I spun in his arms. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll allow this Alpha male act you’ve got going, because frankly, it turns me on. Not because I think I’m in danger, or because I need protecting. Are we clear?” I whispered against his ear so Reeve wouldn’t hear.
He swallowed slowly and smirked at me. “You are just full of surprises Miss. Rush.”
I winked at him and mimicked his words from a few days earlier. “Oh, you have no idea cowboy.”
I was enjoying this banter. He’d relaxed since we got inside the apartment and I felt bad knowing how stressed about my safety he was. I’d have to try and remember that the next time he drove me nuts by stopping me from leaving the office. I already knew there was going to be a next time.
Reeve and Lawson went and sat on the bar stools and pulled out some documents. I didn’t even want to know what the hell they were up to now. I decided to go and take a shower instead.
***
I heard Lawson’s voice in the hallway when I stepped back out of my bedroom. I’d had a long hot shower and thrown on some sweat pants and a jumper. My hair was piled on top of my head and my face was clean.
He was leaning against the wall, talking on his phone. “I didn’t expect there to be any. Thanks anyway Mark. I’ll be in touch.” He turned and faced me as he hung up his phone. “That was Mark. No prints on the envelopes, the photo or the note.”
I knew there wouldn’t be.
“I’m not surprised.” I shrugged. “I guess we just wait now.”
“I’ve got him working to trace where the photo was printed. So hopefully that will give us something to go by.”
I nodded at him. “Are you staying here the night?”
He shook his head. “I can’t. I don’t have the stuff I’ll need for work tomorrow.” I was a little disappointed but I brushed it off. I knew I shouldn’t get used to waking up with him next to me every day.
“But I want to pick you up in the morning okay?” He pushed himself off the wall and moved to stand directly in front of me.
I shivered slightly as he ran a finger softly down the side of my face.
“I’m sorry if I’m being overbearing Ells. But I don’t know what else to do – I feel like a sitting duck, just waiting to see what will happen next.” He looked into my eyes. “I’m a man with a plan, I think you know that by now. I figure out what needs to be done, I make a plan and I do it. I’m not sure how to deal with this wait and see bullshit.”
I could see it was driving him crazy. “Well, how about you try your hardest to relax, and you plan what we are going to do on Friday night?”
He grinned a boyish grin. “I think I can manage that.”
His grin disappeared and he frowned again.
I used my thumb to smooth out his frown lines. “I’m fine Lawson. I’m safe. You’re safe. Don’t let them win.”
“I know pretty girl.” He tugged on my hand and pulled me down the hall. “Come on, I need to finish talking to your brother about the new cameras.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. But for gods sakes, ask the landlord first okay?”
He just laughed at me.
With Lawson and Reeve working together, I knew I had no chance of changing their minds. We were getting new cameras, whether I approved or not.
44. Quinn
Reeve and Lawson had lingered around like a couple of guard dogs all evening. I’d eventually lost my shit with the pair of them and sent them packing.
They knew I had a valid point – whoever has sent those things to El and Law were obviously connected in some way to the office building. If they knew where El lived, they would have sent it here. It would have a lot more threatening being sent to her home. But they hadn’t. My logic was sound. We were more than safe here, and if we needed anything, Reeve was a ten-second lift ride away.
“Thank god they’re gone. I couldn’t handle the hovering.” I moaned as I flopped down onto the couch.
“You have no idea. I hope I never see another one of those envelopes ever again. Imagine how bad they’d be if someone actually made a threat to hurt one of us.”
I nodded in sympathy and took a big gulp of my wine. “God I know. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s coming from the best of places… I guess I’d feel a bit crazy if I thought something might happen to either of them.”
El cocked her head to the side and I could tell she was thinking about what I said. “Yea I guess you’re right. Lucky your brother is built like a brick shit house.” She sniggered. “I’m pretty sure he can handle himself. And besides…” She shrugged. “I’m not opposed to killing a bitch.” Her face was dead serious.
God she’s good.
We stared at each other for a beat longer before we erupted into a fit of laughter.
“Have you told Colt that we’re on lock down?” El asked when we both got our breath back.
“Ah excuse me? You’re on lock down. I’m free as a bird.” I smirked.
“I guess you’re right. Make sure you let your brother know when you’re all set to leave me alone.” She returned my smirk with one of her own.
“Urgh. Bitch. Okay so we’re on lock down.” I gestured between the two of us. “And yeah, I called him earlier when you were showering. He said he’ll come and stay whenever we want. That might get Law off your back. I’m actually really surprised he didn’t insist on staying the night here himself.”
