Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
T he longer the door remained closed, the more Lauren’s nerves stretched.
What am I doing?
Behind that door were two men who could help her, and yet she couldn’t make herself ask for it.
Why was it so hard?
Reed had shown that he would do whatever was necessary to ensure her safety. She reached up and touched the ring hanging around her neck. How many times had she wished it was real? That she really could wear the ring? Too many times to count.
The door opened and both Reed and Steve stepped out.
“Patrick got in touch,” she blurted out. “I don’t know how he did it, but he slipped some photos in with today’s delivery. They’re photos of me, Charlee, and you, Reed. He’s been following us and we didn’t even know.”
Reed was beside her in seconds pulling her into his embrace. His arms closed around her and in that moment she felt safe as if Patrick couldn’t touch her.
Why had she been fighting this?
How many times had she wanted to ask him if he wanted to have dinner with her and Charlee? Too many to count over the last week. She knew he wanted to join them. Had seen the look in his eyes, willing her to ask the question and each time she’d ignored it.
“I know, Ren. I got some too.”
“What?” She pulled out of his hold, even though she didn’t want to. “You got photos as well?”
He nodded. “They were delivered to the office. Where are the ones you got?”
“I put them in my bag.”
“I’ll go tell Tabby what’s going on,” Steve murmured, leaving them alone in the kitchen.
Damn, the last thing she wanted to do was cause her boss more stress, especially in her new café. This place represented a fresh start for Tabitha. A place that didn’t have bad memories like her other location had when she’d been attacked.
“I know what you’re thinking, Ren, but stop. Tabby isn’t going to blame you for anything. She’s going to want to help. You know that.”
There was nothing but truth in what Reed was saying, but it still didn’t stop the guilt from flaring to life. “I know. But still I wish things were different.”
Reed’s hands landed on her shoulders. “I know you do, but you know that you’ve got a whole team who is going to work to ensure you and Charlee are safe.”
“Oh my God, Charlee! What if he’s at the school? There’s a reason he sent those photos to us both. He probably thinks he doesn’t need to hide anymore.” Her voice and herself were close to becoming hysterical. Her daughter had to be safe. She couldn’t bear to think about anything happening to her.
Reed squeezed her reassuringly. “I could say that we shouldn’t worry but maybe call the school and ask them to get Charlee to the principal’s office. I’ll call Andy and ask him to collect her. You’ve added all of us to the approved list haven’t you?”
She had. For the first time since Charlee started school, Lauren had had to increase the approved pick up list. The guys had been adamant that they were fine with being added. “I’ll call them now.”
“Before you do, where are the photos?”
Lauren walked over to the alcove where she hung her handbag. She grabbed the envelope and handed it to Reed. “I only looked at a couple. That was all I needed to see to know that we weren’t safe. That I’d been fooling myself—again—that Patrick had backed off. I’m sorry I should’ve listened to you.”
Reed had told her that Patrick was biding his time, but she’d been convinced she knew her ex better than anyone else. Why she thought that was ridiculous regardless of the fact he kept coming back even after no contact for a while.
“It’s as much my fault as it is yours. I should’ve been more vigilant when we were together. Scoped the area for any possible danger. If anything had happened—” He stopped, pain shining in his green eyes.
“But it didn’t,” she said softly.
“No, it didn’t, but that doesn’t mean it can’t.” His voice turned hard. “We need a plan, Lauren. I also don’t think it’s safe for you to go to your house. He’s been watching it and that makes you vulnerable.”
How much was Patrick going to take from her? He’d already taken her peace of mind and now he was going to take her home. The last thing she wanted to do was move. While she’d been saving, there was no way she had enough to be able to afford all the costs involved in finding a new place to rent. Not to mention the market was insane at the moment, and there wasn’t much available, especially in the area where she lived because she didn’t want to move Charlee from the school she was at. It would be too much upheaval for her daughter.
“What am I supposed to do? Live in a hotel?” That wouldn’t be practical and it would also be expensive. She’d eat through her savings rapidly if she did that.
“You and Charlee can stay with me.”
“What? How am I any safer with you than I am in my own home? One of the pictures I looked at was of you and me. If Patrick knows where I live, he’ll know where you live. He knows where you work. Who you work for. There’s no safe place!”
Her breath came out in short gasps and her heart rate was skyrocketing.
God, there was nowhere for her and Charlee to go. She needed to leave and get Charlee from school. Maybe she could use the money she had saved up and fly them somewhere. Anywhere that was far away from Patrick. She’d work things out when she got there in terms of places to stay. A job. She’d take anything that was available. It didn’t matter to her.
