She nodded, but the move was jerky and stiff.
Slowly, he lifted his hand from her mouth.
“Who?” she whispered, as soon as she had a chance.
“I don’t know. But I’m going to find out. I need you to promise me that you’ll stay here, regardless of what you hear.”
Her brows flickered, a new fear spidering through her veins. Fear for Jesse. That he was about to face an unknown threat.
Then she saw the glint of the gun in his hand.
“I don’t want you to go out there.” The words rushed from her throat. “Call someone.”
“I’m the sheriff, Aspen. I’m the person people call. I’m well trained. I’ll be okay.”
She didn’t care if he was the sheriff or if he’d spent his entire life training for this very moment; she wanted someone else to put themselves at risk. She opened her mouth to tell him that, but he spoke first.
“Please, Aspen. Promise me you’ll close the door after me and stay exactly where you are.”
She swallowed. It was the last thing she wanted to do. But his eyes…they pleaded with her, almost looking desperate. “I’ll stay.”
Relief washed over his features. “Thank you.”
She climbed out of bed and rose with him. He was about to open her bedroom door when she grabbed his arm. “Jesse…” He stopped and turned. “Be careful.”
“Always.” He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, then he was gone.
Oh God, oh God, oh God.Who was out there? And how had they gotten in?
Her heart stopped. The front door. Had she locked it after grabbing her phone? She’d been so angry that she couldn’t remember. What if she hadn’t?
Stupid. So stupid! It was her fault someone was here. And if Jesse got hurt,thatwould be her fault too.
No. He wouldn’t get hurt. Hewaswell trained. One of the best-trained soldiers in the country. If anyone should be scared, it was the intruder.
She laid her head on the door and waited, flinching when she heard Jesse’s deep voice as he yelled at the person. She couldn’t make out his words through the door, but he was angry.
When the second voice sounded, it was muffled, but it had Aspen’s spine going ramrod straight.
No…It couldn’t be.
They spoke again, and the familiar muffled voice had Aspen yanking open the door and sprinting into the living room.
“One more chance to stop, or I will restrain you,” Jesse yelled.
Aspen stepped into the room to see her mother pulling it apart. Drawers were pulled out, their contents on the floor. Little knickknacks that had been sitting on end tables had been swiped off.
“Mom!” Aspen gasped, drawing the attention of both her and Jesse. “What are you doing?”
Jesse growled. “I told you to stay in the bedroom.”
That was never going to happen with her mother here.
Karen Davies stepped forward. Her hair was a mess, the scowl on her face murderous. “You took it. Where’d you put it?”
“Put what?”
“My bracelet. Where’d you put my bracelet?”
