by Taylor Anne
Bobby drained his cup, set it down on the wooden table, and glared at Mason. “All I’m going to say is, don’t hurt my sister. Again.” When he started to protest, Bobby raised his hand, warning Mason to be silent. “I don’t know all the details of what happened between the two of you years ago, but I do know Kendall cares for you. Always has. You were such a huge part of our family growing up, but at some point, she began looking at you as more than a surrogate brother. But you know how she is. She’s not going to push herself where she doesn’t feel wanted, or needed. So don’t play with her emotions any more. If you walk away from her again, you better stay away.”
Wow. There it was again. That feeling that he couldn’t breathe. Nothing Bobby said came as a shock. Still, the thought of settling down with Kendall scared the shit out of him. He could never be the kind of man she deserved. He looked first at Marks, who was taking all of this in, then at Bobby, whose cell phone beeped. Mason declared, “There is no us to walk out on.”
****
“Just one night.” Kendall knew that. But the gall of him to say it to her face. He might as well have put her head, and heart, between a vice and squeezed with all of his strength. That would’ve hurt less than his words. She closed the door and went back inside.
For the first time, Kendall took a good look around his house. A quick scan of the living room and kitchen and she knew what he had said earlier was true. This place could definitely use a female’s touch. The furniture was okay—big, overstuffed sofa and chair. They even looked new. But the walls were bare, no decorations whatsoever. No personal touches at all.
She numbly made her way to the kitchen and cleaned up. Washing their breakfast dishes, Kendall couldn’t help but remember how Mason had looked first thing in the morning, standing there next to the stove, cooking breakfast for them. His hair was disheveled, shirt unbuttoned and un-tucked, feet bare. His jeans hugged his legs and thighs like they were custom made just for him. And his masculine, woodsy scent still filled the air.
After she finished washing and drying the dishes, she made her way into his bedroom. Her intentions were to make the bed. She almost completed that task. Almost.
Running her hands along the silky sheet, memories of what they shared here on this bed assaulted her mind. She smiled, recalling the times during the night Mason had reached for her. His need was fierce, and her desire to fill that need was just as fierce. Kendall wanted to give him everything she was, and everything she had.
His touch was so gentle and loving. Their night together was like two people who had waited a lifetime to find that special person, that one true love. But she knew, deep down, Mason never felt that special tug between them like she had. To him, she was just a friend, someone he desired.
Bending down to pick up the pillows and place them on the bed, she stopped. Mason’s woodsy scent covered the pillow. She inhaled one more time before dropping the pillow to the floor, leaving it to lay there with the rest of them. She pulled the comforter up, over the sheets where they had lain in each other’s arms. Covering up the one night she knew she would never forget.
Tears streaked her face as she pulled on her jeans, gathered the rest of her things, and ran for her Rogue.
Chapter Ten
Less than an hour later, Kendall drug herself up off the couch, opening the front door to Mandy’s raised eyebrows and rapidly tapping foot. She was pissed. The incessant tapping of her right foot gave it away. It was just as annoying now as it was growing up.
“Why the hell aren’t you answering your phones?” She marched inside and went straight to the bar between the living room and kitchen, the spot where Kendall always left her cell phone and keys. Mandy jerked it from the counter, turned it back on, then continued ranting. “All I could think was that this maniac stalker had gotten you. You didn’t show up for brunch. I called and called. Left messages on your home phone. You scared the daylights out of—” her voice trailed off as another bout of tears shook Kendall’s body. “What’s wrong?” Quick switch from raving mad lunatic to kind, gentle hearted sister.
Kendall shut the door and stood in front of the sofa. “I’m such a loser. Why would I fall for his smooth talking lines?” She wiped her eyes and blew her nose.
“What are you talking about?” Realization dawned in her eyes. “Did Mason do this to you?” She took Kendall’s hand, sitting her down on the sofa. Mandy’s hand rested on Kendall’s shoulders, warm and secure.
“Last night when he called, I could tell something was wrong. He was angry. No, not angry. More like, defeated and didn’t know which way to turn. So, I went to him.” She took the Kleenex Mandy offered and blew her nose. “Thanks.”
