Hot Cop Next Door: A Second Chance Romance

by Brooke Noelle

  “Hello?” I repeated.

  “Cameron, it’s Savannah.”

  “Savannah, what’s wrong?”

  “He was here,” she choked out.

  “Who was where?”

  “Asher. My house. It’s completely trashed.”

  “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” I asked, already running for my car.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Hang up and call 911. I’ll let dispatch know I’m answering the call. We need this on the record.”

  “Okay.”

  “Savannah?”

  “Yes?”

  “Go somewhere safe, whether it’s your car or Taco Bell. Go there. I’ll find you,” I told her, feeling the need to protect her.

  “He’s gone. The house is empty,” she assured me.

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Lock the door.”

  I quickly radioed dispatch and let them know I was heading to the address of the break-in that was going to be called in. The dispatcher was a woman I’d had a very brief fling with and who cut me some slack when I needed it. She assigned me to the call even though I was nowhere in the vicinity.

  I hit my lights and hauled ass to my sleepy little neighborhood where break-ins didn’t happen. My heart was racing. Savannah had assured me she was okay, but I would feel better when I saw it for myself.

  I forced myself to slow down once I turned onto my street. I didn’t want Savannah to panic. I had to keep my cool. I was on duty, and this was just another residential break-in call. Another officer was going to meet me at the house as well to check things out. I was the first to arrive. I turned off the lights and practically ran inside the house.

  I knocked on the door.

  “Savannah?” I shouted. “It’s me, Cameron.”

  Emma opened the door and moved out of the way. I rushed inside.

  “Savannah?”

  “In here,” she called out. She came out of the kitchen, and I instantly felt relief.

  She walked directly into my arms. I wrapped her up close and held her, appreciating the feel of her body against mine.

  “You’re okay,” I soothed.

  I looked up and saw Emma watching us. She looked terrified. With her eyes, she led mine around the room. The damage was pretty bad. The sofa had been slashed, and there was glass on the floor along with what looked to be the contents of the refrigerator. I could see the rage and understand the fear I heard in Savannah’s voice.

  “Was anything taken?” I asked.

  Emma shook her head. “No. We don’t think so. We looked around but couldn’t find anything missing. The TV is smashed, and anything of value is still here but broken.”

  Savannah stepped back. She took several deep breaths to regain her composure before looking around the room.

  Her arms went wide. “Look at this,” she said. “Look what he did.”

  “We don’t know it was him,” I tried.

  Emma made a strangled sound. Savannah looked defeated and shook her head.

  “Look at the red rose,” she said, pointing to the small kitchen table. “He left it. I know it was him.”

  “We’ll find him and ask him some questions. I’m going to need his address. We’ll send a sheriff to talk with him,” I promised.

  Savannah was shaking her head and looking at the destruction. “It won’t help. I can’t prove anything. It’s the same old story.”

  “I’m sorry. Our hands are tied when we can’t prove it was him. I know the people across the street have a security camera. I’ll ask to review it. There’s a slim chance he’ll be on camera.”

  Emma picked up a broken picture frame, looked at it, and then tossed it back onto the floor. “The dude is batshit crazy and needs to be stopped.”

  “Can you stay somewhere else tonight?” I asked Savannah, not wanting her to be home in case the ex came back.

  She turned and looked at her friend. “We could stay at a hotel. We just got back from the club, though. Neither of us can drive,” she admitted.

  I gave her a soft smile. “That’s okay. I can arrange a ride for you.”

  “We’ll go home, to my place,” Emma said. “We’ll deal with all this tomorrow. I just want to get away from all this.”

  “Emma,” Savannah protested.

  “She’s right. Go to her place. We need to take pictures and document all this. You don’t need to be around for that part.”

  “Jackson?” a male voice said from outside.

  “In here,” I called out.

  Officer Garcia walked in and scanned the room, his eyes wide as he took in the damage.

