"Are things pretty serious between the two of you?" I asked before taking a bite of myburger.
"Yeah. I think I may ask her to move in with me. This long-distance thing is going to be too hard. I want to be withher."
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Looking down at the screen, I saw a new message fromTatum.
TATUM:HEADING TO BED, I'VE LEFT THE LIGHT ON FORYOU
PARKER:BE HOME BEFORE YOU KNOWIT
Putting my phone down, I took a drink of my coffee and leaned my head back against the headrest. "Let’s hope we don't get any more calls tonight. I'mbeat."
My phone buzzed again. Checking the screen, a new messageappeared.
BEN:BLACK AUDI IS PARKED OUTSIDE ACROSS THE STREET, PULLED OVER WATCHING TO SEE IF ANYONE GETSOUT.
PARKER:LET MEKNOW.
"Fuck, Ben just sent me a text. There is a black Audi sitting across the street. Ben's keeping alookout."
I wanted to get over there, but if we got caught leaving our district, we'd befucked.
"Do you have any time you can take? We could always take off early," I said, looking over and seeing Elliott's face buried in hisphone.
"Yeah, lots of time. How about we head back to thestation?"
I pulled my truck intoTatum’s driveway. The front light was on. Ben had sent a text to me twenty minutes ago and let me know the car had finally left. I locked up the truck and walked to the front door, putting the key in thelock.
Once inside, I shut the outside light off and locked the door then made my way down the hall, trying to be quiet so I didn't wake her. I stopped just outside the bedroom door, shut my phone off, and emptied my pockets, leaving everything on top of the entertainmentunit.
I went to take another step, the floor creaking underneath my weight, and heard Tatum scream, "Get the fuck out! Cops are on theirway."
I pushed the door open and saw Tatum curled under the blankets. Quickly, I kneeled on the bed and grabbed hold of her arms. She kicked at me and let out a blood-curdlingscream.
"Tatum, it’s me. It’s just me. Calm down." I ripped the blankets off her and grabbed her, pulling her into me. "It’s justme."
She was breathing hard and was incredibly sweaty. Pulling her tight against my chest, I tried to calm herdown.
"Parker?" She finallystilled.
"It’s just me, baby. You okay?" She began to cry while I held her in myarms.
"I...I...I have been watching the black car all night. It wouldn't leave." Her chestheaved.
"It’s okay. Ben was watching. I thought you went to bed atten?"
"I did. I got into bed and started hearing things. I tried hard to shut it out of my mind, but it got worse andworse."
"I'm sorry I scared you, but I figured you were asleep. We took a couple hours off early. I didn't want you to be alone any longer." I nestled her head into the crook of my shoulder and held her, smoothing herhair.
It didn't take long to calm her down, but she was so warm. I wanted her to cool off before going to bed, so I picked her up and carried her to theshower.
I pulled my wet hairup into a ponytail, threw on a T-shirt, and went into the kitchen to make us both a cup oftea.
"I missed you tonight," I heard from behindme.
"I missed you too." I felt his hands run over my upper arms and start massaging myshoulders.
"I want you to know you’re safe with me," he whispered into myear.