She knelt and opened up the bags to begin going through them, but froze when she saw the clothing on top of the second bag. She drew in a hissing breath, and every muscle in her body tensed.
Son of a bitch. The bastards had put in the clothing Teague had bought. The clothes symbolized their mistrust and the secrets they tried to keep. She clenched her hands. If they were in front of her, she’d swing at them without hesitation.
She grabbed that piece of blue clothing and ripped it out of the bag. Below it, another piece of the offending attire rested within the case. A small scream of rage escaped. She pulled every piece of clothing Teague had purchased out of her bags and tossed them down beside her. Intent on making sure she hadn’t missed anything, she searched through both bags.
After she gathered up the garments Teague bought, she marched into the kitchen. There was a nice appliance in there she planned to use. The shredder recycler would take care of these things.
“Whoa, Sephanie, what are you doing with your clothes?” Cooper stood from his chair and moved to intercept her before she reached the machine.
“Not my clothes. Teague bought these, and I’m not keeping them.” She tried to step around him.
Cooper closed his eyes but somehow managed to block her way. She didn’t know how he did it, but he kept her away from the shredder recycler. He didn’t grab her but became an obstacle she couldn’t get around.
“Damn it, Cooper, move.” She glared at her brother.
“No, give me the clothes. You don’t wish to see them. Fine. I’ll take them. I don’t want you doing something you’ll regret later.” Cooper held out his hand.
“Cooper, I don’t know what’s going to happen with the relationship, but looking at these clothes, I know I can never wear them without remembering today.” She sighed heavily. When she came back, nothing would be as it was before.
“All right, I’ll take the clothes. You won’t have to see them if you don’t want them.” Cooper gestured for her to hand over the clothes.
“Why does it matter?” She couldn’t help wondering why he wanted to stop her.
“I kind of feel responsible for what’s happened. I was in the hospital room with Berenger while he spoke with the police. Once he told us what the threats were against you, I told him whatever his feelings for you were, he should put your safety first.” Cooper grimaced.
“You didn’t make the decision, and you didn’t force them to keep the truth from me. There are so many other methods they could have chosen. A public fight would be so much more believable than what they pulled.” She handed over the clothes and walked back to the hallway to see what was left in the bags.
She stopped in the hallway when she remembered the necklace. Her breath caught in her throat as she thought about taking it off. She reached up and touched the metal. No, she couldn’t give it back. Even though she was angry and not sure how they’d make the relationship right again. With a sigh, she continued down the hall.
She knelt once more in front of the bags. Other than the clothing Teague had bought, there weren’t many complete outfits in the bags. She found two pairs of pants, too many pairs of underwear, one shirt, and a dress and shoes stuffed between everything else. If she hadn’t been furious at what they’d done already, this would have set her off.
She had actual paired outfits at their home. All they had to do was take them out of the closet, but they brought her this crap and kept the better part of her clothing. She needed more clothes. She folded what she planned to keep, put it back in the bags, and pulled out the rest to put in a bag. Her mother would keep them until she came back.
She picked up the mostly empty bags while holding the bundle of assorted clothing. While she strode back into the kitchen, she thought about what other clothes she’d need.
“Mom, do you have an extra bag? They didn’t give me back half my things, and what they did put in doesn’t make much sense.” Sephanie glanced at her mother as she stopped inside the kitchen.
“I’ll get something for you.” Her mother stood and left the kitchen.
“So do you think you have enough clothes?” Her brother turned in his chair to look at her.
“No, it’s like they grabbed what was closest to hand. I have maybe two outfits in there. I’ll need at least two more, preferably three or four more outfits, even if this only takes a short time.” She clutched the armful of assorted clothing tighter.
“Maybe the fact that they didn’t bring everything should tell you something about their future plans.” Cooper leaned back in his chair. He looked smug, like that confirmed something he’d suspected.
“It tells me they’re lousy packers. As to future plans, I’m focused on getting through this temporary forced vacation before I think about anything else.” She narrowed her gaze on her brother. He could be more supportive. Maybe show some anger toward them. He had too much sympathy for their side of the situation.
“I’ll call Julie. She can get you some clothes from her shop. Do you trust her to pick them out?” Cooper cocked an eyebrow at her.
“Yes, I trust her taste, and she knows my size. So, do you have everything scheduled for covering my shop? For the most part, my employees can handle it, but there might be a problem or a mix-up with a vendor that requires someone with more decision-making power than Mary has.” She took a deep breath and focused on the details to keep from arguing with him about his attitude.
“Yes, I have your shop covered while you’re gone.” He nodded. “After we get the clothes, you’ll be ready to go.”
“I’ll let you send me away if—” she began.
“You’re going. There are no ifs about this.” Cooper pointed at her. “I will haul your screaming ass there, if necessary.”
“Let me finish,” she said slowly. “I’ll go without giving you any problems if we can stop and talk to the police first.”
“Why do you need to talk to the police?” Her brother leaned forward.