“Lauren!” Reed slammed the brakes on her thoughts.
She looked at him, feeling hopeless. Even if she did run away, Patrick would find her. The man had resources they hadn’t given him credit for having.
“It’s hopeless,” she whispered.
“No, it’s not,” Reed said adamantly. “You don’t know what we are capable of. What I’m capable of. My place has top notch security. No one can get in that I won’t know about. There’s plenty of room. It’s still close enough that Charlee can go to the same school. I’d feel a lot better if you and Charlee were living with me.”
“Why?” She didn’t understand Reed and why he was so prepared to turn his life upside down for her and her daughter. They hadn’t even kissed. Was he doing this out of some sort of white knight complex? Did he imagine himself capable of slaying all her dragons?
Probably. He was a former special forces soldier. From what Tabitha had told her, all the guys at Power Security used to be in the Army with Steve. They’d been part of the SAS, the elite unit of the Army. The ones who did things that no one talked about.
“Why do I want you to stay with me?” he asked intently.
“Yes.”
“I could say it’s because you’re my fiancée and I can’t live without you, but I don’t think that will fly with you.” His lips quirked up.
He was joking with her. At a time like this? “What is wrong with you? This isn’t a joke.”
“I know, Ren.” He brushed his fingers down her cheek and her skin warmed at the touch. “I know, but I want to keep you and Charlee safe. Having you close to me can achieve that. I haven’t slept well knowing that you’re in that house by yourself and Patrick is lurking around.”
This guy, he was—well she couldn’t find the rights words to say what he was. But she couldn’t deny the idea of being with him did make her feel safer. Hadn’t she felt that the moment he put his arms around her.
Lauren knew there would be no argument from Charlee about living with Reed. She’d been asking over and over when Reed was going to have dinner with them again. Each time he’d taken them home and Lauren hadn’t asked him in. Charlee had looked at her as if she’d taken away her favorite toy. “Okay.”
“Okay what? I need you to say the words for me, Ren.” His intensity returned and she felt it in her bones.
She straightened her spine and looked him in the eye. Her fingers unconsciously moving to the ring encircling her neck. His eyes widened, but she couldn’t put her hand down because then he would know that she saw his reaction.
There was no turning back, although if she changed her mind, Reed wouldn’t say anything. He would probably find out where she was staying and camp out in his car, like he had that first weekend Patrick had turned up. “Thank you, Reed. Charlee and I will be happy to stay with you.”
“I think that’s a good idea.”
She whirled around and found Steve standing in the kitchen watching them both. Well there was no chance she could change her mind now, even if she wanted to, which she didn’t.
“Have you got an update or something?” Reed asked, standing closer to her than he had been a few seconds ago. Was he standing there in case she lost the plot if Steve was going to give them some bad news? He needn’t have worried. Now that she’d made the decision to stay with him, it was as though a burden had been lifted from her shoulders.
“Nothing that’s helpful. Wilt’s on his way to pick up the pictures. I think it’s probably best that both lots are kept at the office. I know you probably don’t want Charlee to see them, and while you’ll both be careful about not leaving them about, things happen.”
Steve was right but Lauren had had plans to burn them when she’d returned home. Of course, now she’d have to pack a bag for both her and Charlee. “Right.” She looked up at Reed who was still beside her. “We’ll need to pick up Charlee and then go home so I can get a few things for the both of us.”
“I spoke to Andy,” said Steve. “He’s watching the school. He’ll also follow you back to Lauren’s and then to your place. Wilt also hacked into your security system and linked it to the office system so that we can record everything that goes on at your place.”
“Sounds good. I do have my feed going directly to a hard drive, but it never hurts to have a backup.”
“You’re not upset about that?” Lauren asked, not believing that Reed was okay with his system being hacked.
“Nope, if it keeps you and Charlee safe then I’m all for it.”
“Okay.” She was really getting an education on what it meant to be part of the Power Security family.
“We’re going to head off now.” Reed placed his hand at the small of her back, the warmth from his hand searing the thin t-shirt she was wearing.
“Keep me updated,” Steve said, going over to Tabitha’s side when she walked into the room.
“Everything okay here?” she asked, her focus settling on Lauren.
“Yes, I’m going to be staying with Reed,” Lauren responded knowing that the question was directed at her and not the guys.
Tabitha nodded approvingly. “That’s good. I’ll be able to rest so much easier knowing that you and Charlee are in a safe place.”
What would’ve happened if she hadn’t worked for Tabitha and Tabitha hadn’t married a man who ran a security company. How safe would she and Charlee have been?
It wasn’t something Lauren wanted to contemplate because the outcome today would be so very different.