His phone buzzed against his thigh. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen.
Cal.
His finger hovered over the ignore button. But Lana was pregnant, and he’d be a shitty friend if he wasn’t on call.
“Yeah,” he answered.
“Hey dude, how’s things?”
“Good, I’m heading to Riley’s place now. She’s on her way so I need to check things out before she gets there. How’s Lana doing?” Cal had been good at checking in and staying abreast of the plan, always offering a way to help. Though he wouldn’t leave Lana’s side, it was evident expecting the baby had him on eggshells and more than a little stir-crazy.
“She’s great. She started having contractions this morning but it was a false alarm. Still have seven weeks to go.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Were you shitting?”
“Bricks. I called the midwife, thinking it was go-time. I guess this shit is normal. Sure enough, the contractions stopped once she rested.”
“Pretty soon you’ll be welcoming a new person into the world. I’m excited for you, man.”
“Don’t be too excited yet, I still don’t know if I’ll survive.”
Ethan stifled the laugh that rumbled in his throat. “You? I think Lana has more at stake here.”
“Frick, she’s cool as a cucumber. You should have seen her. First thing she said was ‘I need to shave and wash my hair.’”
Ethan closed his eyes and shook his head on a chuckle. “Women. I tell you, the wrong species was born with balls.”
A beat passed. “That’s an image I didn’t need, dude.”
“Sorry,” he chortled. The toe of his shoe caught a pebble and it danced across the gravel alley as he groomed over the backs of the houses.
“I’ll call you back, bro. I’m here now.” He disconnected. It was after ten p.m. and only a few windows glowed from the inside. All he had to do was skirt through her backyard and he’d be at Riley’s back door. Music bumped from the street over, the bass from a cheap subwoofer rattled the old windows of the houses that lined the dark alley.
His hand tightened on the knife. “Damn kids,” he breathed. He glanced over his shoulder and swept his gaze down the alley—all clear. A short gate met him at Riley’s yard. He lifted the latch and entered, staying close to the shadows from the trees. Her house was still and dark, the back door would be locked. A warm glow shone in the window from the second level.
Michael.
He still hadn’t gotten to talk to the guy. Now that the whole town believed he and Riley were on the outs, he couldn’t do much investigative work. But Joe and Nate could. Michael’s proximity couldn’t be overlooked.
The soles of his shoes sunk into the soft earth below. He edged his way through the yard, his eyes trained on the house, there was no movement from the second floor.
He dug the key out of his pocket, climbed the porch, and entered.
The flowery scent of fabric softener greeted him as he came in the laundry room. He slid off his shoes and shut the door behind him. He exchanged the key for a flashlight and clicked it on, its warm beam illuminated his path. Turning on a light was too damn risky.
Before Riley came home, he needed to search the house. Aside from possible critters left for her to find, he needed to be damn sure it was safe and secure.
He moved silently through the house, coating his path with the flashlight’s beam. The house was still, and nothing seemed out of place. Not that that meant a damn thing. The guy had managed to get a snake in her bed without tripping the alarm.
He’d work his way from the back of the house to the front, starting in Riley’s bedroom. He crossed the slick, linoleum kitchen floor and entered the hallway. Her bedroom floor creaked beneath his weight and he cringed at the giveaway. Keeping his feet rooted to the spot, just a few feet shy of the end of her bed, he swept the flashlight around the room.
Dropping to his knees, he scanned under the bed. He exhaled, stirring a few dust bunnies from their slumber and lifted his gaze. He brought the glow from the flashlight to scan over the top of her still rumpled comforter.
The light caught a small nub tucked under the lampshade. He frowned, got to his feet, and shuffled across the room. He leaned next to the nightstand and peered under the lamp. A tiny device stood out near the bottom of the shade.
A bug. The bastard was listening to her. His fingernails sliced into his palms as he stepped away. He gripped the back of his neck with his hand and his blood roared through his ears. If he was listening, he could be watching too.
