by Melody Anne
Keera was standing outside her door, speaking to two officers. Arden heard someone inside the small unit and knew there were probably two more checking out whatever was wrong.
“What happened?” Arden asked, knowing the two men speaking with her.
Arden had to respect them, because even though the men knew Arden, they looked to Keera to make sure it was okay for them to share the information. She nodded at the men, who appeared relieved. It sucked in a small town to have to keep something from someone they knew would want to help.
“Ms. Thompson’s apartment was broken into. The perps were caught by one of the neighbors, who called it in, but they managed to flee the scene,” Officer Nicolson said.
“Did they get a description?” Arden asked. He wanted in that apartment right now.
“Unfortunately, both perps wore ski masks. The neighbor said they were somewhere around six feet tall, lanky, and strong as hell. The neighbor got pushed into the wall as they rushed past him.”
“Oh my,” Keera said. She must have just beaten him there, and this was news to her as well as him. “Are the neighbors okay?”
“Your neighbors are fine, ma’am,” Officer Nicolson assured her.
Arden respected that Keera was more concerned with her neighbors’ safety than what could be missing from her apartment. But then again, she’d already lost everything once in her life, so she knew she could replace items. It truly was people who mattered, not objects.
“I wonder if this could be one of the same men who were at the school,” Keera said.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Arden told her.
“Do you have any idea what the perps might be trying to find?” the officer asked. “I don’t believe in coincidence, and with your office and now your home broken into, it’s not a leap saying you’re in danger.” Arden was glad the officer wasn’t sugarcoating this.
“I have nothing of value,” she told the officer. Her shoulders drooped, and Arden saw the confusion in her eyes. He moved closer, wrapping his arm around her.
Max was clearly agitated as he whipped his head from her to the open door. He wanted to protect Keera, but he also wanted in that apartment.
“It’s okay, Max. Wait,” Arden said. He was shocked when the dog looked at him with understanding, then sat at Keera’s other side, resting his head against her. Her hand immediately went to the back of Max’s ears, and she rubbed, the worry in her eyes dimming. The neighbor who’d called in the report stepped from his apartment, a nice shiner forming on his right eye.
“Oh, Mr. Davis,” Keera said, sympathy and guilt in her eyes.
“I’m okay, Keera. Some young punks can’t hurt an old man like me,” he said, his chest puffing out.
“What happened?” she asked.
“I already told the officers. But I was coming home from the grocery store and saw your door cracked open. After all the odd occurrences around here, I wasn’t going to take any chances, so I pushed open the door and called out your name. Two men dressed in black rushed me. I wasn’t going to back down, but they bowled me over, sending me against the wall. I fell and caught my eye on the doorknob,” he said with a bit of irritation directed at himself.
“You shouldn’t have tried to stop them,” Keera told him. “But I’m so grateful to have someone like you living next door to me. Thank you.” She squeezed his hand, and Arden noticed the tremor she was trying to hide.
“That’s what I should be doing. You’re a young lady living here on your own. We look out for each other,” he assured her.
Keera got tears in her eyes, and she looked down as she pulled herself together. She really didn’t like showing weakness. Sometimes it was a person’s vulnerabilities that endeared them most to others, though. Maybe it was Arden’s job to show her there could be a lot of strength in letting go of what you thought was weakness.
“You’re clear to come in now,” said one of the officers who’d been inside her apartment.
Keera’s body tensed, but Arden was pleased when she allowed him to take her hand as she stepped forward. His gut clenched when he saw her place, and then he felt white-hot fury.
Keera gasped, but was otherwise silent as the two of them stopped only a few feet inside. The place had been wrecked. It appeared as if the people coming in had wanted to cause as much damage as possible. Her curtains were torn down, her plants tumbled over, and the soil ground into the carpet. The couch was turned upside down, with the cushions cut and foam scattered from the kitchen to the living room. She didn’t possess many knickknacks, but what few there were lay smashed against the linoleum of the kitchen floor. Containers were spilled, and the faucet had been left on, water coating the floor.
“Why?” she said, her voice a low whisper. “Why would anyone do this to another person?”
Arden didn’t have an answer. He couldn’t comprehend someone doing this to another, couldn’t imagine what would cause someone so much anger to be able to do this.
He squeezed her fingers instead of giving her a senseless answer that would mean nothing. The officers were quiet as they allowed her to go back to her bedroom, where her bed was destroyed. It looked as if an ax had been taken to it. This looked to be more than simple destruction. This appeared to be a hate crime.
“I have nothing for them to take,” Keera said, standing in her room, looking so lost that Arden couldn’t take it. He pulled her into his arms and held her while she shook.
“Do you have somewhere you can go, Ms. Thompson? With this much destruction, we don’t feel it’s safe for you to be here,” Officer Nicolson said.
She shook her head against his chest, and Arden felt the warm moisture of her tears. Keera was a strong woman, and he knew she was keeping her face buried because she didn’t want any of them to see what she deemed as weakness. He ran his fingers through her hair and held her.
