23. Chapter 23
Eavesdropping is bad. I know that. God, do I know that.
And yet, instead of just staying in bed when I felt him leave, I crept to the door to listen to his conversation.
What I didn’t expect to hear was that his old team is on the way here. The only reason they would be heading this way is if Tennison was.
I crack the door, trying to hear more of the conversation.
“What the fuck?” I whisper. Or I think I whisper it, but when Oakley looks up and sees me, his face drops.
“Will—”
“What is going on?” I can hear the terror in my voice, but I can’t even begin to calm myself down.
“Fuck,” he groans, pulling his light brown hair in frustration. “Sit, please,” he asks more calmly than I imagined he could right now.
I plop down on the couch, waiting for him to join me, but he starts pacing instead.
“You know the basics of Tennison, but things have changed.”
“Changed how?” I ask.
“He’s traveling, for one, and he’s never done that before. And he’s going after one person, specifically.”
My eyes widen, confused as to why his modus operandi seems to have changed so drastically. “Who?” I whisper, praying it’s not whom I think it is, praying that all of Oakley’s fears aren’t coming true.
He stops pacing long enough to give me a sad smile. “No,” I whisper. “No!”
Stopping his movements, he comes and sits next to me. “He’s been slowly making his way to me, and the Task Force hasn’t been able to get ahead of his movements, always missing him. He’s been … he’s been taking victims along the way and leaving a new calling card.”
“James…” I don’t know how to respond. I don’t know how to feel. The only thing in my head is how to keep him safe, how to keep him out of Tennison’s hooks and with me.
“The team is heading here as we speak.”
“What’s the calling card?”
“I’m not sure what the plan will be, but I know the goal is to try to get him here, set a trap or something. I don’t know.” He ignores my question.
“James, what is his calling card?”
He lifts his head and stares into my eyes. I see the guilt, the frustration, and the devastation he’s feeling right now.
“He’s been leaving oak leaves with the victims,” he whispers, and my heart shatters.
“Fuck.” The guilt must be encompassing his every thought right now.
“When the team gets here, I’m going to do everything in my power to lock this bastard up.”
“What can I do?” I ask. I’m not sure I can actually do anything, but I need to help. I can’t just sit back and wait to see if Tennison gets his target, crushing my entire world.
“Nothing. I need you safe—that is literally the only thing that matters. I cannot risk you being in his crosshairs.” His pleading tone has me starting to feel panicked.
I swing a leg over his lap, straddling him before cupping his jaw in my hands.
“I can’t lose you either. Don’t you get it? This—whatever we label us as—is special, and I will not let some psychopath come and threaten that. And if he’s coming here, then everyone in Bluebell Falls will rally for you. You’re one of us now, and we have each other’s backs.”
“But, Will, I’m not worth protecting like that. Whatever happens to me was set in stone the second Tennison’s and my paths crossed.”
“You are a noble man, but that’s some ridiculous bullshit you’re spewing right now.” I smirk to lessen the blow. “The second you won everyone over with your delicious coffee and sandwiches, you were stuck with all of us.”
“I’ve seen things, done things, that are horrible, Will. I don’t deserve that level of support, and I definitely don’t deserve you, but fuck if I don’t care. I just need to stop him. The things he’s done, the things that are kept from the media, it’s something I need to figure out how to stop. Woodcroft isn’t supposed to be even sharing any of this shit with me, let alone me telling you, but I need you to be aware and cautious. I need you to be safe.”
I nod, telling him I hear him and will absolutely be on my game.
“Oh, and ‘girlfriend’. You’re my girlfriend. That’s the label I want.”
“Done.” I smile. “You want to try to get more sleep before our sleepy little town gets overrun with a super manly task force team?” I ask with a giggle in an attempt to break some of the tension.
“If I see you ogling any of the men I used to work with, I’m tying you up before beating the shit out of them.”
Laughter bursts out of me. “I’d pay to see that show, honestly.”
“Don’t even start, Trouble,” he growls as he tickles my waist.
“Truce! I promise I will only have eyes for you!” I squeal out before he hugs me tight to him. The serious look in his eyes stops my laughter.
“I definitely need to try to get more sleep, but I also need you to know that I appreciate you and everything you do, everything you offer. Thank you. I want to make a real go of this, regardless of what happens in the next few days with Tennison.”
“Me too,” I murmur.
“I— I just need you to be safe,” he relents, and somehow I don’t think that’s what he meant to say.
“I will be. “
His hands grip my ass again. “Let’s try to get some sleep.” He stands up, carrying me to the bedroom, where we snuggle back into bed. His arm wraps around my waist, pulling me close to him as he spoons me from behind.
Content. That’s how I feel. Even though it feels like bad things are coming. Even though it feels like things are going to get way worse before they get better, I’m content in his arms.
And even though my thoughts are still whirling with the new information, I’m exhausted enough to fall back asleep.