Fall with Me
Page 68
I glanced around, like someone would pop out from behind the couch and answer the question for me. “Yeah?”
“He better.” His voice dropped low as he shot a warning look at Reece, who in return simply smirked. “Or I’m sure your father and either one of your brothers will kick his ass.”
My lips twitched as I tried to picture my younger brother fighting anything that didn’t involve a hand controller and an Xbox.
Colton reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a small notebook and pen. He flipped the notebook open, and just like his brother, Cop Face appeared. Time to get serious. “I need you to tell me everything that has happened, skipping no details. Okay? Even if it’s small, it could be something huge.”
I clasped my hands together, drew in a deep breath, and I told him everything, starting with the remote in the fridge and ending with the picture of me on my phone. Through it all, Colton scribbled it all down and Reece remained silent by my side and when I got to the undies in the dishwasher part, he moved his hand from the back of the couch to my shoulder, where his fingers sought out the tense muscles there and worked them over.
“Anything else?” Colton asked, pen hovering over the notebook.
I couldn’t help but feel like I’d forgotten something. I racked my brain, but couldn’t quite put a finger on what was prompting that feeling. “No,” I said finally.
“Has anyone been causing you problems?” he asked.
I almost said no. “I went on a date with this guy. His name is Dean Zook. I mean, I don’t think he’s a psycho, but he’s kind of persistent.” I dared a quick peek at Reece when he stiffened. “And there’s Henry Williams. He came to the bar Friday night, but Nick ran him off.”
Colton scribbled down those names. “I’ve got Henry’s info. Is Dean’s on your phone?”
I nodded. “If it’s not them, do you think this is related to what’s been happening?”
He glanced at Reece before he answered. “Right now, there’s no way to be sure. I’ve got to do some interviews with the vics, but as far as I know, they haven’t reported anything like this.”
“I’m not sure if I should be relieved by that or not,” I admitted.
“No matter what, you’re safe.” Reece slid his hand through my hair, curving his fingers along the nape of my neck. My gaze met his. “I’ll make sure of that.”
“Even if it doesn’t have anything to do with the serial rapist, what’s happening can’t be taken lightly.” Colton slipped the notebook into his jacket as I sucked in a harsh breath. He’d said it. A serial rapist was here, targeting women. My stomach twisted. “Someone is obviously stalking you, Roxy. They’ve been doing it for a while, and taking that picture . . .”
“Means the fucker behind this is escalating.” Reece withdrew his hand and rocked forward. His eyes were like chips of ice. “Before, he was doing things that didn’t really alert you to his presence. Now he is.”
“Agreed,” said Colton. His eyes, which were so much like his brother’s, met mine. “This is serious, Roxy.”
“I know. Not like I don’t think it is. Trust me.”
Reece arched a brow. “Then you will have no problem with the fact you can’t stay at your apartment. Not until we find out who is behind this.”
I opened my mouth.
“The only way that apartment is safe for you is if we nail those windows shut, which would be a stupid as fuck idea,” Reece explained. “And if there’s a fire, you’re screwed if you’re in one of the bedrooms and trapped.”
“What about a security system?” I asked, glancing between the brothers. “They aren’t as expensive as before.”
“You’re right on the monthly charges, but the install and all the window and door sensors is where they get you,” Colton advised.
Frustrated, I twisted toward Reece, my eyes wide. “I cannot be run out of my home, Reece. I can’t deal with that.”
His jaw clenched. “You’re going to have to deal with it, babe. I want you safe. I’m not going to argue about it. It’ll be temporary. We know a guy who can probably cut us a deal on the install.”
Colton nodded. “He’s a city cop down in Philadelphia. I know he’ll do it. He owes us, but it may take a week or two. We’ll be on his schedule and I know for sure he’s got his kid next weekend.”
Beggars can’t be choosers. “Okay. I guess I can stay with Katie or my parents until then.”
Reece tilted his head to the side. “Babe, you can stay with me. Nope, I can see your head working and your mouth is about to start working—”
My eyes narrowed.
“—You’ll be safe here. No doubt about that, and I’m sure you’d rather be here than with your parents or Katie, because both of them live a hell of a lot further away from Mona’s.” He grinned at me. “Plus, I’m just better company.”
“Debatable,” muttered Colton.
That went ignored. “And I’ll be more fun,” Reece added.
Pink crept across my cheeks as I bit down on my lip, looking away. I totally got what he meant. Yeah, he’d be a hell of a lot more fun, but . . .
“Can you give us a moment?” Reece said to his brother.
“Sure.” Colton sighed as he stood. “I’ve got to be going anyway. As soon as we hear anything back on your phone or learn anything else, you two will be the first to know.” He started for the door, then stopped and looked at me. “You should stay with my brother. I’m not saying that because he’s good company. He leaves wet towels on the floor, but I’ll sleep better knowing you are with him.”
