Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
SHAW
A sleuth her mother is not. It only took me an hour after sending Monroe up to bed to find the name of the man she hired to stalk her daughter, once I knew what I was looking for.
Alton Matthews. Plain. Middle-aged. Incapable of holding down a job.
So far, he hasn’t flown into Montana, but that doesn’t mean he’s not on his way or that he doesn’t plan to come. What I need to find out is if he knows Monroe is here. Given Helen hired him, I’ll assume that’s a yes, or will be soon enough.
I’m about to pick up the phone to call Draven when I notice the time and decide to email him instead. The first thing we need to do is locate Alton in Hollywood.
As I shut my computer down for the night, a flash of lightning bolts across the sky, quickly followed by a clap of thunder.
It’s supposed to storm for the next three days.
I don’t know how Monroe handles them, but with her being as skittish as she is, I decide to pop into her room to check on her before heading to my own bed.
Turning off lights and double-checking that the windows and doors are locked, I quietly stride upstairs.
Once at Monroe’s door, I slowly turn the nob and push inwards.
The curtains are open wide, allowing moonlight to spill across the bed where she sleeps, curled into a ball with a thick blanket covering her.
Going as silently as I came, I begin unbuttoning my shirt while approaching my room. After toeing my boots off in the doorway and tossing my clothes in the hamper, I move to the bed. Leaving the door open in case Monroe needs me during the night.
That’s what I tell myself anyway.
What worries me is that she’ll wake up early again and scar herself in a way she may come to regret later on. After spending so much time in the military, I’ve learned to spot someone in the midst of a breakdown, and Monroe displays all the signs of a traumatized individual.
Lying down in just my boxers, I leave the covers off, still hot from the warm day, and rest my hands under my head. My eyes close and exhaustion washes over me, taking me under.
Some time later, the squeaky floorboards wake me, the bed dips, and a warm body drapes across my chest, shivering. Thunder still rumbles through, and as I wrap my arms around Monroe, I hear her begin counting each thud of my heart. It’s what she says after each number that infuriates me, though.
“One, the number of mistakes you’re allowed to make.
Two, the number of days you won’t eat. Three, the number of hours you’re forced to run.
Four, the times you failed on purpose. Five, the weeks you were locked in a closet for failure.
Six, the number of times you were arm candy.
Seven, for luck.” Her voice grows quieter with each word until she finally drifts off.
I lie here, simmering with a rage I can do nothing with.
How the fuck I’m supposed to go back to sleep after what I just heard is beyond me.
I’ve seen and done a lot of shit in my life, but this pageant stuff…
life in Hollywood…it takes things to a whole new level of fucked up.
All I can do is hope I’ll be able to help Monroe leave behind the only life she’s ever known once the threat against her is neutralized.
By the time the sun begins to rise, I still haven’t had a wink of sleep, needing to ensure Monroe is as safe as she can be while in my arms. Knowing none is forthcoming, I slide from the bed and wrap her up in the blanket before having a quick shower and getting dressed.
Rita isn’t here yet to begin breakfast, so I turn the coffee on and get to work on some chores around the yard. Wanting to stay close to the house in case Monroe needs me again.
Grabbing the hose, I start filling water bins for Marilyn and the horses before prepping the feed buckets. Kane gallops into the yard around the same time as I hear Rita’s Jeep coming up the driveway.
“Morning, Shaw.” Kane nods his head as he grabs a pitchfork to start mucking out the stalls. “How’s Monroe settling in?”
“Still skittish, but she’s enjoying her time so far, and Marilyn adores her.” It amazes me how quickly the two have bonded, always wanting to be together.
“So, is she sticking around?”
Looking up at him, I give Kane my full attention and honesty because he’s been one of my closest friends for most of our lives. We grew up together in Texas, and when he jumped at the chance to join me here, I realized our bond only grew stronger with the time and distance I was away.
“I damn sure want her to. I can see a future with Monroe.” Marriage, kids, grandkids. Hell, if I’m lucky, great-grandkids.
“Knew it.” He grins. “The minute I saw you looking at her, I knew she was your forever. Damn happy for you, Shaw.”
I didn’t think I was that obvious, but when you know each other as well as we do, I suppose that’s bound to happen.
By the time Rita calls us for breakfast, the chores around the yard are finished, and I’m eager to see if Draven’s gotten back to me because now that I’ve said it out loud, I really fucking want to get this damn stalker dealt with and move on with Monroe by my side.