Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 31942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31942 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 106(@300wpm)
I need a battle plan, a way to make sense of this. I push to my feet and begin pacing the length of my living room. With my long legs, it takes approximately two strides before I’m turning and pacing in the opposite direction. Is this what a caged tiger at the zoo feels like?
“When did you first start to notice something was wrong?” My words come out as a bark. I should probably soften them with a smile. But that would be weird given what we’re discussing.
“Three months ago,” she answers softly. I hate the way she’s sitting. She’s practically folded in on herself. The girl I used to know was filled with confidence. She saw something she wanted, and she went after it with both hands. I’d always admired that about her, how fearless she was. Now some fucker has made her afraid and I’m going to make sure he pays for that. Slowly. Painfully.
“And you’re just now coming to me?” I scrub a hand down my face. Why the hell has she been living in this kind of fear? I could have taken care of this idiot months ago.
“What did Elliott say? Never mind.” I wave away the question as soon as I ask it. I know that Elliott is like me. If he thought someone was harassing or stalking his sister, the bastard would already be dead and gone.
“He’s on a mission. I don’t want him distracted.”
It’s not the first time I’ve heard those words from a worried family member. That’s the thing about soldiers. They go overseas and fight on the frontlines. But while they’re fighting abroad, their families are often silently facing their own battles. They don’t reach out when they need support from their soldier because they want to be strong for him or her. It’s a noble sacrifice, just as honorable as what our men and women do to protect our homeland.
“You should have come to me immediately.” I rake a hand through my hair and glance over at her. Her brown gaze flashes and it’s filled with fire. The sight sends relief coursing through my veins. My little lamb is still a fighter. Forcing myself to take a calming breath, I take my seat again. “Tell me everything. Start at the beginning. Leave no details out.”
She finally sets her beer down on the floor and wraps her arms around herself. “I started a video channel about cool places in Austin. It was fun, and I began getting messages from people. Most of them were supportive. Except this one guy Mr. Big Shot. He got strange pretty fast.”
“Is that his username?” I could easily track him down, but I need more information from her first. I need to know how far this went so I can decide whether to send him to prison or an early grave. Maybe prison first then the early grave. I’m not a violent man but knowing that someone has been toying with my precious lamb is filling me with rage.
She fights a yawn and I wonder when the last time was that she felt safe enough to sleep. “I’d be filming on location and suddenly, I’d get a message from him with a picture of me at that place. The cops were useless when I tried to get help so here I am.”
I’m not surprised. Years of getting bounced through different social workers taught me that the systems that are supposed to protect our most vulnerable can easily be broken when apathy or prejudice seep in. “Is that everything?”
Her gaze drops to the floor. “He broke into my apartment.”
The hair on the back of my neck stands up. He escalated from sending her messages and following her to violating her home. He’s clearly getting bolder, which is never a good sign. “When?”
“Two days ago. I didn’t go back, and I left all of my electronics behind. I didn’t take anything with me that I thought would make it easy for me to be tracked.” There’s a weary note to her tone that makes me want to scoop her into my arms and carry her back to my bed. I’d put her under the covers and stay with her until she fell into a deep sleep, the kind that only comes when you know you’re completely safe.
“So, that’s how you got the rust bucket?” Pieces are falling into place. The beat-up car and the fact that she only has one bag. She left in a rush, desperate to get to me. I’ll always be her safe place, the man who shelters her.
“Yeah, I figured he probably knew my car if he had managed to trail me to different locations.”
Pride makes my heart swell. Even scared out of her mind, she was doing her best to make logical choices. “Smart girl.”