I shook my head but carried her to the back door. When Tessa slid down my body, I groaned. “Woman, why do you always have to make me hard?”
Tessa giggled and unlocked the door. “I need to grab a couple things from my apartment to take back to your place.”
“Okay, I’ll come up with you.”
Tessa led the way up the stairs. “Sounds good. You can do the heavy lifting.”
“As long as it’s lighter than that damn cat tree.”
Tessa looked back at me over her shoulder. “You’re the one who bought the thing.”
I chuckled. “I was trying to impress you through the freaking cat.”
“Well, it worked. Trouble loves it—” Tessa’s words cut off, and she came to a stop so abruptly, I ran into her.
I grasped her shoulders, my grip tight as I scanned the hallway. “What’s wrong?”
Tessa reached out a shaking finger. There, on her door, was a blown-up photo of us after we had left the police station. I was cupping Tessa’s face and gazing into her eyes. The picture itself would have been sweet if it weren’t for the large red letters scrawled across it.Whore.
My chest seized. I gripped Tessa’s hand and started pulling her back towards the stairs. “Come on.” I hustled us down the staircase and over to the SUV. Depositing Tessa in the passenger seat, I rounded the vehicle myself, hitting the locks as soon as I was inside. I pulled out my cell and hit Walker’s contact.
He answered on the second ring. “What’s wrong?”
A six-thirty a.m. call didn’t usually herald good things, I guessed. “There’s a threatening note on Tessa’s apartment door.”
“Fuck. I’m on my way. You guys somewhere safe?”
I looked around the back parking area, totally empty. “We’re in my SUV behind the Kettle.”
“I’ll be there in less than ten. Keep your doors locked.”
“Thanks, man. I will.” I hit end on the screen and looked at Tessa.
She stared out the windshield at the back door of the Kettle. “How did he get into the building so easily? The door was locked, and there was no sign of a break-in. Does he know how to pick locks now?” Tessa’s words picked up speed as she spoke. “I have to leave. What was I thinking? I can’t bring that kind of maniac into these people’s lives.”
I grasped the back of Tessa’s neck, turning her head so she met my gaze. “Don’t let Garrett win. What he wants is to get you alone. Away from all the support and protection you have here. Don’t fall into his trap.” My blood boiled at the thought, and I knew that’s what the asshole wanted. To get Tessa alone in as helpless a situation as possible.
Tessa’s eyes widened at the realization. “He’s trying to scare me into leaving.”
I gave her neck a gentle squeeze. “But you’re smarter than he is, and you’re not going to play into his hand.”
Tessa let out a shuddering breath. “You’re right. I’m not.” She let her head fall back against the seat. “God! Why can’t he just leave me alone?”
I massaged her nape. “We’re going to deal with him.” My words were a vow. I was going to get this fucker out of her life once and for all.
In way less than ten minutes, Walker’s truck pulled into the parking lot, followed by a cop car. We jumped out of the SUV to meet him. He strode towards us, his jaw ticking. “Want to show me what we’ve got?”
I turned to Tessa. “Do you want to wait down here?”
Her eyes flashed. “No. I want to hear whatever Walker has to say.”
God, I loved her spine of steel. “Let’s go.” We took Walker to the door, and he let out a curse.
“Did you touch anything?”
I stared at the image, my blood heating. “No, nothing.”
Walker rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Good. I’m going to get a crime tech out here to see if we can get any prints. It’ll take at least a few days to get that processed, but in the meantime, I want to pull someone else in on this.”
