“You know?”
“Yeah. Security cameras picked him up, but he was gone by the time the guard got there. I didn’t want to bother you until I had more information.”
“He left a note, Riker.”
“Oh… I wasn’t told about a note.”
“They may not have seen it. It was on the grass near the back door. I stepped on it when I took out the trash.”
Riker paused for a moment, and I heard indistinct voices in the background. “I have to go, Elena, but I’m going to handle this myself. I promise. No one is going to bother you tonight, and I’m going to call you later with details, okay?”
Knowing Riker, he intended to triple the number of guards and sit outside my house himself. So, I nodded my head and whispered, “Okay.” That wasn’t what I really wanted, though. I wanted to see Riker so that he could hug me and tell me everything would be fine. “Let me get back to work,” I added, recovering my resolve. “And I’m sure you’re working, too. I didn’t mean to bother you.”
“The only person who bothers me is your ex,” Riker told me. “Just hang tight. Why not take Bree somewhere after work and wait for me to get home? Just keep your phone on you.”
We both returned to our jobs, and I did as he asked and kept my phone handy. After work, Riker texted me with a quick, “Where are you?” and showed up at the playground minutes later.
Now that Riker was in front of me, I could get that hug. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his shoulder and shutting everything out for just a moment.
“Are you okay?” he whispered into my hair.
“Yeah,” I said truthfully. “I’m kind of tired. I just wish he’d leave us alone.” My eyes found Bree as I peeked over Riker’s broad shoulder.
“He’s going to, because I’m going to deal with him.” Arms still around me, Riker sat us both down on the playground bench where we could watch Bree. “I have everything figured out. You’re going to come to New York City and live in the penthouse with me until this is all sorted out.”
“I’m-” I lost my voice, thoroughly taken aback. “To live in…in Manhattan? I couldn’t possibly. My job…”
“Is taken care of. I talked to your boss. This isn’t unwarranted,” Riker pointed out. “Your safety is threatened. It’s too dangerous for you to continue living in your home because of Oscar. It’ll be better for you and Bree if you both get out of the house for a while. We’ll leave your car in Montauk and Oscar will have no idea that you’ve even gone.”
The Sunset Security logo on Riker’s polo drew my gaze, and I studied it while I considered his offer. I wasn’t so sure that it was an offer, actually. Riker might grab Bree and I in his arms and carry us all the way to Manhattan himself if he thought we were in danger…which he clearly did. I had never seen Oscar as a violent man until the day he had put his hands on me and Riker had shown up to stop him, but that moment had redefined the way I thought of Oscar. Now, in my mind, he was capable of anything, and Riker was an experienced professional. If he thought the threat was real, I should listen to him.
But…Manhattan. I had never much liked the city, preferring to enjoy the peace and quiet of Montauk. Living in the city would take a lot of getting used to, and I wasn’t sure I would like it at all, especially if I couldn’t work while I was there. Who knew how long it would take to catch Oscar? Bree and I could find ourselves in the city indefinitely.
I mentioned this concern to Riker, and he pulled me closer to him on the bench. “I know. I don’t like to live in the city either, really. I can’t promise sorting this out will happen quickly, but I can promise that I’ll make it happen as quickly as possible. Will that be enough?”
“I guess it’ll have to be,” I replied, not entirely happy about it but unable to complain further to those concerned brown eyes that wanted so badly to help me. “Sorry. I don’t mean that what you’re doing isn’t enough, not at all. I just don’t like being driven out of my own house by Oscar, not when he’s already taken so much from me… and…well, you too.”
Riker laughed. “I know you don’t. You hate letting anyone tell you what to do. And, Oscar has given me the opportunity to… get to know you and Bree. The way things were going in my life… as far as I’m concerned Oscar was a Godsend.”
I smiled up at him, the knot in my chest easing a little. “Life is full of surprises.”
“Will you both come stay with me until we leave for New York City?” Riker asked. “Then I can give security the go-ahead to be more thorough.”
“I was about to ask if we could,” I admitted. The thought of sitting in my house, curtains drawn, knowing the sun was setting and just waiting for a shadow across the moon or a sound to come from outside… No thank you. I scooted a little closer to Riker.
“Of course. I can follow you home in my car and keep an eye out while you pack.”
I shook my head. “No, that’s okay. I’ll head home with Bree in a minute and grab my things, then meet you at your house. Seriously,” I insisted, easily anticipating his argument. “It’ll still be daylight, and security is still watching my house. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay.” Riker must have sensed that convincing me to live in Manhattan for a while had been enough of a win, and it was unlikely I would agree to more of his ideas. “Just keep your phone on you and call if anything happens.”
“I will,” I promised. “What happened with Oscar and the security guard, anyway?”
“Oscar ran when he saw the guard’s flashlight, then he jumped the fence into your neighbor’s backyard. Unfortunately, they are away.”
“Maybe their security caught him.”
“They didn’t. I talked to my contact at Hilltop Security this morning. That’s how I know the owners of the home are out of town. And their security didn’t get there in time. The police didn’t make any arrests or spot anything out of the ordinary last night, either.”