If the asshole was doing that shit, chances were he’d focus on her bedroom. The sick sonofabitch… If he’d planted a camera, he’d have hidden it up high or at eye level. His gaze lifted to the pale popcorn ceiling. His eyes zeroed on a spot over her bed. It was too damn dark to see. Not wanting to shine a light directly on it, he crossed the room and picked up the chair from against the wall. He positioned it a couple of feet away from the bed, and out of view.
It appeared a piece of the old, ratty white popcorn ceiling was missing. Had the ceiling been a smooth surface, it would have stuck out like a sore thumb. But the microscopic indent was too clean-cut and positioned perfectly over the head of her bed.
He stepped down, and moved the chair back. White noise roared through his mind. He crushed his teeth together until his jaw throbbed. Someone had been spying on her. Why? Because she was a threat? Or because she was a target?
He kept his footsteps light despite the rage that vibrated through him. He couldn’t lose it. If someone was listening on the other end there was a chance they had heard him. However, with Riley out for the night, he’d either be watching her in person, or not listening if she wasn’t home.
He searched the rest of the house with the precision of a fine-tooth comb. The only other bug had been an audio, stuck beneath the kitchen table. Two audios in total and one camera. At least he hadn’t bugged the entire house and they could carry out their plan tonight. They’d have to lay low and be careful, but with any luck, the watcher would be clueless.
He couldn’t touch the bugs. If he moved them, the douchebag would know. That could further endanger Riley, not to mention Hanna. As much as it pissed him off, they had to keep everything in place and let him watch and listen. Maybe they could work this in their favor, a way to trap him.
He typed a quick message, warning Riley about the bugs.
* * * *
His fingers grazed over the volume button on the car’s radio. He turned the music down and the air conditioning up. It was as hot as hell. Sweat clung beneath the hat he wore, but he didn’t dare remove it. It had been a while since he’d gone to Drew’s for a beer. After he’d overheard Jenny talking to Riley at the restaurant earlier, he couldn’t resist the chance at catching Riley.
Since the night he’d run her off the road, he’d only caught a glimpse of her leaving her house the day he’d left the snake. Not seeing her, even in passing or at the diner, had rattled him. He couldn’t make a damn move with that ape always hovering over her. That loser had to go.
Now that she wasn’t with him anymore, he could move in on Riley. But he couldn’t let Ethan walk away. He knew too much, and if something happened to Riley, the cops would be on him. Not a big deal, all he had to do was make Ethan’s death look like an accident. Maybe his furnace could catch on fire or the brakes could go in his truck. He’d get creative with that one.
The entrance to the bar opened and he saw Riley step out, her long, slim legs in view. His body tightened in response. He clenched his hands over the steering wheel to still the tremor that shook over him. He’d have so much fun with Riley. Her hair glowed in the moonlight, and the black dress she wore hugged her slim curves. A man’s arm circled her shoulders as they stepped to the curb.
Her ex-boyfriend. Or so he’d overheard people say inside the
bar before he’d left. Who was this guy and how long was he planning on staying? He couldn’t get rid of him too. Though he doubted the ex would be missed among locals, the last thing he needed to do was draw attention to Beaufort and himself.
His car was parked a couple of aisles away at the end of the row, giving him a clear view of them but shielding him from theirs. They stood under the streetlamp, his body cozy to hers despite the sticky humidity.
Rage shot through him, igniting his skin. The fucking slut. He took a deep breath through his nose, but it didn’t still the fury inside him. Warning bells sounded in his head. He was getting too emotional, too attached. That’s when people made mistakes. One slipup could ruin everything he’d worked for. He was lucky. He lived a happy, double life. The residents of Beaufort respected him, hell, he was even a member of the chamber of commerce. But locked quietly in his house, chained securely to the wall, was Hanna. He couldn’t jeopardize that, no matter how close Riley got. When the right opportunity presented itself, Riley would be his.
