“I can’t,” I whisper, feeling more and more useless by the minutes. The realization that Tennison is coming for me is starting to hit, and the panic is rising.
“Just keep it in the back of your mind. I’ll start calling some contacts and doing more patrols of the area. I’ll call Lennox too, so he’s aware and can keep an eye out at the park.”
“Sounds good. I’ll call you if I get more information.”
“Thanks, Oakley. We’ll figure this out.” He hangs up before I get a chance to tell him it’s not that simple. That groups of people have been on this case for years and we’re no closer to catching him.
My eyes are drawn to my bedroom door again.
It’s time to stop hiding. If that’s what it takes to protect Willow, then I’m going to find Tennison and make sure he never hurts anyone again.
Chapter 21
Willow
I wake up refreshed and ready to finish this book. Stretching, I roll over and see Oakley isn’t in bed, but I didn’t expect him to be. He’s not the one on a fucked-up schedule right now. Grabbing my phone off the nightstand, I see it’s just after noon. Lunch then writing, I think.
Rolling out of bed is more of an ordeal than I wanted it to be. I’m still a little groggy, but I need to get shit done, so lying in bed all day isn’t an option.
I walk to Oakley’s closet, grabbing the first T-shirt I find, and snag a pair of boxers from his dresser. I’d ask first, but I have a feeling he won’t mind me walking around in his clothes all day.
“Thanks for letting me—” I stop in my tracks when I walk out to see Oakley hunched over, head in his hands.
“Hey, you’re up. Hungry?” His head jolts when he hears me and puts on a façade.
Something happened while I crashed.
“Yeah. I could eat. Are you okay?” I ask, knowing he probably won’t tell me. I can tell when he’s going to open up and talk to me about things, and I can tell when he’s closed up tighter than Rina’s lips when we ask her about Arlo.
“I’m good. Just had a phone call from my old partner. Nothing big, though. Just shooting the shit.” He averts his eyes, and I know there’s more to it but I won’t push him. He’ll talk when he wants to; at least, that’s what he’s been doing.
“Can I make lunch today?” I ask to change the subject.
“No.” He smirks. “It’s my job to take care of you, so I’ll be taking care of all your hunger needs today.”
“Just my hunger needs?” I ask with a sly smirk.
“If you finish your book, we can talk about what other things you need, Trouble.” He shakes his head like it’s such a hardship.
I grin at his reaction, knowing if I finish this damn book, I sure as hell will be having him take care of my other needs.
“What do you want for lunch?”
“Umm, would be it totally cliché to say a panini?” I cringe. He has the day off, but damn it, his paninis are the freaking best and it’s the best kind of fuel for a long day of writing.
“Nope. I’ll run downstairs and make you one.”
I shuffle over to him, and stand on my tiptoes in an attempt to kiss his check but only get up to his neck. Shrugging, I press a kiss to his neck instead. “Thank you.”
He smacks my ass before leaning down and kissing me. “Go get set up. I’ll be right back.”
I stand in a daze as he leaves to make me lunch like some kind of house husband. Who knew there were men out there that went through this much effort for a woman.
I shake myself out of my Oakley stupor and walk over to the area where I’ve set up my makeshift desk. I make sure I have some water, all my notesare how I like them, and I review where I left off this morning. By the time I’m done with all of that, my sexy man is back with provisions.
I devour it before diving headfirst into the last third of this book.
I come up for air about five hours later and see the sun setting.