El sipped her wine and tucked her legs up under her. “I did ask. He said he didn’t have any clothes and stuff for work tomorrow. Plus I kinda made a fuss about not needing a babysitter.”
We slipped into another comfortable silence. I was thinking about what I could wear when I went to visit Colt at the club. I was planning on going on Friday night, since I knew El was planning on staying the night with Lawson.
“Q.” El spoke quietly.
“Yeah babe?”
“I’m don’t want to be afraid anymore. I don’t want to look back one day and wish I’d been braver. I’ve realised I’m all in. With him I mean. It’s just like he said… I’m his and he’s mine. I want to look back in fifty years and think fuck you, bad experience. I didn’t let you win.”
Well thank god for that.
“You are the bravest, strongest person I know El. You don’t have to be scared. I read this quote the other day and thought of you, I don’t know who wrote it.” I brought up the screenshot on my phone and tossed it to her. It read ‘Love didn’t hurt you. Someone that didn’t know how to love hurt you. Don’t confuse the two.’
I watched her read and re-read it over and over again.
“Lawson knows how to love El. I know he loves you. You don’t have to be scared.”
“I’ve just got to put on my big girl pants and tell him don’t I?” She crinkled up her nose.
“I think you’ll feel better when you do.”
“God what shitty timing. If it weren’t for all this stalker bullshit I could have told him tonight.”
“I think you should tell him on Friday night. Y’all will have the whole night together – alone. It’s a perfect opportunity.”
El sat up straight and squared her shoulders. “You’re right. It’s perfect, I’ll tell him Friday.”
“Pinkie swear?” I wiggled my pinkie finger at her.
“Pinkie swear.” She grinned as she hooked our pinkie fingers together and stamped our thumbs to seal it.
45. Ellerslie
Wednesday was a good day – Lawson picked Quinn and I up and talked us through the new camera system being installed in our building, and the increased security at the office. He walked us to our doors and waited as I sorted through every piece of mail I had. There was no envelope.
Thank the lord.
I caught up on my work, Quinn joined Lawson and me for lunch and then he drove us home at the end of the day.
Today had been a repeat of that.
Lawson had to head to the other side of the city first thing tomorrow morning so we wouldn’t be taxied to and from w
ork. Colt was spending the night and I could tell Lawson was relieved.
He really was very sweet. He was attentive, thoughtful and kind. He’d brought me a beautiful bunch of flowers today. The card simply read ‘I want us to make each other better.’
Motherfucking swoon.
I knew he was feeling helpless and I loved him all the more for wanting to jump in and save the day. Luckily today hadn’t needed saving.
***
Friday morning was all clear from stalkers too and I had significantly relaxed. We hadn’t heard from Mark again and I was looking at it as though no news was good news. Lawson had come into the office late morning, checked his mail, which was also clear, and come to check on me.
“Maybe it was just a silly prank from one of the women you bonked and bounced.” I teased him.
“Very funny.” He shook his head. “I don’t know. But the extra security isn’t going anywhere anyway.”
“I’m having lunch downstairs at the café today, are you coming with me?”
“What’s wrong with eating in here?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Nothing. But today, I’m going downstairs. It’s your choice if you come with me or not.”
“Stubborn woman.” I heard him mutter.
“What was that?” I asked with amusement.
“Nothing.” He grumbled. “Let’s go.”
***
God I felt so much better for the change of scenery – I was getting some serious cabin fever. I hadn’t been out for a real life run since before we went away and I needed it. I absently wondered if Lawson would go for a run with me when we woke up at his place tomorrow morning.
I began mentally writing a list of the things I’d need for my sleep over when my office phone rang.
“Ellerslie Rush.” I answered
“El.” Quinn’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Quinn, what is it?”
“Come to my office. Get Law.”
“Quinn, what the hell-” I was cut off by the sound of her hanging up on me. In a flash I was on my feet and out the door.
“Get Lawson to Quinn’s office now!” I yelled to West as I ran past. I saw his shocked expression before he snapped out of it and picked up the phone.
I ran the few doors down to Quinn’s office and threw the door open. Quinn was seated at her desk looking at her laptop. Her face was white as a ghost. I choked out a tortured sounding noise and moved to crouch down in front of her. “Quinn what’s going on honey? Are you hurt?”
She just stared at me for a few beats, her eyes wide with shock.
“Quinn.” I demanded. “What’s happened to you?”
“It’s not me. It’s you.” She whispered.
I had no idea what was happening here. Quinn was freaking me out.
Where the hell was Lawson? Maybe he could get her to make some sense.
“Look.” She said as she pointed to the screen of her laptop.