“Lillie Malone. She’s been popping up and making claims they’ll be hers. Kassius, Berenger, and Teague didn’t take her actions seriously, so I’m sure they don’t see her as enough threat to mention. They do believe her father has motive, but Lillie is merely a pest to them.” She bit her lip as anxiety made her stomach churn.
“And you think it’s something more than her being interested and overly spoiled?” Cooper tilted his head to the side and watched her.
“Considering she’s publicly disparaged ménage relationships, I think her sudden interest is suspicious. Before they approached me, I thought they might be dating her because they’d been seen with her several times. They said they’d met with her father for a business matter.” She wanted the police to know about it, even if it amounted to nothing.
“You think her interest might be spurred by whatever business discussion they had?” Paine asked.
“I can’t be sure, but I think the police should be aware of it. Lillie might look sweet, but she has the same ruthlessness her father openly shows.” She shrugged. “And for some reason, she hates me.”
Cooper grimaced. “The hate part might have something to do with me. She approached me after I’d been assigned here. She seemed interested in pursuing a relationship, but something didn’t feel right about it. I brushed her off, but she ignored it. I had to be blunt and rude, as well as threaten to report her for stalking when she kept appearing in places I’d be.”
“Seriously?” She looked up at the ceiling. All the venom in the past was because Lillie didn’t like being told no. There had to be something wrong with her.
“You don’t have to go to the police. I’ll have a secure link set up while we’re waiting for your clothes. You can talk to them from here.” Cooper nodded. “It seems you do care about them.”
“I never said I didn’t. I don’t know if I can trust them again. You could try being a bit more supportive of my side rather than understanding of theirs.” She turned after she heard her mother come back into the room.
>
“What do you mean, supportive of you? I have been, but I also appreciate the fact they’re doing their best to keep my sister safe even if you’re not that grateful.” Cooper frowned at her.
Sephanie bagged the clothes and wondered if her brother had been recently hit in the head. If not, maybe he needed to be. “Oh, they’re keeping me safe. By dropping me as if I’m nothing but a piece of trash. And you’re thrilled at the idea they might have the thought of picking me up again whenever it’s convenient for them.”
She left the room before the urge to do her brother bodily harm grew any stronger.
Maybe time would lessen her anger. She did want to be with them. But could they begin again after this was finished?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Sephanie glanced out the big window in her bedroom. Rain slashed down outside, and the dreary day matched her mood. She was so tired of hiding. Loneliness beat at her, and she wished she could talk to someone she knew.
Nearly a week had passed since Cooper had brought her here, but she’d heard nothing. Cooper spoke to her every once in a while. He didn’t contact her directly. The only way she got in touch with him was through the men who guarded her. Her brother was afraid the people who attacked Berenger might use any interaction to find her.
He hadn’t told her where he intended to take her until they were on their way. She’d found herself in a house outside Pitava, a city to the north of Cassid, staying with Cooper’s friends from the Planetary Defense.
The house’s isolated location reassured her in a way but also aggravated her. Cooper sent her here to keep her safe, and the location would help. No neighbors close, and it was isolated enough that anyone getting close to them should be spotted.
Normally, she’d enjoy being in a new place and meeting new people. “Normal” didn’t come close to this situation. She had left the house only twice and couldn’t call anyone she knew. She barely talked to anyone at all. The men Cooper had dumped her with weren’t exactly chatty. Very interesting to look at, but she wasn’t in the mood to appreciate them.
She’d been trying to keep busy, but she could only bake so much. Especially after the men watching over her refused to get her any more ingredients to cook with until they gave away some of the dishes she’d already made. Lack of anything constructive to do left her bored and frustrated. She couldn’t find anything on the vid to watch. Not that she could sit still long enough to try. Restless energy kept her popping to her feet and ambling around the house.
While she stared out at the plants and lawn, she tried to think of something to do. Movement near the back of the property caught her eye. She tensed and leaned forward. At first, she didn’t think much of it, but she saw the darkness shift again. Not neighbors. No one should be back there.
She focused on the place she’d seen the shadow. Maybe some of the local wildlife had wandered close enough to see. There were some birds in the area as well as the small, usually brown aceri, a chubby-cheeked little animal, which scurried across the grass, eating almost any plants and nuts. The lithe, medium-sized, tan delova, a narrow-faced, hooved animal, enjoyed the nuts and tender shoots of grass.
A shadow detached from a tree and eased over to another tree. The three men guarding her wouldn’t have any reason to be sneaking around their yard. They’d scared her one night by setting off the alarm to ensure she stayed alert.
Sephanie bit her lip. This was something entirely different from setting off an alarm. She didn’t think they’d go to these lengths to make her aware of the possible danger. Her teeth worried her lip while she thought about what to do. She should tell them.
If they were behind it, then she could yell at them for scaring her again. If not, they needed to be worried. That shadow looked too big to be any of the small animals this close to civilization. Even the occasional predator that might come close for an easy meal wouldn’t make that large form.
She headed for the door. Geoff would be in the dining room doing some of the accounting for his business. Henley had gone to his job. She didn’t know where exactly Colby was at the moment, but he was probably in the house.