“What happened?”
Kendall let out a low laugh. “What I’ve always dreamed of.” And it truly was her dreams played out. Mason was so gentle, compassionate, and selfless. Not only did he make love to her, he worshipped her body. His talented hands knew right where to touch to bring her pleasure she had never experienced before.
“Whoa! Details, sis, details.”
“The night was fabulous. More than I ever imagined it would be.” She paused for a moment, recalling how right the night had been. At the tender squeeze of Mandy’s hand, she pulled her thoughts back to the moment and continued. “It’s the morning after that sucked.”
Kendall recounted the events of the night, leaving out the most explicit details. Those moments were for her only. Mandy could use her own imagination to fill in the blanks. By the time she finished replaying the story, white hot anger replaced her tears. It may have been only a roll in the sack for Mason, but he had no right to dismiss her the way he had.
The ringing of Kendall’s cell phone interrupted them. Halfheartedly, she answered without looking at the caller ID. “Hello.”
“You bitch. Where were you all night?” The sinister voice took her by surprise. A cold wave of fear settled in her stomach.
“Wha...what?” She shot Mandy a glance and mouthed that the stalker was on the line. Mandy picked up her cell phone and punched in several quick keystrokes. Probably sending a text to Bobby.
“You left last night and never came home. I waited. I called. Where were you?”
“Where was I? Really? You’ve got some nerve—“
“Shut up.” His voice rose with rage. “When I call, answer the phone.”
Kendall’s heart beat fiercely in her chest. Her fist curled into the phone until her knuckles went white. She blew out a breath, her anger exploding. “Look, I don’t know who the hell you think you are, but I run my own life. No one tells me what to do.”
His mirthless laugh stopped her words. “I waited for you to get home.” He stopped. Kendall paused, hoping he’d hung up, wishing she could, but if by chance keeping him on line would give her a clue to his identity, she had to hold on. After a brief pause, his evil came through the line in a harsh rasp. “Did you get the present I left by your bed? Of course you didn’t, you weren’t in your bed last night. Whore.”
Her blood ran cold. His words propelled her to her feet, sent her running to the bedroom. Right there, on the nightstand, was a single red rose. Bile formed in her throat. She couldn’t breathe. “You were here.” It was a statement, not a question.
His laugh echoed through the line. “I’m coming for you. Soon.”
“Bastard.” Click. The line went dead.
Somehow Kendall’s wobbly legs carried her back to the living room where she collapsed, trembling, into Mandy’s waiting arms. Mandy took the phone out of Kendall’s shaking hands. “What did the jerk say?”
Three burly men burst into her living room. Kendall hadn’t even heard the door open, could barely register their presence. Could barely react. Next thing she knew, Bobby and Mason were at her side. Marks planted himself next to Mandy. Mason reached out to lay a hand on Kendall’s shoulder and barked out, “What the hell happened?”
“He was here. He knew I wasn’t home last night.” For a brief instant, Mason’s eyes lo
cked with hers. Was that regret blazing behind his blue pools? “He said...said he was coming for me.” She held tightly to Mandy’s hand. Kendall needed her sister’s comfort for a few more minutes so that she could pull herself together.
“What do you mean he was here?” Mason demanded.
Kendall drifted out of Mandy’s embrace and went to stand in the doorway of her bedroom. She tried, but couldn’t force herself to enter her own room. Everyone huddled behind her. She couldn’t speak, a steel band tightened around her windpipe. All she could manage to do was point. “There. The rose. He was here, in my bedroom.” Kendall shivered and turned away, right into Mason’s arms.
“Son of a bitch,” he grumbled before guiding Kendall back to the living room. Mason held her tightly in his arms while he and Bobby talked over her head. The vibration in his chest from the rumble of his voice, and his hands rubbing her back helped soothe her jittery nerves. She could get lost in his embrace, forever, just like last night. The thought of this morning sobered her. She took a step back, putting a little distance between herself and Mason. Feeling cold without his touch, she wrapped her arms around her middle.
