Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
W hat was she doing?
Shiloh’s grip on Granger’s shirt tightened, and she used her hold as leverage to get higher on her toes.
She shouldn’t be doing this. Her emotions were all over the place and she knew they were the driving force behind the kiss, but right now, Shiloh didn’t care.
She’d been attracted to Granger since Serenity and Luca’s wedding, though she’d set it aside when he’d rejected her.
Twice.
He’d come across as a jerk during their first interactions together, but as Shiloh had watched him with his son and as she saw the man behind the grump, she’d come to realize he was protecting himself.
Now he was trying to protect her.
Granger slowed their kissing and pulled back, both of them breathing heavily.
“There’s no one here,” Shiloh said breathlessly. “You didn’t need to act for an audience.”
“That wasn’t for an audience,” Granger said with a slow shake of his head. “That was for me.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “And you.”
It took several seconds for Shiloh to open her eyes after the little kiss. Her body was thrumming with excitement, and she wanted nothing more than to kiss him again. “Are you sure it wasn’t just because of Arthur?” she asked softly.
She knew it might be considered a cruel question, but she had to know. Was Granger claiming her as part of their fake-dating, or was this real? Her heart thumped painfully in her chest as she waited for his answer. Only one would do.
Granger tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, then ran his fingers down the length of the strands. “Always straight to the point,” Granger said with a small smile. “Arthur might have been the shove I needed, but that kiss was because I’ve wanted to kiss you again for days.”
Shiloh took in a long breath. “Then why haven’t you?”
“Because this was supposed to be fake.”
She huffed. “If this is real, then our fake-dating might have been the shortest fake relationship in history.”
“That’s because it was never meant to be fake.”
Shiloh had to lock her knees. “What in the world happened to the grumpy man I used to tease?” she asked, shaking her head as if to try and knock some sense back in. “You claim to be rusty at kissing and flirting, but I’ve got evidence to prove you wrong on both points.”
Granger smirked and resettled his arms around her waist. “Don’t tell Tate. He’ll never let me live it down.”
Shiloh smacked his chest. “I might never let you live it down. I feel like you’ve been lying to me.”
Granger took in a long slow breath, looking away for a few moments before coming back. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice slightly low. “I was…angry, to say the least. When we first met at the wedding, it ticked me off that I found you attractive. I wasn’t supposed to think another woman was beautiful. I haven’t been interested in dating or trying another relationship since Ella left.”
Ella.
Shiloh finally had a name to put to the woman who’d broken Granger so badly. “My face isn’t my fault,” Shiloh argued, though that wasn’t what she really wanted to say. A conversation about Granger’s past, however, might be better saved for when there weren’t two men waiting in the front of the building and they weren’t all trying to figure out what to do about a man who’d gone from professional rival to creepy pervert.
“No,” Granger agreed. “But you wear it well.”
Shiloh rolled her eyes. “Beauty fades,” she argued.
“Not true,” Granger shot back. He tapped her sternum just under her throat. “The right kind of beauty only grows with age.”
“Seriously,” Shiloh breathed, trying to keep her reactions to his words at bay. Who would have ever guessed that Granger had such a silver tongue. “Not rusty.”
Granger tucked her head under his chin and wrapped his arms around her back. “We need to have a long talk,” he whispered. “But I don’t think now’s the time.”
Shiloh melted into his hold. “Agreed.”
“Knock, knock,” Jett shouted from the door. “Is it safe to enter?”
Shiloh stepped out of Granger’s hold, frustrated at how much she hated stepping away. “Just what in the world do you think we’re doing back here?” she responded.
The door opened the rest of the way, and Jett shrugged, looking only mildly amused. “I’m not taking that bait.” He jammed a thumb over his shoulder. “Montoya’s here. You ready to talk to him?”
Shiloh felt the blood immediately drain from her head. It had been all too nice to stand in Granger’s strong arms, smell the grassy scent of his shirt, and feel like the world was far away.
But this was reality, and it meant dealing with a stalker and the police.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready,” she admitted.
Jett nodded. “I know. But he needs to be involved. This has gone way too far.”
Granger took Shiloh’s hand, his warmth spreading up her arm. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get it over with.”
Shiloh let Granger pull her into the front room where Officer Montoya stood talking in hushed tones with Tate. They were standing near the desk where the boys had put the note back together, but they both looked up when Shiloh and Granger entered the room.
