15. Grace
15
GRACE
I wake to the sound of his even breathing beside me, the steady rise and fall of his chest. I feel as though I’ve slept for ten years.
I don’t know if I’ve ever slept that well.
I slept through the night—no tossing, no turning, no waking up drenched in sweat, my heart racing with the phantom echoes of a nightmare.
It’s been months since I’ve felt anything close to this calm, and I know it’s because of Theo.
I smile and inhale slowly. I open my eyes and turn my head slightly to the left. He’s on his back, one arm stretched over his head, the other resting lightly on his stomach.
The morning sun filters through the curtains, casting a golden hue over his tan skin.
He looks peaceful, his dark hair messy, his stubble thicker than usual. I can’t explain it, but there’s something about being near him that makes me feel safe.
Protected.
It’s like he’s created a bubble around me, shielding me from the chaos outside.
I’ve been a prisoner of my own fear for so long that I’d forgotten what it feels like to breathe. To not constantly look over my shoulder, expecting my stalker to appear at any moment.
The nightmares usually come as soon as I close my eyes, vivid and cruel, but last night?
Nothing. Just quiet. Just Theo.
It’s too much to put on him. I know that. He’s put his entire life on hold for me to make sure I’m safe. And while I’m grateful—beyond grateful—the guilt is eating me alive.
He doesn’t say it, but I know he’s exhausted. Who wouldn’t be? I’ve been a mess, and he’s been my anchor through it all.
He didn’t sign up for any of this, either. Devon volunteered him for it.
He’s gone above and beyond the call of duty, that’s for sure.
I shift slightly, trying not to wake him, but his eyes flutter open. For a moment, he’s groggy, but then he focuses on me, and a soft smile touches his lips.
“Hey,” he says, his voice rough with sleep. “You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah. I actually… I slept. Like, really slept.”
His smile widens. “Good. You needed it.”
“It’s because of you,” I admit gently. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I just… I feel safe. Like nothing can touch me when you’re holding me.”
He shifts onto his side, propping himself up on one elbow. His hand reaches out to brush a strand of hair from my face.
“That’s how it should be. You deserve to feel safe, Grace. You deserve to feel normal.”
I close my eyes for a moment, savoring the warmth of his touch. But the guilt surges again, and I push myself up to sit against the headboard.
“I hate that you’re doing all of this for me. I hate that you’ve paused your life because I can’t handle mine.”
“Stop,” he says firmly, sitting up beside me. “You’re not handling this alone. And I’m not putting my life on pause. I’m exactly where I need to be.”
“But—”
“No.” He takes my hand, his grip strong but gentle. “This isn’t up for debate, Grace. I care about you. I’m not going anywhere.”
I bite my lip, trying to hold back the tears that threaten to spill over. “It’s just… I feel like I’m suffocating under all of this. And you’re… you’re my only lifeline. It’s not fair to you.”
“You’re not suffocating me,” he says softly. “If anything, you’re giving me purpose. Let me help you. Please.”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. He pulls me into his arms, and I let myself lean into him, absorbing his strength. For a moment, it’s just us.
No fear, no stalker, no chaos. He pulls me into his lap, sits up, and leans against the headboard, cradling me as if I were a child.
Well, this is strangely comforting.
“What if we left?”
I pull back, frowning. “Left?”
“Yeah. I can charter a plane, take you to a private island or… anywhere you want to go. Somewhere, this guy can’t reach you. Somewhere you can finally relax.”
“Theo, no.” I shake my head. “We can’t do that.”
“Why not? It’s a good plan.”
“Because it’s what he wants,” I explain, my voice rising slightly. “He wants me scared. He wants me to run and hide so he can feel powerful and in control. I can’t give him that. I won’t.”
He studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “You’re so damn stubborn.”
“You love it,” I tease, trying to lighten the mood.
He snorts. “Yeah, I do. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop trying to protect you.”
“I know,” I say softly. “And I’ll keep working with the police and Tad and Devon. We’ll find him. We’ll end this. I just… I can’t let him win.”
He nods, though I can see the frustration in his eyes. He wants to do more to fix this, but he knows I won’t budge.
There’s a pounding at the door, and my heart leaps into my throat. Theo grabs me tighter, clutching me against him.
“Mr. Rossi! Miss Simmons! Open up!” a muffled voice shouts from the other side.
Theo is already depositing me on the bed and out of it before I can fully register what’s happening. The sheets slide off his body as he grabs a pair of lounge pants from the floor.
He throws me a look.
The security guard opens the door and barrels inside. I clutch the sheet to my chest.
“We need to go. Now,” the guard says, averting his eyes as he takes in Theo’s state of undress and the tousled sheets behind him.
“Get dressed, both of you. I’m getting you out of the building.”
