I checked the time and saw I had about twenty minutes before my mom brought Lily home. I walked to her house and knocked on the door. I was still in my uniform, although my shirt had been unbuttoned and was now hanging open, revealing my white undershirt. I wore the vest at work, but the second I was off duty, the thing came off.
“Hi,” she said, opening the door.
“Hi. I wanted to stop by and check in on you. How are you?”
She smiled. “I’m okay. Just finished cleaning up and hooking up my new TV. Come in.”
I walked inside her house and was surprised to see how quickly she had recovered from the break-in. No one would have ever known how bad it had looked less than forty-eight hours ago.
“It looks good,” I said.
“I’m glad you came by. I need to talk to you.”
I could tell by the change in her voice and the sudden anxiousness that she was nervous about whatever it was she was going to say.
“Okay. What’s up?”
“Have a seat.” She gestured to the couch, which had a blanket thrown over the back where I knew it had been slashed.
I sat down and waited.
“I did something really stupid,” she blurted out.
I raised an eyebrow in question. “Okay, and?”
“I talked to Asher yesterday.”
I shook my head. “That was not a smart thing to do.”
She smirked. “That’s not the stupid part.”
I held back my opinion on what I believed had been a dumb thing to do. “What part is?”
She grimaced. “The part where I told him I was engaged to my neighbor who happens to be a cop.”
My mouth dropped open. “You told him what?”
I couldn’t have heard her right. My mind took a mental census of the people who lived on our street. She had to have been referring to a different neighbor. There was no way she would drag me into her sordid affairs.
“I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have said it. We were talking, and he kept saying we were going to get back together, and I said the first thing that popped into my head.”
“Being engaged to me is what popped into your head?” I asked incredulously.
I was beginning to think Asher wasn’t the only crazy one in the relationship. What had I gotten myself into? I couldn’t have some crazy stalker chic hounding me. No way would I let Lily be exposed to that. I chided myself for being so foolish. I was always so cautious. I had lost my mind when I took her to my bed.
“I told him I had moved on. I didn’t know what to say. I had hoped the fact that you’re a cop would scare him off,” she said.
“Did it?”
She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t know. I mean, he was pretty mad. I didn’t give him a chance to say much. I was afraid it would get ugly. I left.”
“Why would you meet with him?” I asked, shaking my head. “You told me he was violent. You made a big deal about wanting him to leave you alone, and then you go and meet with him?”
She sighed. “I wanted to tell him to stop, to leave me alone. When I moved here, I just up and left. I thought maybe that was why he was being so persistent. If I could give him closure, he would understand and leave me alone.”
I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. “Guys like him don’t listen to reason.”
“I know,” she whispered. “When it became clear he thought we were on a break and I just needed a little space, I told him I had moved on with another man.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know if that was such a good idea.”
“If he comes around, can you please tell him you’re my fiancé? I don’t expect you to do anything but lie to him. Confirm my story and he’ll go away,” she said softly. “You just have to pretend if he’s here. I want him to think I’m with someone and that I’m not alone all the time. Please, I know it’s a lot to ask. I’m sure this will work.”
“What if he doesn’t?” I asked. “From what I’ve seen and what you’ve told me, this guy isn’t all that sane. What if he decides I’m someone he wants to turn his wrath on? What if he directs all that anger toward me and tries to hurt me where it would hurt the most? And I’m not talking about my body.”
“I don’t think he’ll try anything with you. I mean, you’re bigger than him and he can’t intimidate you. He preys on women like me.”
“Women like you?” I questioned.
“Young and naïve.”
“You’re not naïve. I’ve seen this before. This is what these guys do,” I assured her.
“If he comes by, will you please just pretend to be my fake fiancé?” she asked again.
“Savannah, the guy isn’t stable. You all but told him where I live with my little girl. I have to think about her and her safety. I don’t know your ex, but I can’t put her at risk. I don’t know what he’s capable of.”
She wouldn’t look me in the eye, and her hands were clamped together in her lap, telling me she was upset. I didn’t want to add any more worry to her plate, but Lily’s safety came first.
She slowly nodded, still not meeting my eyes. “Okay. I understand. I’m sorry. I’ll tell him I lied or that we broke up.”
I took a deep breath. I wanted to help her. I knew what would happen if she told the ex she had lied to him. He would see that as an opening and try to worm his way back into her life. Savannah would find herself right back in the difficult position she had attempted to run from.
“What about one of those guys who helped you move that day?” I suggested.
She gave a tight laugh. “Jake is Emma’s boyfriend. Asher knows him and would never buy that. We used to go out together. He knows the other guy as well. It would never work, and like you said, I’m only dragging more people into my problems.”
She finally looked at me. Her green eyes were glistening with what I knew to be unshed tears. It killed me that I couldn’t be her hero. I wanted to be.
An idea popped into my head. “I could ask Adam to do it.”
She offered me a placating smile. “You don’t have to do that. I’m sorry I brought it up. Maybe he’ll realize we’re over and just go away. He may not even show up here to verify my story. I’m just being paranoid.”
