The Reborn

Chapter Twelve

Twelve

Justin

It ended up taking me all day to finish everything on Olivia’s house, but thoughts of that fucking note and her apparent disregard for her own safety pushed me to move. Even if she didn’t take it seriously, I sure as hell did. By the time the sun was setting, I had cameras up throughout the major security points inside and outside the home, motion sensor floodlights mounted in the front and back yards, all of her bushes trimmed so nobody could hide in them, prominent signs posted for a security system and to beware of the nonexistent dog, and steel doors with double bolt locks installed to replace the flimsy pieces of shit she had before.

I was showered and on the couch with a cold drink, admiring my handiwork, when I spotted her headlights through the front window.

I rose and opened the door to greet her, more thankful than I cared to admit that she had a big bag of food from a local fried chicken joint in her hand, instantly knowing she’d gotten us all dinner.

“Hey,” I said, trying for welcoming, knowing she’d left feeling uneasy.

“Hey.” Her eyes slid over the unfamiliar door and buzzed bushes as she made her way behind a toddling Elizabeth. “You’ve been busy, I see.”

“I have.” I opened the door all the way to let them both in. “I’ll show you everything after you eat.”

Little arms wrapped around my legs. “Man, Jusin!”

I peeked down into Elizabeth’s shining hazel eyes as she grinned up at me with all of her sweet, exuberant innocence. “Did you hear something?” I asked Olivia. “I thought I heard something.”

She smiled at me and shrugged as Elizabeth began to giggle uncontrollably, her tiny fingers digging into my jeans as she tried to get my attention.

“Huh,” I said. “Weird.” I tried to take a step and pretended to be stuck. “What the..?” I looked down. “What is this?” Elizabeth’s giggles became full-on squeals when I reached down and picked her up, holding her at arm’s length. “A juice monster?” I glanced over at Olivia. “Have you ever seen such a scary juice monster?”

Olivia was laughing now at my playfulness. “Nope. Sure haven’t.”

I turned and let Olivia pass with the food, still laughing, while I followed with Elizabeth. I put her down to close and lock the door, but she never moved far from my side, which stirred up all kinds of crazy feelings in me. I wasn’t one to give in to silly antics or sentimentality. Ever. I had no idea what had come over me.

In the kitchen, Olivia faced me as she pulled out the boxes of food, drinks, and some paper plates, a sweet smile still on her face. “You hungry?”

And that’s when it hit me. That was what had come over me. Her. This place. The overwhelming normalcy.

Something about the two of them had awoken the dormant dream I thought was long dead and buried. The dream that I’d na?vely wished for myself once upon a time but had been torched and bled dry as the most painful lesson of my life.

Yeah, well, lesson learned.

I slapped my poker face back on and swallowed down a giant breath of suck-it-the-fuck-up. “Starved.” I offered a tight, fake smile. “Thanks for dinner.”

She waved me off. “It’s nothing. Help yourself.”

While I did that, she put Elizabeth in her high chair and cut up her food, then we sat together to eat.

“So, how was work today?” I asked.

“Good. Got a couple of new students signed up for my intermediate jazz and ballet classes.” She grinned over her glass of tea. “Not what you meant, I guess?”

“Not really, but that’s fine. I’m glad work was good. No issues?”

She picked up a drumstick, her smile falling. “No issues.”

“Good.”

We ate in silence for a while, her offering Elizabeth more pieces of biscuit. Eventually, her gaze met mine. “So, you have the house all secure now?”

“Yes. I can download an app on your phone so you’ll have access to the security camera feeds and a panic button. I also need to program the security company’s number into your contacts and show you how to use everything.”

Her eyes got wide. “Wow. Okay.”

“It’s not that complicated. Should only take a few minutes.”

She didn’t seem convinced but didn’t press for details. Her expression unreadable, she stabbed at her potatoes.

“I was also thinking it would be a good idea if you share your location with me.” I waited for her reaction. I was not disappointed.

“What? No! That’s... that’s... invasion of my privacy!” She turned beet red as she stumbled over her words.

“I’m not interested in invading anything.” I did not let her emotions sway me. I had a job to do, and I was damn well going to do it. “It’s only for your security. That’s it. When my work is done here, you can stop sharing, obviously.”

The way she stared me down was impressive. But I saw when reason won out. Smart girl. “Right. You’re right. Knee-jerk reaction.”

“No problem.”

“I’m not used to having someone like you around.”

“I get it. You don’t have to explain.”

She smiled appreciatively and we went back to eating. After a while, she broke the silence. “So... do you have a family?”

The food in my mouth turned to cement at her rapid change of subject. I choked it down with a swallow of tea, then wiped my mouth with a napkin.

