by E A Price
Mary gestured to Tomas. “This is my… friend, Tomas.”
One of Tomas’ eyes ticked at ‘friend,’ but he just grunted at Hotsler.
Hotsler nodded.
“How was your vacation?”
The detective smiled. “Great. My girls got to meet Anna and Elsa, and we rode the teacups eight times. How’ve you been?”
Tomas bristled impatiently, and she placed her hand over his to calm him. He quickly laced his fingers with hers, and it didn’t go unnoticed by the detective.
“Actually, I’ve been away for a couple of weeks.”
Hotsler’s expression hardened and Tomas tensed, probably wondering whether she was going to tell him she was kidnapped.
“I took an unplanned vacation with Tomas,” she said, throwing a small smile his way.
“You really should have told us first,” said the detective in disapproval.
“Yes, you really should,” agreed Detective Rogers as he wandered over to them holding a coffee mug.
Mary bid him hello, and he grunted in return. The detective looked thinner and more tired than usual.
“You really shouldn’t run away at the drop of a hat,” continued Rogers, scowling at Tomas. “It’s not safe.”
“Safer with me than here on her own,” growled Tomas.
“That’s your opinion, kid,” replied Rogers disdainfully.
Tomas shifted in his seat. “You’ve had ten years to catch the bastard doing this to her; she’s safer with me than anywhere else.”
Rogers’ eyes flared in a fury. “Try doing our job, kid, and you’ll soon change your mind.” He turned to Hotsler. “You want me to run a background check on this one?”
Tomas curled his lip.
“That’s really not necessary,” said Mary, clutching Tomas’ hand a little tighter.
Hotsler gave a short shake of head to Rogers who in turn gave Tomas a sour look and moved on, muttering to himself.
Mary frowned. Normally he was such a polite guy, though she had noticed that he was no longer wearing his wedding ring. It appeared his marriage was over; a little grumpiness may be par for the course.
Tomas pushed all the new threats Mary had received at the detective. He took them and read them, not at all surprised by their content. They were nothing new.
“We need to find him and stop him,” snarled Tomas.
Hotsler leaned forward on his desk. “I can tell you’re pissed.” Tomas snorted – understatement of the year. “No one wants this guy to stop more than the three of us, but don’t do anything that may put you two in danger.”
“We won’t,” chirped Mary, hoping this would be enough to deter Tomas.
It wasn’t.
“What if we go out to dinner?” Tomas asked just a little petulantly. “That’s not out of the ordinary.”
Hotsler gave him a weary smile. “No, you’re right. But I’ll tell you what I tell Mary, to be careful, be vigilant and don’t take any unnecessary risks.”
Tomas squeezed Mary’s hand. “She won’t.”
“We won’t,” corrected Mary, glaring at Tomas.
Terrific. She was the only one who had any sense!
Twenty-Five
“You look amazing,” said Tomas.
Mary smoothed out her dress. It was her ‘going out’ dress, and she hadn’t worn it in three years. She was glad it still fit.
She was trying to enjoy being out at a restaurant with her almost-boyfriend, but she couldn’t help the worry about who was lurking out there.
“I won’t let him hurt you,” growled Tomas for the fifth time that evening.
As much as she enjoyed hearing him say that, in that husky voice while his eyes blazed gold, he still didn’t seem half as worried as he should.
“Not me I’m worried about.”
“Elvis and Sam will be around.”
“Umm hmmm.”
She clutched at her fork, actually managing to bend it. Either the restaurant had terrible silverware, or she was super tense – probably a mixture of both. Tomas took her hand to stop her from ruining any more utensils.
“You look lovely, too,” she murmured, eyeing him in what he called his best shirt and slacks.
They were reserved for matings and funerals and now seemed to extend to dates as well.
Tomas shrugged away the compliment. He was about as used to praise as she was. She reflected they were similar in many ways, which was surprising considering their outward differences.
“My first date,” he admitted.
Mary was going to voice her surprise but quickly stifled it. She knew by now he wasn’t lying. She was his first everything. Mary felt honored.
“My first in a long time, and definitely my best.”
They gave each other a dreamy look and then she remembered why they were there. It must have shown on her face.
“It’s going to be okay,” he murmured before pulling her hand to his mouth and kissing her palm.
Mary beamed and then blushed as she realized the woman at the table next to her was watching the two of them with a hungry look. No wonder; her date was not very covertly watching a football game on his phone.
“I need the bathroom,” said Mary.
“I’ll come with you.”
Tomas jumped to his feet and pulled Mary’s chair out, ready to escort her.
“Ah, I really don’t think…”
“I’ll stand outside,” he amended. “I just need to be near you.”
“Okay.”
The woman next to them slapped her date. He let out a yelp. “Why aren’t you that attentive?” she demanded.
While Tomas peered through the door every time someone opened it, looking for any dangerous stalkers hiding in toilet bowls, he was true to his word and waited outside. Mary couldn’t deny that she did feel a little happier knowing he was only a scream away, but she did hurry to get back to him. While she didn’t want to be alone, she also didn’t want him to be alone. Yeah, yeah, he was a big, tough jaguar shifter, but they had no idea what her stalker was capable of.
