Chapter 12
Time slowed as Dax drove toward Vanessa, speeding down the country road.
He reached her house before any law enforcement.
He’d kept her on the phone while he drove, so as scared as he was, at least he knew she was all right.
Parking, he jumped out of his truck and raced toward the front of the house.
“I’m here,” he said into the phone. “The sheriff isn’t, so stay put. I’m not sure if anyone is still in the house, but the door’s wide open.”
“Be careful,” she whispered, fear making her voice thin and thready.
“I have to hang up now, okay? I need both hands on my gun.” He hated to sever the connection, but he couldn’t be distracted when he stepped inside.
“Okay.”
“I’ll see you soon,” he said then slid his phone in his pocket.
Before he could head up the porch steps, Madden arrived and parked his truck next to Dax’s. His dad must have sounded the alarm after he’d left him in the living room, but right now, he was happy to have his brother as back-up.
Dax secured his weapon as Madden approached. “Dad call you?”
“Yeah,” Madden said. “Deputy Sanders is on his way. I told him we were working with Vanessa and wouldn’t wait to enter the house.”
“Good.” Dax would have forced his way in regardless of if the deputy had said otherwise, but it was nice to know they weren’t pissing off any law enforcement. “Vanessa’s upstairs in one of the bedrooms. The alarm woke her. She hasn’t seen anyone and is scared to death.”
“Let’s head in then.”
As Dax fixed his weapon in front of him, sirens sounded in the distance.
He stepped over the threshold with Madden at his back.
The lights on the main floor were off, shrouding the house in darkness.
As much as Dax wanted to rush upstairs to Vanessa, they needed to make sure no one lurked in the shadows.
Stepping quietly down the hallway, Dax led the way into the living room. Wind barreled in through a broken window. The moon bled in, creeping across the room. Dax flipped the switch to illuminate the room. He blinked against the sudden assault on his eyes.
“Room’s clear,” Madden said. “Let’s go to the next.”
They moved together, Dax’s heart beating harder with every step. His desire to get to Vanessa quickened his pace. By the time they reached the stairs, Deputy Sanders was at the door.
Dax pounded up the steps, leaving any communication for Madden to handle. The sound of Frankie’s soft whining turned him to the shut bedroom door. He knocked. “Vanessa? It’s Dax.”
The door swung open and Vanessa flung herself into his arms. “Oh…thank God.”
He ushered her back into the room. “Madden, I’ve got Vanessa,” he called over his shoulder as his brother and Deputy Sanders got to the top of the steps. “The other two rooms need to be cleared.”
“We’re on it,” Madden said.
Dax pulled back and smoothed his palms along Vanessa’s jawline on either side of her face. “Are you all right?”
Her body shook but she nodded. “Just scared. Did you find anyone?”
“No, but the window was broken. I’m guessing they smashed the glass to get inside then ran out the front door when the alarm went off. Probably wasn’t expecting that.”
Frankie barked and jumped, resting his two front paws on Dax’s leg.
Dax glanced down, and heat burned a hole in his gut. The dark green shirt Vanessa wore skimmed the top of her thighs. Nothing clothed her long, lean legs.
She followed his gaze then wide eyes shot back to his. “I was sleeping. I didn’t want to go downstairs to put on pajamas.”
“Do you need me to grab something for you?” It took every ounce of self-control he possessed to focus on the flecks of yellow in her eyes and not the smooth skin his fingers itched to touch.
“We’re all clear,” Madden called. “Whoever broke the window is long gone. Vanessa, the deputy will need you to make a statement.”
“I need pants,” she hissed, embarrassment flush on her cheeks.
“Give her a minute,” Dax called over his shoulder then shut the bedroom door. “Where are they?”
“In the room across the hall, on the floor.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead then stepped into the hallway to find Madden and Deputy Sanders’s matching expressions of confusion. “I’ve got to grab something.”
He didn’t offer any more explanation but dipped into the room across the hall and found her pants in a heap.
A ball of desire lodged in his throat as he picked them off the floor.
He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t envisioned Vanessa’s clothes thrown across the bedroom floor, but this wasn’t how he’d imagined it playing out.
And now was definitely not the time to get lost in that fantasy.