She was silent for several moments, then she raised a hand and wiped her face before she sniffled and a shudder passed through her. Then he felt her shoulders firm up and knew she was preparing to put on a brave front. He needed to give her the time to fall apart, but she had to do that when she was ready. When she stepped back from him, her eyes were red, but there was determination in them.
“I don’t have somewhere to go, but I’d hope they’re done now. They have to have seen there’s nothing here,” she said, her voice still carrying a note of distress, though she was trying her best to cover it.
Officer Nicolson was about to argue with her when Arden stepped in. “I’ll make sure she’s safe,” he assured the cop, who nodded. It was well known in this town that Arden was a man of his word, and he wouldn’t say it if he didn’t mean it.
The officer gave her a card, told her to call anytime, then they left after ensuring she’d leave the place after gathering only what she needed. They made sure to let her know it was an active crime scene, and the less she could taint it, the better the chances they’d find evidence.
Keera didn’t move for a long time, and Max stayed right by her side. Though Arden wanted her out of this apartment as soon as humanly possible, he also knew not to push her. She needed patience and understanding more than she needed anything else.
“I can’t leave,” she finally said. She moved as if to sit on the bed, then looked at it and instead stepped to her closet, where her clothes had been ripped from their hangers. Her dresser had also been tossed, the drawers lying broken on the ground.
“Just grab what you must have, and we’ll figure the rest out later,” Arden told her.
“I can’t . . . I don’t know what to do,” she said, another tear slipping.
Arden moved over to her, placed his hands on her shoulders, and waited until she was looking him in the eyes. He waited a few more moments before speaking because he wanted to make sure she understood he was serious, that it was okay to lean on another person.
“Sometimes in life, the thing that makes us the strongest is to lean on those we know can help carry our burdens. You
accepting help from someone who cares about you doesn’t make you weak, doesn’t make you a victim, it makes you smart and strong. I’m involved now, Keera, and I won’t walk away from you. Let me help you.”
He raised a hand and caressed her cheek, wiping away the tear. Max whimpered beside her as if to offer his support as well. Her hand found that safe spot on Max’s head as she stared back at Arden, fear and hope mixed in her expression.
“I’m afraid to count on anyone but myself,” she admitted.
“It’s okay to be scared. As long as you allow someone in,” he told her.
One more tear fell before she brushed it away and looked at him with determination. “I don’t know how to accept help.”
“Then, let me show you,” he said.
He looked at the room, and he didn’t see anything that could be salvaged. She looked, as well, and seemed to come to the same conclusion.
“There’s a hotel in town,” she said. She didn’t appear happy with that choice. He knew on a principal’s salary it wouldn’t take her long to run out of funds, especially when she had to replace all that had been lost.
“Do you have rental insurance?” he asked, knowing most people didn’t carry it.
“Yes, thankfully, but that will take a while to kick in,” she said.
“Well, there’s a start. Why don’t we get out of here?” he offered.
She glanced around again and then nodded. They made their way out of the apartment, and he led her to his car. She tried to protest, but he promised her they’d come back the next day to get her car. She was too upset to be driving. She relented because she knew he was right. When they passed the hotel, she began to protest, but Arden assured her it was going to be okay.
There was no way he was leaving her alone again, not with someone coming after her. He was taking her where he could guarantee her safety. He was bringing her home. Only then would they both be able to sleep.
The only thing Arden was unsure about now is if he was going to be able to ever let her leave again. In a short time, she’d managed to dig her way into his heart, and he didn’t feel the slightest need to push her back out.
Chapter Nineteen
Keera knew the moment Arden passed the hotel that he was bringing her to his house. She also knew she should protest, tell him there was no way she could stay at his place. If the neighbors hadn’t already caught the two of them the other day in the parking lot, then her moving into his place was sure to spread gossip across town.
But she was afraid. She might not want to admit her fear, but someone had broken into her office, and then they’d broken into her home, destroying everything in it. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to so much as salvage her underwear. She didn’t know what she was going to do.
Yes, she had money in her savings account, but if she bought an entirely new wardrobe, she’d be left with little. Keera didn’t need a lot in life. She’d learned young that anything you had could be taken from you without notice. But a person did need the basics to get by. And she was a high school principal and had worked hard for years to have a wardrobe she was proud of.
And just like that, it had all been taken from her in the blink of an eye. She felt like that fifteen-year-old girl again, being told that nothing was hers, that it had all been obtained illegally. She hadn’t been able to understand then what had been happening.
Sadly enough, she couldn’t understand now, either. Because this was such a senseless crime. She had nothing of value—no reason for someone to come into her private space and destroy it. She might not be the best person in the world, but she wasn’t cruel, she didn’t inspire vendettas in others. It had to be because of her past.
That scared her enough to allow Arden to bring her home. She in no way wanted to put him in danger, but his words ran through her mind, and she knew it was time to lean on someone. She’d get strong again, she assured herself, but maybe she could allow him to carry the weight of her burdens for this one night.