Marks examined Kendall’s phone. “He’s blocking caller ID before calling. Probably using one of those prepaid phones that can’t be traced. I’m going to bring this to the office and see what IT can come up with anyway. Kendall, I’ll get it back to you later today.”
She nodded her consent. Looking from Marks to Bobby, and finally at Mason, she asked, “How did you all get here at the same time?”
Bobby glared at Mason before answering. “We were at The Pub discussing how some people are jerks, when I received a text from Mandy.”
“The Pub? It’s barely after noon.”
“Calm down, sis. We weren’t drinking. Just talking.”
Mason fidgeted from one foot to the other, avoiding eye contact with her. Not that she wanted to look him in the eye at this moment. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, controlled, but Kendall could detect his underlying anger. “This guy is getting closer. Now he’s breaking and entering. You’re not staying here alone. Pack a bag. You’re coming to my house.”
Kendall sucked in an irritated breath and pulled out of his embrace. “Umm, no I’m not.”
Mandy intercepted what was about to be an all out explosion. “Come stay with me.”
Kendall rubbed her hand against her throat. Her hand got all tangled up in the too-large neckline of the T-shirt she wore from this morning. Mason’s T-shirt. It still had his woodsy masculine scent. She quickly withdrew her hand and faced the concerned gang in front of her. They were all staring, waiting for a response. Kendall drew herself upright, took a deep cleansing breath, and gave them what they needed to hear.
“I’m not going anywhere. Mandy, I won’t put you and Tori in danger. And before you say anything, Bobby, I’m not going to your place either. You have small kids. I’m staying right here. In my house.” She turned to stare out of the window, her voice fading away. “He can’t take that from me.”
Mason took a step back. At the front door, he turned to face Kendall. “Then I’m staying here. Bobby, don’t leave until I get back. I’m going to grab a few things and lock up my house. Back in an hour.” Before she could object, he was out the door.
****
Mason pulled back into Kendall’s driveway forty minutes later. Grabbing his duffel bag and laptop case, he strode toward the door. He felt like such a jerk for his actions that morning, especially after seeing what Kendall had done at his house, after he walked out on her. He knew this was nothing but a bad case of nerves, his damn insecurities. But, he let it rule him. Now Kendall’s life was being threatened and she didn’t want him anywhere near to help. She would have to deal with it. He was staying with her until they caught this asshole maniac.
An angry scowl lit Bobby’s face when he met Mason at the bottom of the steps. “While you were gone, we checked every door and window. The lock on the washroom door is old and anyone with a little experience could’ve picked it. I’m certain that’s how he got in. Man, we’ve got to figure out who’s doing this to her.”
Mason shielded his eyes from the glaring sun. “I know. I called in a few favors. Couple of guys are going to prowl the neighborhood, but they can’t be here until late next week. They’re wrapping up a case in Dallas right now. I’ll install new locks on every door by the end of the day.”
“Good, I’d appreciate that. Get your buddies here as soon as possible. When Marks brings her cell phone back, he’s going to put a tracer on her landline. It’s too hard to do that on a cell. So make sure she doesn’t answer the cell if she doesn’t know the number. If it’s him, he’ll call the landline. She needs to keep him talking as long as possible.”
“What about the lead Marks was checking on? Anything come of that? Any luck identifying the nephew?”
“Not yet. Marks still thinks this is tied to the Tom case, though.” His voice turned to steel. “And, he thinks it may be an inside job.”
“Damn.” Mason sighed, frustrated. It was never good when a crooked cop was involved. But, it would explain how this person knew how to avoid getting caught. “We’ll catch him.” He glanced at the closed door, his stomach tied in knots. “How’s she doing?”
“Still upset, but you know Kendall, she’s a fighter.” Bobby glared at him. Best friend or not, Mason knew whatever was coming next, Bobby meant. “Stop screwing with my sister’s head, man. If you care about her half as much as you said this morning, you need to drop those damn insecurities. Don’t hurt her. Understand?”
Mason sighed and rubbed his hand across his face. “Yeah, got it.”