  “We need the camera,” I ordered.

  He left and returned a few minutes later. Emma was on the phone while Savannah showed us around the house, detailing the damage.

  “I guess it’s good I didn’t have that much stuff. It could have been worse,” she said in a quiet voice as we checked the two empty bedrooms that were untouched.

  “I hired an Uber to take us home. I called your parents as well. We’ll go to my place tonight,” Emma hollered from the living room.

  “You called my parents?” Savannah said with frustration. “Why would you call them at three in the morning? They’re going to be worried sick.”

  “They need to know what’s going on,” she said defiantly. “I promised them I would let them know if there was any trouble. They love you, Savannah, and they’re worried about you. We all are.”

  “I agree with her,” I told Savannah. “You need a strong support system.”

  “It all seems so futile. We shouldn’t have even called you out here. I can’t prove anything, and he is way too smart to have left any evidence behind,” Savannah said, sounding mad instead of sad.

  That was a good sign. I wanted her angry and ready to fight back.

  “If your ex did this, he can be held accountable,” I told her. “We just need to find a way to prove it.”

  She scoffed. “Yeah, right. He’ll keep getting away with it. He’s never going to leave me alone.”

  “Let’s get a bag together,” Emma said.

  Savannah shook her head. “I don’t think there’s anything left.”

  I walked with her into her bedroom and took in the sight of the clothes dumped out of the drawers and tossed on the ground. It looked like paint or maybe ketchup had been poured all over her things. I put a hand on her shoulder and steered her out of the room.

  “We’ll add it to the report,” I said softly.

  I began the report, documenting every detail. I hoped there was something to link her ex to the damage. I didn’t like the idea of her being terrified or in real danger.

  “Our ride is here,” Savannah said, coming into the kitchen.

  “Okay. Be safe. I’ll talk to you soon,” I told her, wanting to hug her but knowing it would be out of line with Garcia nearby.

  “Thank you,” she murmured and left the house.

  When the door closed behind them, Garcia let out a long whistle.

  “Whoever did this really doesn’t like her. This is some fucked-up shit.”

  I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, it is.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Savannah

  I didn’t sleep at all once we got to Emma’s. No matter how hard I tried to get my mind off things, it was still there. The damage was so violent. He had slashed my couch with something sharp.

  Asher was hurt and angry. If I could talk to him, maybe I could explain why I’d needed to move. I would tell him it was to further my music career. Then he would understand. He had always told me he wanted me to be successful. I would appeal to the Asher I had first known and fallen in love with.

  I stumbled into Emma’s kitchen and started coffee. My eyes felt like sandpaper had been rubbed over them. I knew I probably looked like hell.

  “You can rummage through my closet and find something to wear,” Emma said, coming into the kitchen.

  I looked at her and laughed. “Damn, we’re both looking a little rough aro
und the edges this morning. Did you get any sleep?” I asked her.

  She laughed. “Not really.”

  “I need to go to my parents’. Can you drop me off over there?” I asked.

  She nodded. “Of course. They’re going to be worried sick about you.”

  “I know.”

  I texted my mom and let her know I would be over within the hour. I showered and borrowed a pair of shorts and a shirt from Emma. Thankfully, she wasn’t much taller than me. We had been sharing clothes for as long as I could remember.

  “I’ll call you tonight,” I told Emma once we got to my parents’. “Thank you so much for coming to stay, and I’m sorry our weekend was ruined.”

  “Don’t you dare apologize for that jackass.”

  I smiled and waved and watched her drive down the long driveway. I turned and took a deep breath, looking up at the huge house where I’d grown up. The gated driveway and the tall fence that surrounded the grounds had always felt like a prison when I was younger; now I could understand why my parents had installed it. I was thinking I needed the same thing.

  My mom rushed out of the house, tears in her eyes and her arms outstretched. She wrapped me up in a tight hug. My dad joined us and enveloped us both in his strong arms.

