Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
My house was a crime scene. The police kept saying the word suicide amongst themselves as they walked in and out of my house. Jacob’s body had already been taken away and things seemed to be finishing up.
The guys and I had already given our statements hours ago. Colt, Creed, and I were sitting on the curb trying to stay out of the way. Knox and Keelan were standing in front of us, watching what was happening.
“How did he get past the alarm?” Keelan asked.
“They say he entered the code,” Colt answered.
He and Creed were handling finding Jacob well. All four of them were. Me, on the other hand…seeing Jacob had been a shock. My body had locked up. I hadn’t been able to look away. Colt had covered my eyes and gotten me out of the house. The moment we’d been on my front lawn, the shock had worn off. I had jerked out of Colt’s arms, bent over, and vomited everything that had been in my stomach.
“How did he know it?” Knox asked.
They talked amongst themselves, and I sat there lost in my thoughts.
I should not touch what is not mine.
I should not touch what is not mine.
I should not touch what is not mine.
Those words…
I knew what my gut was screaming at me.
But there was no certainty. No proof.
Then why did I feel this way?
“Looks like they’re done,” Creed said, pulling me from my thoughts.
The remaining cop car was driving away from the curb as I looked up.
“Why don’t we head in?” Keelan said and looked at me. “You have everything you need at our house, right? Or do you need me to go get you some stuff?”
“I’m out of clean pajamas,” I said.
“I’ll lend you a shirt to sleep in,” Knox said. “None of us need to go in that house tonight.”
“Okay,” I said, standing. “Give me a sec.” I walked to my car and unlocked it. Opening the driver’s door, I reached under the seat and grabbed my gun. I knew they saw as I tucked it into my purse. I was surprised none of them said anything after I locked up my 4Runner and we headed into their house.
“Why don’t you take your meds, Shi, and get ready for bed?” Knox suggested once inside and headed for his room.
“I’ll get you a glass of water,” Colt said, heading for the kitchen.
Keelan and Creed sat on the couch in the living room. Both let out similar exhausted sighs. I took a seat next to them and pulled my purse off my shoulder. Feeling around my gun, I searched my purse for my medicine bottle. I didn’t feel it. I took out my gun and set it on the coffee table. Creed and Keelan’s eyes seemed to zero in on the 9mm. I shook my purse. There wasn’t the rattle of pills inside a small plastic bottle. Panicked, I opened my purse wide and flipped it over. All of its contents spilled onto the coffee table. My phone, my burner, wallet, ChapStick, tampons, hair ties, a few pens, a receipt, and spare change.
“What’s wrong, Shi?” Creed asked as he looked from the mess I’d made on the coffee table to me.
“My birth control and my nightmare medication are gone,” I announced.
“Are you sure they’re not in your house?” Keelan asked. “I can go check.”
I shook my head. “I don’t take them out of my purse because I never know whether I’ll sleep here or at home and I don’t want to forget to take them. I never take them out of my purse.”
“Could they have fallen out?” Colt asked from behind us.
The three of us turned and he was standing behind the couch, holding a glass of water.
“They could have, but I find it odd that nothing else is missing,” I said.
Creed stood and started to walk away. “I’m going to go check your car just in case they might have fallen out there.”
“Don’t go alone!” I shouted, startling them.
Creed froze and spun. He stared at me with a concerned look.
“Please,” I said calmly. “Please don’t go out there alone.”
“What’s going on?” Knox asked as he returned. He was out of his work clothes and dressed in a T-shirt and basketball shorts.
Keelan took my purse from me and took my hands. “I know finding Jacob like that?—”
“I don’t feel safe,” I blurted.
The four of them went quiet.
“I don’t want to be here.” I got up and started pacing in front of the TV. “Something isn’t right.”
“Babe, stop pacing and take a deep breath,” Colt said.
“I’m not having a panic attack,” I snapped. “It’s my gut—my instincts are telling me that things aren’t right.”
Creed stepped in front of me, blocking me from pacing, and put his hands on my shoulders. “What isn’t right, Shi? Talk to us.”
I began talking about the window in my spare bedroom, the noises in my house, the feeling of being watched, the strange way Jacob’s note was written. I brought up the weird phone calls, even though they knew about those, and now, my missing birth control and meds.