The window shattered. She gasped, glancing behind her and seeing a dark form hoisting itself inside the house. Shock flashed through her. Those windows didn’t break easily. All she could think about was Cooper’s brief mention that the attackers had threatened her. They had come after her.
She turned and ran as she heard a heavy thud behind her. Her mind raced. Colby had shown her where some weapons were stashed around the house in case of an emergency, but she could only remember where two were. One back in her room and the other all the way across the house in the foyer.
She ran and hoped she’d remember another location as she went, because she didn’t know if she’d make it to the foyer. The hallway seemed impossibly long. The sound of footsteps seemed to echo in the corridor. Someone was following her. Adrenaline shot through her. She ran faster.
As she dashed into the kitchen, she spotted one of the cabinets and remembered Colby stashing a disturber there. Her feet skidded across the floor when she angled toward that cupboard. She grabbed the edge of the counter after she lost her balance.
She clawed at the doors to pull them open. Frustration and fear churned in her gut while her fingers slipped on the surface. She glanced over her shoulder, expecting to see someone looming over her. She had to get to that weapon.
The panel swung open, and she stuck her hand inside. Her fingers curled around the butt of the disturber. She swung around, pressed herself into the corner, and faced the door she’d run through.
The sight of Colby’s tall form running into the kitchen with a disturber in his hand stunned her. She hadn’t heard an alarm or thought they’d heard any strange noise. She didn’t have time to say anything. A man ran through the door. She fired at the same time Colby did.
The man fell to the floor and began twitching. Another man tripped over the first’s convulsing body. Before she could get another shot off, a burst came from Colby’s weapon. It hit the man. He collapsed to the floor. His legs and arms twitched and twisted.
Colby didn’t look at her, but his hand extended.
“Get behind me, Sephanie,” Colby said.
Sephanie got to her feet and slipped behind him. She moved out of his way in case he needed to back out of the room, but she didn’t want to lose sight of those men. The two intruders wore some kind of hood so she couldn’t see their faces. She badly wanted to know who’d come after her.
Movement drew her gaze as Geoff stepped up beside them, a weapon clutched in his hand. She tried not to distract him any more than she already did.
“Geoff, I’ll ease in here to secure these two men. Stand and watch for other intruders while I do it.” Colby shifted to the side so Geoff could aim his disturber toward the two men and the door across the kitchen.
Geoff stood guard while Colby moved forward, making sure to stay out of the line of fire. Sephanie peeked around the door. One at a time, he flipped them onto their backs and secured their hands. She pulled back out of sight. Surprise made her eyes widen, because she expected him to use rope. She didn’t think he’d have cuffs available. He might be a member of the PD, but they didn’t carry them when they were off duty. She didn’t know where he’d gotten the restraints, but she leaned heavily against the wall. Relief rushed through her.
Colby moved off and went through the house to ensure no one else hid inside their home. As she stood tensely, she couldn’t help thinking how strange the situation had become.
Colby came back to the kitchen and took the time to notify the police. Once he was done, he turned to Sephanie. “We’re clear. You got out of your room fast.”
Sephanie grimaced and ran through the basic facts including her thought about them testing her.
“Well, it’s a good thing you were on your guard and were leaving your room.” Colby gave her a nod. “For the record, aside from the occasional alarm test, I wouldn’t do that to
you.”
“Thank you. Did Cooper give you any indication someone might come after me?” She frowned. “I thought once I was out of Cassid and away from the assaults, I should be safe.”
“The police believed you should be safe here. The men you were with had some vandalism before they started dating you, and the police suspected the destruction was related to the attacks. Cooper hoped they’d give up if he made it difficult to find you.” Colby put a hand on her shoulder.
“So what do you think the police will do?” Her shoulders slumped, but she wanted to hug him for those weapons stashed around the house and for keeping her alert. She needed to wait and get ready, because she’d probably be leaving, which she hated to do. Since she’d been traced to this location, it wasn’t safe anymore. She was tired of hiding and only wanted to get on with her life.
“We’ll wait and see.” Colby’s fingers tightened briefly. “Your brother will find a way to keep you safe.”
She nodded. Cooper would do everything he could to accomplish that. That wasn’t what concerned her at the moment. The attack didn’t make sense. Why would someone take the trouble to discover her location and send someone after her?
Colby strode to the still unconscious men and bent down. He removed their hoods. Sephanie stared down at the two men. The first attacker was a short blond man with unremarkable looks. He’d blend into a crowd. The other was a redhead with a hooked nose.
“Do you know them?” Colby asked.
“No, I’ve never seen them before today.” She couldn’t take her eyes off them.
“Do you think we’ll be able to learn something from them?” She gripped the edge of the door.
“Maybe, but I think it will probably be easier to trace the flow of information. Cooper told only a few people where you were and then only because he was ordered to do that by his commander.” Colby glanced back at her.
“Why didn’t the alarm sound before they broke the window?” She kept her gaze on the men, because the effects of the disturber were fading. She hoped they didn’t get away or try to attack again.
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