God, this was the dumbest thing I’d ever done. I pulled up next to a couple of bikes already parked in front and turned off the engine. He continued to watch me from the porch, and I took a couple of minutes to calm my nerves, grabbing my purse and pushing open my door.
Once out of my car, I closed the door, hit the key fob to lock it up, then squared my shoulders.
“Didn’t think you were gonna get up the nerve to get out,” the man goaded.
“Are you Mr. Noah Stonewell?” I asked, keeping my car between us.
“Depends on who’s askin’.”
“My name is Sabrina Moretti,” I said, my voice wavering as I spoke.
“Yeah, I know,” he said. “What I don’t know is what the fuck you’re doin’ here. If you’re a cop or a lawyer, you can turn your gorgeous ass around and fuck off.”
“I’m neither a cop nor a lawyer.” I bit my lip. “So, are you Mr. Stonewell?”
“Stoney.” His lip twitched. “What do you want, Sabrina Moretti?”
“I... ah...” I dropped my gaze, because looking at him made me swampy in areas I ought not be swampy. “I need your help.”
“What kinda help?”
I took a deep breath and opened my purse, pulling the envelope out and forcing my feet to move away from my car and toward the scary, but incredibly hot, man.
He studied me, his eyes never leaving mine as I approached him. I held the envelope out, my hand shaking as I did.
“You servin’ me?”
“No.”
He nodded toward my hand. “What’s in the envelope?”
“I don’t know,” I lied. “I mean, I have an idea, but I haven’t looked in it. It’s from my sister.”
He took it from me and read the front, turned it over, then focused on me again. “What do you think it is?”
“I’d rather not speculate.”
“Before I open this, tell me why you need my help.”
“My nephew is missing.”
“And how exactly is this my problem?”
“I think you should read the letter,” I rasped.
He pushed off the column. “Come in.”
“No. I think I’ll stay right here,” I countered.
“You scared?”
“Yes,” I answered immediately.
“How come?”
“At the risk of offending you, I’d rather not say.”
He dropped his head back and laughed. “Jesus, you always this honest?”
