by Tara Thomas
She started the water, poured in her favorite shower gel, and waited as the room filled with mist and the smell of lavender. Her fluffy bathrobe was in place for when she stepped out and her slippers waited beside. She hummed and swirled a finger in the water to test the temperature.
Perfect.
She pulled her hair up into a ponytail on top of her head, grabbed her eye mask, and stepped into the tub. With a sigh, she allowed herself to sink shoulder deep and enjoy the warmth of the water. Her muscles relaxed and she allowed her mind to drift. She didn’t even try to stop herself from the path her mind wanted to travel.
Knox.
If she concentrated, she could feel his arms around her. His breath tickling her ear as he whispered how much he loved her. How his every touch conveyed that truth.
She smiled and he laughed.
Except it wasn’t his laugh.
She told herself it was stupid, there was no one in the bathroom and no one could’ve got past Knox and made it into her house.
Unless they killed Knox.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Why hadn’t she thought of that possibility?
She made it out of the tub with an ungraceful splash and threw her robe on. She didn’t hear it until she stepped into the hallway.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Her body shook with fear, her fingers so badly, she didn’t think she could dial the police if she tried. Someone was inside her house.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
She made herself think rationally. She was naked except for a bathrobe. The sound was coming from her bedroom. She ran by her laundry nook, threw on some clothes, and ran out the front door.
* * *
Knox was out of the car seconds after he saw Bea fly out the front door. “Bea?”
Her eyes were filled with tears. “There’s someone in my room. I thought they killed you.”
She’d reached him and he put his arms around her and since she wouldn’t take a step toward her house, he led her to his car. “No one’s in your room, they’d have to get past me.”
“There was a ticking sound.” Her eyes flickered to her house. Her body shook slightly. “In my room.”
“I don’t doubt you heard something. I’ll go check it out. Want to go with me or wait here?”
“I’m not staying here by myself.”
He got out of the car, went around to open her door, and they walked together toward her house.
She tilted her head when they made it to the hallway. “It stopped.”
“The ticking?”
She nodded. “There was a ticking noise coming from my bedroom when I stepped out of the tub. Someone had gotten into my house.” She looked at him and could’t help but remember the pain she’d felt moments prior. “And that meant…” she took a deep breath that made her heart hurt. “It meant…” She forced herself to say it. “That you were dead.”
She didn’t wipe away the tear that ran down her cheek at the thought.
“No one got in,” he said. “No way.”
“Then what was that in my bedroom?” She looked toward the room with the slightly jarred door.
* * *
Knox readied his weapon and took a step toward the door, only to be stopped by Bea’s hand on his arm. “Someone is in there,” she whispered.
“That’s what the gun is for.” He motioned with his head. “Stay behind me.”
“Shouldn’t we call the police?”
“They won’t get here in time.”
She nodded, but held on to the back of his shirt as he pushed the door open with his foot. The room was empty. Or at least it appeared that way. Just to be sure, he checked out underneath the bed. Nothing. Not even a dust bunny.
He moved toward the closet. Bea kept a tight grip on the hem of his shirt as they walked, her slight trembling made it flutter just a bit. How could anyone have got past him and into the house? He had no idea. Bea was clearly upset, though. And that was enough to make his heart beat faster.
He didn’t think anyone was hiding in the closet—Bea was always complaining about how small it was—but he had to make sure. He eased the door open. It was bigger than he’d thought it would be. Someone could easily hide inside. He scanned the shoes, trying to determine if anything was out of place or didn’t fit. Not seeing anything and hearing her sigh in relief behind him, he pushed aside clothes with one hand while keeping his gun aimed and ready with the other.
“I see you, Bea.”
She screamed.
Knox spun around.
There was no one there.
The unknown male’s laughter came from Bea’s laptop. Knox approached it carefully with Bea behind him. What the fuck?
“Tick tock. Tick tock. As much fun as it’s been watching the two of you,” the voice said. “I’m going to call it a night. Pleasant dreams. I’ll see you again soon.”
Knox slapped the top of the computer down.
“How did he get into my laptop?” Bea asked, still shaken but not as pale. “I thought that could only happen with nanny cams.”
“Unfortunately, not,” he said. “I wish more than anything I could tell you it’s okay and not to worry about it, but Bea, I won’t lie to you. There’s no way to know how long he’s had access to your system. I can work on improving and upgrading your security, but it’s going to take time to do it the right way.”
She turned deathly pale at his remark and though he hated that he’d scared her, she had to be made aware of just how dangerous the people they were dealing with were.
“It’d be best if you didn’t stay here.” Surely she could see that now.
“I know.” She straightened her shoulders as if preparing to fight.
“Come with me to Benedict House. You’ll be safe there. I can protect you, hire security, keep you safe.”