“I really am sorry. I hope you can understand. I’ll be here to help you, and I don’t mind running him off in an official capacity, but I can’t lie to the guy. That’s not my style. You shouldn’t have to make up some ridiculous fake engagement to get him to leave you alone,” I told her as gently as possible.
Her shoulders slumped forward in defeat. “I shouldn’t have to, but he hasn’t exactly taken no for an answer the first few times. It’s okay, really. Don’t feel bad. We’re going to have a security system installed. That will help deter him. My dad has his lawyers sending Asher some harsh letters as well. They’ll let him know the property is under surveillance. That’ll hopefully be enough to scare him off.”
“I think a security system is an excellent idea. If or when he does show up, we’ll be able to do something with the proof. I’m not promising he’ll go to jail, but a restraining order will definitely be issued.”
A cynical laugh escaped her lips. “Those are so helpful.”
I knew what she was saying. I’d had the same conversation with other women in domestic violence situations. They knew the risks and most chose to skip the hassle of going to court.
“It gives me something to enforce. I can haul his ass out of here if he violates it. I would love to get my cuffs on him,” I said with a wink.
“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”
She was upset, and I figured I’d better get going.
“I’ll see you later,” I said, standing and walking to the door. “Call if you need anything.”
Her tight smile told me she was pissed. I walked to my house, feeling a little guilty. I wasn’t the guy to get mixed up in a bunch of drama. I minded my own business and led a quiet life. When I hooked up with women, I didn’t exchange phone numb
ers or make any promises to call. I hated drama. I knew it had been a mistake to sleep with a woman who not only knew where I lived but also had my phone number and could pop over at any time. It had been a stupid move on my part.
I quickly changed and had just started rummaging in the pantry when I heard the front door open.
“Daddy! I’m home!” Lily called out.
I dropped to my knees to greet her with a big hug.
“Were you a good girl for Grandma?” I asked.
It was the same question I asked her every time.
“Of course.”
My mom came in carrying Lily’s pink backpack and set it on the floor. “She was a very good girl. We picked out a few books from the library. The librarian told me they were a little too advanced for Lily’s age, but I told her my granddaughter was a very smart girl.”
She was beaming with pride as she said it.
“Good. We can try reading one tonight before bed,” I said, getting to my feet. “Thanks for bringing her by.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Lily,” my mom said, giving us each a quick kiss and a hug before she left.
“All right, young lady, let’s get some dinner.”
She smiled and followed me into the kitchen. My heart filled with joy at the sight of her scanning the contents of the pantry. There was no way I could risk losing her. If that Asher character got it into his head I was a threat, it was hard to say what he would do. I hated not being able to help Savannah out, but the little girl happily humming a tune only she knew was more important.
I would find another way to help out the sexy neighbor. Lily’s safety was nonnegotiable.
Chapter Thirteen
Savannah
I flipped on my new Bluetooth speaker, pulled up a sappy playlist on Amazon, and blared the smooth sound of Adele belting out a song about lost love. I had screwed up. Why in the hell I had thought it would be a good idea to tell Asher I was engaged was beyond me. It was one of those things that had basically fallen out of my mouth before my brain had had a chance to stop it.
Now I had to figure out how to get Asher to go away. One part of me almost wished he would do something violent enough to get arrested. On the other hand, I didn’t actually want him to hurt me. I felt as crazy as I knew Asher to be. I was actually wishing violence on myself. I had to be losing my damn mind.
I had spent the day cleaning up. Now, I wished I hadn’t. I needed something to keep me busy, to keep my mind off everything. I grabbed my laptop—one of the few things that had been spared during Asher’s rather violent temper tantrum. I checked my email and was disappointed not to see any emails from the many jobs I had applied to.
Way to kick a girl when she was down.
The sad music was dragging me into a serious funk. I was not a victim.
“I’m not a victim!” I stood up so fast, the dining chair flew across the room. “No way! You are not going to win, Asher.”
I grabbed my phone, flipped through the stations, and put on something a little more upbeat. I needed to get mad. I wanted to be fierce. I wasn’t entirely sure how one became something they had never been before, but I was going to learn.
Mindset—that was what Emma always told me. She was small but scrappy. She wasn’t much bigger than me, but no man would ever do to her what Asher had done to me. Well, a man may try, but I was confident she would grab him by the balls and put a stop to anything she didn’t like.
I could be like that. I hoped. I wanted to be. If I was going to survive this thing with Asher, I had to be. It wasn’t an option. I didn’t need Cameron. I didn’t need to lie. Screw Asher.
The second I had the thought, goosebumps broke out across my skin and my stomach felt like it had been twisted into knots. My new fighter mentality was going to take some time to fully adopt.
The music was bumping, and Katy Perry was singing about roaring like a lion. I wanted to roar. I belted out the lyrics, pumping up my self-esteem with every line. I swayed my hips, bounced up and down, and let the energy of the music envelop me.
