by Moxie North
“Take Eden with you, and then come back here,” he replied.
“Don’t you think you should check with Eden if she wants to join me in the bathroom?”
“Nuh-uh, don’t drag me into this,” Eden said with a snicker.
Anson leaned over Piper, who was sitting in her desk chair. He placed both hands on the armrests and got very, very close to her.
“You need to take this seriously, mate. This morning wasn’t a joke. This could be over in the next few hours. Let’s not screw up now. And if you do anything stupid, I’ll take you over my knee and make you wish you had listened to me.”
Anson watched Piper’s eyes get soft and sexy, his cock responded the opposite, getting hard and thick. “You make it too easy for me to get what I want,” she said quietly, her voice better meant for the bedroom than her office with his two teammates in the room.
“Minx, get some work done. I can’t promise I won’t be pulling you out early today.” He placed a hard kiss on her mouth before stalking out with Hudson trailing after him.
Eden sat on the edge of Piper’s desk and whistled. “Damn, you have him wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?”
“Do I?” she replied, her eyes glittering with humor.
Chapter 30
Piper looked over the financial statements on her computer while she replayed the morning through again and again in her head. Someone had shot at her. Or rather the car she was in. That was some scary shit. She should be hyperventilating. Instead, she was feeling settled. Almost serene. Her stalker had shown his hand. The police had chased him, he couldn’t hide forever.
The only distraction was when Colleen barged into her office, her eyes lit with a fire that made Piper want to duck and cover.
“I’m surprised to see you here,” Colleen said through gritted teeth.
“Why? I’m back from my… honeymoon or wedding thing.”
“I just thought, never mind. Here, the numbers you demanded.”
Piper took the folder. “I think I asked nicely for them, if I recall correctly?”
“Whatever,” Colleen said, spinning on her dagger-like heels and stomping out.
Her mind kept going back to what could be happening, or not happening. Maybe it had been over for hours and she was worried about nothing. She couldn’t hope though, it was too tempting and the world too unsure to even think it could be over.
Eden had ordered lunch for her and they ate together in her office. Eden had her feet propped up on the desk in a very un-assistant like manner. Piper slurped down her noodles and listened to Eden talk about what it was like being on tour with Bliss Hartley. The hotel rooms, the bad food. It didn’t sound all that bad to her. Staying in a different city every night and rock concerts on demand? That was a life.
“It’s bullcrap. It was fun the first year. Now I feel like I’ve been at a demented summer camp for way too long.”
Before Piper could respond, Eden’s phone rang. She answered and her eyes shot to Piper’s. “Really? Yeah, I’ll let her know.” She ended the phone call and grinned at Piper.
“SPD arrested one Jerry Loe after he crashed his truck into a tree. There was a gun found in the cab of the truck and they will be pulling video footage to corroborate Hudson and Anson’s account.”
Piper put down her noodles. “They got him?”
“Yes, and they’re going to be getting warrants to search his place. I don’t know what they’ll find, but hopefully enough to tie him to the shooting, your stalking, and the blackmail.”
“Does that mean he’ll go away? Like for a long time?” Piper was holding her breath.
The door to her office swung open and Anson was standing, filling the space. His face was tense but relieved when he saw her.
“He’s going away for a long time,” Anson answered.
Darn that Kindred hearing.
Eden stood up, “I think I’ll leave you two alone for a while.”
Piper stood as Anson came around the desk, he swept her into his arms and kissed her. Kissed her until she was struggling for breath. She looked up to Anson when he finally let her up for air. “I’m afraid to believe it,” she admitted.
“Believe it. He’s in custody. I’m thinking about asking Detective Hank if I can have some time alone in a room with him.”
“Detective Hank?”
“Hank of Clan Kenaz, he’s a tiger and a cop. Sadly, he doesn’t owe me a favor. I wish he did.”
“I’d rather know Jerry’s locked up behind bars and concrete.”
“That’s going to happen. It means you might have to testify, do you think you can do that?”
“Might?”
“Depends on what they want to charge him with. The shooting and extortion might be what they can get him on.”
Piper pushed him away. “I’m sorry, you mean he could go to jail but not for driving me crazy for years?”
“Babe, it may not seem fair, but the end result is the same.”
Piper saw that he was relaxed and his face looked happy. She could see this was what they had been working towards. Piper needed more time. She needed to let it settle in. Anson saw a wide open door and was racing towards it.
Taking a deep breath, “Yeah, yeah, it’s ended.”
“How should we celebrate?”
“I want to go to my house. Sleep in my bed, maybe paint?”
“Anything you want. Do you want to finish work?”
“I should, I mean, back to normal, right?”
“Babe, I don’t think you’ve had normal for a very long time. I think you should just do what feels right.”
Piper stepped away from him, her hands landing on her hips. “I don’t know what feels right. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I have my work, but now I have you. What do regular people do? Does it all just go away? The fear? Will I forget that it ever happened?”