“Sorry,” she said. “Just making conversation. You don’t have to—”

“Parents. One sister.”

She frowned at my nonanswer, answer. “Are you and your sister close?”

“We were.”

“Were?”

“She died when she was sixteen.”

Her face paled. “Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“It was a long time ago.” I turned my attention back to my food to force my mind from going somewhere that didn’t really feel all that long ago.

“Still...” I glanced up and caught her looking down at my left ring finger. “I didn’t mean to pry into your personal business.” She looked up and her cheeks pinkened. “I guess it’s hard to know the boundaries when you’re here, living in my house.”

“It’s fine. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable in your own home. I may not answer, but you can ask me anything you want.”

“Anything?” This seemed to spark some interest in her.

“Within reason.”

“Within reason?” One delicate brow rose up, almost as if in challenge. “What does that mean?”

“It means if it’s out of bounds, I’ll let you know.” I could see the wheels turning in her mind and it made me suddenly wish I hadn’t said a damn thing. “But since you asked, I don’t usually talk about my personal life when I’m working.”

She hummed under her breath in thought. “Just to be clear, do you mean personal, as in your childhood and your sister? Or personal, as in wife and kids? Or is personal to you things like your favorite color and favorite flavor of ice cream?” She bit her lip against a smile. “I just want to be sure I don’t screw up here.”

Something about that saucy smile got to me. It crawled under my skin and ignited a fire deep in my veins, making me want to poke her right back, no matter the consequences, disavowing my promise to myself just moments before to rein it in.

Slowly, I set my fork down and folded my arms across my chest, giving her my undivided attention, knowing it unnerved her. “Well, Ms. Creed,” I said, emphasizing her name slowly. “Typically, by personal, I would mean all of those things. But you make an excellent point. I am staying here in your home, which I don’t usually do when I’m working. So... no, I’m not particularly close to my parents. Long story, I won’t bore you with the details. My sister died when she was sixteen in a car accident, and it devastated all of us. I’m divorced, no kids. At the risk of being a walking, talking cliché, my favorite color is blue. And what was that last one? Favorite ice cream? Butter pecan.”

Her mouth fell open in shock but she quickly snapped it closed and tilted her head, her eyes sparking in humor. “Butter pecan? Really?”

Of all I’d just divulged, rather than probe any wounds, she chose to be playful. I was relieved and offered her a grateful smile. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing. If you’re eighty.”

I barked out a laugh. “Really? It’s the nectar of the gods, I’ll have you know.”

“Okay, grandpa.”

“And what’s your favorite? Bubble gum? Birthday cake?”

“Are you mocking me, big guy?”

“Never.” I shook my head. “So, what is it? Cookie dough?”

“I’ll have you know I’m a plain Jane chocolate kind of girl, thank you very much.”

“Really?”

“Really. You got a problem with that?”

“Not a thing. There’s nothing wrong with the classics.”

“I might share some of my ice cream with you just for saying that.” Her smile was warm as she rose and took our empty plates away.

“Generous,” I said, watching the sway of her hips as she walked.

“That’s me,” she shot over her shoulder.

And she was serious. She dished up bowls of chocolate ice cream for both of us, then alternated spoonfuls for Elizabeth between her own bites.

“So . . .” I said. “Your turn.”

“My turn?” She reached over and wiped Elizabeth’s face with a napkin, getting most of the chocolate ring around her lips. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, don’t you think it’s time you told me the truth?”

Her hand fell but she didn’t meet my eyes. She knew exactly what I meant. The truth we’d been dancing around since the moment she handed me that note. The big, fat multicolored elephant that was dancing circles around us and juggling knives.

“He didn’t care about...” Her voice dropped, choked. “Us.” Her eyes finally lifted to mine, heavy with emotion as she whispered. “I’ve had a hard enough time with the shame of what I did back then. I’m just not able to wrap my mind around...” Her words fell away as if it was too much.

“You don’t have to wrap your mind around anything or worry about it. That’s why I’m here,” I said, my voice low but firm. “Just give me the details and I’ll take care of it.”

Elizabeth, sensing her mother’s distress, grabbed for her hand and began to wiggle to be held. Olivia finished cleaning her up and lifted her from the chair. She faced me, her expression one of fierce maternal protection. Without words, it was clear she would give me what I needed, but that Elizabeth was to be spared.

I nodded my agreement as she turned and took her from the room. While they were gone, I went and grabbed my security folder, ready to take notes. The page where Elizabeth’s father’s information should be was frustratingly blank. That needed to change today.