“He better.” His voice dropped low as he shot a warning look at Reece, who in return simply smirked. “Or I’m sure your father and either one of your brothers will kick his ass.”
My lips twitched as I tried to picture my younger brother fighting anything that didn’t involve a hand controller and an Xbox.
Colton reached inside his suit jacket and pulled out a small notebook and pen. He flipped the notebook open, and just like his brother, Cop Face appeared. Time to get serious. “I need you to tell me everything that has happened, skipping no details. Okay? Even if it’s small, it could be something huge.”
I clasped my hands together, drew in a deep breath, and I told him everything, starting with the remote in the fridge and ending with the picture of me on my phone. Through it all, Colton scribbled it all down and Reece remained silent by my side and when I got to the undies in the dishwasher part, he moved his hand from the back of the couch to my shoulder, where his fingers sought out the tense muscles there and worked them over.
“Anything else?” Colton asked, pen hovering over the notebook.
I couldn’t help but feel like I’d forgotten something. I racked my brain, but couldn’t quite put a finger on what was prompting that feeling. “No,” I said finally.
“Has anyone been causing you problems?” he asked.
I almost said no. “I went on a date with this guy. His name is Dean Zook. I mean, I don’t think he’s a psycho, but he’s kind of persistent.” I dared a quick peek at Reece when he stiffened. “And there’s Henry Williams. He came to the bar Friday night, but Nick ran him off.”
Colton scribbled down those names. “I’ve got Henry’s info. Is Dean’s on your phone?”
I nodded. “If it’s not them, do you think this is related to what’s been happening?”
He glanced at Reece before he answered. “Right now, there’s no way to be sure. I’ve got to do some interviews with the vics, but as far as I know, they haven’t reported anything like this.”
“I’m not sure if I should be relieved by that or not,” I admitted.
“No matter what, you’re safe.” Reece slid his hand through my hair, curving his fingers along the nape of my neck. My gaze met his. “I’ll make sure of that.”
“Even if it doesn’t have anything to do with the serial rapist, what’s happening can’t be taken lightly.” Colton slipped the notebook into his jacket as I sucked in a harsh breath. He’d said it. A serial rapist was here, targeting women. My stomach twisted. “Someone is obviously stalking you, Roxy. They’ve been doing it for a while, and taking that picture . . .”
“Means the fucker behind this is escalating.” Reece withdrew his hand and rocked forward. His eyes were like chips of ice. “Before, he was doing things that didn’t really alert you to his presence. Now he is.”
“Agreed,” said Colton. His eyes, which were so much like his brother’s, met mine. “This is serious, Roxy.”
“I know. Not like I don’t think it is. Trust me.”
Reece arched a brow. “Then you will have no problem with the fact you can’t stay at your apartment. Not until we find out who is behind this.”
I opened my mouth.
“The only way that apartment is safe for you is if we nail those windows shut, which would be a stupid as fuck idea,” Reece explained. “And if there’s a fire, you’re screwed if you’re in one of the bedrooms and trapped.”
“What about a security system?” I asked, glancing between the brothers. “They aren’t as expensive as before.”
“You’re right on the monthly charges, but the install and all the window and door sensors is where they get you,” Colton advised.
Frustrated, I twisted toward Reece, my eyes wide. “I cannot be run out of my home, Reece. I can’t deal with that.”
His jaw clenched. “You’re going to have to deal with it, babe. I want you safe. I’m not going to argue about it. It’ll be temporary. We know a guy who can probably cut us a deal on the install.”
Colton nodded. “He’s a city cop down in Philadelphia. I know he’ll do it. He owes us, but it may take a week or two. We’ll be on his schedule and I know for sure he’s got his kid next weekend.”
Beggars can’t be choosers. “Okay. I guess I can stay with Katie or my parents until then.”
Reece tilted his head to the side. “Babe, you can stay with me. Nope, I can see your head working and your mouth is about to start working—”
My eyes narrowed.
“—You’ll be safe here. No doubt about that, and I’m sure you’d rather be here than with your parents or Katie, because both of them live a hell of a lot further away from Mona’s.” He grinned at me. “Plus, I’m just better company.”
“Debatable,” muttered Colton.
That went ignored. “And I’ll be more fun,” Reece added.
Pink crept across my cheeks as I bit down on my lip, looking away. I totally got what he meant. Yeah, he’d be a hell of a lot more fun, but . . .
“Can you give us a moment?” Reece said to his brother.
“Sure.” Colton sighed as he stood. “I’ve got to be going anyway. As soon as we hear anything back on your phone or learn anything else, you two will be the first to know.” He started for the door, then stopped and looked at me. “You should stay with my brother. I’m not saying that because he’s good company. He leaves wet towels on the floor, but I’ll sleep better knowing you are with him.”