Piper felt her breath coming in faster, her heart felt heavy and she knew she was moments away from crying. She couldn’t cry in her office, people would see or hear. She didn’t have to worry because Anson grabbed her and walked her to the corner, shielding her from any prying eyes.
“I—I—can’t…” she gasped. The horror of her life that she had controlled for so long came crashing down on her.
“Sshhh… Piper, I’ve got you. I’ll always have you.”
“He made my life hell… and why?” she cried. “Why? What did I ever do to him? He ruined my relationships, my weddings. He scared me, followed me, and sent me fucking pig hearts! And why?”
“Babe, he was sick. He’s mentally ill. He didn’t see anything wrong with what he did.”
Piper struggled to get out of his arms. “You’re defending him!” she screamed.
“Piper, I am not. I want nothing more than to rip his throat out. That’s why I’m here and not down at the station. In my book, he doesn’t deserve to live. He’s non-value added to this world. He’s taking up space and air. Neither of those things he deserves. But that’s what the old me would have done. The new me, the mated me, wants to hold his mate and rub her back. I want to wrap you up and never let you go. I can’t change your past, I can only make your future better.”
The tears started to fall, then they poured, her heart ached and her head hurt. Her whole body hurt. It was like her muscles and her body just couldn’t take any more.
“That’s it, we’re leaving.” Anson swept her into his arms and she put up a feeble fight.
“You can’t c-carry me out. They’ll see,” she wailed.
“Fuck them. You aren’t walking out of here.”
Piper couldn’t process what was going to happen next. She couldn’t put together the pieces of Anson carrying her through the maze of cubicles, of Eden following behind them with her purse and jacket. What strangers on the street must have thought about a large Kindred man carrying a sobbing woman out of a building.
“This is embarrassing,” she choked out when Anson put her in the car.
“To
who?”
“E-Everyone,” she said with a hiccup.
“Everyone is nobody.”
Piper choked out a laugh. “You’d say that because nobody laughs at you.”
“No one was laughing at you. All I saw was worried faces.”
“How am I supposed to go back? They’ll think I’m weak.”
“Not really, I let Eden tell them you were in a high-speed chase this morning with someone shooting at you. They’ll be talking about that, not me carrying you.”
Piper let out a moan. She didn’t know if that was worse or not.
“Hudson, let’s head to her place,” Anson directed.
Piper closed her eyes to the city speeding by. She didn’t want to think, feel, or even acknowledge the outside world anymore. If there was a dark hole somewhere she could drop herself in, it would be a relief. The drive felt like forever. She knew it took about thirty minutes with traffic. The backseat of the SUV was warm and the hum of the engine almost soothed her into a light sleep. Maybe it wasn’t sleep, it was more akin to complete mental exhaustion.
When the car stopped, her brain acknowledged it distantly. She was picked up, there was some walking and then she was placed like a fine china doll on her white fluffy bed.
“It’s too early for bed.”
Anson sat next to her and started taking off his boots. “It’s a nap. They’re good for you.”
“I don’t nap. Kids nap.”
“Babe, shut up and close your eyes. Today, you nap.”
Chapter 31
Anson was staring up at the ceiling with his mate sleeping in his arms. The sun was setting outside the window and he wouldn’t have moved for the world.
He had told her the truth when he said that the old Anson would have wanted revenge. He would have wanted the person that hurt one of his to suffer. It wasn’t as important now. It was the job of the authorities. It didn’t mean he wasn’t going to make sure that Jerry the asshole never saw the light of day again. Even if he did, he’d be on Kindred radar. That was not a place anyone wanted to be.
Anson should have been feeling on top of the world. Except his mate wasn’t settled. Nowhere near. She was upset, she couldn’t tell him what she needed. He wanted to fix it all and he wasn’t used to digging into someone’s mind to figure it out. He spoke up if he needed. If there was something wrong, he said it.
With Piper, he thought she’d be relieved. Her stalker behind bars, King was pushing the DA to charge with attempted murder for the morning car chase. It wouldn’t be hard, there were bullet marks on the door panels and that was proof enough.
Piper wouldn’t have to look over her shoulder anymore. They could buy a house or an apartment. They could have cubs. He was going to be able to plan her presentation ceremony to the Clan. He was relieved. His mate wasn’t.
Brushing the hair back from her face, he wished he could wipe the furrowed lines from her forehead. His phone had been vibrating in his pocket and he’d checked the first few times. They were updates from King, he was still working with SPD. Hudson texted asking if he needed to come back with food. He got the same message from Cora since Van told her everything that happened.
He answered those thanking them for thinking of them. He didn’t want anyone else around Piper tonight and he didn’t think she would want anyone around either. Him being the exception.
Piper moved under him. “Anson?”
“I’m here.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost dinnertime. You hungry?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’ll order pizza,” he said, shifting her out of his arms.
“Okay, I need a shower. I don’t know why I just feel like I need to… get clean.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs.” Anson kissed her on the forehead and headed downstairs.
He texted back to everyone, asking someone to drop his truck off at Piper’s. He knew they’d make it happen. Pizza was ordered and he waited while listening to the water run upstairs. He wanted to go check on her. But he was learning she might need some space. He could hear her and that was going to have to be enough.
