She rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers. “I just keep asking myself what I did to draw his attention this way. What made him snap like that.”
“Nothing. You didn’t do a damn thing,” Clay said. “Something is twisted inside him. He’s broken. If another woman had responded to him on that app, it would be her in fear for her life. Her that he stalked. Nothing you said or did could have changed what he did. Because you aren’t responsible for his actions.”
“Then why does it feel like it’s my fault?” she asked.
“Beats me,” Clay answered with a shrug.
Dylan huffed out a weak laugh. “Me, too.”
“It’s late,” Clay said. “We both need to try to get some sleep.”
“I’m still not sure I can.”
“At least lie down for a little while.” He saw her hesitation and accurately guessed the cause. “I’ll leave the bathroom light and the lamps in the living room on so it’s not completely dark in the house.”
“Okay, let’s go to bed,” she finally agreed.
When Clay got up to check the locks and the windows, she followed. He didn’t comment as she watched him go through and make sure that the house was locked down, something that she appreciated. It would be a long time before she could go to bed at night without making sure her house was safe.
As they made their way to the bedroom, Clay was only a couple of steps behind her. Though neither of them said anything, Dylan understood that he was protecting her back. Keeping her safe even though the threat was in police custody.
She wasn’t sure she could ever feel safe without him again and the thought made her want to cry.
Yes, she was grateful for that, but it also frightened her that she was losing her independence because of what had happened. That she was afraid to be alone.
It wasn’t fair to him and it certainly wasn’t good for her.
As they got ready for bed, she thought about it and came to a decision. One that she knew Clay would abhor.
“You’re quiet,” Clay commented as they climbed into bed. “Still shaken up?”
“Yeah,” she whispered, scooting closer to him beneath the covers. “But there’s something I want to talk to you about and I’m pretty sure it’ll piss you off.”
“Pretty sure?” he asked.
“Positive it will,” she replied.
She rested her head on his shoulder, his arm beneath her neck and wrapping around her back. His grip tightened on her as he turned off the bedside lamp. With the bathroom light on and the door cracked, there was just enough light to see the room.
“I think you’ve said that to me before and you were right,” he said with a sigh. “Still, hit me with it.”
“I need to move back into my duplex for a little while.”
His body went rigid. “Wait a minute, I thought we already discussed this and agreed that you were living here now.”
“Yes, we did. But that was before tonight.”
“Do you feel like it was my fault Larry got into the house to grab you?” he asked, his voice gravelly.
Dylan jerked her head up and stared at him in shock. “What?! No! Why would I think something so ridiculous?”
Clay’s expression was stony as he looked back at her. “Because the thought crossed my mind tonight more than once. I should have pushed for them to get the alarm installed before now.”
Dylan shook her head and rubbed his chest with her free hand. “There is no way that any of this is your fault. You did everything you could to make sure I was safe. I feel safe right now.”
“Then, why do you want to go back to your place?” he asked, covering her hand with his.
“Because I’m afraid I’ll never be able to handle being alone again. Especially at night.”