Mary was drying her hands when a young woman with blue hair approached her.
“Hey.”
“Ummm, hello,” replied Mary, warily.
She held up a note and in a bored voice said, “This is weird, but some guy paid me five bucks to give you this.”
Reluctantly, and only because the young woman insistently pressed it into her hand, Mary took it and read the note.
“Oh!”
Mary gasped and Tomas burst in.
“Note… stalker… note,” she whispered, panicking.
Your boyfriend is dead.
*
Mary called and left a message for Detective Hotsler.
“Whoa, come on, sweetheart,” said Elvis, maneuvering the irritated blue-haired woman into Mary’s apartment.
Mary didn’t want to stay at the restaurant after the note. Since Tomas didn’t really trust anyone but himself and his leap mates, he insisted they go back to Mary’s apartment. Unfortunately, their witness wasn’t as keen on this idea, and they had technically kidnapped her. But Mary wanted her to describe the person who gave her the note to Detective Hotsler, so… needs must when the devil drives!
“This is kidnapping!” screeched the woman from over Elvis’s shoulder.
While Elvis winced at her shrill tone, he still managed a chuckle. “Yeah, we’re good at that.”
“Lousiest five bucks I ever made,” she grumbled.
The woman pinched Elvis’ butt. He was so startled that he stumbled and the woman managed to kick him in the groin. He doubled over, and the woman dropped to the ground and ran out the door.
“Damnit!” snarled Elvis.
Both he and Sam took off after her.
Tomas prowled the living room. “Can’t believe we missed him!” he snarled.
Mary didn’t like to admit she was glad they did. The thought of anything happening to Tomas gave her a very bad feeling deep, deep down in her stomach.
Tomas barely had time to work his way up to a hissy fit before Detective Rogers turned up at the apartment looking very harassed.
Mary frowned at him. “How did you get here so quick? I only just left a message for Detective Hotsler.”
“He called me,” said Rogers crisply. “I was in the area. I just saw someone lurking outside.”
“What?” howled Tomas.
“He got away from me.” Rogers strode over to the window and peered outside. “Shifter, yeah?” This was directed at Tomas.
Tomas grunted. “Yeah.”
“Go see if you can track him,” ordered Rogers. “Mary, come with me.”
“Tomas, no,” cried Mary, grabbing Tomas’ hand.
He cupped her cheek. “Mary we have to get him.”
“He may be armed, you should stay with me, while the detective chases him!”
“My priority is you,” said the detective as he gently grasped her elbow, trying to pull her away from Tomas.
She wouldn’t let go, and Tomas growled at the detective. The two of them glowered at each other for a couple of beats.
Tomas scowled. “I need to get this guy.” Carefully, he extricated his hand from hers.
“No, wait!”
But without Tomas as an anchor, she was as easy to move as a balloon. Before she could get out any more objections, the detective was already hurrying her out the apartment while Tomas sprinted away. She was outside and being packed into the detective’s car before she knew what was happening.
“Tomas!” she ground out as the car sped away. “Couldn’t you have just called for backup or something?”
“I have to keep you safe.”
“But, Tomas…”
The detective snorted but didn’t slow down.
Mary fiddled with her seatbelt. He will be okay. She told herself that over and over. In spite of what he may think, he was not dumb – he wouldn’t needlessly run into a dangerous situation. Unless he was willing to risk himself for her… Hell!
She had to focus on something else. He will be okay.
“Sorry, to call you out at this time,” she muttered.
Rogers shrugged, and Mary looked over his car. It was pristine – he was a neat freak – it reminded her a little of Tomas. She wasn’t overly neat. She smiled slightly as she remembered how Tomas had made the bed after they had sex. He was so sweet.
He perhaps wasn’t quite as neat as the detective though. Oh, except for something on the floor. Something white caught her eye. She reached and picked it up, noticing it was a parking pass for the University – her old University.
He saw her do it and smiled coldly.
“Went there this afternoon for one of my regular talks,” he explained.
Mary scrunched her nose. “Talks?”
“Yeah, don’t you remember?”
“The ‘don’t talk to strangers because they’re bound to want to attack you’ talk?”
Yeah, she remembered the talk, but she couldn’t pick the guy who did it out of a lineup.
His jaw twitched. “I’m hurt you don’t remember.”
Mary tried to squeeze the memory, to wring it out to see if it was him. She just remembered a police officer with sandy hair and a pretty average face – a guy who would easily get lost in the crowd. Who wouldn’t stand out…
“I remember you,” he said, “sitting in the front row, listening attentively.”
Mary looked out the window. “This isn’t the way to the police station.”
“No, it isn’t.”
Twenty-Six
“Where are we going? Was there even a guy outside my apartment? No of course not, you’re the guy! You’ve been terrorizing me!” Mary tried to huddle into the side of the car.
Rogers frowned at her. “Not terrorizing – keeping you safe.”
“Sure!”
“Yes,” he insisted. “There are a lot of crazy men out there – trust me, I know. I just needed to keep you safe until I was free.”