The shower turned off and he waited. Leaning on her kitchen counter, he felt like he was on a stakeout, waiting for someone to make a move. But he didn’t move, not an inch. Piper was going to find him casually waiting for her like he would for the rest of her life. Just being there when she needed him.
Soft steps sounded on the carpeting of the stairs and he waited. She rounded the corner wearing an oversized sweatshirt over a pair of pajama pants.
“Those pajamas belong to someone else?”
Piper looked down, “No, why?”
“Because they’re two sizes too big.”
“I like them roomy. I can eat more.”
“I guess that makes sense. Pizza will be here soon.”
“Okay, I’m going to go sit on the patio. Do you want to join me?”
“Sit on the patio?”
“Yes, I’ve never done it. I felt… too exposed,” she said with a shrug.
Anson pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight. “You go enjoy your patio. I’ll pour us some wine, or do you want beer?”
“Beer, please. Wine and pizza… just no.”
Anson laughed. “Got it.”
Piper kissed the underside of his chin where she could reach then she smiled up at him and wandered towards the sliding patio door.
He couldn’t take her eyes off her as she paused and tipped her head up to the fresh air, she still had her arms folded like she was protecting herself, but she was out there. Grabbing a couple of bottles of beer from the fridge, he heard his truck pulling into the driveway. He’d know his truck anywhere. The guys would leave the keys inside and lock the door. All their vehicles could be opened via biometrics, so he knew they wouldn’t knock. He carried out the beers and set them on the patio table next to Piper.
“I bought this set and never used it. Can you believe that? What a waste.”
“You’re using it now, and we can buy a big house with a big deck and you can use it there.”
“A house, a house we wouldn’t have to move from. What would that be like?”
“I think it would be nice. It would be a fresh start for both of us. New home, new future.”
“Maybe somewhere with some grass? I could take the train in,” she mused.
“You’re not taking the train in. I’ll drive you to work.”
“Every day?”
“Sure, why not?”
“Because you seem to forget what you do for a living. You’re not always going to be around.”
Anson wanted to argue with her but she was right. There were going to be times he wouldn’t be home to sleep with her. “We’ll work it out.”
“Yeah, sounds like we’re getting a condo in the city, that’s what,” she said with a laugh.
A knock sounded at the door and Anson chucked his finger under her chin. “We’ll figure it out.”
She gave him a nod and smiled. He was going to make her believe that she could have what she wanted. Whatever that looked like in her dreams.
Anson ran up to the front door and opened it to find the delivery guy. He paid for the pizza and tipped the kid enough to make his eyes get big. Walking back to the patio, he passed through the kitchen and could see Piper standing behind her chair. Her beer knocked over on the table, the liquid still pouring out onto the surface.
His eyes were on her face, she was confused and afraid. As he moved his eyes towards where she was looking, he saw the gun before he saw the woman holding it.
Chapter 32
Piper had to be dreaming. This was a horrible nightmare. She hadn’t woken up from her nap with Anson. Any second she was going to wake up and have pizza and beer with Anson on her unused patio.
Any second…
“You… you just won’t go!” Colleen screamed at her, tears pouring down her face, her mascara running in rivers over her cheeks.
“C
olleen? What…”
“Shut up! You shut up! You think you’re so perfect. You think you’re so much smarter than me.” The gun in her hand was shaking, her finger resting on the trigger.
“Colleen, I don’t understand, but can you put the gun down?”
“Don’t tell me what to do! You’re not my boss! I should be your boss.”
“Okay, if you want that, we can make it happen. I was thinking of taking some time off, stepping back a bit.”
Colleen laughed a sick laugh that made Piper’s skin crawl. “You think you can do me a favor? Like I’m picking up scraps from you?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“He had one job, one stupid fucking job. He couldn’t even do that right. Now he’s in jail. He’s a wimp, he’ll talk and I’ll lose my job!”
Piper was trying to keep up. She knew that Anson was in the house. He had to know what was happening. She just needed to give him time. Keep Colleen talking.
“Do you mean Jerry? How did you know him?”
“Because you were so blind, you didn’t even notice him following you around. You ignored him because you thought you were better than him! You think you’re better than everyone. Jerry couldn’t see that. He thought you were perfect. That you would see him one day and fall in love.”
“I… I didn’t know that. I didn’t see him. I wish I had, it would have saved me years of pain.”
“Pain, you think that was pain? Oh, boo hoo, poor Piper has someone who is obsessed with her. Then you get him? A Kindred? You just fall into giant puddles of luck. Men willing to marry you, jobs, promotions, then you get married and mated? What about me? What do I end up with? I’ll tell you, Jerry is going to tell them I gave him that gun. I told him where you’ve been staying. He’s going to drag me into this.”
“I’m sorry about that, Colleen. I can’t say what Jerry is going to do. But, you wanted me dead? I mean, over a job?”
“I wanted you gone, moved on, gone to another planet! But you just wouldn’t go!”