I shriek at the noise then scream when a man looms dark in my windshield.
“Mandy. Mandy! For god’s sake, woman, stop screaming. Open the goddamn door.” Salinger’s face appears in the window.
I’m still screaming.
“Mandy!” He pulls at the handle of the old Camry. It comes off in his hand. He looks down at the broken handle, confused.
A panicked laugh burbles up through the screaming.
Finally, I open the car door. “Sorry about that. It’s an old car.”
I hold out my hand for the broken piece of metal.
Salinger grabs me by the wrist, trying to drag me out of the car.
“Out, Mandy. You’re coming with me.”
“No, I’m not.” The seat belt holds me in place.
“You cannot use this car.” His nostrils flare. “You’re not safe. You can’t even open the door to get in.” He grabs my chin, forcing my head up to look at him. “I knew it. You’re still terrified your stalker’s going to come after you.”
“No, I’m not,” I gasp out. He’s way too close.
“Tell me who it is, and I can make all this go away.”
I twist my face away from him. “You freaked me out. You can’t just accost someone in a dark parking lot.”
“You need to come home with me. At least let me keep you safe from your stalker.”
“I’m fine. Currently,you’rethe only man stalking me.”
“I’m not stalking you—I’m trying to protect you.”
“Seems like you’re just trying to control me.”
I grab the key, say a little prayer, then crank the engine. I almost sob in relief when it catches, rumbling to life.
“Have a good evening, Salinger.” My voice is firm as I slam the car door.
The wheels squeak as I put the car in Reverse, leaving my boss standing in the middle of the parking garage, glaring after me.
Pepper gives me an apprehensive look as I turn on my blinker before turning out of the parking deck.
“We’re fine, Pepper. We don’t need Salinger. He’s not helping us to be nice. It’s an ego thing.”
When my car gets near my apartment building, I take the block, scanning the shadows for any sign of Jaxon.
He’s not there.
I breathe a sigh of relief and parallel park in an empty space, wishing I had a deck to park in, or better yet, a valet and a doorman like Salinger.
I’m fine,I remind myself. There’s no one out here.
But the horrible feeling that someone is watching me has my mouth dry and my hands clammy.
For a moment, I wonder if I shouldn’t just give in and call Salinger. I know he’d come for me, pick me up, wrap me in his strong arms, tell me he’ll protect me.
This isn’t his problem.
