by Vaughn, Ann
"So, you're a family counselor, who gets walked on by her own family," he observed.
"Ironic, isn't it? That's why it's so important for me to get back to my own house before my dad decides he can get away with forcing me to move back in with him and mom until I'm old and grey."
Mike actually chuckled. "That would never happen."
"What? My dad succeeding in moving me back in with them?"
"Until you're old and grey. That part would never happen."
"And why do you say that?" she asked, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Because you're too beautiful for that," he answered.
"Well, now, Miss Lainey, what have you done?" he said, watching the dark haired man with the strange eyes on his computer monitor. He'd seen the big black Escalade pull into her garage; saw Lainey get out with the big dark haired man and decided to go back through the video he'd collected from her house and office earlier. The new man was there with her police chief daddy, but this guy was no cop. This guy was military; he could tell by his posture, his movements. But he wasn't just a rank and file soldier. No, sir. Not this guy. Those eyes were pure ice. "Where did you serve, Ice Man?"
He watched Ice Man move around the room, removing the bugs and cameras he'd so successfully planted around Miss Lainey's house. Knew what he was doing, this one. He listened to Ice Man speak low in another language, cursing he was sure, when he'd found all the cameras and mics he'd hidden in her bedroom and bathroom.
Losing all that equipment would hurt, but he'd get them replaced as soon as he could. It was a little more irritating when he began removing the ones that were in her offices. Those were a bit more challenging to place. But he'd get them.
He'd have to be careful around the Ice Man. It wouldn't be as easy for him to keep an eye on Miss Lainey with him in the picture now. So long as he stayed a body guard and didn't think to have any claim to his Lainey, everything would be all right. He'd just have to bide his time a little while longer. She said she didn't know who he was, but she'd remember. He couldn't wait until she did. He couldn't wait to hear her sweet voice say his name, to have her smile at him like she did before. It wouldn't be long. He'd just have to be patient for a bit...
Chapter Three
Lainey couldn't believe how nervous she felt, bringing Mike into her house. She knew he'd already been all through it, but it was different bringing him in herself, just the two of them. She'd had her cousins here in her house several times over the years, but Mike being in here made it feel suddenly small. He overwhelmed every space he was in.
She stopped in the kitchen, nervously glancing around. Mike noticed and looked down at her, brow raised in question.
"What is it?"
"How do we know he hasn't been back in here?" she asked, her voice soft.
"I'll go back through with the scanner," he told her, placing his bag on the counter and pulling the scanner out again.
"Thank you."
He went back through the house and thankfully came back to her empty-handed.
"All's clear."
"Thank God," she said on a sigh.
"We need to talk about the next few days," he said, sitting at her breakfast table.
"Now?"
"Either now or early in the morning," he said, causing her to sit across from him.
"Fine. What about the next few days?"
He studied her for a moment then spoke.
"I have Colt coming to oversee installation of the two security systems. I'll have to help in order to ensure we get them done fast. Tessa will be shadowing you while I'm working with Colt. After we get the systems installed, we're going to do a thorough sweep of the woods behind the house."
"OK," she said, not really sure why he was telling her all of this.
"I get that you like your privacy. What I'm trying to tell you is that until we figure out who this guy is and we can go after him, you won't be having much privacy."
She sighed. "Fine."
"Fine?" he asked, skeptical of her easy acquiescence.
"It is what it is. I just want this guy found."
"I understand. I want you to really think about who this guy could be. Go back through your files when you can tomorrow. Think about the conversations you had with him on your phone. Concentrate on what his voice sounded like."
She shuddered. "I'd rather not think about him at all, but I get what you're saying. His voice was gravelly. He sounded older, if that makes sense. Older than me, anyway. And...my guess is he is uneducated. Certainly didn't go to college; may even have dropped out of high school."
Mike nodded. "This is good. Do you remember hearing any background noise during his calls?"
She closed her eyes and thought back to the calls for a moment. Was there anything in the background? It was hard for her to say. She'd been so alarmed by his words and the fact that he could see her.
"I don't know," she told him, "I was so upset...I just don't remember."
"Where did you go dancing with Kacee? Maybe they have surveillance footage we can look at."
"My dad already pulled all of it, so just get with him."
"OK...it's been a really long day for you, why don't you go get some sleep? I've got some work to do on my computer so I'll be up for a while."
She stood. "You can set up in my office. The guest room is the first door on the left at the top of the stairs."
"Thank you. I'll be in the office most of the night."
She looked up at him when he stood, remembering that Riley had told her that Mike was having difficulty sleeping. His eyes held a haunted look to them that called out to the counselor in her. She wanted to help him learn to let go of what had happened before it ate him up inside the way she could see it was beginning to.
"You should get some rest, too, Mike."
"I'm used to surviving on very little sleep. I'm fine," he said automatically.
She reached out to place her hand on his bicep, feeling him slightly tense under her hand. What was it Riley had said? That Mike didn't like to be touched?
"A lot of the healing process takes place when we sleep. Your eyes are haunted by things you can't change. You need to learn how to let that all go and allow your mind to rest so it can heal."
He stepped back from her, a cold mask sliding down over his features, in effect, shutting her out.
