while I take care of this here. Brandon, Evelyn, and I will be over first thing in the morning.”
Devon wrapped his arm around her shoulder as shouts behind them erupted in a flurry of panicked curses.
“Sarah, what the hell happened to your car!” Julie ran up, her eyes wide with fear.
Melissa and Natalie followed right behind her.
“Tom happened. Now, I’m going home. You all be careful and remember, if you see him, call Evelyn so she can tell Stephen.”
They all nodded, silent from shock. Sarah wrapped her arms around Devon while he led her to the passenger side of his truck. Climbing in the middle, she waited while Gavin got in the passenger seat, and Devon started the engine.
Saving Sarah (Blissful Bets #2) Page 9