I pulled my eyes from the terrified face of my best friend and gasped. It was a photo of Lawson and me from only an hour or so earlier – we were sitting inside the small café at a table, smiling across at one another. But it wasn’t the photo that had me shaking. It was the words typed underneath it.
‘TELL THEM THEY SHOULD BE SCARED. I’M COMING.’
My skin broke out in goose bumps as I read it over and over again.
Lawson bounded into the room. “Are you hurt?” He demanded to Quinn as he took in the two of us.
We must have looked a sight. Quinn was still sitting in her chair looking far too pale, and I was crouched on the floor in front of her, literally shaking in my boots.
Neither of us spoke.
“Ellerslie, is she hurt?”
I snapped out of my trance. “No. No she’s not hurt.”
I pushed the laptop across Quinn’s desk. “You need to see this.”
I watched the rage spread across Lawson’s face as he saw the photo and read the threat. “Fuuuuuuck!” He roared as he ran his hand through his hair and paced the room. He stopped and looked back at the screen again. “Fuck.” He muttered.
Quinn began sobbing and I jumped up to wrap my arms around her.
“Shhh Q. It’s okay. We’re both okay.” I crooned to her. We stayed like that until Lawson pulled us both up and wrapped his strong arms around us.
Quinn calmed down after a few minutes – but I knew it might not be long before the hysteria crept back in. “We need to get her home Lawson. She’s loosing it.”
He nodded and let us go. “Pack up her stuff Ells, I’ll go and tell Macie and West to sort everything out.”
I gently pushed Quinn back into her chair and began packing up her stuff. I peeked over at her and tears were streaming silently down her face. I stopped and crouched down in front of her again. “It’s okay Quinn. Lawson won’t let anything happen to any of us. Neither will I.”
She looked at me with glassy eyes. “How are you not freaking out right now? Someone wants to hurt you.” She said in a shaky voice.
“Right now Q, the only thing I’m freaking out about is you. Can you calm down for me honey?”
She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. I finished picking up her stuff and it wasn’t until I tried to zip up her bag that I realised how badly I was shaking.
Lawson’s hands closed around mine. “I got it baby.”
I nodded at him and helped Quinn up out of her chair. “We’re going home girls.”
“Yeah I want my bed.” Quinn murmured.
“No. You are both coming to my house. El already was, and there is no way in hell I’m leaving you at your place Quinn.”
I was one hundred percent with him on this. There was no way I was leaving Quinn either – she didn’t argue.
We made it to the elevator with only a few curious glances. Most people saw Lawson’s angry glare and looked away quickly.
“You packed her laptop right Ells? We need to call Mark.”
“Yeah I got it. It’s in the bag.”
“Good, I grabbed your stuff too.”
We stepped into the elevator and I felt Quinn relax a bit. She took a deep breath. “I’m really sorry for losing it like that back there. God, you two are everything to me and I just couldn’t imagine anything happening to either of you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine Quinn. I’m sorry that this bastard has dragged you into this.” Lawson hugged her. “I’ll take care of this.” He growled. We stepped out into the parking garage and Lawson nodded to the security guard. “Shit. We have two vehicles. Are you okay to drive Ells?” Lawson asked me.
“Yeah I’m fine. I can go home and get Quinn and I some stuff if you want to take her straight to your place?”
He just gave me a look that screamed ‘Are you kidding me?’
I quickly held up my hands in surrender. “Fine. I’ll see you at our apartment. Are you taking Quinn?”
“Yeah.” He pulled me to him and kissed my forehead. “No stops. Straight home. I’ll be right behind you.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second.” I smirked at him. He smacked my ass as I turned away from him and I laughed – it lightened the mood for a minute at least.
46. Lawson
Jesus my sister was fucking crazy – as if I was going to let her stay home by herself… she’d lost her mind. She kept going on and on about invading mine and El’s time together. I had told her I’d just planned some DVD’s and was cooking dinner – maybe a walk along the waterfront in the morning. There was no reason Quinn couldn’t join us.
She had eventually stopped whining and sat in a sulking silence instead.
We got to the girls apartment, got their shit packed and got out of there within half an hour. El had left her Jeep behind and got in my truck with Quinn and I.
I was pissed off that I wasn’t going to get to show Ells my house under different circumstances. I wanted tonight to be relaxed and fun – not tense and scared.
I’m not letting him take any more con
trol.
“Okay girls. This is what’s going to happen. We’ll call Mark, send him what he needs and then we are going to forget this shit for a few days.” I looked quickly back to Quinn. “Q, you’ll stay with me unless you are with either Reeve or Colt. Do you understand? I’m not having you on your own.”
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