"I'm fine. Good night, Miss Riley."
"Lainey," she corrected.
He inclined his head to her. "Lainey. I'm fine."
"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" she said, then walked out of the kitchen, leaving him staring after her.
In her room, she stood just inside the doorway for a moment, glancing around, making sure everything was as she'd left it. Mike said that the house was clean; no more bugs or cameras anywhere, but she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. As quickly as she could, she traded her sweater for one of the oversized Navy T-Shirts her cousins had given her and then settled on her bed with her laptop to go over her schedule for tomorrow. She had a full day of appointments, ending with Riley's step-son, Cam Blackwell. She normally saw him at his house, but since Riley and Jenna were still honeymooning, Cam's grandmother was bringing him in for their session. She was glad she was wrapping up her day with him. Things were looking better for him than they had been a month ago, so his was an upbeat session to end her day on.
Her thoughts went back to the phone calls from her "admirer" as he called himself. He said she'd told him he had a nice smile. That was something specific...why couldn't she remember him? That didn't seem like something she would have written in a thank you note; but he'd said she'd written it in her letter. Had he been mistaken? Maybe she wasn't the person who wrote the letter and he just thought she was. She sighed. But then why would he be stalking her?
She'd told Mike that she felt he was uneducated, and she stood by that; however, he was smart enough to know how to use high tech surveillance equipment, so maybe she needed to re-think that eval
uation. Maybe he just sounded uneducated because that was the image he wanted to portray for whatever reason.
Her phone buzzed, indicating a new text message. She picked it up and saw that it was from Riley.
Hey, how's it going? Uncle Gavin said Mike found more bugs in your house and also in your office. How are you holding up?
She smiled, touched that he would contact her on his honeymoon to check on her.
I'm OK. Mike is here. He's in the office working on his computer. He told me he doesn't sleep much. His eyes are haunted. Maybe while he's here, I can help him to relax enough to be able to sleep without the demons coming after him.
Riley's response was immediate. If you could help him, that would be huge. He was having trouble sleeping before that last mission. Since then, he hardly sleeps at all. I've seen him withdrawing into himself and I don't like it. Mike has always been stoic, but he had a charismatic personality. He's built up so many walls around himself now that he's losing sight of who he is. So, please, if you can figure out a way to help him, I would be really grateful. He's my best friend and he saved my life more times than I can count.
She stared at his message for a few moments, shocked that he'd been that vocal about it all. She'd seen Riley withdraw a bit into himself as well since coming home from the Navy.
I'll try to help him, if he will allow it. But, you know as well as I, that until and unless he is ready to receive help, there isn't much I can do for him. He has to be willing, and right now, that's not the vibe I'm getting from him.
Riley's reply made her smile and shake her head. Work your magic on him, Baby Girl. Whether he wants to admit it or not, he needs help. If anyone can help him, I believe it will be you.
Your faith in me frightens me sometimes, she told him. I'll do my best. It will be a welcome distraction from all of this stalker business.
Just hang in there, kid, you couldn't be in better hands. Mike will take care of you, I promise. I gotta go, Jenna's calling me. We'll be home on Friday.
Don't cut your trip short, Riley. Like you said, I'm in good hands.
You're in the best hands. I will still see you Friday.
She sighed and put her phone down, knowing it was no use arguing with him. A frown creased her brow as she thought about Riley and Mike. Other than that one Founders Day Ball, Riley hadn't ever brought Mike around the family; but they'd been best friends for years. She had to admit, that bothered her just a little. Why hadn't he brought Mike around? She knew a few of his friends; knew several of Jack, Trevor and Aaron's friends. Why not Mike? For that matter, why hadn't she ever run into Mike over at Kacee's house? She'd seen Jeannette several times over there, and now that she thought about it, she'd seen Mike's sister Gia at the Adtkisson's house as well. Kacee indicated that Mike and his brothers knew her brothers well, that they had a bit of a rivalry between them. As much as she lived at Kacee's house, she just found it odd that she'd never seen Mike.
Downstairs, Mike was steadily going over the surveillance footage from the club Lainey and Kacee had gone to. He watched as Lainey walked in beside Kacee, laughing when Kacee's boyfriend swooped her off her feet for a kiss. The smile on Lainey's face was as bright as the sun and he'd had to force his gaze away from her to concentrate on scanning the crowd for someone who might be watching her a bit too closely. He watched several men approach her and ask her to dance; all of whom she turned down, until he spotted Kevin Adtkisson approach her. He had to grit his teeth when he saw her embrace the prick and lead him to the dance floor. He snapped the pen he was holding when he saw how touchy-feely Adtkisson was with her.
"Merda!" he cursed under his breath. He needed to concentrate on looking for her stalker, not obsessing about where Kevin Adtkisson's hands were. But, damn! Why did it have to be a filthy, stinking Adtkisson!
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath then focused on the crowd again. It was then that he spotted a man standing at the end of the bar, shoulders hunched, facing the dance floor. Mike couldn't see his face well from that angle, but the posture and body language spoke of aggression. Taking a screen shot, he began advancing the picture frame-by-frame, tracking the man's movements as much as he could. Just before Lainey and her stooge exited the dance floor, the man turned and Mike caught an image of his face.