He strode to the front door, pushed it open, and found Kendall curled up on the couch. She had changed out of his T-shirt into a pair of baggy warm-ups and an LSU sweatshirt. Her damp hair hung in disarray around her shoulders, like she had been running her hands through it. Telltale tearstains streaked her cheeks. His heart twisted. She looked so defeated, beaten down. Not the vibrant, outspoken woman he had come to love. Love? A rush of some unknown emotion welled inside his chest. Mason swallowed hard, forcing back whatever it was. He couldn’t afford to lose his head right now. Not when so much was at stake. Not when someone as important as Kendall was in danger. He ignored the niggling voice in his head. Just how important is she?
****
Kendall was scared, angry, hurt, and felt violated in more ways than one. Mason’s rejection that morning. The call. The rose. Some creep had been here, in her home. Her stomach turned sour at the thought of someone rummaging through her personal things. What did he touch? Her clothes? Her bed? Everything looked tainted. She fought back the urge to throw her belongings in the yard and start a fire, burning away the unwanted touches of a man she didn’t know.
Mason, Bobby, and Marks had shown up and tried to make things better. They, along with Mandy, were so comforting. Too comforting. Yes, Kendall was scared. But everyone trying to soothe her at the same time was a little overwhelming. She yearned for a little peace and quiet. She needed some space so she could get her thoughts and emotions back under control.
Finally, she convinced Mandy to go home to her daughter. Getting rid of big brother was not as easy. Bobby insisted on staying until Mason returned. So, Kendall headed for a soothing shower, letting the water wash away her fears and insecurities.
Feeling slightly rejuvenated, she settled into the couch. She could see Mason and Bobby talking outside. Neither of them looked happy. Arms and hands made motions in the air, emphasizing whatever words were spoken between the two of them. Mason’s mouth was drawn tight, and he kept running his free hand through his hair and over his face. He shifted from one foot to the other, looking around as if he expected someone to walk up and say, “It’s me, I’m the one stalking Kendall.”
Before getting into his truck and driving off, Bobby pointed his bulky fingers at Kendall’s door, then at Mason’s chest. She bit back a chuckle, imagining the warning words her brothe
r spoke to his best friend. Mason nodded, then turned to stare in the direction of the house. She could almost feel the heat of his gaze piercing her through the window. Without hesitation, his long stride carried him through the front door. A man on a mission.
Although she would never admit it to anyone but herself, Kendall was glad Mason was staying with her. Even after his betrayal this morning. She knew she was safe with him. He would protect her, no matter what. She couldn’t stay here alone, not after the stalker had been inside her house, her bedroom.
Mason closed the door and stared at her, without speaking. Anguish lined his features making him look hard and unyielding. Behind the pain in his eyes was something else. A shimmer of, what—hope?
“You cleaned the kitchen and made my bed.”
It was a simple statement. Kendall couldn’t tell if he was happy about what she had done. His tone was flatter than she had ever heard it. Why had she cleaned up before she left his house anyway? Mostly because she figured that was the last time she would touch anything personal of his. In her own way, it was like letting go.
The silence was more than she could bear. She tried inflicting authority in her words, but her voice betrayed her, coming out weak. “You can put your stuff in the guest bedroom.” Grabbing the throw blanket off the back of the couch, Kendall snuggled beneath it, hiding from the torment of the day.
Mason stood at the door a few moments longer before she heard him move away. His footsteps faded, and she assumed he must have entered the guest bedroom.
****
Disoriented, Kendall slowly opened her eyes. The evening sun poured rays of red and yellow into the living room, casting a warm glow all around. The house was eerily quiet, like the calm before the storm. Not a sound. Peeking around the blanket, Kendall didn’t see anyone.
Earlier events flashed through her mind. Panic built and constricted her chest. She jerked upright on the sofa, realizing that no matter what, she really didn’t want to be alone.
Where was Mason? Had he left? She couldn’t blame him if he had. Her actions toward him earlier hadn’t been too friendly. She grimaced inside. Her heart pounded, the sound echoing in her ears. The kitchen door swung open, causing her to jump and let out a small gasp.