A cab pulled up a few minutes later and the man with the obnoxious grin opened the rear passenger door. Riley climbed in and the car sped away. Her ex-boyfriend shoved his hands in his pockets and dug out his keys.
A deep calm settled over him. He shifted into reverse and backed out of his parking spot. His foot tingled with the urge to stomp on the gas and run the moron over. Instead, he nodded at him as he passed, and her ex gave a friendly wave.
Dumb shit. This was how he did it. How he stayed invisible… by being in plain sight. He pulled onto the road and kept a far distance from the cab. A couple minutes later, it turned down the road leading to her house.
If he hurried, he could catch her on the audio devices he’d planted. Desire built in him. And he’d be able to watch her in bed. He hadn’t been able to watch her since before she’d started staying with her G.I. Joe boyfriend. He’d checked the tapes periodically, but it had been nothing but dead air. Now she would be home though. A shiver raced over him. If only he’d been able to plant more cameras, he could have watched her as she dressed and bathed. Maybe tonight he’d let Hanna watch Riley with him. The look on her face would be priceless.
Chapter 20
Riley’s heart slammed against her breastbone. How long had someone been watching her? Disgust crept over her skin with the force of a million bugs. She opened her purse and pulled out her keys as she climbed the porch steps.
She fit the key into the lock and shoved the door open with her hip. The old wood always swelled in the summer. Darkness closed in on her, she blinked her eyes to adjust. She pressed her hand against the solid wood and closed the door behind her.
Long fingers curled around her mouth. Her breath sucked in as an arm closed around her waist and pulled her back against a hard body. Fear lodged in the back of her throat like vomit. No, no, no. He had caught her. A cry tore from her throat, muffled beneath his moist palm. Her fingernails dug into his wrists and her body went rigid. His warm, heady scent filled her nostrils, turning her bones lax with relief.
Ethan.
His huge, muscular body should have given him away, but terror had frozen her neurons.
“Shh. It’s me,” he breathed against her ear. Her body slumped in his arms as if she were a balloon deflating. Her breath was warm beneath his palm. “I didn’t find any bugs out here, but there’s one in the kitchen, one in your room, and a camera above your bed.”
Her breath sucked in. He moved his hand from her face, her heart hammered against his forearm beneath her breast. He turned her in his arms and she collapsed against his chest. His fingers tangled in her hair, cupping her scalp. Her shoulders shook. She swallowed. Someone had been watching her most intimate moments, had listened to her conversations, had been right in the middle of her life like a fly on the wall and she’d had no idea.
“It’s okay,” he said, his voice barely audible. “He’s going to be suspicious if you don’t sleep in your room. Can you go in there and pretend to call someone? Maybe say you’re not going to be sleeping in your room because of the snake?”
She nodded against his throat.
“I’ll wait in the spare room. I checked it over and it’s clean.”
He inched her forward and locked the door behind them. Riley fished her phone out of her purse. She moved down the hallway, the fingers of her free hand drifted from Ethan’s as he fell into step behind her.
Her high heels echoed down the hall, overpowering Ethan’s shoeless footsteps. When they reached the hallway, he slipped into the spare room and she pressed the cell phone to her ear.
“Hey, girl. Yeah, I just got home, thanks for the text.” Her voice trembled, but she pulled her shoulders back. She had to make this believable. She paced the floor, pretending to listen. What the hell should she say? She needed to make it clear to the listener that she and Ethan were no longer an item.
“No, I think Ethan and I are done. He flipped out when my ex showed up from Boston. I had no idea Ethan was so jealous. He wouldn’t even listen to me.” Her voice rose on the words; if the asshole was listening, he’d have no reason to doubt her. She sank on the bed and pulled her shoes off one at a time, the phone pinched between her ear and shoulder.