“No.” She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
Though he wasn’t shocked she’d turned him down, the way she shut him down—without even giving it a second thought—came as a surprise. Months ago, before they got married, when they were just talking about it, they’d joked about living in Benedict House with his two brothers.
They hadn’t planned on staying in the house forever, just until they decided where they wanted to live. Much of that would depend on whether or not Bea decided to run for Congress. He wondered if she still planned on running. Questions for another day.
“So if you know you can’t stay at your place and you won’t stay at mine,” he said, “where are you going to go?”
She looked pained, but there was no denying the lack of enthusiasm when she replied, “I’ll stay with the reverend.”
“Your father?” He must have heard her wrong. To say the reverend and his only daughter didn’t get along was akin to saying Mount Everest was a big hill. Seriously, who called their father “the reverend”?
“Yes, my father. And don’t look at me like that. We can be in the same room and be civil.”
“Only if one of you is comatose.” He cocked an eyebrow. “Have you forgotten Thanksgiving?”
Over Thanksgiving, Bea talked Knox into helping out at a local soup kitchen her father supported. Knox had shown up, excited to meet Bea’s dad and to help give back to the community. He saw it as a way to lay a good foundation with his father-in-law. Of course, they didn’t tell her dad the truth about their relationship. They agreed to introduce him as a friend in the business who wanted to volunteer.
Unfortunately, Bea had neglected to tell her father that the “friend” she was bringing was both male and a Benedict. The reverend took one look at Knox and launched into an impromptu sermon on how money was the root of all evil.
Knox did his best to ignore it; he saw no point in getting into a pissing contest with his father-in-law. Besides, he wasn’t the first to think all the Benedicts cared about was money. Bea, however, took his comments personally and shot back that if he’d bother to read his Bible before
he quoted it, he’d have known that the verse said it was the love of money that was the root of all evil.
Needless to say, the only thing the reverend liked less than his daughter showing up with a Benedict male was being corrected by his daughter over the Bible. The situation rapidly went downhill from there and finally ended with the reverend ordering them out of the soup kitchen.
And according to what Bea had said as they drove away, that was one of their better holidays. So, she’d have to forgive him if he raised an eyebrow at her statement that she’d stay with her father. In his mind, that had Bad Idea all over it.
“No,” Bea said, in answer to his question. “I haven’t forgotten. I’ll just call and tell him that I’m having some work done on my place and need a place to crash for a little while.”
“You’re going to lie to your father?”
“Don’t judge me. I’m doing what I can to be safe.”
“All you have to do to be safe is to stay with me. It honestly hurts that you would rather stay with your father, who resents everything you stand for. He can’t stand that you’re a lawyer and he despises that you want to go to Washington.”
“It’s not like that. I would rather be with you. I just can’t tell you more right now.”
If she were staying with her father, she’d be under more than enough stress as it was, especially when the letter she received today was factored into the equation. As her husband, it was his job to look after her well-being and do right by her. Even if that meant he had to step out of the way.
Though it went against everything inside him, he would do it. “If that’s what you think is best, you won’t hear any further argument from me.”
She looked up to him in shock, clearly not expecting that to be what he said. “Thank you.”
“You can thank me by letting me see you moved into the reverend’s house safely. And hire a security guard.” She looked like she was going to argue, so he added, “I’m going against every fiber of my being by not insisting you move in with me, surely you can give me this?”
When she agreed, he knew he should see it as a victory, but it seemed a damned hollow one. Hell, she probably agreed because she was too tired to fight.
“You’re staying here tonight?” she asked, not quite able to disguise the thread of hope in her voice.
Did she honestly think he was going to leave her alone? “Of course. Where else would I be?”
She gave a curt nod, but he saw the pain in her eyes. “You can sleep on the couch. But after this, you can’t be here anymore. For anything. I mean it this time.”
He somehow doubted with everything that had just happened that he’d sleep at all.
* * *
Later the following day, Bea watched Knox’s car as it pulled away from her father’s house. And then, because she was paranoid, she waited to see if anyone followed him or appeared to be watching her father’s house. For five minutes, she stood by the window, waiting. Only when five minutes passed did she feel as if both of them were safe enough and moved from her spot.
It had been damn stupid of her to allow him to help her move her things, but she felt so much safer when he was at her side. She told herself it was because she was weak, but she couldn’t convince herself to believe that lie. It was because she knew he loved her and would do anything to keep her safe.
She clenched her fists, willing herself not to think about love and Knox. She was doing what she was because she loved him and wanted to keep him safe, too. And that meant staying as far away from him as she could. Unfortunately, she couldn’t explain that to him. Not now. Possibly not ever.
The only way to fix the mess she was in was to find out who was behind the threats and the attack. And stop them. It would be the scariest thing she’d ever done, but she’d do it to be with Knox.
She dug in her purse for the second sheet of paper that had been the envelope she’d received this morning. The sheet she’d shoved into her purse as soon as she heard Knox call her.