  “We’re so glad you’re okay,” my mom sobbed.

  “I’m fine, Mom. He wasn’t trying to hurt me.”

  We walked inside where my mother plied me with food at the kitchen table. She was doting on me, and I let her. I knew this was her way of soothing her own fears.

  “I think once Asher figures out I live next door to a cop, he might back off,” I told them.

  “I don’t think Asher can figure anything out,” my dad shot back. “The man is a menace and needs to be behind bars. I’ve spoken with our lawyers. They say there’s nothing we can do at this point but to keep documenting the harassment.”

  I nodded. It was the same thing we’d been told for months. Anytime the police talked to Asher, he claimed innocence. Asher was a smooth talker. He had a quiet demeanor that disarmed people. It had worked on me countless times.

  “Can I borrow the car?” I asked. “I want to pick up a few things before I go home.”

  “Of course, dear. We’ll drive you back,” my dad answered.

  “Thanks,” I said and grabbed my purse.

  As soon as I got in the car, I called Asher and asked him to meet me at the McDonald’s in town. I needed to talk to him but wanted to do it in a public place. Asher would never risk showing his true colors in public. I felt safe enough.

  I walked in and found him at a back booth away from the crowd of people. I had hoped to get there before him and pick a table closer to the action.

  “Hey, babe,” Asher said when he saw me. He stood and kissed me on the cheek. I did my best to hide my revulsion but couldn’t stop my body from stiffening under his touch.

  I sat down at the table and looked at him. “Asher, we have to talk.”

  He nodded. “I know, babe. Things have been crazy. What are you doing back in town? I thought you moved to Nashville.”

  “I have. Asher, we’re not together anymore. I need you to understand that. You have to leave me alone.”

  He shook his head. “You need some time to clear your head. I understand that. I’ll give you some space.”

  “No, Asher. I’ve moved on. You need to as well.”

  “Savannah, don’t talk like that. You know I love you, and you love me. We’re going through a rough patch. We’ll get through this,” he insisted.

  I took a deep breath, refusing to let the man talk me into agreeing with him.

  “No, Asher. It’s over. I don’t want you to call me or send me flowers. Don’t come to my house. You have to leave me alone.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You’ve done this before. You’re mad. You’ll get over it, and we’ll be together again.”

  “You can find another girlfriend. Please, Asher, just leave me alone.”

  “I’ll never stop loving you, Savannah. You’re mine. You will always be mine. I’m not going to give up on us. We’re meant to be together.”

  In that instant, I realized I had to do something drastic. “I’m engaged,” I blurted out.

  He looked as if I’d slapped him. “You’re what?” he hissed.

  “I’m engaged to another man. I told you, I’ve moved on. We are not going to be together ever again. What we had is over for good,” I said firmly.

  He glared at me. “You’re engaged to another man?”

  If we hadn’t been at McDonald’s, I would have been terrified. I had to believe he would keep his temper in check with the number of witnesses around us.

  “I am engaged and in love with another man.”

  “Bullshit.” He was seething.

  A nearby mom looked at us and scowled. Asher ignored her.

  “It isn’t.”

  “Where’s the ring?” he asked, looking down at my bare hand.

  “It just happened. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and he hasn’t had time to get me a ring,” I said.

  “Who? Who is this guy you’re suddenly in love with?”

  “My neighbor. We met the day I moved in. He’s a cop and was going to give me a ticket. We hit it off, and we’re going to get married,” I lied.

  He shook his head. His jaw was clenched, and I knew he was pissed. I hoped I hadn’t made things worse. Asher was a volatile man. It took little to push him over the edge. I was hoping he would get that I was never going back to him and would move on. I wondered if I had made a huge mistake. What if I had only incited his anger and made him more violent?

  “You’re a lying little bitch, Savannah. You don’t love him. You love me.”

  I gulped down the lump of fear lodged in my throat. “I love him. I don’t love you, Asher. I will never love you.”