The song ended and the brief silence between tracks was all I needed to hear a knock on the door. It was like icy water being dumped over a fire. My palms felt slick and my legs began to shake. I wanted to run and hide in a closet. The only person who would be knocking on my door at eight thirty on a Monday night was Asher.
Another knock, a little louder this time. My mouth went dry. I didn’t know what to do. Did I answer it? Did I call the police? And say what?
On legs that felt unsteady, I walked to the door and peered through the peephole. Relief flooded my body and left me feeling weak. I pulled it open and stared, unable to speak just yet.
“Are you alone?” the deep voice asked.
I nodded. “Radio,” I said by way of explanation with as few words as possible.
“Can we talk?” Cameron asked a little hesitantly.
My mouth opened and closed. I was so relieved to see him and yet so pissed. He had shut me down earlier. He’d had good reason, but it still smarted a bit.
“Now?” I asked, a little out of breath after my solo dance party.
He nodded his head. “At my place. I just put Lily to bed. I need to get back over there.”
“Talk?”
“Yes. Will you come over?”
I realized he was nearly shouting. The music was blaring so loud he had to raise his voice to be heard.
“Um, yeah. I’ll be right there,” I told him, feeling a little anxious.
“I’ll see you in a few.”
I shut off the speaker, took a few deep breaths to calm myself, and then looked at my reflection in the mirror. It would have to do. If I plastered on makeup, he would know I wanted to look good for him. That would look a little too desperate. Desperate was not attractive.
His silhouette on the front stoop of his house gave me comfort as I walked across our yards. Although he had shot down my idea, I knew, in my very soul, Cameron had my back. He would protect me. He would shelter me and give me the comfort I so desperately needed. The man was a natural protector.
“Hi,” I said, feeling a little sheepish.
“Hi,” he said with a warm smile. “Come inside. Did you eat?”
Just like that, three simple words and I felt so cared for. “I’m good. Thank you.”
“Did I interrupt something earlier?” he asked.
I felt a blush cover my cheeks. “Not really. I was just listening to some music.”
He chuckled. “We all were.”
“Sorry. You’re not going to give me a nuisance ticket, are you?” I joked.
He smirked. “I haven’t decided yet.”
He gestured for me to have a seat on the couch. I sat down and waited for him to tell me what was on his mind.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier,” he started in that smooth baritone voice that made me feel as if he were caressing my skin.
“I’m sorry I brought it up.”
He shook his head and blessed me with a small smile. “It’s okay. I get it. You did what you thought would get him off your back. I’ve done some thinking on it. I want to help you.”
“You do?” I squeaked.
“I do. We need to talk about a few of the details, but I will do whatever I can to keep you safe. I know you’re worried. Anything I can do to help calm some of those fears, I’ll do it. If I have to stand outside your door in uniform with my gun at the ready, I’ll do it.”
“Thank you, but you don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
I took a deep breath. I hadn’t been able to hear it in the moment, but I understood his hesitations. I would never be able to live with myself if something were to happen to Lily or Cameron. I had created this mess, and it wasn’t fair to keep dragging others into it. I needed to stand up and do it myself.
“Cameron—”
He held up a hand. “First of all, if we are going to be fake engaged, you need to call me Cam. My friends call me
Cam. I want you too as well.”
I took another breath. “Cam,” I said, stressing the word, “I can’t ask you to put yourself in jeopardy.”
That made him laugh. “I may have overstressed my problems with the plan. We can make it work. However”—he held up one finger and turned those blue eyes on me in a way that told me he was serious—“I don’t want Lily knowing anything about this.”
“I wasn’t exactly expecting her to be involved.”
“I want to make sure she has no clue what’s going on. I don’t want to explain to her what a fake fiancé is or a fake stepmom. It isn’t fair to get her hopes up and then rip them away. I certainly don’t want to encourage her to lie. This needs to be kept between us.”
I nodded, holding his gaze as I did. “Okay.”
“I need a beer. Can I get you one?” he asked, jumping up from the couch in one smooth move.
“Yes, please.”
He returned with two bottles of beer, opening mine before handing it to me. I took a long drink, letting the cold liquid run down my throat and settle the nerves that felt all tingly whenever I was close to him.
When he took his seat on the couch, I noticed he was a little closer to me.
“Should we toast this fake engagement?” he said with a disarming grin.
I held up my bottle and waited for him to clink his against it. We both drank before I totally lost my shit and burst into laughter.
“I’m sorry,” I said, waving a hand in front of my face. “I don’t know why I’m laughing. This is serious business.”
He leaned his big body back against the leather couch. “Laugh. I like to watch you laugh.”
I turned to look at him behind me. There was an actual twinkle in his blue eyes. This was a very different man than the cop version of Cameron Jackson. This man was chill and gorgeous and didn’t seem to have a care in the world.
I flopped back on the couch, our shoulders brushing.
“Thank you. I know this is a huge sacrifice for you. Hopefully, we never have to talk about this engagement again.”
Hot Cop Next Door: A Second Chance Romance Page 8