I shouldn’t have to remind you how vulnerable your husband is.
No, they certainly didn’t. Though she couldn’t remember all of her attack, that one part was crystal clear. She was to stay away from Knox or else she’d find herself a widow.
She had no recourse other than to obey. She couldn’t go to the police, because the threat was too vague and no one knew they were married, except the one person who was using it against her.
Her head throbbed and she suddenly felt exhausted. Not surprising, really. Panic attacks had a tendency to make her sleepy, after. A quick glance at the clock told her the reverend wouldn’t be home for another few hours. She checked the locks and then cured up on her old twin bed and fell into a restless sleep.
* * *
From the looks of it, Bea needed more than a reminder about what staying away from Knox Benedict meant.
His phone vibrated and he didn’t have to look to know who it was.
“Status,” The Gentleman said after Tom answered.
“Benedict just left her at Daddy’s house.”
“She doesn’t listen and follow directions well, does she?”
“I’m finding that to be the general consensus when it comes to women, sir.”
Another man would have laughed. Hell, he thought it was a pretty funny joke. But The Gentleman was not another man and he didn’t joke. Or at least he didn’t anymore. Those who were closer to him than Tom was, claimed he would joke with Jade. But ever since the little traitor had left, The Gentleman had been more demanding and violent than ever.
“I’m not concerned with other females at the moment. Only the one not taking me serious when I tell her not to be involved with Knox Benedict.” The Gentleman must have struck something with his fist. The noise came through the phone like a shot fired.
“Yes, sir. Of course.”
“What are you going to do?”
Shit, he should have anticipated that question and had an answer prepared. “I was just running through my options.”
“Run through them faster, but focus on the woman. I’m not ready for Knox to die.”
* * *
After leaving Bea at the reverend’s, Knox didn’t feel like going into the office. The truth of it, if he were honest, was that he didn’t feel like facing his brothers. He turned his car away from the highway that would take him to the office and headed toward the project he’d been working on privately, before Bea’s attack. The one he still hadn’t told her about because he wasn’t sure it would ever be needed.
It was located far enough away from town to be quiet, but close enough so they could both commute to work without it feeling like a chore. There were neighbors, but no one so close that they would see them on a regular basis.
He pulled into the driveway of the historic beachfront cottage and tried to remember his joy the day he’d bought the property. He’d proposed to Bea the day before and she’d accepted with the condition they kept everything between them a secret until after the election and she’d figured out how to handle her father’s ire.
He had been so in love and wanted her so badly, he didn’t question why too much. All that mattered was putting the ring on the finger of the woman he loved. Love made a man do crazy things.
They had joked about living at Benedict House, but he knew as well as Bea did that he had no intention of living with his brothers forever. With Bea’s love of the ocean and his own fascination with history, the modest cottage he’d found for sale could easily be restored into their own personal dream house.
At the time, he had even been able to picture children. Years down the road, of course, but they were there. Two of them. A little girl, who would look like her mother. And a boy, who would take after him. When he had bought the property, everything seemed so clear, so absolute, so possible.
Why had the attack on Bea changed all that? It was a question he had asked himself enough, but now he needed answers.
He had not seen her much since the day of t
he attack. On that awful day it happened, he’d been out of town, for business. He wasn’t sure he would ever forgive himself that. They talked on the phone that morning, and everything had seemed perfectly normal.
He arrived back in town around noon, and hours later, while at the office, he received word about Bea. She was asleep by the time he made it to the hospital. When she woke up, she was almost agitated, and frightened to see him, though she had said that the attacker threatened Tilly as well. It had been then that she had told him to go away, that she didn’t want to see him anymore, and not to call, or in any other way have contact with her.
He had been so fearful of doing her further harm, he agreed, and kept his distance. All the while thinking he was doing the right thing.
Looking back, he should have known something additional had happened. It wasn’t like Bea to just act like that out of the blue. Something happened to her that he didn’t know about, or something had been said to her. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he intended to find out.
But first things first. He pulled out his phone and the name of the security firm Kipling had used to improve the systems after Tilly’s attack.
CHAPTER 2
She frowned at the street numbers on the row of houses. She didn’t think the directions sounded right when her new client gave them to her. He’d assured her, he lived on Saint Simon East, but she had been almost certain the address would be on Saint Simon West. She peered over her shoulder; for some reason she had the strangest sensation that she was being watched.
“Can I help you?’”
She jumped and almost tripped over the man standing in front of her. She thought about saying, “No,” but she was late and anyone who’d been watching her for longer than three seconds could probably tell she was lost. She gave him the address she was looking for. Hopefully, he lived nearby and could point out the right place.
“Hmm.” He looked around. “I think that’s on the west side.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” she said, feeling vindicated. “But when I questioned it, I was told it was definitely east.”