“Okay,” she said slowly. Panic level rising…
“See, I knew we were meant to be together when I first saw you, but my kids were still young, and I didn’t want to leave them without a dad.”
“Aha.” Mary licked her lips.
“My wife and I realized that we didn’t want to be together a long time ago, but we stuck it out for them - through thick and thin. But my youngest is off to college, so now I’m free.” He grinned.
“Where are we going?” asked Mary as they whizzed past streets and houses she didn’t recognize.
“Somewhere we can finally be together.”
“Oh.” Mary tried to wrap her head around that. “So all this time, you were the one sending me the letters and the gifts and breaking into my apartment?”
Rogers nodded, remorseless for the way he had acted over the years. “I had to; you’ve no idea how hard it was for me knowing that we were soul mates and watching you running out on me with other men.”
“I’m sorry?” Seemed like the thing to say.
“I don’t blame you, sweetheart.” He put his hand on her leg. “But it was hard on me trying to teach you how to behave. You were intent on being a whore, and just when I finally got you to learn the rules you bring home that lumbering ox of a shifter!”
Tomas! “He’s just a friend,” she said quickly. The last thing she wanted was for this lunatic to go after her Tomas.
He snorted. She wondered where Tomas was at that moment. Had he realized she had been kidnapped? Mary almost burst into laughter as she realized this was the second time in as many weeks that she had been kidnapped by a guy that wanted to be with her. She preferred it when Tomas did it.
Mary sneaked a glance at the detective. What did she really know about him? She didn’t even know his first name! No, she’d never felt as comfortable with him as she did with Hotsler, but she had trusted him. She hadn’t considered he was capable of this. She imagined Hotsler hadn’t either.
Mary stared down at his hand on her leg, trying to find an easy way to get it the heck away from her.
“It doesn’t matter what you did with that boy because you’re mine now.”
“Ah…”
“And I know you’ll never cheat on me like my bitch of a wife. You’re mine, and you’re going to live with me and…”
“No.”
Rogers threw her a startled look. “No?”
“No!” she yelled, grabbing his hand and twisting his fingers back.
He yelped, and the car swerved, but nothing would deter Mary. She was sick to death of being a victim – that ended now!
“You’ve been trying to control me for ten years; it ends now!”
*
Tomas was following in the van. Took him a minute of running around the building to realize the guy was lying.
Stupid! He should have scented the lie on him, but clearly, the guy was practiced in deception. He knew the detective was agitated, but Tomas really didn’t think he was going to kidnap his Mary – his mate. Only Tomas was allowed to do that!
His jaguar howled at him to hurry. Where was this bastard taking her?
The car swerved. His heart thundered. What was happening? Mary!
The car swerved again, more violently this time and plowed into another parked car.
“No!” he roared.
Tomas slammed on the brakes and, jumped out, running to the car. The detective, dazed and bleeding clambered out, and Tomas socked him in the face. He ran around to the passenger side and found Mary trying to climb out.
Words failed him as he carefully pulled his tiny mate into his arms.
“I’m okay,” she murmured. “I’m okay.”
His beast snarled in relief.
*
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine, the swelling on my nose should go down soon.” Mary pressed an experimental finger to her nose and winced.
She looked like a raccoon mated with a clown, and she was the outcome – big black eyes surr
ounding a huge red honker.
“Mary.” Tomas’ voice was filled with anguish and guilt.
“It’s not your fault,” she said again.
She didn’t begrudge having to tell him over and over. He needed reassurance, and she was happy to give it to him.
No one had any idea what Rogers was really like. He was a compulsive person, but lots of people were – they had no idea his obsessiveness had manifested in stalking her. He had finally snapped when his youngest daughter went to college. He apparently snapped so hard he shot his wife and left her for dead. She managed to crawl to a phone and call for help.
She lost a lot of blood, but she was recovering, and talking a lot about her creepy husband. The two of them started leading separate lives just before he met Mary. They agreed to stick it out for their kids, but she couldn’t take any more of his controlling behavior, so they went their separate ways. But both agreed not to date or pursue other romances for the appearance of their marriage. Apparently, when at home he spent his time in his locked study. On prying it open, Hotsler found hundreds of photos of Mary, and logs and diaries of him following her. He really had obsessed over her.
It was still hard to believe that it was really over. She had grabbed the wheel, making Rogers crash, then Tomas found her. Now, it was over. She was free. She really was free to do as she wanted. She could go anywhere and do absolutely anything! She could travel the world like she always wanted! There was no pressure to do or not do anything at all. She could make her own decisions. Mary bit her lip as she looked at Tomas. So, what did she really want to do with her life?
Detective Hotsler came in sporting a hangdog expression. Tomas growled and put a protective arm around Mary.
“I deserve that and more,” said the pale looking detective.
“No you don’t,” argued Mary though Tomas clearly agreed with the detective.
Hotsler smiled wanly. “Mary, you take care of yourself and your man here, and no offense, but I hope I never see you again – for your sake.”
Mary shrugged her way out of Tomas’ hold and hugged Hotsler. Though, it was a very quick hug, as Tomas’ non-stop growl was kind of off-putting.