She waited for the rest of the conversation, to see who would come out on top.
“You could stay with us, too,” Julian offered. “I can make sure my mother and my sisters-in-law set up two extra bedrooms.”
Twoextra bedrooms? Oh, hell no. If Petula ended up at Julian’s house, which she was determined to do, there was no way she was doing anything other than share his bed.
And if Stat were in residence…
“Can we decide all this later, please?” Petula pleaded again, this time a little more sharply. She didn’t have the energy to engage right now, butshewould be the one calling the final shots, regardless of all the male, chest-thumping.
“Of course,” Julian told her, opening the passenger door to Statler’s truck when they reached it, to help her up and in. “Anddon’t worry. We’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy and keep you safe at the same time.” He glanced at Statler who was rounding the truck and raised his voice to be heard. “Stat, is it okay if I follow you guys back to your house.” He looked at her a little sheepishly. “I have a need to keep Petula in my sights, as well.”
Statler grunted, which it seemed like Julian took as a yes, because he grinned.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He blew her a kiss and closed the door behind her.
Fastening her seatbelt, she gave Statler the hairy eyeball as he hoisted himself into the driver seat beside her.
He didn’t speak.
Smart man.
Clearly, he wasn’t seeing things Julian’s way, but he didn’t want to start a fight. At least not yet.
Good luck with that.
He’d soon find out that Julian’s thoughts aligned more closely with hers, and that this wasn’t a battle he was going to win.
Petula must have sleptfor the entire ride home, because before she knew it, her brother was gently nudging her awake.
“Petti. We’re here,” he told her quietly.
“Mmm?” She opened her eyes groggily and looked around. “Oh.”
Julian was already outside, standing next to the truck.
She undid her seatbelt, reached for the door handle, and had cracked the door when she heard him curse.
“What the fuck?” His posture had gone rigid.
Statler was out of the truck in a blink, also swearing up a storm.
Petula’s eyes went to where they were both looking, and her gut flip-flopped.
Written across the front of the house in blood red paint—she hoped it was paint—was a warning.
YOU CAN’T KEEP HER SAFE FOREVER.
I’LL BE WATCHING.
CHAPTER 23
It had beenan uneventful few days at the Bothswait household, at least where intruders were concerned.
Still, that heinous message continued to burn in Julian’s gut, even after the lettering had been removed.
Petula, once she’d seen the warning, had pursed her lips at the graffiti, and gone inside to sleep. Julian, Statler, and a few of his crew had immediately begun cleaning off the front siding. Sherbert had glued himself to his computer, studying from every angle, the video the cameras had captured.