“What the hell is going on?” Theo demands, stepping in front of me instinctively.
“There’s no time to explain everything,” the guard says, his voice clipped. “Tad just called. The back door of the building was found propped open. We think the stalker’s inside. “
The high-pitched wail of the fire alarm pierces the air.
The guard grimaces. “Damn it,” he mutters under his breath. “I didn’t know that was coming. Must’ve been the stalker trying to create chaos or isolate her.”
Theo curses under his breath and turns to me. “Grace. Clothes. Now.”
My body moves on autopilot, and I throw on the first items I find—a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. Theo pulls on a T-shirt and shoves his feet into sneakers.
My hands are trembling so badly that I fumble with the hem of my shirt, but Theo gently grabs my wrist, steadying me.
“Hey,” he says, his voice soft despite the urgency in his eyes. “You’re okay. We’ve got this.”
I nod, swallowing hard—the security guard motions for us to follow him, already heading toward the emergency exit.
“Hurry,” he barks. “The fire alarm must be a distraction. I think he’s trying to corner or force her back to her room.”
Theo’s jaw tightens. “Not happening.”
We burst into the stairwell, the shrill alarm echoing off the walls. My legs feel like jelly as we race downward, Theo’s hand on my lower back, urging me to keep moving.
The guard is ahead of us, his head swiveling constantly, scanning for threats.
Halfway down, we pass a custodian heading up the stairs. He’s wearing a navy jumpsuit and carrying a mop. His expression is strangely calm, almost indifferent, despite the blaring alarm.
I barely have time to react before I collide with him, the impact jarring me backward.
“Sorry—” I start to say, but Theo’s already there, grabbing the man by the arm and shoving him against the wall.
“What the hell are you doing?” Theo growls, his grip iron tight.
The custodian raises his hands, his face a mask of surprise—or maybe annoyance. “Just trying to do my job, man. What’s your problem?”
Theo doesn’t let go, his eyes narrowing as he looks the man up and down. “You shouldn’t be here.”
The guard calls back to us. “Theo! Grace! Let’s go!”
Theo releases the custodian with a warning glare, and we continue our descent. My pulse is racing, and adrenaline coursing through me makes everything feel surreal.
We finally burst out into the parking lot, and the cold night air hits me like a slap.
An SUV with tinted windows screeches to a halt in front of us. The driver’s side window rolls down, and Devon leans out. “Get in!” he shouts.
The guard opens the back door, and Theo practically lifts me inside before climbing in after me. Devon doesn’t wait for the door to shut completely before he takes off, the tires screeching as we speed away from the building.
My hands are shaking so badly that I can barely fasten the seatbelt. Theo notices and reaches over, doing it for me. His hand lingers on mine for a moment, a silent reassurance.
“You’re okay,” he says again, his voice low but steady. “We’re okay.”
I nod, though I don’t feel okay. My chest is tight, and my mind is racing with worst-case scenarios.
What if the stalker had been waiting for me in the stairwell? What if Theo hadn’t been there to shove that guy out of the way?
It isn’t until we’re several blocks away that I finally notice my phone vibrating in my lap. I pick it up, frowning as a notification flashes across the screen.
**AirTag Detected Near You.**
My stomach drops.
“Theo,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “Look.”
He takes the phone from me, his face darkening as he reads the notification. “When did this start?” he asks, his tone sharp.
“I—I don’t know,” I stammer. “I just saw it.”
Devon glances at us in the rearview mirror. “What’s going on?”
“She’s being tracked,” Theo says grimly. “Stop the car so we can find it. Her phone says there is an Air tag following her.”
“Shit,” Devon curses.
The driver slams on the brakes, and we all file out of the car. Devon, the driver, and the guards start checking all over the car while Theo does a quick frisk of me.
My mind races, replaying the night’s events. The custodian. His calm demeanor. The way he brushed past me in the stairwell.
“Oh my God,” I breathe, the realization hitting me like a freight train. “It was him. The custodian. He’s the stalker.”
Theo’s eyes widen as he reaches into the hood of my sweatshirt and pulls out a silver metal Air Tag.
“Got it.”
“Toss it in the trash,” Devon growls.
“No, why don’t we give it to one of the other drivers and have them send him on a goose chase?” the driver interjects.
“He won’t know that we didn’t switch cars or something when we stopped.”
“If he’s watching that closely. He may not notice we stopped. You’re right,” Devon nods. “We can have them lead him elsewhere and be ready when he shows up.”
“We have a female on our security team who could pass for Miss Simmons,” the security guard adds. “She can be waiting when he comes in.”
Theo is already on the phone, calling Tad. Within two minutes, there’s another SUV pulling up. He hands the driver the tag, and they take off in the opposite direction.
He was so close to me, and I didn’t even know.