“Shiloh,” Officer Montoya said seriously. “You should’ve called me earlier.”
Shiloh leaned into Granger. “We thought we could handle it.”
Officer Montoya sighed. “Says every woman who’s ever been stalked.” His dark eyes landed on Granger. “So the announcement that you two were a couple the other night was fake?”
Shiloh looked up just as Granger looked down at her. “Yes,” Granger admitted, turning back to the officer. He held up his and Shiloh’s combined hands. “But it’s not anymore.”
Officer Montoya’s eyebrows went up and he turned his questioning gaze on Shiloh who nodded her affirmation. “Okay…I might need the whole story of that one at some point, but let’s focus on the dangerous situation. Shiloh, do you have some tape?”
“Of course.” Shiloh let go of Granger and went to her desk, grabbing some tape out of a side drawer. Slipping into Melissa’s seat, she began to tape the pieces of the note together, then handed the whole thing to Officer Montoya.
“Why is it torn?” the policeman asked.
“Because my secretary was trying to get rid of it,” Shiloh admitted. “She could tell I was terrified of it, and she just wanted it gone.”
So many grunts and growls went through the room that Shiloh wasn’t even sure where they all came from.
Putting her fingers in her mouth, she whistled loudly, getting everyone’s attention. “Hey,” she demanded. “I know it was wrong. We should’ve kept it, but I was frozen like a block of ice and Melissa doesn’t know that Arthur has threatened me twice before. She was just trying to protect me. So let’s forget about getting frustrated and just take this guy down, huh?”
She recognized Granger’s chuckle, but Officer Montoya spoke back. “Get this guy taken down?” he asked, shaking his head. “Shiloh. Don’t take martial arts. I don’t think I trust you to use skills like that appropriately.”
Rolling her eyes, Shiloh leaned back in her seat and folded her arms over her chest. Normally, she’d have some kind of flirty comeback to throw at the officer, but for some reason, Shiloh didn’t want to say it. She wanted to save her snark for only one man.
That sensation was new and a little frightening, but Shiloh glanced Granger’s way and knew it was the right one, anyway. “Then someone better teach me how to throw a right punch without breaking my fingers because if Arthur tries to corner me again, I’m not hesitating.”
If Arthur ever tried to corner Shiloh again, Granger was pretty sure the guy wouldn’t stand a chance because Granger wasn’t ever leaving her side.
Okay…those thoughts were probably a little on the dramatic side, not to mention not entirely logical, but still…Granger wanted Arthur gone.
For good.
“You’re sure this note is from him?” Grady Montoya asked, his eyebrows raised.
Shiloh shrugged. “It’s signed by him. What else am I to think?”
“Did anyone actually see him put it on the door?” Grady looked around the room but to Granger’s frustration, everyone had to admit they hadn’t.
“Can she get a restraining order?” Granger stepped forward. “What does that involve? I can testify that he’s touched her without permission and tried to force her to spend time with him.”
Grady scratched his chin. “If he threatened you in any way or caused physical harm, we can put up a restraining order pretty easily.”
“Does this count?”
The men all looked at Shiloh as she took off the office jacket she was wearing and showed off tanned, slim and bruised upper arms.
It wasn’t until Jett’s hand landed on Granger’s shoulder that he realized he was shaking. His fists were clenched so tightly he was cutting off the circulation in his fingers and the tips were starting to tingle.
“At ease, soldier,” Jett said softly. “We’re going to take care of this.”
Grady eyed Granger. “We’re going to take care of it according to the law,” Grady said carefully. “Don’t make me put you away, as well.”
Granger blew out a breath and stepped out of Jett’s hold. “I’m fine.”
Grady snorted. “I’ve seen guys who are fine , Grange. The nerve pulsing in your temple would suggest you aren’t fine.”
Granger stretched his neck. “We called you here, didn’t we? I’m not going to do anything I shouldn’t.”
“Let’s keep it that way,” Grady muttered. He looked back at Shiloh. “You’re sure those came from Arthur?” he asked in a low tone.
Shiloh’s jaw was set, and her eyes narrowed. “Yes.”
Montoya nodded firmly. “Let’s go down to the station. I need pictures, a formal report. If you have a witness, it’ll only make the case stronger, and then we’ll keep you safe.”
“I’m her witness,” Granger inserted again.
Grady pointed to Shiloh’s arms. “You saw Arthur do that?”