Shoving aside his misguided thoughts, he passed his brother and the deputy and ducked back into the room. He offered Vanessa the pants, forcing himself to spin away as she put them on. A light touch on his back turned him around, and he folded her against him once more.
Her arms wrapped around his middle.
He gave her a second to catch her breath then asked, “Are you ready to speak with the authorities? They’ll need a statement and will want you to take a look to see if anything’s missing.”
Tears threatened to fall, but she sniffed them back. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Better to get it over and done with.”
“I’m right here with you, okay?”
A whisper of a smile touched her lips. “Okay.”
Dax took hold of her hand and led her into the hall where the men waited.
Deputy Sanders dipped his chin. His heavyset frame was dressed in his firmly pressed deputy’s uniform. “Hello, Ms. Kemp. I’m Deputy Sanders with the sheriff’s department. Do you want to go downstairs and talk? I’ll make this as quick and painless as possible. I promise.”
Dax stayed close as they made their way downstairs and into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair for her to sit then stood behind her.
Madden stayed in the doorway.
“Okay,” Deputy Sanders said. “Can you give me a rundown of what happened?”
Dax reined in his temper as she gave a play-by-play of her night and what had led them all there. By the time she finished, he was on the chair beside her with an arm draped over her shoulders.
“I’m sorry this happened.” Deputy Sanders scribbled notes as he spoke. “I took photos of the broken window. You’ll want to do the same for insurances purposes. Do you need help securing everything?”
“Dax and I can help with that,” Madden said.
Deputy Sanders stood. “Then all that’s left is to take a look to see if anything’s missing.”
“Shouldn’t be too hard,” Vanessa said. “Most of my stuff is still in boxes.”
Dax helped her to her feet. “Well, we know nothing was taken from your mom’s old room since you were in there.”
“And, honestly, I haven’t spent enough time in the other two rooms to even know if anything had been stolen.”
“That’s okay,” the deputy said. “Let’s focus downstairs.”
Vanessa glanced around and shrugged. “The kitchen seems to be in order, or at least as much in order as I’d expect it.”
“Let’s check the living room,” Madden said. “I’ll look at the security feed to see if the camera caught an image of the intruder, but my guess is whoever it was took off as fast as possible. Probably didn’t have much time to look for valuables.”
Vanessa snorted. “I don’t have any of those anyway.” She led the way to the living room. “It’s impossible to tell if anything’s gone. The boxes are all taped shut. Nothing else was really in here except…” Her eyes went wide, and she ran out the front door. “They’re gone.”
Dax hurried to her side. “What’s gone?”
“The hammer and T-shirt I told you about.” She spun to face him and pointed at a pile of dirty gardening gloves and boots. “I put them right here. I know I did. Someone stole them.”
* * *
Vanessa huddled on the couch with Frankie and watched Dax and Madden temporarily fix her busted window. Fear clung to her like a cobweb, and unanswered questions plagued her.
She’d explained to the deputy what she’d found in the garden as well as her mother’s bedroom. He, along with Madden, agreed it was an odd thing to find, and the fact someone took such a risk to steal them told an even more terrifying story.
A story in which no one knew the beginning or the end. But she couldn’t help but feel like she was stuck smack-dab in the middle.
Dax smoothed a thick piece of duct tape along the bottom of the window, securing the cardboard even more. “This should hold you for a day or so. Luckily, it’s not winter, or you’d have to combat the cold. Now we just need to make sure no one else tries to get through it.”
“I’d feel better if we could pinpoint who broke in.” She drew her knees up to her chest and replayed the video they’d watched moments before.
The security camera had caught someone running out of the house, stopping on the porch to grab the T-shirt and hammer, then running to the back of the house. The dark figure could easily have been the same person who’d ambushed her when she’d arrived, but there was no way to tell for sure.
Madden packed the tools he’d brought in from his truck. “The sheriff’s department is on the lookout. There might not be much to go on, but they won’t stop until they figure it out.”
“They aren’t the only ones who’ll be looking,” Dax said.
The steel in his voice comforted Vanessa in a way nothing else could.
Madden cast a curious glance Dax’s way before focusing on her. “Sunrise Security can provide whatever you need to make you feel safe right now.”
“Screw that,” Dax said. “Someone’s pissed she’s here and wants her to know it. She doesn’t have to pay me a dime to make sure she’s protected.”