  “I’m not going to let you go. I told you, you’re mine. We’re destined to be together. I won’t let a stupid cop get in the way of that.”

  “I’m going to go now,” I told him. “Do not come by my house. Don’t send me flowers, and don’t call. I will press charges.”

  He smirked. “No, you won’t. You can try, but you and I both know nothing will come of it. You can’t have your boyfriend arrested for sending you roses or calling to tell you he loves you.”

  I stood up. He wasn’t going to listen to reason. There was no point in trying to make him understand. I just hoped he would hate me enough to leave me alone. I wanted nothing to do with him. I looked down at him and tried to remember why I had been attracted to him in the first place. He was nothing like Cameron. I had been instantly attracted to Cameron. Asher kind of grew on me like a fungus.

  “Good-bye, Asher.”

  I walked out of the restaurant with my head held high. I was pretending to be strong when inside I felt like crying and hiding in a corner. I saw him come out of the restaurant and quickly put the car in gear and drove away. I didn’t want a replay of the window-smashing.

  When I got back to my parents’ house, I told them what I had done. They weren’t happy. I’d had to try, though. I’d had to do what I could to make Asher understand he had to leave me alone.

  On the way back to my place, we stopped at a local store and picked up some basic kitchen supplies along with cleaning supplies. My mom ordered me to use the credit card they had given me to buy new clothes if it came to that.

  When we pulled in the driveway, the first thing I noticed was that Cameron’s truck was gone.

  “Dammit,” my dad said when he walked into the house and saw the mess. “That man is a lunatic. I swear if he does this again, I will take him out myself.”

  My mother made various sounds under her breath as she walked through the house.

  “Well, we may as well dig in and clean up what we can,” she said, quickly taking control.

  We spent the next several hours filling trash bags with things that couldn’t be salvaged, and my mother made a list of what would need to be rep
laced. I tried to tell them they didn’t have to buy me a new TV and other items on the list, but they insisted.

  “Thank you guys, for everything,” I told them as they got ready to leave. “I’m sorry this has become such a hassle.”

  “Don’t apologize,” my dad said. “I wish I could find that man’s parents. I would love to give them a piece of my mind.”

  I laughed. “According to Asher, his parents died when he was young.”

  “He probably killed them,” my mother quipped.

  “I wouldn’t put it past him,” my dad agreed.

  “We’ll have a few things delivered tomorrow,” my mom said. “I’m going to talk to our security guy and ask him to work up a package for this house. He’s the only one I trust. I don’t want one of those flimsy services traipsing around here.”

  “I’ll be okay.”

  “Yes, you will, and when the security system is installed, I’ll feel better. You’re doing this for me,” she said with a smile.

  They were at the door when I finally gathered the courage to tell them about my little lie. I felt like I had to in case Asher questioned them. I didn’t think he would dare talk to my parents, but the guy did a lot of things I didn’t expect.

  I cleared my throat. “Mom, Dad, I, uh, should probably tell you in case it comes up: I told Asher I was engaged to my next-door neighbor.”

  My mother raised an eyebrow. “Was that wise?”

  “I don’t know. I was hoping it would make him see I had moved on.”

  “If anyone around town asks, we’ll keep up the lie,” my dad said, nodding. “I think anything is worth trying at this point.”

  They waved and walked out the door. I locked the door behind them before realizing it was pointless. Asher had managed to get in once already. I had no idea how, but he was determined. If he wanted in, he would find a way.

  Chapter Twelve

  Cameron

  I was dragging ass after a long day at work. The graveyard thrown in on the weekend had really thrown me off. I had barely slept last night. My mind kept drifting to Savannah, worrying if she would be okay in that house all alone all night.

  I had made the decision around lunchtime that I would check on her tonight once I got home. I needed the reassurance she was okay. Seeing her so shaken had had a strange effect on me. I had this primal need to protect her.