Chapter 13
Walker knew that Quentin was a wizard, but it was truly amazing to watch him integrate a top-tier security umbrella over The Menagerie without any of it being obvious.
If customers looked really, really hard, they might see a camera here or there, but they were artfully hidden within the chaos, even to his trained eye.
Serena made noises about having camera coverage in the inventory room upstairs, but he prevailed without too much of a fight when he stated that this install likely make her insurance premiums go down.
After that, she left them alone.
“Anything more on whoever tripped the perimeter sensors?”
Quentin shook his head as he installed an encrypted central Wi-Fi manager behind a particularly garish Carnivale mask on the south wall. “Nothing new. It was probably hikers.”
Because Walker knew he was likely correct, he let it go and helped his friend finish the install, before seeing him out the back door.
The Menagerie was now a fortress. Nothing would happen in here without them knowing about it instantly. When all this was over, they’d hand the reins over to Serena to manage it how she wished.
Later that night they chose a horribly cheesy eighties movie to watch, making themselves comfortable on the couch in the common room.
When Serena tipped her head against his shoulder, he draped his arm around her.
It felt good, right, even as that familiar tingle of sexual awareness ran between them.
He figured they’d get around to going to bed together at some point, but he liked this part just as much.
Getting to know her as an adult woman would make it all the sweeter, but there was something about putting the moves on her in the place where she’d been assaulted that felt wrong.
So he’d bide his time, something he was good at.
That didn’t mean the press of her warm, supple body against his didn’t make him hard as a post.
He stifled a smile when he realized that she’d fallen asleep and was snoring lightly, her body burrowed against his. If nothing else, he’d given her enough of a sense of security that she felt comfortable dozing off.
The movie ended and the credits rolled, so he clicked off the remote and sat there in silence, not willing to disturb her.
As he sat there, his thoughts moved on to what to do next, for both the business and their inaugural client.
He knew she wasn’t going to like it, but he was going to look into her ex, starting tomorrow.
Her father as well. From his work in private security, he knew assaults and murders were usually committed by someone the victim knew.
Did he think that was the case here? No, not really.
From what Serena had said about her ex, he didn’t seem like the type to get his hands dirty.
Same with Parker Gates. But he still needed to check them out.
Tomorrow he’d begin using his resources and Quentin’s computer know-how to track down the whereabouts of Marcus Anderson.
Same with Mr. Higgins. Since Serena had his contact info, that should be an easy enough search. He’d have to figure out how to get only-known-as-Bobby’s last name. Or maybe his prints would be faster. Quentin could probably get a result faster than the FBI if he wanted to.
Serena murmured, beginning to wake. Every resolution he’d made about taking things slow evaporated like mist as she tilted her face up to his.
Her expression was soft, so soft and slumberous.
It was the same face she’d had at seventeen when they’d woken after making love.
There was nothing in the world that would stop him from kissing her now.
He dipped his head and covered her mouth with his, contentment and need warring within him.
But he was a big boy and could curb himself.
So instead, he pulled her close and kissed her.
Long, slow kisses that should have comforted, but instead stoked a fire within him that threatened to rage out of control.
Serena hummed in response and gave as good as she got, her lips opening, her tongue questing.
She tasted like heaven and sin. Grasping her hips, he lifted her until she straddled him, never breaking the kiss.
She gave a surprised little feminine sound of approval and then sank into the kiss even deeper.
He forced his hands to stay where they were, bracing her hips, but allowed his thumbs to move in little circles beneath her shirt, tracing soft warm skin.
When she began to rock against him, her breasts pressing against his chest, her breath sighing against his mouth, he almost broke.
But when he took her to bed again, it would be in a bed, not on the fucking sofa.
He tore his lips away from hers. “It’s killing me, but I’ve got to be the bigger man here, Serena,” he said on a groan.
She lifted her face away from his, her lips swollen, her eyes heavy-lidded and sensual. “Why?”
He feathered his thumb over her cheekbone. “Because I won’t take advantage of you in the place you were made vulnerable.”
She looked confused for a long moment, then a smile curved that generous mouth. “Saving me from myself, are you?”
