her. Another photo of her with her hand on the shoulder of, what appeared to be, the same man; sitting at his desk. The next photo had the man hugging her while laughing. And the last photo was Katie in her pink silk bra and pantie set, talking on the phone in her bedroom at her old house.
Conner was hit with a rage so fierce he crumpled the photos and dropped them to the ground. He turned his yellowish eyes to Katie before walking to the kitchen, picking up the phone and dialing, without a word. Katie had no idea what had set him off this time. She reached down and picked up the papers.
She looked at the pictures and realized what Conner must be thinking. He thought she was dating Decker, the man in the photos. Resigned, she dropped the pictures where Conner had left them, and went to collect her things.
While she was walking away Quinn called to her, “He’s better than you think, Missy.”
Katie couldn’t even find the gusto to fight. She simply continued to walk to her room, no his room. She’d never fit in with these people.
As she was rolling her luggage down the hall Conner stopped her, “What do you think you’re doing.”
She turned to him and noticed the rage in his eyes. She started to explain what the pictures were but instead said, “I called Shana. She’s going to come pick me up. Will you please unlock the door?”
“ I swear I will never understand you as long as I live.” Conner looked even more tense.
“ The photos, you’re upset. I don’t want to fight with you anymore. I don’t have another fight left in me.” She turned to Quinn, “You’re right, he’s too good for me.”
Quinn replied, “That he is, my Dearie, but not because of why you think.” Quinn walked from the room shaking her head, and muttering to herself.
The doorbell rang, and Conner opened it to a frantic Shana and a livid Jake. “We brought Paul and Grant. That should be enough to rotate through patrols at night. We’re more than happy to stay during the day, but at one we have to leave and pick up Trevor. Shana was so worried she wouldn’t stay at home.” He cut Shana the evil eye and she winked back.
“ Can I see the pictures?” Shana asked tentatively.
Katie went over and picked them up, where she had previously dropped them, on the floor. She whispered, “I don’t know what the big deal is, it’s just me and Decker.”
Shana flipped through the pictures until she looked at the last one and her eyes got wide, “What’s this Katie?”
“ I hadn’t seen that one. It looks like it was taken right outside my bedroom window. Creepy.”
“ So, why did you want me to come pick you up girlfriend?”
Katie stepped away from Conner and replied, “He got pissed after seeing the pictures, and I don’t want to be a nuisance.” She grimaced, “I think he believes Decker to be my boyfriend, or something.”
Conner turned around with a harsh expression. “I thought no such thing. I know that’s your partner, Brett Decker. You’ve been partners for a little over five years, and according to what I’ve read, you both work well together.” His face softened slightly, “You didn’t call them to take you away because you thought I couldn’t protect you?”
She looked dumbstruck, “No, why would you think that?”
“ You didn’t even talk to me, or give me a chance to talk to you, about the new threat. Your first reaction was to bolt.”
“ I thought you thought I was cheating on you. And you left to make other arrangements for my care. You looked angry.”
“ I am angry that someone invaded your privacy. I’m angry that whoever wants to harm you, found out where you’re staying. And I was angry because you were leaving.”
“ Oops, sorry. Communication breakdown.”
“ Katie your first reaction to things can’t be to leave, otherwise this’ll never work. I know you would never cheat on me, unless one of the photos showed you puking your guts out.” He chuckled at the picture he
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