by Lilly Holden
There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. This time her voice was raised, her tone high and strained. “Go fuck yourself.” Then came the unmistakable sound of a receiver being slammed onto the phone.
I didn’t need to hear any more to know I was getting inside that house.
Not wanting to scare Sophie any more than she would be a few seconds from now, I slid my Sig back in my ankle holster. After pushing the mat out of the way with the toe of my boot and thus not contaminating the evidence with my fingerprints, I knocked on her front door.
She opened the door and immediately moved to push herself up against the door, making it clear she had no intention of welcoming me into her house.
Too bad I wasn’t down with her plan.
“Sophie, I don’t want to frighten you, but I need to show you something.”
She was already shaking her head before I finished speaking. “Now’s not a good time, Deke.”
I stepped aside and looked down at the front door mat. Her gaze followed mine.
“Oh. My. God.” Her hand clutched her chest as she stared at the grizzly calling card left on her porch.
“Never gonna be a good time for something like this, Soph.” I put a hand on the door and pushed firmly, being careful not to make her fall as she was forced to step back and let me in.
“Deke.” She tried to head me off as I walked into the room where I guessed she’d taken the phone call. The living room I’d remembered from years ago was updated with a mix of contemporary furniture in shades of creams and browns and a large rug in a pattern of blue, grey and brown geometric shapes over polished floor boards. A mix of modern prints and family photos dotted the walls. The room looked stylish, welcoming, and like something I’d expect from a house Sophie made hers.
I waved at the phone sitting on a side table. “This the phone you answered?”
Far from cooperative, Sophie shoved her hands on her hips and fired a glare that screamed attitude. “That’s none of your business.”
I stared back. “Making it my business, Soph.”
She shook her head, her mouth slightly open as if she couldn’t believe her ears. “What gives you that right?”
“I’ve cared about you for years, woman.”
The scoffing sound she made hit me like a punch to the guts. “You have a funny way of showing it.”
I needed to work past her anger and get to the matter at hand. “What happened over two years ago doesn’t negate the fact you matter to me.” More than mattered. I’d never stopped knowing in my heart she was the one for me. “Right now there’s a threat against you, and I’m a man that deals with threats every day. Dangerous ones. So drop the attitude and let me help.”
“Thanks for the offer, but no.” Her tone dripped sarcasm. “I’ve been in contact with Andy and he’s doing what he can.”
“Considering I just found a dead rat on your doorstep, I’m thinking whatever Andy’s doing isn’t getting the job done.”
She marched to the front door and swung it open. “Get out.”
I could have stayed where I was. She had no chance in hell of physically forcing me off her property, but without any intel, I had nothing to work with. But I wasn’t a man who gave up until I’d achieved my mission.
I walked up to her at the front door, my steps measured, slow, letting her see I was in no hurry. As I stood next to her a beeping sound came from her jeans pocket. She pulled out her phone, looked at the screen and glanced up the stairs.
I kept my gaze on her face. “Something upstairs I need to investigate?”
The way her face paled I knew I’d hit a target of some kind.
She shoved the phone back in her jean’s pocket, her face a mask of stone. “I had an alarm programmed to remind me I needed to phone a friend about a birthday party.”
I stepped forward, crowding her space so that she had to bend her neck back to look up at me. “In the SEALs we’re all trained to the ultimate level, but each of us excels in our own way.” I dipped my head so my mouth was close to her ear. “Mine was breaking people’s resistance and learning their secrets.”
Straightening up, I watched in satisfaction as she swallowed and looked away, refusing to meet my gaze. “Until later, Sophie.” I passed through the doorway, but in many ways I’d just walked right back into her life, whether she wanted me there or not.
Ten minutes later, I’d ended a call to Ryder. Marshall Securities answer to the Sexiest Man Alive was on a hunting and gathering mission.
Another fifteen minutes, and I was walking into the old red brick building of the Rushville City Hall, also home to the local Police Headquarters. Stopping by the reception desk, I asked for Detective Andy Neilson.
I hadn’t been here in years. Instead of the old wooden door that had led to the bullpen and desks for officers, there was now a solid looking door with a swipe card needed to gain access. Not foolproof but a step up from years ago.
A minute later, Andy—his blond hair a little less unabundant than two and a half years ago, but otherwise looking the same, came out through the secure door. “Deke.” His brow creased with a frown, but it disappeared soon enough. “I’d heard from Rob you were back.” Sophie had obviously told her brother. I’d debated calling Rob, thought I would in a day or two. Now, putting things off was a moot point.
“Hey, Andy.” I held out my hand and the detective took it in a firm grip. “Sophie told me you were investigating a threatening phone call she had received a week ago.”
Andy’s gaze narrowed a fraction. I wasn’t surprised. This guy was a cop, and he could take offence to me barging in and asking questions.
“What’s your interest, Deke?”
“Found a dead rat on her doorstep this morning.” I took a moment’s pleasure in the way he straightened his spine at the news. My coming here wasn’t to engage in a pissing contest on who was the biggest badass on the block. “Then I overheard her getting another one of those calls.”