"Gotcha," he said, taking a screen shot and emailing it to Colt. He called Colt, uncaring of the time.
"Yeah, Boss, whatcha got?" Colt answered on the first ring.
"I just emailed you a picture. Hack into whatever you need to and run a facial recog on it."
"You got it. Think this is our guy?"
"My gut says it is. How is Sarah?"
"Sick as a dog. I thought morning sickness was just that - in the morning. She's been sick all day long for three days straight."
"Tell her I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully, it will pass soon. Do you need to stay with her?"
"I offered, but she wants me to come help you."
Mike smiled. "Tell her I appreciate it, but really, man, if you need to stay with her..."
"She'll be fine. Charlotte is thrilled at the chance to take care of her. I'll be leaving her in good hands."
"If you're sure, then I appreciate it."
"I'm sure. I've got the pic running through the programs now. If I get a hit, I'll let you know."
"Thanks, Colt, I appreciate it."
"You took a bullet to the gut for Sarah. I owe you more than I could ever pay; do you think I would be anywhere else? I'll see you tomorrow, and I'll call you if I get any hits on this."
He hung up before Mike could reply. Mike rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes a minute. His team was the best group he could ever hope for. The bullet he'd taken during Colt and Sarah's ordeal had sucked, but he'd recovered. Still hadn't gained all the weight he lost back, but he was working on it, thanks to his mother. If nothing else, this crisis with Riley's cousin was saving him from his mother's constant match-making efforts. Of course, now she had her sights set on Lainey Riley; and that was hitting a little too close for comfort for him.
As if conjured by his thoughts, Lainey walked in and he felt his heart stutter. She was wearing an oversized Navy T-shirt with her leggings. The shirt was probably one that Riley or one of his brothers gave her; didn't matter to Mike. What did matter was that she looked entirely too good in it.
"Can't sleep?" he asked, turning his attention back to his computer.
She sat in a chair opposite the desk, drawing her legs up and wrapping her arms around them.
"Well...you know how it is, something has you spooked and suddenly you become aware of every little noise in the house." She opened her laptop, then glanced up at him when she felt his gaze on her. "Will I bother you if I work here?"
"No, go ahead," he answered, shifting his eyes back to his own laptop.
They worked together in companionable silence for a couple of hours. Lainey felt her eyes growing heavy, so she closed her laptop and placed it on the floor beside her, then snuggling into the chair, drifted off to sleep with the sound of keys clicking as Mike typed.
Mike was aware the minute Lainey drifted off to sleep. He watched her for several moments, thinking that he'd never seen a more beautiful sight. Her face looked peaceful and relaxed, and really small and young. He knew she was twenty-six years old but in her sleep she looked much, much younger. Riley and his brothers called her Tinkerbell. They weren't far off the mark, he decided.
Forcing his attention back to the computer, he began going back over the footage from the club. He wanted to make sure he'd zeroed in on the right man. He was fairly certain he had, but he had to be sure. He ignored her dancing with Kevin Adtkisson as much as he could and kept scanning the footage. The man he'd isolated before had to be the one. He was the only one who was overly interested in the dance floor when Lainey was out there. He did a screen print of the clearest image he found. He'd show Lainey in the morning and see if she recognized anything about him.
Colt texted that h
e hadn't gotten any hits off the picture in the first run but was now running it through a deeper data base. He pulled up the schedule she'd forwarded to him of her calendar for the next month. She mainly had her appointments scheduled, but he saw that she had several Founders Day Committee meetings coming up. Jack Adtkisson had contacted him about upgrading the security at his estate for the upcoming Founders Day Ball. He hoped to have Lainey's situation wrapped up before then. The last thing he needed was to have his attention divided on that night.
His phone chimed again, drawing his attention. It was Riley this time.
How's Lainey holding up?
Mike glanced over at her. She fell asleep in the chair across from the desk where I'm working. Said she couldn't sleep because she kept hearing noises.
I think I'd be paranoid, too, if I knew that someone had been in my house and had planted surveillance equipment to spy on me. I'm glad she felt safe enough to come to you. Thanks for doing this for me.
Stop with the thanks, man. Enjoy your new wife. I'll update you when I have more to go on.
A movement from Lainey caught his eye. Standing, he stuffed his phone in his pocket and crossed over to the chair she was curled up in. Without pausing to analyze whether he should, he leaned down and scooped her up into his arms. She was so small, he thought as he carried her upstairs to her room. He laid her gently down on her bed, but as he was pulling back to stand up, her eyes flew open and her hands grabbed hold of his shirt.
"It's OK," he said, keeping his voice calm and quiet. "it's just me. You fell asleep in the chair in the office."
Her wide, green eyes locked on his and he could see the fear lurking in their emerald depths.
"Please, don't leave me," she whispered.
"What?"
"I know it's totally irrational, but, I can't help it. Someone came into my house and...I feel safer with you near me. I'm not asking to have sex with you, but...could you please just lay here with me? I don't want to be alone."
"Lainey, I..."
"Mike," she said, his name soft as a prayer on her lips, "please?"