Falling for Sarah (26 page)

“Don’t worry, boss. She’ll be safe with Phillips and me.”

“I’m counting on it.” He looked at Hunter one last time and left the room.

Sarah stood next to Ethan’s Rover as he shut his trunk and walked to the driver’s side. “You be careful over there. I’m going to worry about you.” She didn’t want him to leave.

He opened the door. “I’ll be perfectly fine. I want you to take care of yourself. Stay close to Austin and Hunter when you’re not at the house.”

“They’ll be my shadow.” She smiled, wrapping him in a hug.

He held her tight. “I have go, Sarah. I’ll miss my flight.”

She eased back, keeping her arms around his waist. “I’m going miss you.”

“I’ll hurry home.” He brushed his lips across hers.

As she stared into his eyes, she worried. Something was different.

All thoughts vanished when he took her face in his hands, pulling her into a kiss. His tongue sought hers, and she held on, reeling, treasuring their last moment until he came home.

Just as quickly as it began, he pulled away. “I’ll see you in a week or two.”

“Okay. I-I’ll see you then.” She hesitated, stopping herself from telling him she loved him. Despite the warm kiss, he seemed distant, as if he’d taken a step back.

Ethan got in his Rover, drove around the circle, giving her a wave. He stopped, hollering out the window, “I’ll call when I can”.

“Okay.”

She watched him until the tail lights disappeared down the long drive.

Nibbling her lip, Sarah walked toward the front door. What had changed? Everything had seemed fine—normal—while they’d read together with Kylee.

He was probably worried about his agent. He’d call her when he could. Everything would be just fine, she tried to tell herself, but in her depths, she couldn’t make herself believe it.

Ethan waited at the gate with twenty minutes to spare, thinking of Sarah, wanting to stay. If the situation he was walking into wasn’t as volatile as the one she faced now, he would’ve packed her and Kylee up and brought them.

His conversation with Hunter continued to bother him. Was he really wrong for her? Could he stick and be what she needed him to be? He thought of the way they’d been together, of the way it felt when he was with her, and believed he could.

Perhaps the time away would be a good thing. It would give him a chance to clear his head, think everything through, be sure he was making the best choice for Sarah and himself.

They announced the boarding for his flight. He turned from the window overlooking the tarmac and stopped. His father and newest mistress strolled to their gate across from his, hand-in-hand.

“Son of a bitch. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he muttered.

He almost walked to the line forming at the jetway but moved forward instead. What the hell? He’d give Wren’s casual approach to their parents’ lifestyle a try.

His father’s eyes widened and conversation halted when Ethan stopped in front of him. The stunning brunette turned.

“Dad.”

“Ethan, what are you doing here?”

He held up his briefcase and carryon. “I have business overseas. And who’s this?”

His father’s eyes glinted. “Ethan, this is Jessica. Jessica, my son, Ethan.”

The brown eyed beauty smiled invitingly. “Nice to meet you, Ethan.”

I’ll bet.
“So, how’s Mom? Does she know you’re off to—” he glanced at the departing flight screen—“Milan, or is she too busy with the personal trainer?”

His father gripped his arm, pulling him aside. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What the hell are
you
doing?” Ethan pulled away when his father yanked on his arm again. “You’re going to want to let go of me.”

He dropped his hand. “Why are you doing this, trying to embarrass me in front of Jessica?”

Ethan scoffed in disgust. “You embarrass yourself. Did you see the look she gave me? She’d just as soon fuck me as you.”

His father’s cheeks reddened as his fist curled. “That’ll be enough.” He started to walk away.

“Let me ask you something first. I think you owe me an answer.”

Grant blew out a weary breath. “What?”

“Why do you and Mom do this? Why don’t you call it quits? In all the years I lived under your roof, on the few occasions Wren and I actually saw the two of you, there wasn’t even a pretense of a marriage. So why?”

“Because it works.” He shrugged. “We have an image to uphold and it’s easier on the accountants if we stay together.”

Ethan pivoted away, revolted.

“We’re Cookes, Ethan.”

He stopped, turned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“We’re just not marriage material. Never have been, never will be.”

Ethan walked toward his gate without looking back, fearful that his father was right.

Chapter 17

“S
ARAH, WAKE UP.”

Foggy with sleep, Sarah blinked into the dark as Hunter rubbed her arm. “What is it?”

“You and Kylee need to come with me—right now.”

The urgency in his voice cleared away any dredges of fatigue as she focused on Reece and Bear’s vicious barking in the distance. She reached over, pulled Kylee into her arms. Heart thundering, she stared up at Hunter. “He’s here, isn’t he?”

“Just come on.” He took her hand, pulling her to her feet, keeping her close.

They walked down the stairs and down the hall. As they passed Ethan’s office, she noticed the flashing red lights on the large screen attached to the wall—the security panel for the house. “Oh, God, he
is
here. Where are Morgan and Hailey? Where’s Austin?”

“Austin and the dogs are out on a perimeter search. Morgan and Hailey are waiting for us.”

Her gaze darted left and right as they passed through the darkened rooms, convinced that the man with the black mask and crazy eyes would jump out at any second.

Hunter stopped in front of the downstairs bathroom closest to Ethan’s gym and knocked on the door three times. “It’s me, Morgan.”

The doorknob rattled as Morgan twisted the lock. When they stepped in, Morgan threw her arms around her. “Oh, thank goodness.”

“I want all of you behind the shower wall,” Hunter said, locking the door again.

Hailey, already sitting where Hunter asked, gave Sarah a weak smile. “I have a nice big towel we can cover Kylee with. It’s super soft.”

“Thanks, honey.” She sat against the granite wall of the massive walk-through shower, clutching Kylee close. “I’m sorry I’ve gotten you into this mess.”

