anywhere near her son, then she quickly found her cell. As she was wrapping up her call with the police dispatcher, Kell opened the front door, the collar of his shirt distended and scratches on his neck. Her eyes widened in worry, but he gave a sharp shake of his head.
“I’ll be back in a sec.” He disappeared down the hall, then was back outside again.
Following him only as far as the entryway, Charlotte watched as he slid plastic tie things on her wrists. Whatever they were they must be sturdy because the woman couldn’t seem to break them. Though she was certainly trying.
Kell turned, his gaze locking on hers. “Stay inside.”
Frowning at his order, she did what he said anyway, not wanting him to be distracted. Seconds later he was inside, looking disheveled and frustrated.
“Are you okay?” She stepped toward him, worry flooding her.
His jaw tight, he nodded as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “I didn’t sleep with that woman.”
She blinked, surprised by the fear in his gaze. Fear that she wouldn’t believe him. Her heart squeezed. “I know.”
He stared at her for a long moment, his shoulders relaxing. “You do?”
She nodded. “You’re not like Andrew. I know that.”
It was almost like a weight lifted from him at her words. Before he could say anything else, she continued. “I called the police and they’re on their way.” As if on cue, the sound of sirens in the distance rent through the air.
“I called them too. Freaking nut job,” he muttered.
“Who is she and what does she want?”
For a moment he looked embarrassed, then just resigned. “We went on a few dates—but I never slept with her,” he interjected hastily, as if she’d be pissed about something he’d done in his past. “I ended things and apparently she’s a total nut. She uh, spray painted your car and when one of the guys tried to stop her she spray painted him. I could be wrong but I’m betting she’s behind your slashed tires too.”
That actually made more sense, especially since the cartel had no issue with her and she’d never been able to figure out how anyone had found out where she’d been staying so quickly. Despite the insanity of the situation, she let out a shaky laugh. “Is it crazy that I’m actually relieved it’s some nut job ex who trashed my car and not the Mexican cartel? I never thought I’d be saying that .”
Kell pulled her into his arms, his grip around her tightening as she laid her head against his chest. She inhaled, loving the spicy, masculine scent she could easily get addicted to. “We’ll press charges and so will the guard. She assaulted both of us and defaced your property. I doubt she’ll do much time, but I’ll also get a restraining order against her and see if Harrison can talk to the DA.”
Charlotte breathed in his spicy scent, letting it ground her. “We’ll figure everything out. At least I know life with you will never be boring,” she murmured against his chest.
He went impossibly still for a moment but as the police siren grew louder he stepped back, his expression carefully guarded. She wasn’t sure what she’d said to elicit that reaction, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. “I’m going to check on Reece but I’ll be out here in a few minutes.”
After kissing him, she hurried to the back of the house. By now she was a pro at filling out police reports. She just hoped this was the last one she would have to fill out for a long time.
Chapter 11
Cecil stuck to the shadows next to the empty house across the street from his intended target. He’d gotten damn lucky with the help of an old friend from high school. After managing to get a copy of the police report on Mateo’s murder—no small feat in itself—he’d gotten the witness’s name and phone number. For the past couple weeks his friend had been trying to track the damn thing. Of course Cecil had to lie to him about what it was for because if he’d told the truth—that he
“I’ll be back in a sec.” He disappeared down the hall, then was back outside again.
Following him only as far as the entryway, Charlotte watched as he slid plastic tie things on her wrists. Whatever they were they must be sturdy because the woman couldn’t seem to break them. Though she was certainly trying.
Kell turned, his gaze locking on hers. “Stay inside.”
Frowning at his order, she did what he said anyway, not wanting him to be distracted. Seconds later he was inside, looking disheveled and frustrated.
“Are you okay?” She stepped toward him, worry flooding her.
His jaw tight, he nodded as he scrubbed a hand over his face. “I didn’t sleep with that woman.”
She blinked, surprised by the fear in his gaze. Fear that she wouldn’t believe him. Her heart squeezed. “I know.”
He stared at her for a long moment, his shoulders relaxing. “You do?”
She nodded. “You’re not like Andrew. I know that.”
It was almost like a weight lifted from him at her words. Before he could say anything else, she continued. “I called the police and they’re on their way.” As if on cue, the sound of sirens in the distance rent through the air.
“I called them too. Freaking nut job,” he muttered.
“Who is she and what does she want?”
For a moment he looked embarrassed, then just resigned. “We went on a few dates—but I never slept with her,” he interjected hastily, as if she’d be pissed about something he’d done in his past. “I ended things and apparently she’s a total nut. She uh, spray painted your car and when one of the guys tried to stop her she spray painted him. I could be wrong but I’m betting she’s behind your slashed tires too.”
That actually made more sense, especially since the cartel had no issue with her and she’d never been able to figure out how anyone had found out where she’d been staying so quickly. Despite the insanity of the situation, she let out a shaky laugh. “Is it crazy that I’m actually relieved it’s some nut job ex who trashed my car and not the Mexican cartel? I never thought I’d be saying that .”
Kell pulled her into his arms, his grip around her tightening as she laid her head against his chest. She inhaled, loving the spicy, masculine scent she could easily get addicted to. “We’ll press charges and so will the guard. She assaulted both of us and defaced your property. I doubt she’ll do much time, but I’ll also get a restraining order against her and see if Harrison can talk to the DA.”
Charlotte breathed in his spicy scent, letting it ground her. “We’ll figure everything out. At least I know life with you will never be boring,” she murmured against his chest.
He went impossibly still for a moment but as the police siren grew louder he stepped back, his expression carefully guarded. She wasn’t sure what she’d said to elicit that reaction, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. “I’m going to check on Reece but I’ll be out here in a few minutes.”
After kissing him, she hurried to the back of the house. By now she was a pro at filling out police reports. She just hoped this was the last one she would have to fill out for a long time.
Chapter 11
Cecil stuck to the shadows next to the empty house across the street from his intended target. He’d gotten damn lucky with the help of an old friend from high school. After managing to get a copy of the police report on Mateo’s murder—no small feat in itself—he’d gotten the witness’s name and phone number. For the past couple weeks his friend had been trying to track the damn thing. Of course Cecil had to lie to him about what it was for because if he’d told the truth—that he
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