“I won’t argue for now because I don’t have it in me,” she told Arden when he pulled into his garage. “But I can’t stay here long,” she warned.
Arden just smiled at her in that knowing way that tended to infuriate her. She had no doubt whatsoever that Arden wasn’t a man used to hearing the word no. He was a man of action, and once he set his mind on something, he was determined to carry it out. The thing he didn’t quite understand about her yet, though, was that she was the same as he was in that sense. She could certainly be just as stubborn.
As the two of them walked into his house, Arden was close behind her. With Max knowing the danger was gone, he trotted ahead, going to his food bowl and getting a bite to eat.
With Arden so close to her, and Max not there for a distraction, Keera’s nerves jumped. She moved away from him, walking into the living room and gazing out the window at his monstrous backyard. He truly lived in a beautiful area, with far more home than a single guy needed.
Of course, Keera had no doubt he wouldn’t be alone in the place long. He might want to take his time to settle down, but eventually he’d want to marry someone, want to start a family. The person he chose would need to be respected, would need to be good enough to carry the Forbes name. That person would never be her.
Keera shook her head as she fought more tears. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in herself. It wasn’t that she felt one human being was better than any other just because of their social status. It was just that she lived in the real world, and a family like the Forbeses was well known. One of them couldn’t get married without the tabloids looking for juicy details.
They’d have a field day with her story, and she’d be the cause of horrific embarrassment for Arden and the rest of his family. She had far too much respect for this man to put him in a position where he’d have to choose between her and his reputation. She now understood that would tear at him.
She’d begun to share her story with him, but she’d in no way finished it. When she did give him the rest, he’d be grateful he hadn’t gotten more serious with her than a fantastic night in bed. Men like the Forbeses could certainly get around, and it didn’t matter that much who they slept with—it only mattered who they put a ring on.
Arden gave her time to gather herself, and it was just one more thing she appreciated about the man. He made her feel safe, protected, and secure. He made her feel cared about—and most important, he made her feel as if she wasn’t alone, as if she truly did have someone she could turn to.
These thoughts about him were dangerous on so many levels. But it didn’t matter if she tried to stop them because it was how she felt, and it was too late to turn back. She’d opened herself to him, and no matter what she did to try to stop it, she was going to hurt when he wasn’t a part of her life. Keera had no doubt she’d have to eventually move from this town. It would simply be too painful for her to stay, to watch all this slip so easily from her fingers.
“I called my brother Kian. His wife is about your size, so I asked them to bring over some clothes until we can get to the store,” Arden said.
That drew Keera’s attention. “You didn’t need to do that,” she told him, embarrassed. She didn’t want to feel like a charity case.
“That’s what we do here. Last year, one of the students from a very large family had an electrical fire. They lost everything two weeks before Christmas. The town came together that night and took care of their immediate needs,” Arden said, smiling at the memory.
“I’m not surprised, from what I’ve learned of this town already,” she said.
“Those kids also had the best Christmas they could’ve ever imagined. It was going to take a while for the insurance to kick in and get their house rebuilt, but an anonymous donor came through, and the people of this town gathered, working night and day.” His smile grew. “Have you ever watched that show where they build a house in a week?”
She nodded. “It seems impossible.”
“Well, I guarantee it can
happen. The family was woken Christmas morning from the house they’d been staying in, a place far too small for a family of eight. They were driven home to find a new house, fully furnished with a living room so packed with gifts, the kids might still be opening them.” She was amazed when she saw a sparkle in his eyes. He blinked and turned, and when he looked at her again, he’d pulled himself together.
“I’m sure you were a big part of this,” she said, her admiration for him growing even more.
“A lot of people were,” he said noncommittally. “The point is that the family was a good family, the mother a nurse at the hospital, the father an owner of an accounting firm. They were proud people who have always worked hard, with good children who have been taught well. But sometimes in life we get knocked down, and it doesn’t hurt to accept help. They were more than grateful, and gracious as they accepted the town’s gift. They have also paid it forward a dozen times since. We’re a community that doesn’t leave each other out in the cold.”
Keera couldn’t keep her tears back any longer. She had been there such a short time, and he already considered her part of their town. She wasn’t sure she’d be brave enough to walk away—even if it was what was best for this man. Maybe she truly was as selfish as her father had called her the last time they’d spoken.
Chapter Twenty
Being in Arden’s house for the past few days had messed with Keera’s senses. She wasn’t sure what she wanted more—to be left alone, or to have him ravish her for all she was worth. Okay, if she were being honest with herself, she knew what she wanted, but that didn’t change what she should want.
He was being a perfect gentleman, though, making sure she was fed, letting her have the evenings to herself, allowing her to do her own thing. And it was driving her insane.
“Good morning.” The extraperky voice startled Keera as she sat up in bed, gripping the covers tightly to her chest as she gazed at Arden, who was leaning in her doorway, holding a steaming mug of coffee and wearing the sexiest damn smile she’d ever seen.