He chuckled, but it was a strangled sound. “Something like that.”
“Hmm,” she said as she leaned into his touch. “I’ll have to think on that.”
She began to disengage, to push away from him, and the hand remaining on her hip spasmed in involuntary protest. That got a smile, and she leaned in for one last fleeting meeting of their mouths.
“Sweet dreams, Walker,” she said. “I know I’ll be having some.”
He groaned and dropped his head to the back of the sofa, making her laugh that full-throated laugh. “See you in the morning.”
She shot one last smoldering look over her shoulder and left the room, and Walker kicked himself for being nine kinds of fool.
Walker Landry was going to be the death of her, Serena decided as she lay in her big, froofy, empty bed.
But she had to respect his sense of honor, even while she plotted a way around it.
Because one thing she knew was that she wanted him.
She wanted him in her bed and in her life.
She liked him as a man and loved the way he made her feel.
They had a past. What was it they called it in romance novels? A second-chance romance? Well, she was all for that.
She dropped off quicker than she thought she would, and when her internal alarm went off at four-thirty a.m., she popped out of bed, feeling remarkably refreshed.
She opened the app on her phone and walked through the steps that Quentin had shown her to make sure that the living area and the business area downstairs were secure.
All of the systems were green, as was the door at the top of the stairs.
As much as she’d hated having him install the security system, she had to admit it gave her peace of mind in this old, creaky house.
She took her quick shower and got ready for her day, and was downstairs waiting when Gena showed up at five. She let her in and walked her through adding the app on her phone to disable the system, in addition to pinpointing where all the cameras were.
They put last night’s pre-prepped food into the ovens and set up the next batch. When that was done, she carefully boxed the jewelry that Marlon Jones had been looking for, topping it with a great big bow. When he showed up again, she would make his day.
When the doors opened at six, it was almost as busy as it had been the day before, with a few of the new customers returning, and other townsfolk who hadn’t made it in yet and wanted to see what all the hubbub had been about.
Walker made an appearance around seven and gave her a smile that warmed her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.
Marlon showed around eight, on his way to work, she presumed, and was suitably thrilled by the gift box she presented to him, happily forking over the hundred bucks for the set.
Serena noted the way Walker watched every move the man made, and when Garrett walked in with his face perfectly expressionless, she saw the way Walker’s whole body tightened.
Oh shit. He had definitely picked up something she hadn’t.
Garrett strode to the counter, and when Marlon turned to leave, he saw the sheriff and went stock still.
“Mr. Jones, please come with me,” Garret said, and reached out to grasp Marlon’s arm.
“What for?” Marlon asked, his voice squeaking a bit before he got control of himself.
“For questioning in the attempted break-in of The Menagerie,” Hanson said, his voice low, and cast an apologetic glance toward Serena. “We can talk more at the Sheriff’s Department.”
Serena felt her whole body go cold and Walker slipped from his seat and moved behind the counter to stand at her side.
Could he have assaulted her? And then stood here with such elation when he got the necklace and earrings? Was that what he’d been after the whole time?
“I didn’t do anything!” The whine was back in Marlon’s voice and it was loud enough to draw everyone’s attention, despite Garrett’s attempt at discretion. “I tried to get in, but the lock was too good, and when I told him that, he stiffed me.”
She felt Walker’s arm slip around her waist and she leaned against him, trying not to shiver uncontrollably. How could she have missed Marlon’s duplicity?
“Sure,” Garrett said. “You can tell me all about it. At the Sheriff’s Department. Your PO has already been notified.”
“Shit,” Marlon said, and turned pleading eyes toward Serena. “Don’t let my parole officer revoke me, please Miss Blackstone. I swear, I only tried because he was going to pay me.”
Garrett was pulling him away, and even though a crowd hadn’t physically gathered, everyone had heard the exchange, and there were many, many fingers flying over phone keyboards as the door closed behind the two men.
“Let’s take a little break,” Walker said and steered her toward the kitchen. “Gena’s got it for a few minutes, right?”
“Absolutely,” Gena assured both of them. “Come back when you’re ready.”