Chapter 8 Arrow #2
“I’m so sorry. I don’t even know why this is happening.”
I do it then. I open my arms, and she crashes against my chest, wrapping her arms tight around my waist.
“I’m so scared,” she says, her breath warm against my shirt. “And angry and paranoid. I brought this down on you. I don’t understand. I just don’t get it.”
I hold her tight and press my chin to the top of her head. “It’s going to be all right. We’re going to work this out, I promise.”
A throat clearing behind me has me turning my neck, but I don’t release Annie.
“Josh, we can come back another time,” Morris says at the same time Alice asks, “Who is this? Is everything okay?”
Annie pulls back a little and then a look of horror comes over her face. “Oh my God, you’re busy,” she says, looking from Morris to Alice. “I never even thought you’d be with clients, I’m so, so sorry…”
“Annie, these are my landlords. It’s okay.”
Annie smooths down the front of a purple-patterned flowy dress that hugs her tits and ties around the back of her neck.
Her hair is loose and free, and she’s wearing flip-flops again.
She wipes the tears from her face. “I’m not usually this much of a wreck,” she says.
“I’m in a bit of trouble, but I’m sure you’re used to that. ”
“We can come back later, Arrow,” Morris says, using the nickname most of my friends and the MC guys call me. “Sorry for your troubles, miss.”
Morris looks ready to haul ass out of there, but Annie shakes her head. “No, please. I can…I can wait. I can’t go home anyway. I…I can’t go anywhere.”
I lift her chin so her eyes meet mine. “You’ll be safe here. Just sit at my desk and don’t talk to anyone or leave this office until I’m done. You got me?”
She nods. “Are you sure?”
I point to the desk where I met with her yesterday. “I’ll be quick. Then I’ll take you for some coffee and we’ll figure this out.”
My mind is already spinning with shit we have to do. But first, I need to get Morris and Alice taken care of.
“Come on back,” I tell them. “Annie, don’t leave my sight, babe.”
When I say babe, the light finally comes back into her face. She smiles and nods, then sits in the chair behind the desk facing the door.
Smart girl.
I close my office door, grateful it has a window so I can see Annie, after Alice and Morris come back inside.
“Josh,” Alice says, her voice a mixture of teasing and surprise. “I didn’t know you were seeing anyone. Is everything okay?”
I sigh, figuring it’s a lot easier to keep up the charade that I’m dating Annie than it would be to explain it.
“I’m helping her with what I think is an emerging stalking situation,” I tell them.
“We’d thought whoever it is didn’t know about me, but…
” I motion toward Annie. “She found out this morning that’s not the case.
That means she can’t go home. And now, well… ”
I rake a hand through my hair and curse.
“Looks like my home and office address have been compromised. I don’t know if there’s a threat to me personally, but you might want to notify the other tenants to be cautious. Until this gets sorted, I don’t know what kind of danger she or I might be in.”
“Fuck it, Arrow. I don’t like that one bit.” Morris’s expression is dark. “My wife is here alone most days.” He scratches his fingers through his gray stubble. “What can we do?”
I look from him to Alice and back. “What do you mean?”
The question takes me by surprise. I’m not friends with Morris and Alice.
While I get that they want to secure the property, there have been cameras on the premises since Alice’s ex tried to burn the damn place down right after they bought it.
And since my office is right next to Alice’s, I can confirm I’ve seen the setup.
The cameras work. Anything that happens, there will be a record of it.
But cameras only catch what they can. They don’t stop crimes from happening. If I were Morris right now, I’d be worried sick and wanting to help too.
Morris looks at Alice. “We could post a fake eviction notice on the door. Make this stalker fuck think Josh doesn’t work here anymore.”
The idea has merit, but I don’t like the idea of any potential clients who show up thinking I got evicted. That’ll drive the last nail in the coffin of my business for sure.
“I don’t know about that, man,” I say.
“What if you put a sign on the door that says ‘Out of town for family emergency. Accepting phone calls only at this time’?” Alice looks more troubled than I’ve ever seen her. She is twisting halfway in her chair, one eye trained on Annie.
“I like that,” I say. “That could work. That way, if anyone comes here, it might stop them from trying anything.”
Morris nods. “I’ll get a couple of the brothers down here. Crow’s working now, but Eagle and Dog can spare the time. Tiny won’t let anything happen with his baby girl and grandson right here.”
For the first time since I’ve known these guys, I see the power of the brotherhood. I don’t have anyone to call at a time like this. No one to watch my back. I don’t mind being a lone wolf, but I can’t deny that I want the kind of help the guys can bring to this situation.
“Seriously appreciate that, man,” I tell him.
We spend a few minutes going over the changes in the lease, while Alice continues to look like she wants to go hug Annie. I know that feeling all too well.
When we finish, Morris stands and shakes my hand, leaving a copy of the new lease on my desk. “You know the deal, man. Just get the signed copy back to us by the time the lease turns over. Unless you’re not planning to stay, then let us know when you can.”
I thank him again and get up from my chair.
“Can I ask a favor? You think we could leave Annie’s car in the lot here for a while?
I suspect she’s got a tracker installed on it, and until I have a chance to look it over and find the fucking thing, I’d like to keep the car someplace Annie and I won’t be. ”
“Josh,” Alice says quietly. “What happens now? Where will you and Annie go?”
I pinch my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “I haven’t gotten that far yet.”
And it’s true. I know we can’t stay here, she can’t go back to the dorms, and I’m going to bet my condo won’t be any more secure.
If this asshole knows my name, a simple Google search will be all it takes to find me.
Property tax records, utilities… As much as I maintain as low a profile as possible, I’m findable.
And it looks like this stalker is a little too motivated to get under Annie’s skin.
Alice looks at her husband, then strokes his massive, tattooed forearm. “Honey,” she says quietly. “Can we talk a second?”
Morris cocks his chin at her but nods. I feel like I’m interrupting a private conversation, so I push back from the chair and motion toward Annie. “I’m going to check on her,” I say. “I’ll give you two some time.”
I close my office door behind me and walk over to the desk at the front of the office. I lean against the side of the reception desk and cross my legs.
“What do you need?” I ask. “Caffeine? Pancakes?”
She laughs, the golden bronze of her bare shoulders shaking. “I don’t think I could eat. Maybe we can grab coffee and figure out what to do next?”
I’m about to tell her what I learned this morning, when Alice opens the door to my office. “Josh, Annie,” she says, smiling sweetly. “I think we can help.”