“I understand where you’re coming from, but this needs to be a discussion.” Madden spoke through gritted teeth.
Tension crackled between them, and Vanessa didn’t have the energy to figure out why. “Can we talk more tomorrow? It’s late and I’m tired. All I want is sleep.”
Madden nodded. “Sure. Call any time tomorrow.” He arched a brow at Dax.
Dax crossed his arms over his chest. “Good night.”
Madden flashed her a small smile then disappeared out the front door.
Dax waited for Madden to be gone before crossing the room and sitting beside her on the edge of the sofa. “Sorry about that, we have some issues.” He scrubbed a palm over his face. “That doesn’t matter now. How are you?”
She leaned against him, needing his sturdy form to anchor her—soothe her. “Overwhelmed. Scared, but not as much now that you’re with me.”
He secured an arm around her then scratched Frankie behind his ear. “I’m here as long as you want me to be.”
“Could you stay here tonight?” She held her breath as she waited for an answer. She’d fantasized about inviting him into her home after they’d kissed earlier. Never would she imagine she’d be asking him over because she was too afraid to be alone.
“Absolutely,” he said, placing a kiss on her forehead. “If you grab me a pillow and blanket, I’ll sleep on the couch. That way I can keep an extra eye on things with the window being busted.”
Glancing up, she bit the inside of her cheek. She hated being vulnerable, but her walls had been demolished with a sledgehammer. “Can you lay with me upstairs?”
He swallowed hard. “Are you sure? I don’t mind staying down here.”
“I don’t think I can sleep if I’m alone.
” She rested a palm on his chest and locked her eyes on his.
“I’m so tired, but I keep hearing those sirens, keep thinking about how things could have played out differently.
If I’m in that bed with Frankie, I’ll lay awake for the rest of the night. I just want to rest.”
“Okay. Then that’s what we’ll do.” He stood and held out his hand.
Relief cut through her terror and insecurities. She fit her palm in his and walked up the stairs, Frankie trailing behind them. Excitement pressed against her lungs, but she ignored it as best she could and led Dax into the bedroom she’d claimed as her own.
Dax stood in the doorway, the light from the hallway washing over him, and scratched the back of his neck. “Nice digs.”
His joke loosened the anxiety in her gut, and she grinned. “I decided this room made the most sense. I planned to spruce it up tomorrow, but for tonight, it’s Grandpa’s comforter and flannel sheets.”
Dax wiggled his eyebrows. “Sexy.”
She climbed under the thick blanket, opting to keep her pants on this time, then smoothed part of the covers back.
Frankie leapt up and claimed the spot.
“Not tonight, Fido,” Dax said, stalking into the room to slide Frankie to the foot of the bed. He stared down at Vanessa, indecision in his pinched brow.
Her mouth went dry, and she struggled not to squirm under his scrutiny. “Is everything all right?”
He wrinkled his nose. “I’m not used to sleeping in jeans.”
“Oh.” Her gaze dropped to the dark jeans surrounding his thick thighs then back up to his handsome face. “We’re both adults. Get comfortable. I’ll even turn my back, so I don’t sneak a peek.”
He grinned, but she turned away to keep the playful banter going. Pretending like she wasn’t interested in Dax McKay taking off his clothes before climbing into bed beside her was far better than reliving the past few hours of hell.
The mattress dipped alongside her and the heat of Dax’s skin nearly scorched her. Dear Lord, maybe this wasn’t her best idea, but there was no turning back now.
A strong arm hooked her middle and pulled her close. “Is this okay?” he asked, his breath tickling her ear.
She cleared the desire from her throat before she said, “Yes.” She relaxed against him, feeling safe for the first time since the blasting alarm had ripped her out of a deep sleep. “Thank you.”
His throaty chuckle skimmed her neck. “There might be a lot of things you can thank me for some day, but holdin’ you isn’t one of them. Now close your eyes and go to sleep. Because if you keep me up much longer, I’ll be tempted to do a whole lot more than snuggle.”
She debated discovering how much more that would be but thought better of it. She was too tired and overwhelmed to let go and spend the night with Dax the way her body really wanted. Instead, she closed her eyes and fell into the deepest sleep she’d experienced in years.