“Those can all be easily explained,” Keelan said gently.
“I know,” I said frustratedly. I’d been about to bring up the dream I’d had of Knox, which I now thought hadn’t been a dream and the man I’d seen hadn’t been Knox. “I know I sound crazy, and I know the likelihood that it’s Mr. X is slim because I have no idea how he would have found me, but everything in me, down to my bones, is screaming for me to run.”
“Why don’t we go stay at a hotel for the night?” Knox suggested.
I felt relieved, while the guys gaped at their brother.
Knox stared back at them. “Our girlfriend is scared and doesn’t feel safe. I think for at least tonight, we can do this for her.”
Keelan nodded. “Also, we might benefit from putting some distance between us and what happened next door.”
I knew they thought what I was feeling was due to finding Jacob dead in my house, but I wasn’t going to fight it. For tonight, I had a way to keep them safe.
We got a one-bedroom suite at the nicest and closest hotel. We were on the tenth floor and there was only one way in or out of the room. As soon as you walked into the suite, you were in a small hall that had a bathroom to the left. Coming down the small hall, you entered a little kitchen, and past the kitchen was a living area with a pull-out couch. Off the living space was a door that led to the bedroom, where there were two queen beds.
“I’ll sleep on the pull-out,” I offered. For one, we were staying here because of me. And two, I wanted to be able to keep an eye on the only way in here.
“You three take the bedroom. I’ll sleep on the pull-out with Shiloh,” Knox said.
No one argued and we all got ready to go to sleep. It was late and today had been another rough one. To say the least.
The door between our rooms was left wide open at my request. It made them feel closer in case anything happened.
After shutting off the lights, Knox climbed into bed next to me. The pull-out was surprisingly comfortable. I scooted closer to Knox until I was able to rest my head on his shoulder and drape my arm across his chest. His arm wrapped around my back, holding me close.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He kissed the top of my head. “I don’t like you being scared.”
“I hope I’m wrong. I hope I wake up tomorrow feeling stupid.”
“Have you thought about calling your uncle?”
“He accused me of using him.”
“I know, but if you really think X is here, you need to call him, no matter how upset you are with each other.”
I sighed. “I’ll call him tomorrow.”
“Shiloh.”
I opened my eyes to the dark hotel-room ceiling. Seeing that it was still nighttime, I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
“Shiii…loooh,” a voice whispered.
My eyes shot open and looked in the direction of the voice.
Standing at the foot of the bed was a dark outline of a man.
“I found you,” he whispered.
Quickly, I sat up and began shaking Knox, who was still asleep next to me. “Knox!”
I jolted upright in the bed, breathing heavily. Knox sat up with me, his hand going right to my back to rub up and down in soothing strokes. I looked around the dark room frantically and found nothing amiss.
“Shh, it’s all right,” he said tiredly. “It was just a nightmare. You’re safe.”
I focused on breathing for a bit, taking air in through my nose and out through my mouth.
“That’s it. Let’s lie down,” he encouraged, and we both lay back. I lay on my side, facing him, unable to close my eyes. He brushed my hair back from my face and behind my shoulder. “You’re safe.”
“I don’t feel safe.” My voice trembled.
Hearing it, Knox ordered, “Roll over.”
I did, giving him my back, and he scooted close until he was pressed all the way against me. He slid one arm under my head, wrapped the other around me tightly, and whispered, “Right now, in my arms, you are safe. I will not let anything get you.”
I took his hand that was near my head in mine and laced our fingers.
“The only way in here is locked and all of us would hear if someone tried to get in. Just focus on the feeling of me around you and close your eyes.”
“Can you tell me about your day at work or something to distract me from my thoughts?” I whispered as I closed my eyes and tried to relax.
In a low voice, he began talking about how he’d started his day with a workout. Then went on to talk about scheduling issues and employee drama. When he was done going over his day, I had successfully relaxed to the sound of his voice, and I could feel sleep beckoning me.
“I love you,” I heard him whisper.
“I love you, too,” I said with a sleepy voice. He stiffened and I smiled. “Thought I was asleep, did ya?”
His body slowly relaxed and he kissed my head. “Go to sleep.”
My smile stayed as I began to drift.