“I see. And did you ever get a glimpse of him or anything?” Ares asks.
“No.” It was either nighttime, or the last time, he had very tinted windows. I’m sorry. I know that doesn’t help.”
“It’s okay, Hanna. We just want to figure this out and find who is doing this. Until then, we will have an officer outside your house each night, making sure you’re safe. Sound like a plan?”
I go to answer in the affirmative, but Theo once again butts in. “No need. I’ll be there at the house with her. The small-town cops here do no good. But I want you to find this man before I do, because I will end him if you don’t.”
“Theo, you can’t say things like. I can arrest you.”
“Freedom of speech.” He shrugs as if he didn’t just tell a detective he would murder whoever this person is.
“Not when it’s a death threat,” Ares counters.
“I will take the officer. Theo will not be staying with me.”
“The hell I won’t. Hanna, there is someone framing you for a missing person and fucking stalking you. They have come close to getting to you three times now. I’ll be damned if I let them hurt what’s mine.”
“Too bad I’m not yours to worry about anymore.”
The pain in his eyes matches the one in my chest, but I don’t spare him or his feelings. “You’re letting me stay. End of discussion.”
“Hanna, for what it’s worth, he is the safest option. He has worked for us a few times on cases, and he is trained well in self-defense. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
This can’t be real right now. Did the detective just say that Theo is the safest bet? Over a cop?
“Uh. Fine, whatever. Just please find whoever is doing this… and find Angelic. I can’t imagine what her family is feeling.” I focus on the real issue at hand—that someone is already a victim to my stalker—and I just hope she’s safe and still alive.
“We will do our best. If anything happens, contact Jack and me. We will keep you posted.” Ares stands. “Jack,” he says, shaking his hand. Turning, he breathes out a grumbled, “Theo.” And then he’s gone.
Glad to see I’m not the only one who is annoyed by Theo’s persistence.
I stand and thank Jack. He says he will keep me posted, and then I hurry out. I need away from Theo. Now.
I get to my car, and before I can get the door open all the way, he slams it shut, caging me in with his big body. “I’m fucking dying here, Hanna. You won’t talk to me. You won’t answer my calls. You won’t do anything to let me in.” I turn and look up at him, missing the way that this stance used to hold connection, love, and trust. Now, it’s a reminder of all he broke and everything I don’t get to call mine anymore. My hands impulsively want to reach out and touch the skin just under his shirt.
“You are hurting me, Theo. Please, just let me move on,” I cry, turning and dropping my head to the top of my car.
He pushes up against me, nuzzling his face into my neck. “Please don’t cry. I can’t take it. I will do anything to get you back. Anything, Hanna. I’m not going to stop. God, you smell like mine. You smell like home. I miss this. I need us back,” he tells me, and I break free, pushing back.
“You broke this. You can beg and plead, but you broke us, and I’m not yours anymore.” I open the door and get in, slamming it shut. He stands there and watches me go.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
THEO
Two weeks. I have been without her for two whole weeks. I called nonstop. Sent a million unanswered texts. Showed up and begged her to let me in. I even spent the night in my truck outside her house, hoping she would just wake up and miss me so much that she would forgive me and take me back. It didn’t happen, so I did the only logical thing I could think of. I forced myself in.
I once told her that if she ever left me, I would go to great lengths to keep her.
Now, I will be watching over her until they find out who is doing this. And the second she mentioned that coworker who pursued her after her many turn-downs, I knew he had to be behind this. Also, I don’t care if I wasn’t in the picture yet; I want to remove every limb from any man who ever wanted what is mine.
Watching her drive away should hurt, but since I now have an in and a way to crawl on my hands and knees to beg her for forgiveness, I feel some relief.