Hailey gave her knee a squeeze. “This isn’t your fault, and I’m safer here with you than I am on my own.” She handed over the creamy white bath towel, big enough to cover all three of them.

Sarah tucked it around her sleeping daughter before she looked at Morgan. “What’s going on, exactly?”

“You need to whisper or stop talking,” Hunter said, pressing an earpiece into place. “I have to be able to hear Austin.”

“Sorry.” Sarah watched as Hunter murmured into his mike, spreading out a blueprint, using the dim glow of a nightlight to read it by. All traces of the loving friend she’d known for years were gone. The serious man with deadly eyes sitting on the opposite side of the room was in full-work mode.

Morgan whispered, “Someone tried to deactivate the alarm at the front gate, and a sensor went off on the west wall. The cops are on their way. Austin and Hunter are in charge until they get here.”

Flashes of the police officer laying beaten and unconscious in her yard played through Sarah’s mind. “What if he hurts Austin?”

Morgan took her hand. “Austin’s going to be fine. Bear and Reece won’t let anything happen to him.”

“Austin? Austin?” Hunter pressed on his earpiece before speaking into his mike again. “Austin, do you copy?” Seconds passed, but Hunter didn’t speak. He pulled a gun from the waistband of his shorts, slid the rack.

Oh, God, not Austin. He hurt Austin.
Sarah struggled to keep her breathing steady as nausea roiled in her stomach. She pulled Kylee closer, instinctively rocking, and exchanged a glance with Morgan.

Hailey slid up to Sarah’s side, gripping her arm with unsteady fingers.

“Austin, answer me, damn it.”

A shadow moved past the door and Hunter stood. He pressed his finger to his mouth as he leaned against the wall closest to the door, taking the position of gun against chest like Sarah had seen in so many cop shows.

Concentrating on bringing air in through her nose and out through her mouth, Sarah braced against her own trembling, fearful she would wake Kylee.

Footsteps and paws approached moments later, stopping. “Green light, Phillips.”

Hunter uncocked the gun, swearing, before he yanked the door open. “What the fuck, Austin? I radioed you several times.”

“I figured as much, but something jammed the signal. The cops are here combing the shit out of this place—inside too. I was hoping you weren’t going to get trigger happy and start shooting.”

Hunter’s brow rose as Austin smiled. “We’ll stay in here until we get the all clear.” He opened the door wider, letting Austin and the dogs in. Bear and Reece, still on full alert, paced the spacious room until Austin gave them a command: “Relax”. They lay down immediately, ears still perked, panting.

Several minutes later, Detective Tucker Campbell stepped into the bathroom. “There’s no one here. The house is tight and secure; so are the grounds. Ethan has a very impressive setup. He puts our SuperMax facilities to shame.”

Hunter grinned. “That’s Ethan. He doesn’t mess around.”

“Can I speak to you for a moment?”

Hunter and Austin followed him into the hall. After a whispered exchange, they returned.

“Morgan, we’re going to move to the bedroom across from Ethan’s room. Hailey, you’re going to sleep in the room Sarah’s in now. Sarah, we’re going to have you and Kylee stay in Ethan’s.”

Sarah stood with Kylee, looking at Hunter. “What about Austin? Why is everyone moving around?”

“Austin’s going to stay downstairs with the dogs. We’ll all sleep better if we’re close, and Austin can keep an eye on the monitors.”

“Do they think that man tried to get in?”

Austin and Hunter exchanged a glance before Hunter spoke. “They don’t believe his intention was to come over the wall, especially after he activated the flood lights by setting off the sensor.”

Sarah shifted Kylee in her arms and leaned against the counter. “Why then?”

“Mind games. He wants you to feel like he can get to you anywhere.”

Closing her eyes, she shuddered. Wasn’t it only a matter of time?

Austin moved to her side. “He can’t, Sarah; not here, and he knows it. You’re still safe here. Don’t give him the satisfaction of worrying about it for one second.”

“I’ll try.” But she would. Her stalker would never stop until he had what he wanted. The notes she had read said as much. The madness she’d seen staring back at her through the window left no doubt.

Kylee stirred and Sarah rocked, kissing her forehead. “Shh,” she whispered, “go back to sleep, honey.” Kylee settled and slept on.

Sarah glanced at her friends, concentrating on the fierce look in Hunter’s eyes, at the concern in Morgan and Hailey’s, the quiet encouragement in Austin’s. They were all here for her, because of her. There was nothing she could do to change the situation and she was ultimately as safe as anyone could make her. Struggling to shove her terrorizing thoughts away, she tried to ignore the clutch of fear in her stomach as she concentrated on keeping the tremors that wanted to rack her body at bay. The dull throb of a headache was slowly hammering at her temples. She suddenly craved her bed and the quiet, wanting the oblivion of sleep, hopeful that for even just a little while, she could pretend this wasn’t happening.

An hour later, after both Hailey and Morgan were settled in their new rooms, Sarah lay awake, listening to the sounds of the house. When the wood of the floor snapped, she jumped and her heart rate accelerated. Bear and Reece wandered in, laying down on the plush rug close to the side of the bed, and she took a deep breath. “Decided you would sleep upstairs after all, boys?”

They looked up, tails giving a halfhearted thump before they rested their heads.

She smiled, trying to relax, concentrating on the distant, rhythmic crash of waves. The sounds of water rushing over rocks and the scent of Ethan’s aftershave against the pillows soothed. It was as if he were there with her. Longing for his arms to wrap around her, to feel the comfort only he could bring, she snuggled into the covers and thought of Ethan’s gray eyes staring into hers as she drifted off.