“Dammit.” Andy rubbed the back of his neck. “Leaving the rat is an escalation.”
“I’m guessing you don’t have intel from the phone call?”
Andy shot me wry look. “This is Rushville P.D. I put a request in to the phone company to see if they could trace where the call came from, but I’m still waiting for a reply. My request was categorized as non-urgent.”
“Recategorize it.”
Andy’s mouth tightened at the authoritative tone of my voice. I didn’t care. Some sick fucker had left a mutilated rat on Sophie’s doorstep.
“Deke, you’re not the only one who cares about Sophie.” He gave me a level look. “I appreciate you coming here and letting me know what happened. I take it you didn’t leave the offending gift at her door.”
“Kicked the mat with my boot to the end of the patio.”
“Good. Thanks. I’ll get a patrol car to collect it right away.”
What Rushville P.D. and its limited resources could do was anyone’s guess, but having them officially take the evidence was a start.
“Right. I’ll leave you to get that done.”
“How’s your plans going with the sale of your house?”
At my raised brow, he shrugged with a casual grin. “This is Rushville. Everyone knows everyone’s business.”
True enough.
“The house is coming along. I’m listing with Shana Connor.”
“She’s got a good reputation in the county. You should do well.”
“Good to hear, man. Thanks.”
Andy shook my hand and turned to swipe his keycard through the lock, but swung back, a quizzical expression on his face. “So you’ve talked with Sophie?”
Intrigued at his question, I kept my tone and expression neutral, as if unruffled by his interest. “A couple of times.”
He nodded, studying me a moment longer before giving me a quick smile. “Good. Okay, I’ll get that patrol car to her house.”
With that, Andy swiped his card again and opened th
e door, disappearing behind its dark gray exterior.
Andy’s question regarding if I’d talked with Sophie had nothing to do with she and I shooting the breeze and catching up on old times. His tone indicated something else, as if… Sophie had something to share with me.
A secret.
One Andy thought she might have shared with me.
I turned and ran out of City Hall, ignoring the admonishing shout of the receptionist.
Time I found out what Sophie was hiding.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sophie
I stood at the living room window and watched Deke stride across the road like some urban mercenary dressed in a black t-shirt, black jeans and black motor-cycle boots. Stalking up his driveway, he got in his truck and drove away.
The moment his vehicle turned the corner at the end of our street, I raced upstairs to check on Noah. I nearly wept with relief when I saw he was still asleep and blissfully unaware of the turmoil that had just unfolded downstairs.
I was no fool. I knew Deke wouldn’t stop digging for information on who was calling me and, since I guessed it was the same person, had also left a mutilated rat on my doorstep.
That poor creature. Rats may not be my favorite animal, but, still… I shuddered at the memory of how it had suffered. What kind of insane creep could do such a thing?
Deke was right about the fact I needed to get more help.
But right now, it was Deke, the most determined and capable man I’d ever known, who posed the greater threat to me and, more importantly, Noah.
How ironic. He’d been my hero for longer than I cared to remember. A natural protector, I couldn’t find a better man to keep us physically safe. It was the threat of him taking my son, not to mention the fact he could break my heart—again—that had the potential to cripple me emotionally.
Two and a half years ago, both Rob and I had tried to contact him, but he didn’t respond. I knew I should tell him about his son, and I would, but this time, Deke would have to work to my timetable.
Right now, I needed to get out of this house and go somewhere I felt safe, away from Deke and the crazy jerk leaving dead rats on my doorstep.
I ran to my bedroom and, ten minutes later, had a bag packed to last me a week, which was the same amount of time I guessed Deke had left in Rushville. Hadn’t he said over a week ago that he expected his stay to last two weeks?
I loaded up another container with my laptop and other papers I needed for my freelance editing business. Romance authors made awesome clients and they allowed me to work from home, or my brother’s house if need be.
Another twenty minutes later, I had the car packed with all the gear I’d need for a week’s stay at my brother’s for Noah and I.
I’d just entered the house from my last trip packing my car when I heard a car door opening and closing.
A uniformed cop headed toward my front door. Clean cut with a young face, he gave me a reassuring smile as he nodded in greeting. “Ma’am, Detective Neilson asked me to come by and pick up some evidence.” He pulled out some gloves from his pants pocket and what looked to my untrained eye like a giant baggie.
“Evidence?” God, he had to mean the rat. But how did Andy know? I hadn’t called him. There’s no way he—
Deke. He must have contacted Andy.
“Right, Officer. Can I leave that task to you?”
“Absolutely, ma’am.” He nodded. “Detective Neilson will be in touch.”
“Thanks for that.” I didn’t bother hanging around and left the young officer to his task.
I had more pressing matters bearing down on me with the impact of a Mack truck speeding without brakes at one hundred miles an hour.
If Andy had been in contact with Deke, then who knew what they had discussed besides my stalker?
I’d never specifically asked Andy not to say anything about Noah to Deke, maybe Rob had?
Jesus, what a mess.
