Chapter 4
The store’s front door bell chimed as Emma grabbed a large tub of frosting from the refrigerator. The day was never going to end. Never mind the fact that the throbbing in her arm was making her cranky, but the pure exhaustion she’d felt from the adrenaline dump that morning was enough to make her want to fall asleep for a week.
“Do you want me to see who is out there and take their order before I head out?” Melissa asked.
“No. You’ve already stayed an extra two hours when I know you need to be studying for your AP History test. Go before I have to tell you not to come in this weekend. I won’t be the reason you don’t get a five on that final exam in a few weeks.”
“Thanks, Em.” The teen headed towards the back door. “You really are the best boss. I’ll take the trash out with me.”
“Sounds great, Mel. See you tomorrow after school.”
Melissa hauled the garbage up over her shoulder and waved on her way out.
Emma stretched her neck and gathered up the energy to go see what a customer that late in her shop could want. There was a unsettled feeling churning in her stomach, almost like the one that had come over her earlier that day before the car had careened into her path, but she did her best to shove it down as she plastered a smile onto her face.
Setting the container of frosting on the counter, she wiggled her fingers back and forth as an attempt to shake out her nervous energy. Walking through the kitchen door to the store front, she paused, scanning the tables and the check out counter. That unsettled feeling grew stronger.
No one was there.
Maybe the person popped out thinking the shop was closed? Walking to the register to tidy up, her heart caught in her throat. There, next to the register, was a black envelope.
No, no, no, no, no.
She had been so careful. It had to be something else. Someone else. He didn’t find her, she was still safe. Her fingers shook as she flipped open the card.
I’m watching. Sell now and run.
What the heck? Why would someone leave a message like that for her?
I’m watching…She had been having those weird feelings that someone was following her, even watching her when no one was around. If she did sell the bakery, she’d have enough money to run. The new ID sitting in her duffle bag under the sofa in her office flashed in her mind. She could be Emmylynn Johanson.
Her heart clenched. She didn’t want to run. She hadn’t always been Emma Sullivan, but who she was now fit her heart so completely, why would she give that up? There was no way she wanted to leave all her friends and her business and start over.
But why tell her to sell and run? If her past had really caught up with her, there was no way her business had enough equity to pay the debt she owed, plus all the interest that must have been accruing since she escaped. A sickening thought crossed her mind.
What if the note was from Sebastian? He had asked if she was interested in selling. What if he didn’t like hearing her say no? Could the car from that morning have been orchestrated by him?
Blood pounded between her ears and heat rose in her cheeks. She moved to the front of her store, looking out the window at Montgomery Equities, still lit up even though it was late at night. And sure enough, there was a shadow in a second story window. He was watching her.
Heat nearly burned her from the inside, rage coursing through her body. If he thought for a single moment that she would take the threat lightly, Sebastian Montgomery had another thing coming.
Grabbing her keys and bag from behind the counter, she stomped to the front door and pulled it open. She checked over her shoulder, and sure enough, he was still in that damn window. Flipping the lock, Emma pushed her keys into her back pocket and marched across the street. The feeling of being watched was still there, not just from Sebastian’s office, but from somewhere more distant. Maybe down the road? Her imagination was causing the hairs on the back of her neck to tingle, but she didn’t have time to stop and look. Right now, she was fuming that this man, who had unlimited resources at his disposal, would turn to death threats the very same week she’d turned down his offer to buy out her shop.
She opened the door to Montgomery Equities with such force, the Hulk would have been shocked, and stared at Natalie, sitting wide-eyed behind her desk.
“Emma. Is everything okay? How’s your arm feeling?”
“He’s upstairs, right?”
Natalie’s eyes grew wide at her question. “Who? Mr. Montgomery?”
“Yes.”
“Well, yes, he is, but he’s on a phone call right now and can’t be disturbed. I can tell him you stopped by. I’m actually not even supposed to be here right now, just had to finish up some last minute paperwork before I pick Addie up from her first dance class.”
“No. He will not get away with this.” Emma waved the card in front of Natalie.