Olivia reappeared, her face stoic and a bit paler as she met me on the couch. She curled herself around a pillow and started without preamble, as if she were ripping off the Band-Aid. “I met him in Italy. He was charming and larger than life. I really thought...” She stopped herself and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what I thought. I was wrong. So fucking wrong,” she spat. “He wasn’t the man I thought he was, and he was willing to throw me away, throw our child away...” Tears filled her eyes and began to course down her cheeks. “I don’t think he’d expend an ounce of time or energy to come here and do these things.”

“How can you be so sure? He could’ve changed his mind.”

She scoffed. “No. The way we parted...” She shook her head with certainty. “He wouldn’t have changed his mind.”

I tried to bank my irritation at her lack of details. How did she expect me to help her? I gripped my pen so hard my knuckles ached. “What’s his name?”

“I don’t think—”

“Olivia. His name.”

“His name is Chris—” She was cut off by the ring of her cell phone on the coffee table in front of us.

I growled in frustration as she leaned over and picked it up to answer. As she spoke to whoever was on the line, I jotted down in my notes the name: Chris?

When I glanced up, her face was pale and panicked, her wide eyes on my face. Something instantly protective roared up inside my chest as I slammed the folder closed and slid it to the side.

“I see,” she murmured. “Okay. You’re there now?” She nodded, her free hand gripping the couch cushion with a death grip, her knuckles white. “Oh God.” This was whispered under her breath.

“Olivia,” I growled, the demand to know what the hell was happening clear in that one word.

“Yes, okay.” She squeezed her eyes closed and bowed her head. “I’ll be right there. Thank you, Officer.” She dropped the phone next to her without ending the call as she curled in on herself.

“Olivia,” I said again, automatically scooting toward her as she began to shake. “Tell me.”

“Why?” she cried, her face in her hands. “Why would someone do this to me?”

It took everything I had not to shake her for answers, but every cell in my body was vibrating with the violent need to act. To move. To protect. So I did the next best thing, the thing she seemed to need most in that moment. I took a breath and bent my body around hers, shielding her from whatever was making her feel this way.

After a moment, she turned and curled into my chest, fisting my shirt, her breath hot on my collarbone.

I rubbed her back gently and held her as tight as I dared as she trembled. “You’re safe with me,” I whispered. “Nobody is going to hurt you or Elizabeth as long as I’m here, I swear it.” I repeated that over and over until she seemed to hear me.

Her hands eventually relaxed against my chest. Her breathing evened.

“Tell me,” I repeated. “I’ll take care of it.”

She nodded, her cheek still pressed against my chest. She tried to pull away, but I held her firm, lying to myself that it was for her, when I was getting just as much out of holding her and giving her my strength. “That was the police,” she finally said, her voice exhausted. “They were responding to a call from the security company at the center where the dance studio is...”

Something in my gut automatically began to churn. I knew what she was going to say even before she said it, and an unreasonable anger began to boil deep in my veins.

“Someone got inside and vandalized Colomba, Justin.” Fresh tears quivered in her voice as I heard what this did to her spirit—her hard work, her passion being violated. “They need me to come down and look over the damage. See if anything is missing.”

I mentally kicked myself for not securing her workplace faster. Her home had to be the priority, but still. Damn it. “We can take my truck.”

“What about Elizabeth?”

“Is there someone who can watch her? Your parents or your brother and sister-in-law maybe?”

“I’m sure any of them would, but I don’t want to worry my family with this right now. At least until we know more.” She shook her head when I opened my mouth to argue. “I’ll call Sofia and see if she can babysit. She’s always happy to do it. If she’s busy, I’m sure Whitney will.”

“Whatever you need to do.” But if she thought I wasn’t going to be updating Camden, she was crazy.

Within the hour, she had Sofia over, who seemed a bit less skittish around me, but still clearly wondering who the hell I was. I’d hand it to Olivia, she kept our cover story brilliantly, even under the stressful circumstances.

Once we were in the truck and pulling away, I turned to her. “You okay?”

“Not really, but I’m hanging in there.” She glanced over. “Thanks for being here.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to say I was being paid to be there, but I bit it back. It felt callous in the moment, but more than that, being with her felt like so much more than a job, and that was the most dangerous part of the mission. So, instead, I said nothing and just nodded.

After a while, she said, “I don’t think Sofia is buying the story about you being my old college friend. Maybe we should tell her the truth too.”

“Bad idea.”

“What? Why?”

“We agreed the fewer people read in the better.” I shot her a glance. “Did you tell her about the studio?”

“No. I just told her we had plans I forgot about. Kept it vague.”

I nodded. “Good.” I signaled to turn onto the highway. “But if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been thinking on it, and I’m inclined to put her ex toward the bottom of the suspect list. For now anyway.”

“Really? Why?”

“No motive.”