I ran back up the stairs and into Noah’s room. My little man was now awake and playing with Gordon in his crib. “Hey, Noah, are you ready for a trip in the car to Uncle Rob and Auntie Janie’s house?
“Car. Voom Voom.” He gave me a huge smile.
Despite the tension coursing through me I couldn’t help but giggle, which encouraged Noah to giggle right along with me.
Trust my boy to have me smiling even when I was feeling desperate.
I lifted him in my arms, making sure his precious orange teddy was with us. “Okay, well you, me, and Gordon are heading on out.”
“Noah out.”
“That’s right, little man.” I survived a bonk on the head with Gordon and hustled us down the stairs. My phone and purse were already in the car, along with Noah’s infant car seat.
I locked the front door on our way out, noting the young officer had just pulled out and was driving down the street.
I sucked in a breath and lowered Noah into his car seat and started strapping him in.
“You can do this, Sophie.” I reminded myself as Noah held Gordon in his tiny fist and shook the toy up and down in front of him.
“Going somewhere?”
I froze.
That deep voice.
I gazed at my son; his infectious smile beamed up at me as I clutched the edge of his car seat.
I backed out of the passenger doorway and moved to close the door part way in an attempt to shield Noah. Only then did I check behind me.
Deke stood a few feet from me, his view into the car blocked by my body and the passenger door. His razor sharp gaze pinned me in place. “What are you hiding, Sophie?”
Fear gripped me like a vise, crushing my voice and rendering me silent.
“Step away from the door.”
I could only stare back, my limbs refusing to move as I shook my head.
“Then I’ll help you,” he said in a low, measured voice.
His hand curled around my upper arm and firmly pulled me aside. I stumbled, not from the force of his touch, but the almost paralyzing impact of knowing what was to come.
“Don’t move,” he warned.
I wanted to laugh and reassure him I couldn’t even if I tried.
This was the moment I’d first prayed for two and a half years ago and then dreaded nine months later when I first held Noah in my arms.
Holding my breath, I waited.
CHAPTER NINE
Deke
Whatever the hell I expected to find when I arrived back at Sophie’s, seeing her car packed with various big tote bags and her bent over the back passenger seat oblivious to my arrival hadn’t been my first guess.
What threw me more was the look of abject fear on her face when she’d turned to confront me.
Pulling the passenger door open as wide as possible, I leaned in to see what was inside.
A toddler, wearing a matching t-shirt and shorts in navy with white piping, was snugly strapped in an infant car seat.
A little boy.
With light brown hair.
And gray eyes.
My lungs seized in my chest, refusing to expand.
I stared at the child before me.
Not caring about the burning sensation filling my chest as a rushing sound filled my ears.
My son.
This little boy was my son.
A rush of joy and wonder so blindingly potent I nearly fell on the ground filled my body.
I didn’t know what I was doing or how I was supposed to act.
But one thing I knew for sure.
In that second, I fell in love with a tiny little person.
I blew out a whoosh of air, my chest heaving from however long I had held my breath.
Lifting my hand, I tentatively ran the tip of my finger over the face of a dog embroidered on the front of his shirt.
The boy glanced at me, his gaze wide and inquisitive, as if wondering what this giant was before him, and the next second, he reached out a tiny hand and latched on to my finger. “No, pleeze,” he said, but j
udging by his happy giggle, ‘No’ could easily mean yes in his eyes.
He was a stranger to me right now, but that would change.
“Hey there, little buddy.” I undid the straps of his harness and carefully, so very carefully, lifted my son in my arms to nestle him against my chest.
No words could describe the heart-stopping wonder of holding him for the first time.
“What’s his name?” I didn’t take my eyes off my child.
“Deke, I…” Sophie’s faltering attempt to explain was like a pin to the fragile bubble keeping my anger in check.
“His name,” I repeated, this time making it an undeniable command.
“Noah.”
“Noah.” I repeated softly. My son gazed up at me, recognizing his name.
I glanced down to Sophie as she wiped away tears from her cheeks. I couldn’t begin to imagine what she must be feeling. Jesus, I was running through a gauntlet of emotions myself, but judging by the way her gaze softened whenever she gazed at Noah, it was clear she loved her son.
Our son.
I made myself promise to honor that love for Noah as over the next couple of hours we dealt with the immediate aftermath of my discovery.
One thing was certain.
Nobody would keep me from my son ever again.
“We’ll bring from the car what is absolutely essential for Noah the next hour. Neither of us is leaving the house until I have the full story of how this happened.”
“Fine.” She opened the front passenger door and pulled out a woman’s handbag and a large blue canvas bag with various zippers and compartments. “This has everything we need in an emergency.” Looking back at Noah’s infant seat, she then flicked her gaze to me. “You’ll need to grab Gordon, his orange teddy. He takes Gordon with him everywhere.”
“Right.” I snagged the teddy and settled the toy between my chest and Noah, who chatted happily to himself as he squeezed his furry friend. There was so much I had to get my head around. Like the fact his favorite toy was an orange teddy named Gordon. I wanted to thank Sophie for sharing that information, but at the same time I resented the fact she had known and I hadn’t.