“You didn’t do anything, and Oakley and I will figure out who’s doing this, I promise,” I tell her before pressing a kiss to her temple.
“You can’t promise that, and you know it.”
“I can, and I will,” I counter.
“Okay, let’s check this out.” Oakley interrupts us as he takes a couple of pictures with his phone before bringing the package inside.
We stand around the dining room table as he carefully unwraps it and takes pictures as he goes. Once it’s finally open, he peeks in and furrows his eyebrows in confusion.
“Umm, I’m not sure what I’m looking at. I mean, I know what it is but not its significance,” he says, looking at both me and Rina.
“Show me,” Rina says, strong and firm.
Oakley sighs as he shifts to the side, taking a picture before he pulls whatever it is out. Rina may be prepared, but I know I’m fully unprepared for what’s inside. Anything at this point could send me over the edge.
Oakley reaches in and pulls out fabric, but I can’t make out what it is until he holds it up fully. Rina’s gasp combined with what I’m feeling makes me feel dizzy, and the panic starts to close in on me.
Rina’s dress that she wore to dinner last night is a stark reminder of how serious this guy is. How much he’s escalating, and how close he really is.
What he doesn’t know is I’ll do anything to protect my wife, and he just signed his death warrant.
Chapter 33
Rina
I’m still shaken from the box that landed on my doorstep yesterday.
After it showed up, Oakley took it back to Arlo’s office and called his friends at the Marshals. There was a lot of talking and a lot of information flying around, but I zoned out pretty quickly.
All I could think was that this person was in my house. Not only that, but was in my house while both Arlo and I slept. My house now feels like a tainted place, somewhere I’m no longer safe. And I’m truly scared for the first time since this whole thing started.
Arlo spent the day by my side, helping me—rather terribly, I’ll add—finish up some pieces before we headed to his office so he could work.
Today has been a day of avoidance. We’re held up in Arlo’s house, doing a whole lot of nothing, but our time to hide is about to come to an end.
It’s family dinner night, and I’ve just decided I want to bring Arlo with me. It’s a huge step, and everyone in the family knows you don’t bring someone to family dinner unless you’re serious about them. And I feel very serious about Arlo.
I still feel conflicted about us being married, but I’ve put that on the back burner in my head. We’ve been married all these years, and it hasn’taffected anything. What’s a few more weeks or months until I come to terms with what I want in the long run with him?
Yeah, you’re not in denial at all, are you?
I roll my eyes at myself, not wanting to analyze how far deep I am with him already. I know Lennox talked about not waiting, but getting this stalker situation figured out feels like the priority in my life. After that, I can focus on Arlo and me.
“What’s got you thinking so hard over there?” Arlo’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
“It’s family dinner tonight. And I’d like…” Here goes nothing. “I’d like for you to come.” I hold my breath, dreading his reaction. I know I don’t have reason to think he’ll say no, but there’s always a possibility we’re not on the same page.
“Really?” His astonishment draws my attention.
“Only if you want to,” I hurriedly say before cringing. I’m giving him every out instead of telling him that I really want him to go. It’s childish, but the fear of getting my heart broken again weighs heavily on my chest.
“Hey, look at me,” he says softly.
We’re sitting on the couch, so I turn my body toward him, tucking my foot underneath me as he grabs my hands in his.
“I want nothing more than to be included in your life, including family dinner. My endgame is you as my wife, and not just because of a piece of paper. I don’t want you to ever doubt that I’m all in with you. You are who I want to spend the rest of my life with, Emmerdeur. I understand things will take more time for you, and I’m fine with that, but know that you’re it for me.”
The honesty in his eyes breaks down the last of my barriers. It’s like my heart cracks open and all the possibilities, all the dreams Iput in a locked box, are suddenly available again. These hopes and dreams I gave up on are no longer a distant memory.
