Release: New Adult Sport Romance (Fire and Ice) (19 page)

We ride in silence as I drive Gretchen home. I hear her sigh. I sense she wants to talk. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’ve been better. That wild ride freaked me out.”

“Me too.” I glance at my mirrors.

“You were awesome. Where did you learn to drive like that?”

I answer, “That’s the first time I have ever driven like that.”

“Holy shit. You’re the one to be with when the zombies come.” She snickers, and I smile because I have the usual Gretchen back.

The tires crumble the snow when we pull into the driveway. I stop the car and turn to Gretchen. “Look, I know we didn’t get anywhere with the police, but at least you’re on their radar.”

“I know.” Nylon zings as her unbuckled seatbelt retracts. “And I’ll take this seriously now.” She puts a hand on my arm. “Thanks.”

“You can be my sidekick any time. I’ll wait until I see you flash the light, okay?”

Gretchen nods and gets out of the car. Her long blond hair billows out behind her as she jogs to the door. Moments later I see the light blink off and back on.

Driving away, I’m relieved nobody’s behind me. I would love to think this was a random occurrence like the police suggested. But I’m not buying the road rage explanation. Uneasiness settles over me as I become hyper alert.

Chapter 30

I pace my apartment. With all that happened tonight, I’m anxious. Even though it isn’t me I’m worried about, this hits too close to home. Once I change into my pajamas, I decide to brew a pot of lemon balm and chamomile tea.

Dried leaves rustle faintly as I spoon them into the filter. The kettle is close to boiling, and I remove it from the stove just as it is about to whistle and pour water over the tea. While it steeps, I wrap my arms around myself. I wish Kaleb would come over tonight and am tempted to call him at work. I squeeze out honey into the teapot and stir it. Removing the filter from the pot, the lemon balm scent drifts to my nose. I cover it and carry it to the coffee table.

I curl up on the couch with the intention of reading, but my mind is too busy racing to concentrate. Where did that eerie calm I possessed tonight come from? Seriously, it was as if someone else occupied my body. The last time I was put in such a stressful situation, I just let it happen. But tonight? I was awesome. I kept fear at bay and did what I had to do to keep Gretchen safe. A smile forms as I give myself an imaginary pat on the back.

Loud banging on my door makes me jump. A shout comes through the thick metal. “Lori, it’s Edie.” My body goes cold and my scalp tingles. Edie is my landlord and the police chief’s wife. Oh God. I jump up, and the multiple locks clunk into the door as I work to let her in. Ice flows through my veins.

Edie’s mouth is pursed. Something bad happened. “Gretchen?” I croak out her name.

A dark brown bob of thick hair bounces as she shakes her head. “No. Phil sent me up here to talk to you.” She has stepped inside and moves toward my kitchen table. “Let’s sit for this.”

My stomach clenches. “Sure.” I drop to the chair, and my bones thud on the wood.

“Phil heard about your excitement tonight, and it worried him. He made a call to Lucas’s parole officer.” She reaches for my hand. “Lucas missed his parole meeting, and nobody knows where he is.”

The contents of my stomach lurch to my throat. Gretchen isn’t being harassed. It’s Lucas. I stare numbly into Edie’s eyes and begin to tremble. He was looking for me at the Peak 8 locker room. The brochure in my locker? He wants me to know he’s here. And tonight? He made sure of it.

Tears of anger fill my eyes. It’s not fair! I was getting used to living without fear. Hell, I was leading a normal life with a great boyfriend and an awesome job. I was even spending time on the ice. Damn him!

I croak out a whisper. “What do I do?”

Edie stands up, and I notice a gun in the waistband of her jeans. She sees me look at it. “Retired cop. Still can’t leave home without it.” I nod in silence.

“C’mon. I have a few things to show you that might help you sleep a little better.” She leads me back to the door. “First off, Phil and I both have a set of keys and a bolt cutter for the chain. We’re able to get through that door to you. Always keep it locked.”

“Got it.” I slide my hand over one of the deadbolts, and the cold metal chills my fingers.

Edie walks to the bedroom, and her feet thud with purpose. She lifts a small mirror off the wall and reveals a tiny recessed button the same color as the paint. “This is an intercom. I’ll turn on the system and leave it on. When you push the button, it activates speakers throughout the whole apartment. It has to be pushed again to turn off. I can hear what you say in every room of my house.”

Whoa. I open my mouth to speak but she stops me.

“Nadine sent you here for a reason. I had hoped you didn’t have to find out. Unfortunately, there are a lot stalkers out there.” She reaches over and touches my arm. “You don’t have to do this alone. Anytime you want to come sit with me, you’re welcome.”

My voice wavers. “Thank you.” I flash back to something Megan said. “I know that house. It’s safe.”

Edie walks over to the window, unlocks and opens it. “Come over here.” I walk over and squeeze my head out with her. A cold breeze blows through my hair. She says, “See the trellis?” I look down at dormant ivy that curls up what appears to be lightweight lattice. “It’s stronger than it looks and can be used as a ladder. There’s one under each window.” I notice there aren’t any footprints on the ground and make a note to check all of them.

Edie moves to the closet and opens the door. Metal screeches as she pushes the hangers to the side. “Slide your finger along the door frame.” She points to the inside left of the closet entry, and I move my hand along it. I feel a button.

“Push it.”

I press it and the back wall pops open a crack. I pull it toward me to reveal what looks like another closet. The ceiling is slanted, which tells me we’re at the edge of the garage. On the floor is what looks like a trap door. I push it downward and peer over the edge. Cold air blasts up at me.

