The bitch seemed happy when she should be distraught for downgrading her lifestyle, for deducing to divorce him. Richard was hoping she was miserable, that she regretted divorcing him.
Even if she was, Richard still planned to make her pay for the embarrassment she put him through. Richard gave her everything, paid for their home, all their furnishings. Through him, she became someone important. What woman wouldn’t kill for his wealth or his connections?
“Who’s the man?” he asked, tapping at the photo.
“No idea. If you give me more time, I could find out,” Black said. “Easy peasy.”
“How did you get by this information? These don’t look like copies,” Richard said, pointing toward the rental agreement.
“Took them, of course. I was in a rush, but don’t you worry. That neighborhood your ex is living in has a bad reputation. Thefts occur all the time,” Black said. “Besides, I doubt she’ll even figure out what was taken.”
Black nervously wiped the sweat off his brow, and Richard frowned. At the very least, Richard would never be connected to that theft. Richard debated whether he should continue paying Black for his services. Then again, hiring a new PI would be a tiresome process. His brother-in-law had recommended Black, and he had used the same PI to gather evidence against this third ex-wife in court.
Besides, despite Black’s questionable methods, he had managed to deliver on his promises. Thanks to him, Richard knew where Paige was. Richard could start making plans for his revenge. He would have to trust Black knew what he was doing.
“What do youwant me to do next, boss?” Black asked. The PI was done with his steak and was halfway through the bottle.
“Find more information about the boyfriend,” Richard said thoughtfully. He needed to know more, if this new man in Paige’s life could be a threat. Unlikely, but it never hurt to be prepared.
“I’ll work on it and contact you soon,” Black said. “By the way, what’s a good dessert here?”
****
“This is everything?” Gunner asked, glancing at the four boxes stacked up against the wall of hisroom.
“That’s everything,” Paige confirmed.
Gunner seemed surprised those boxes contained all her possessions. When Paige left Richard’s house, she only took one suitcase with her. She always referred to the massive mansion ashishouse, nottheirs, because he never failed to remind her that he paid for everything.
Having her apartment broken into had shaken her more than she thought it would. Paige, Gunner, and Brick spent the whole morning looking through her belongings.
Fitting three people into her tiny apartment had been quite the feat, although Paige had no heart to tell Brick to leave. Gunner’s MC brother sacrificed his personal time to help them out.
Paige almost gave up, thinking the intruder hadn’t taken anything until she realized the rental agreement papers in her document cabinet had gone missing.
That only meant whoever broke into her apartment had evidence of Paige renting the place, along with her new address. Although when Gunner had asked her how she was doing, she’d lied. Paige wasn’t fine. Had Richard found her already? Most likely.
Paige really thought it would have taken him a little while longer. Did that mean she had to move again? She never planned on falling in love after moving back to Grace. Giving up what she had with Gunner was impossible. She deserved to be happy, didn’t she?
Feeling unsteady, she sat on the edge of Gunner’s bed, unsurprised he soon joined her. Paige rested her head against the curve of his shoulder, inhaling the scent of leather mixed in with motor oil and soap.
“How are you faring?” Gunner asked, reaching for her hand to give it a squeeze.
“Not so good,” she finally admitted. “Seeing my apartment ransacked is not an image I can easily dismiss from my mind.”
Agreeing to move in with Gunner had been a temporary solution, but she found it safer being with him. If Richard knew her address, he could just drop by anytime he wanted. No one would care if screams came from her apartment building.
She shivered at the thought and hated how terrified she still was of him, even though she was too far away from him to hurt her. Besides, even if he did start sniffing around in Grace, Gunner and his MC brothers were no pushovers.
“You can stay here for as long as you like, until we catch this guy,” Gunner said. “You’ll be safe.”
“Thank you.” She lay on the bed, surprised when Gunner leaned in close. He kissed her, deep and true. Just the brush of his lips against hers ignited a fire deep inside her.
Her nipples tightened, and she wanted to feel his hands on her, Gunner driving his dick inside her and deepening their bond. He made her feel so safe, so cherished, and she’d never have that with anyone else again. Gunner wasthe one. Was it too early to call him her soulmate? Yet, Paige felt like fate had a hand in reuniting the two of them together.
She scooted upward and began unbuttoning her blouse in haste. Gunner took off his leather jacket, then his shirt, exposing the muscles of his upper chest.
He kissed the side of her neck, and she managed to get her bra undone. Then he moved his lips to her breasts, kissing each nipple. Paige shuddered as he undid the buttons of her pants. He slid them down her hips, followed by her underwear.