She frowned. “No motive? What about screwing with Sofia and I’m just caught in the crosshairs?”

I shook my head. “I didn’t say I’m ruling that out; it just doesn’t make sense. My gut says this is all about you.”

She didn’t say anything, which told me whether she wanted to or not, she agreed.

We eventually pulled up to the dance studio, and I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the absolute lack of action wasn’t it.

I scoured the well-lit parking lot as I made a circle, scoping everything out. No movement. Nothing. If it weren’t for the lone police cruiser parked in front of her dance studio, I would’ve thought she’d been tricked.

She was visibly tense as I parked in the main lot several feet diagonal from the front door and killed the engine.

I turned to her and waited until she looked over at me. “Stay with me the entire time until I can fully assess the situation.” It was not a request.

Her eyes widened. “You don’t think it’s safe in there?”

“I have no idea what’s in there. That’s why you’re by my side until I say otherwise. Got it?”

She swallowed, the gravity of the situation seeming to settle on her in a whole new way. “Justin...”

I opened my door and stepped out, double-checking my concealed weapon. “With me you’re safe.” Our eyes met. “Now let’s go. We don’t need to keep the officer waiting.”

She didn’t say another word as I helped her out of the truck and she stayed by my side as we walked over to the patrol car.

A tired-looking officer stepped out to greet us, his dark eyes sliding from her to me, then back to her. “You Mrs. Creed?”

“I’m Olivia Creed, yes. This is my studio.”

His gaze tracked back to me. “And you are?”

“With her,” I said. “Can you please provide Ms. Creed with your report?”

He scrutinized me closely for a moment before seeing he was clearly not getting more. “Of course.” He turned back to her. “As you know, we were dispatched when the folks at Nationwide Security called us. Apparently, the security officer saw something suspicious while he was making rounds...” He flipped to the notes in his report. “He said he saw some lights and movement inside that are never there this time of night, so he knocked on the door to investigate and make sure everything was alright and nobody needed assistance. He got no response, so he made his way to the back entrance, where he found the door ajar. He made entry to make sure no one needed aid. What he found upset him quite a bit so he called it in.” The officer’s gaze lifted to Olivia at that time.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I think it’s best if you see for yourself.”

She nodded and stepped forward, but I put out a hand to hold her back, causing a brow lift from the officer.

“Any sign of forced entry?”

At my question, his gaze narrowed. “You a cop?”

“Are you?” I shot back.

“Justin!” Olivia hissed as the officer’s cheeks grew ruddy and our eyes deadlocked.

“Because I’m not sure,” I ground out, ignoring her. “Seems to me you’re asking the victim of the crime to go tromp around in a crime scene without having properly worked it for potential evidence.” I folded my arms across my chest to hide my clenched fists. “Seems like policing 101 to me, but who am I?” I shot Olivia an angry glance. “What do you think? Should we ask your brother? Think Camden would approve of the Huntsville PD’s handling of this?” I snapped back to Barney Fife. “Because I sure as fuck don’t.”

If looks could kill, I would’ve been incinerated on the spot. But he stepped away from us and spoke into the radio on his shoulder, calling for backup and a crime scene unit, so I’d made my point.

Olivia snapped around at me. “Really?”

“What? All of that should’ve already been in the works when we arrived. He was just being lazy.”

We sat back in my truck and waited until the rest of them arrived and got to work, Olivia watching on dejectedly as they swarmed her beloved dance studio. At one point, she shot a text message to Sofia to check on Elizabeth, but mostly, she just watched as police officers moved in and out of her place of business.

I stepped out and made a quick call to my boss, Kade, to update him on this latest development.

“The police are still doing their thing, but it looks like the threat level is escalating quickly. Just wanted to let you know.”

“Thanks for the heads-up. Is there anything you need?”

“I think I’m good for now.”

“Good, good. But even though I trust that you’ve got this well in hand, I think it goes without saying that I need you to do whatever it takes on this one, Justin. Whatever it takes. You hear me?”

Camden Creed was a gold star client. Message received. “Yes, sir. It’s all under control.”

“Good to hear. You call me anytime if you need me.”

“Will do.”

I peeked into the cab to check on Olivia, who had her head back on the headrest with her eyes closed. I had no explanation for the protective feelings she stirred in me... or the other, more primal, feelings she brought alive in me that I seemed to have no control over. I just knew I had to find a way to get a handle on that and fast.

Turning away, my next call was to her brother, Camden. This news would likely piss him off, but I’d promised to keep him up to date, so I would do just that.

He was pissed, yes, but at himself. Because he threw me a sudden curveball when he told me we needed to meet—because he had a new, viable suspect that had nothing to do with Olivia, and everything to do with him.