“I saw him holding her in that location and shaking her,” Granger said. He turned to Shiloh. “Those bruises came from our first instance with him?”
Shiloh nodded and slowly pulled on her jacket.
“Then, yes.” Granger turned back to Montoya. “I saw him do that.”
Grady ran a hand over his thick, black hair. “And I thought the small city would be a break.” He blew out a breath. “Turns out there are jerkwads everywhere.”
Granger grunted.
“Isn’t that the truth?” Shiloh muttered.
Granger fought the urge to bounce on his toes. He had too much energy swirling inside of him at the moment, and he needed to move. But he didn’t want to leave Shiloh and taking off by himself might be a mistake. He was too angry right now.
It was a good thing Zane was with Serenity. It would give Granger time to cool off before dealing with his son again. Zane was a good kid, but any parent that was pushed over the edge had the ability to snap.
“So you’re saying I need to keep the office closed for the rest of the day?” Shiloh asked.
Montoya shrugged. “Unless you have someone else you can run it.”
“Well, I already sent my secretary home, and I’m not taking back the afternoon I gave her, so I guess Baxter Realty is closed for the day.” She sighed, and Granger felt the frustration all the way to his core. “Arthur isn’t even here, and he’s messing with my business.”
“One day,” Jett said quickly. “Just one afternoon, and then he can’t do this again.”
Shiloh smiled at her friend, and Granger tried not to be jealous. He’d already experienced that at the barbecue, but no one else had kissed her in the back room. Only him. And Shiloh was too loyal to her friends to be the type of person who’d cheat.
Which meant that there was nothing to be jealous of… So why did Granger still have the urge to keep all her bright smiles to himself?
“Always the logical one, Jett,” Shiloh teased.
As one the group turned and prepared to head out the front door, but it was being blocked.
Tate stood with his feet spread and his arms folded over his chest. The scowl on his face was so deep, Granger barely recognized his carefree friend.
Shiloh, Granger, Jett, and Montoya all stopped, staring at Tate as he stayed in front of the door.
No one spoke for a moment, and Granger found himself wondering what they should do. Hadn’t Tate heard their conversation about going to the precinct? Why was he?—
“If he ever comes near you again…” Tate ground out. “I’ll kill him.”
“Tate,” Shiloh scolded. “You can’t say things like that.”
Granger sent his friend a mental thumbs up. It was exactly what Granger wanted to say, but had kept to himself.
“No one,” Tate said in the same dark tone, “Absolutely no one has the right to touch you that way, Shiloh. Or any woman, for that matter.” He took a couple steps forward, and Granger shifted to be by Shiloh before he could think better of it.
Granger pulled himself up quickly, but Tate didn’t miss the movement and he glared at Granger.
Putting his hands up, Granger promised surrender.
Tate grunted. “Either you protect her…or I will.”
“Tate, seriously…” Shiloh said, stepping right in front of him. “It’s going to be okay. Isn’t that what you two bozos told me?”
Tate finally pulled away from staring Granger down and looked at Shiloh. “I’m going to teach you to fight. You want to throw a right hook? We’ll practice.”
Grady stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Let’s start in the right place, Tate,” he said, his voice a little too smooth to be casual. “Just like Granger, I don’t want to arrest you, but you know I will if you take matters into your own hands.”
Tate’s face turned redder, and Shiloh put a hand on his arm. “Tate,” she said in a soft tone. “Come with us. I need my brothers with me in this.”
Granger watched in amazement as the guy who never took anything seriously, calmed down under Shiloh’s soothing voice. A voice in the back of his head, once again, wanted to be jealous of their relationship. Granger was just getting to know Shiloh, but Tate and Jett had had years and they clearly cared deeply for each other.
But when Shiloh called Tate a brother, Granger knew he couldn’t do anything. Of the few things he knew about her family, he knew she was an only child, and if she didn’t have biological family to call on, then how could Granger begrudge her finding the very family she needed?
Clearing his throat, he shifted his weight and waited for Tate to calm down enough for them to go to the station. There would be time with Shiloh later. Right now they were gathering troops and setting down the ground rules.
Arthur might have thought Shiloh would be an easy target, as a lone woman business owner, but he’d obviously never counted on how many people loved Shiloh and were willing to stand up for her.
Granger was glad he could now count himself among the group. Shiloh deserved nothing less.