“I-I don’t know what that is, but you’ll have to come back tomorrow, Emma. I’m sorry, but it’s late and he’s not available for another meeting before the day is through. I’m just about to head out myse?—”
“That’s fine, Natalie. I’ll mention that you didn’t want me to go up.” Without looking at the poor woman’s face, Emma turned and headed for the second floor offices.
Her feet pounded up the stairs as she searched to find the source of light she’d seen from the street just a moment before.
A tall shadow was now pacing behind a large, industrial styled desk. He was clearly on the phone, but she didn’t care. Swinging open the glass door, she registered the shocked look on his face as she began yelling.
“Listen here, Suits. You think you can just come in and bully me into selling you my shop?”
“Cooper, I’m going to have to call you back,” he said into the phone, before saying goodbye and hanging up.
“Sprinkles. I didn’t realize you’d be stopping by tonight. How’s your arm feeling?”
“How dare you!” Heat radiated off of her so strongly she was surprised he wasn’t moving back.
“You’re going to have to give me some more context. I thought we both enjoyed our playful banter.”
“You threatened me. I wouldn’t call that playful banter.”
His face turned to stone. “I what?”
“This note. Did you deliver it yourself or did you make Natalie do your dirty work for you? How that sweet sprig of a woman thinks working for you is a good idea, I’ll never understand.”
“I’m honestly not sure what you are talking about.”
He obviously was skilled at deception. Probably a part of his training in the Navy. If not there, surely in the boardroom. She couldn’t take his reaction at face value. But if he hadn’t been the one to send the note, then…no. That couldn’t be an option. It had to be Sebastian.
“This note! I know it came from you. Why else would it mention selling my business?” She threw the card onto his desk. “Did you send that car after me today so I’d feel unsafe? I saw you watching me just now as I locked up the shop. Were you trying to see if you’d upset me? Because you have.”
Sebastian walked from the window to the desk, gently picking up the note. She watched his face turn cold, his eyes reading the words, then flying to search her face. Her throat suddenly felt tight, and her lungs revolted at the idea of breathing.
“Sit.” Sebastian walked towards her, gently touching her elbow as he led her to a chair in front of his desk. He then slipped into the chair next to her. It didn’t escape Emma’s notice that his hand lingered on her arm, and his touch did something strange to her belly. Nope. No. She was not going there.
“Tell me about how you found this note?”
“Why? So you can get off on how scared I was?”
“Emma…” his tone was deadly, and she tried to swallow her anxiety down her suddenly dry throat. There was something comforting in the teasing way he used her nickname. The concern when he said her actual name was overwhelming, and she didn’t like that one bit.
“Fine. I was in the back of the shop, maybe a half hour ago now. I needed to pull some frosting I had made earlier from the fridge in order for it to be the right consistency when I work on cake orders later tonight. The front bell rang, and I thought there must be a customer, so I left the kitchen. But there was no one there. I wanted to pick up the counter by the register, it tends to get messy during the day. And, well, that’s when I saw the note. I knew you must have sent it because it mentions selling the shop.”
She sat with a rigid back and tried to project her voice with a hard edge to show she was serious about what he had done. Her uneven breathing was giving her away, and she knew it. He was about to deny sending the note, and just from the look on his face, one filled with concern, she knew he hadn’t been the sender.
“Emma.” His voice pulled her out of her own mind, back into the office. “I certainly did not send that car this morning, and I also did not send you this threat. I take my business very seriously, but I also respect business owners and their own visions for where they want to take their businesses. It was my job for a very long time to protect people, and I still like to think that I’m honorable enough to keep that reputation. You told me you weren’t interested in my offer. I respect that. And while I have been told I am ruthless in the pursuit of what I want…” did she really just see him look her up and down as he said that? “I would never threaten someone’s life over their decision to keep running their own business.”
His eyes searched hers, but she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to believe this gorgeous man. Lord, her heart was practically screaming at her to say something to not push him away, but it had to be from him. The alternative was too painful to think about.
“Is there someone else? Anyone else you can think of who might have sent this to you?”
“No.” Emma stood, turning on her heels and practically sprinted towards the stairs. “I’m sorry to have barged in like that.”