“I know,” she growled, then paused. Her tongue moved over the dryness at the insides of her cheeks. “Anyway, I was wondering if I could stay with you a couple of nights next week? I’ve been staying with Ethan since I found that snake in my bed. There’s no way in hell I’m sleeping in my bedroom. I’ll need to make other arrangements, but for tonight and tomorrow I’ll sleep in the spare room.” Maybe he’d move quicker if he thought she’d only be in the house a limited time.
The top of her head burned. The camera’s eye was on her, and he could be watching every breath. She had to end the call before she slipped up.
“Thanks, sorry to call so late. Let’s chat tomorrow.” She said good-bye and pretended to hang up. She stood from the bed, her fingers slipped under the strap of her dress, then stopped. No way in hell she was undressing in here. She pulled a pair of underwear and a T-shirt from the dresser against the wall, and left the room, closing the door tightly behind her.
Ethan stepped back as she slid past him and shut the door. She dropped her armload of items on the bed and ran her hands through her hair. A knot tightened at the base of her neck, shooting pain down her shoulders. Ethan closed in on her and pulled her against his chest, his head rested on the top of hers.
“You okay?” His voice was strong and sturdy, the lifeline in a tumultuous sea of emotions. She let his body hold her weight, and her eyes closed against the black material of his shirt.
Her breath came out in a long, slow sigh. “I’m fine. I can’t believe someone’s been watching me and listening. My god…”
His palm rested on the back of her neck, his fingers worked at the tense muscles. “Sorry I scared you like that when you came in, but I needed to tell you where the bugs were.”
She nodded. “It’s okay. He can’t hear us in here, right? You’re sure?”
“Positive. The bugs won’t pick up this far. You did great, by the way.” His voice rose with amusement.
She tilted her head back to face him. His blue eyes were stormy, almost gray. “How many are there?”
“Just the three I mentioned.”
“One is above my bed?”
His jaw hardened beneath the plains of his face. “Yeah, the camera.”
“When is this going to be over?” She dropped her forehead back to his chest. The heat from his skin radiated through the material, the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat against her.
His hands fell to the small of her back and his lips pressed to her hair. “Soon, babe. I promise.”
Her shoulders slumped. She straightened away from him, pulled her cell phone from her purse, and plugged the charger into the outlet near the bed.
“Are
you coming to bed?” Desire curled around her belly, drawing it tight. But exhaustion settled into her bones. Her mouth opened on a yawn. Ethan nodded and unbuttoned his pants.
She quickly changed and crawled into the bed. He stripped down and slid in next to her. His heat drew her, and she molded her body to his, her cheek rested on his shoulder, her palm over his heart and her bare thigh drawn over his lightly hairy one. Shallow breaths blew through his nose as he curled his arm around her, his hand resting on her hip.
Her eyes burned with fatigue, but her mind wouldn’t stop churning. She cracked her eye open and looked up at Ethan. His eyes were shut, his breathing slow and regular.
“Ethan?” she whispered into the darkness.
His hand flexed on her hip and his eyes remained shut. “Mmm?”
“I’m so tired, but I can’t stop thinking about who it could be.”
His breath rumbled through his chest against her ear and he shifted to look down at her. “You need to sleep, babe.”
“I know, but I can’t right now. Do you have a primary suspect?”
He snorted. “I have a lot of them. Someone would’ve had to have had access to your place. Anyone else besides Hanna’s parents have a key?” His knuckles dragged over her spine and her muscles unraveled.
“No, I can’t see Hanna giving a key to anyone.”
He moved his hand and trailed it up her back to toy with her hair.
“Her parents could have someone managing the property or hell, even a handyman with a key.”
She pushed herself up and gazed down at him. The moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating the steely gray in his eyes. “She does use a handyman. I’m pretty sure he’s the same one who changed the locks.”
Ethan sat up, and Riley spilled into his lap, the blankets pooled around them. She pushed up and scooted onto her knees.
His hand grasped her wrist, circling it completely. “Do you know his name? Have you met him?” His breath was hot and urgent in the air between them. Her throat tightened.
Bait Page 19