Edie says, “It’s a laundry chute to the garage. You drop a story, so be prepared for the hit. It lands right by the side door and you can escape.”

I try to make light of the situation. “This is kind of cool in a spy-girl way.”

“You bring up my next point. Have you ever taken a self-defense course?”

I put the closet back together. “Kaleb taught me some moves a few weeks ago.”

“Good. If you want to review them, I can help you. Stop by tomorrow after work.” Edie leads us back out to the living room. “Do I smell tea?” She scans my living room, and her eyes linger on my book.

She knows I don’t want to be alone. “Yes, it’s chamomile. I have cookies, too. Would you like some?”

“Yum. Let me run downstairs to get my book, and I’ll sit with you tonight. I’m a little lonely and could use the company.”

My heart warms at her kindness. “Thank you, Edie. I appreciate it.” I unlock the door for her and hear her feet pound down the steps in a jog.

Gretchen. Damn, I wish I could text. It’s too late to call her, and she wouldn’t pick up a strange number. No need to panic her more. I’ll have to tell her first thing in the morning.

Chapter 31

Back to my paranoid ways, I’m super aware as I make my way to the locker room. I plan to take a few runs alone to focus on skiing and get my head together. I need to figure out what to do about Kaleb. A clump of snow explodes when I kick it.

Selfishly, I’m not ready to let him go. But do I want to drag him into this? He’s the kind of guy that will stand by me. He’s also the kind of guy that won’t walk away if I gave him a choice. Maybe I shouldn’t give him any option.

I pull open the locker room door and am greeted by the low roar of voices. But then it hits me. It doesn’t matter because it’s too late. The moment he got involved with me he was doomed.

My stomach sinks, thinking about how stupid I’ve been. Even if I did leave, I have to tell Kaleb. He’s in danger, too. Lucas never let another guy touch me in any way. I can’t imagine what he’ll do to one that has done so much more.

I glance down Kaleb’s aisle, but he isn’t there, and I remember that he talked about sleeping in after so many night shifts this week. I suppose that’s good. As much as I want to jump into his arms and feel better, I have to figure how to keep him safe.

The moment I see him, all resolve disappears. “Kaleb.” Leaning against my locker, he has two coffee cups. He brought me tea. Tears surprise me, but I don’t bother to stop them.

Kaleb sees them and sets down the cups. He holds his arms open for me. I let his embrace warm me as silent tears fall. After a few moments, I sniff and look up into his eyes. I barely speak. “He’s here.”

“You’ve seen him?” He grips both of my arms.

“No. But Gretchen has. And he left me signs. Kaleb, I’m really afraid.” My voice wavers. “Not just for me, but for you.”

“Don’t be. I’ll kill the asshole.” His hands squeeze my arms before he lets go.

“I wish it were that simple.” I shake my head. “He’s good at this. You have no idea.”

“So what happened? How do you know?” He clenches his hands, and rage flashes in his eyes, but he stays calm for my benefit.

“Last night Gretchen told me about this weird guy she thought she saw at the rec center and that he was outside our locker room the other morning when she snowboarded with you.” I sniff again. “I scared the snot out of her saying she might have a stalker. When I drove her home last night, a truck chased us until we got to the police station.” I shake my head in disgust. “Of course they can’t do anything because we couldn’t ID the guy or the truck.”

Kaleb slides a hand down his face. “Why didn’t you call me?” His eyes close for a second. “Right, no phone. Never mind. Tell me about the sign.”

I suck my lips between my teeth to stop them from trembling. “I found an Olympic training camp brochure in my locker at the rec center.”

“We need to go to the police. You can’t live in fear like this.” His voice is steely, and I see the muscles of his jaw jump.

“The police know. I live over the police chief’s garage.” I touch his arm. “Last night my landlady told me Lucas has violated parole, and they don’t know where he is.” Tears are on the brink of falling, but I have more I need to say.

“I need to show you a picture of him. So you’ll know what he looks like. He’ll go after you. I don’t doubt it for a second.”

“I know what he looks like, Lori.” He sighs. “I googled some of your old performances to watch you skate. You were amazing.” He outlines the edge of my face with his finger. “It’s easy to figure out who Lucas is in those videos.”

I shudder. I’m not sure if it’s the sensation of his touch or the memory of Lucas at competition. I’ll bet Kaleb found a lot more than videos, and it makes me sad he had to read it.

“Okay. What can I do?” asks Kaleb.

“First, can you text Gretchen and tell her she doesn’t have a stalker? She’s got to be a mess.”

He nods his head. “Yeah, sure.” I watch as he pulls out his phone and taps out a quick text.

His blue eyes reach out to me. “You know I don’t want to let you out of my sight, right?”

I nod as moisture fills my eyes. “I know. But you have to live your life.”

“My life?” An incredulous look spreads across his face. “Your life is a hell of a lot more important to me right now.” He takes me by the arms again. “I’m not letting you be alone. If I’m not with you, then someone else needs to be.”

I nod my head in agreement. I should just leave. How can I make him live through this? I know this nightmare all too well.

“That means you don’t drive to work alone. You don’t sleep alone, and you don’t even go to the bathroom alone. Got it?”

I nod again as tears stream down my face. Casey comes around the corner, and Kaleb pulls me against his chest.

“Hey, guys.” I hear her bag fall to the bench with a thud. “Is everything all right?”

I pull away and wipe my arm across my eyes. “Yeah, I’m just having a rough morning.” I force a smile. “Lucky for me, I’ve got this big teddy bear to make it all better.”

She cocks her head at me as if she’s not so sure. “I’m off to the bathroom. Want to come?”