That night, after Jag made love to me, I drifted off to the most peaceful sleep I’d had in what felt like forever.
***
“Morning,” Jag’s gruff voice came from beside me. I was cocooned around his strong body, his head resting on the pillow and mine on his chest.
“Morning.”
His hands moved slowly up and down my arm, soothing me. “Do you need to go into the office today?”
I had spent the entire day yesterday goofing off around the house. I definitely had work to do.
“Yeah, I have money to make.”
He kissed the top of my head and rolled out of bed. “Stay with Rex at all times,” he said as his fine ass sauntered into the bathroom.
***
I had a weekend spent with Jag inside of me, and I had to say it was the best reconnection time I could have ever asked for. If truth be told, I’d never felt closer to him than I did after that weekend. The next two days, Jag had seen me off to work with a passionate kiss, Rex and Scraper on my heels.
Rex was my shadow at the office the entire week, even staying in for meetings. At first, it was a bit awkward, but after the first couple of times, it had just flowed.
The next weekend was spent with Kiera, movies, and junk food. While I knew Jag was searching for the stalker, I missed him. I hadn’t received another note from the stalker, so I was praying he had gone away.
When Jag was around, we fell instantly into the comfort of each other. Everything was so natural between us. I never had to try; it was just there. We talked and laughed. He made me happy, a feeling that I’d lost the moment I got that damn envelope.
Tuesday morning, I took phone calls and did research. Rex sat in the corner, staring blankly at the TV on the far wall. I had gotten it for him because I didn’t want him to be bored, though he never complained. Hell, he hardly ever talked, which was fine with me.
My phone buzzed.
“You have a delivery. I’ve signed for it, but it’s marked urgent,” Molly said on the other end.
“Please bring it in.”
“Be right there.”
A knock on my door came moments later.
“Come in.”
Molly strode in, eyeing Rex in the corner as she handed me the white envelope. When she turned, she almost ran into the chair, not looking where she was going.
“Thank you, Molly.” I smiled as red embarrassment crept up her neck, and she quickly left the room without another word.
Rex snidely turned to the door, watching her leave.
“Do you like the women tripping over you here?” I asked Rex, not expecting an answer.
“Doesn’t hurt.” He smirked.
My eyes widened at the sight. It was the first form of expression I had seen on him, stunning me for a moment.
I shook my head, turning back to the envelope. My name was written on the outside, but no return address. My stomach recoiled. It couldn’t be.
I opened the flap, pulling out the contents. The image in front of me made my stomach roll as bile crept up, wanting to escape. On the eight by ten sheet of paper, a blonde woman was on her knees outside of a door with Jag standing next to her. The woman’s hands were opening up Jag’s pants, and he didn’t appear to be stopping her. Moving the picture to the side, a note in bold red letters stared back at me.
You told. Now you have to die with them. You gave it all up for a man who doesn’t love you. Die, bitch.
I threw the picture and paper to the desk, not wanting to touch something so toxic. I jumped from my chair, Rex right next to me. He picked up the contents then grabbed his phone and dialed.
“She got another one and a note. Picture of your ex-wife bitch going down on you. It’s dated a few weeks ago.” He relayed the note then handed me the phone.
I took it, holding it up to my ear.
“Dolcezza, don’t believe that picture. I didn’t lie. I was with no one. That was my ex. She wanted money, and I wouldn’t give it. She thought the only way to get it was by sucking me off. I pushed her away.” His words came out rushed as he explained.
My hand trembled, shaking the phone. “I believe you. It’s not the picture I’m worried about.”
“I understand. I want you and Rex to head home. Bring the picture and note with you. I’ll call Kiera’s boys and have her come home, too. You go home and stay there, got it?”
“Yeah, we’ll leave now.”
“We are all fine. Relax.” Jag could read me so well, even over the phone. My nerves were totally shot.
“Okay. Be careful,” I pleaded.
“You, too. I’ll be there soon.”
I handed the phone back to Rex and told him what Jag wanted. I then gathered up my things quickly and asked Rex to hang onto the envelope and its contents.
Rex called Scraper to tell him where we were headed.
“He didn’t answer.”
Fear tightened in my chest. “That’s not like him. He always answers.”
“Let’s go,” Rex ordered.
He walked close to me, surveying our surroundings at all times. We entered the parking garage, heading straight for my black car. Luckily, I had an extra set of keys, which I handed over to Rex. My insides were twisting and turning, and I swore I was going to puke. I had my gun in my purse, but a lot of good it did in there. I couldn’t very well take it out in the middle of the office, though.
Rex hit the key fob and opened the door for me. I got in fast. Then, turning to Rex, I saw his whole body shaking uncontrollably as he collapsed to the ground. I screamed, opening my purse and shuffling around for my gun.
Reaching for it and pulling it out, I pointed it at the door and screamed, “Shit, Ghost! You scared the shit out of me!” I waved my gun, sucking in a breath.
“Fucker took off. Hand me your gun.” His words were so fast I didn’t realize I had just handed over my only weapon. “He’ll be out for a few minutes, and I need to get you ready.”
“Ready? For what?” Confusion sucked me in.
“To die.” He said it so casually, as if I meant nothing to him.
He reached in his pocket, pulling out zip ties. Panic flooded through me.
I reached for the door quickly. I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I moved a bit just as something heavy hit me in the back of my head. I got dizzy, spots forming in my eyes. I could still hear him, but I felt so dazed.
“You had to do this the hard way. I didn’t want to do it this way, but you left me no choice. You wouldn’t go anywhere else except home and work. Getting you at home was out of the question, so I needed to improvise. I told him this was stupid, but he didn’t listen.”
“Rex,” I groaned, only half coherent.
Hands gripped mine, and I felt the bite of a tie being wrapped around them and tied a bit too tightly. Ghost pulled me out of the car. The little fight I could muster from the blow wasn’t helping much.
A car door opened, and with a loud thump, I landed on a padded seat.
“Oh, he’ll be fine. Just a little shock. I was gonna take him out, but he’s not involved with your family, so no need to. Time for you to take a nap now.”
A cloth was put up to my face, the smell toxic. I fought to move away from it, but it was no use. Everything disappeared.
Chapter 18
“I’VE GOTTA GO. Catarina got another note with a picture,” I relayed to Val, Matteo, Dan, and Brett. We had been working all morning, going through tapes, while Techie had been hacking away at Zan’s computer.
“What this time?” Val clenched his fist open and shut.
“Some picture of me and my ex and a note about us all dying and her, too, since she told. Need to get over to her now,” I responded.
“Wait a minute, boss,” Techie called. “Look at this.” He held up his hand, pointing to a picture of a guy with dark hair and blue eyes with his arm around an older woman on the screen.