As she placed her hand on the railing, a warm hand slid over her wrist, stopping her from walking any further.
“Where are you going?”
“I-I need to get back to my shop. I have orders I need to finish for tonight.”
She heard a growl escape from his chest.
“You walked over here, in the dark, by yourself, after receiving a threat?”
“Yes. I guess I did.”
“Well, I’m not going to let you go back by yourself.”
“You’re not letting me?”
“That’s right, Sprinkles.”
“Why?”
“Maybe because you came in here with your cheeks a shade of red I didn’t know existed in real life, acting like you were about to karate chop me in half. And as soon as you knew the note wasn’t from me, all the color drained from your face.” His hand moved to her face, thumb gently tracing her cheek while she tried desperately not to sink into the warmth that radiated off of him. “I want to make sure you’re safe.”
Snapping out of the haze his body seemed to always put her in, she pulled away from him.
“I am safe. It was probably just some kid goofing off. Someone who heard you and I talking about the bakery and they decided to pull a prank on me. I’ll take it to the sheriff’s department tomorrow and see what they say. I’m sure you’re busy, I don’t want to take up more of your time.”
“I want to walk you back.”
“No. I’ll be fine. I’ll lock the door, and you’re more than welcome to watch me cross the street from your office window.” She wanted to yell out like I’ve caught you doing several times now, but refrained.
“Okay. Give me your phone first.”
“My phone?”
“Yes. I gave you my business card, but I’m thinking you probably just threw it into the trash.” A small smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and she found herself suddenly licking her own, very dry, lips as she handed her phone over. “I want you to call me if anything else happens, okay?”
“I don’t think?—”
“Emma. Call if anything else happens. Okay? And let me know what the police say tomorrow.”
“Okay. Thank you, Sebastian. I-I’m sorry for just barging in here tonight.”
“I’m not. I’ll be watching to make sure you make it back safe. Lock the doors when you get there.”
“I will.”
She felt his gaze on her back as she disappeared down the stairs, and once again as she crossed the street. She unlocked her shop’s door and once she slipped inside, she locked the doors once again. Her heart was pounding out of her chest and she wondered just how long she had until things escalated like before. She’d have to say goodbye to the little town she’d fallen so in love with. But her heart hurt most at the possibility of having to say goodbye to the man she’d just accused of sending her the threat. And how messed up was that?
* * *
Seb watched Emma walk across the street and begged for her eyes to meet his. He wanted her to know he was making sure she was safe. He’d always been a protector, his days in the SEALs had made sure that desire was deeply ingrained in his personality, but he wanted her to see that he’d be there, making sure she was protected.
Someone was threatening her. And what’s worse is that she seemed to be hoping it had been him. Did she really want to see him as a monster that threatened women who smelled like vanilla frosting and peaches, whose skin was creamy and smooth, and so unbelievably delicate?
Instead, his insides clenched as he thought over how her face had changed when she realized he was telling the truth. That he hadn’t been the one to threaten her. Fear. Genuine, deep fear had flashed in her eyes, and then he’d seen her pull inwards, protecting herself. There had been acceptance. Had she dealt with this before?
Quickly grabbing his cell off his desk, he let out a huge breath as he punched in a number he had memorized.
“Gage, I need a favor.” Gage Walker, known as Tracker to his SEAL buddies, was one of his closest friends. Gage was a cyber-security guru and often helped Seb when he needed to dig up information not readily available to the public. In fact, Tracker had been instrumental in gathering information when Jackson reached out worried about his wife’s abusive ex.
“Hey Cap. You caught me at a good time. I’m just about ready to send you what I’ve found from that surveillance tape your assistant sent me. Is that why you’re calling?”
“Partially. After you send me everything from this morning, I need you to find out whatever you can about Emma Sullivan. Full background check, including any known romantic relationships and their full background check too. She lives here in Bell Ridge and owns a bakery called ‘Emma’s’. It’s a priority.”
“Sure thing. Give me the night. I’ll have whatever I can dig up for you by morning.”
“Thanks, man.”
“You wanna fill me in on why you need this so urgently?”
“Nope.”
“Figures.”
Sebastian laughed as he ended the call.