Page 4 of Obsessed Fox

Tonight, I needed to sleep and forget the mess I caused. Tomorrow would be better because I would go back to ignoring Hendrix and eventually his infatuation with me would end.

At least I hoped so.

Hendrix

The stroke of midnight and she was gone. Just like Cinderella.

I watched Maisie run away, and for the moment, I let her. I knew my plan was flawed from the beginning, but it was the only way I could think of to get close to her. From the second I stepped into the bakery, she intrigued me. I didn’t know if it was the plethora of tattoos she sometimes tried to hide or the black chunky combat boots she wore on her feet. Maybe it was the cargo pants that hugged her ass but flared enough to hide her muscular legs. Or it could even be the bandana she wore in her hair while she worked.

If I had to guess, it was the whole package. Maisie O’Connor was nothing like any other woman I had met and that alone made me curious.

But, as soon as I saw her tonight in her Halloween costume, the short skirt, tight top, paired with her usual combat boots, I knew it was my time to strike.

It was now or never. So I took my shot. Kept my mouth shut and claimed the one woman who easily stole my heart.

I didn’t regret what we did but I did regret that because of it, Maisie now had even higher walls around her. Penetrating them would take an act of God, but thankfully, I was just the man to take on the task.

Maisie didn’t know what was coming, but I did. I was one determined son of a bitch and my sights were set on the lovely baker.

She stood no chance.

CHAPTER ONE

Maisie

It was time to move on. I’d let myself get too comfortable in Willow Creek, but after what happened today, I needed to leave. I dug into the back of my closet and pulled out the backpack that contained everything I needed.

Cash, various IDs, passports. Everything to start over in a new town.

I would miss the people of Willow Creek. They were nice enough to accept me; the new girl with nothing more than a dream to own a unique bakery. They supported that dream better than I could ever imagine and I was going to leave them without a single goodbye.

Leaving behind Wickedly Delicious was going to be hard. I put my blood, sweat, and tears into that place. But now, someone else’s blood stained the floor, and did so at my hand.

Did I regret killing the man who threatened Annalee? Absolutely not. But Ididregret leaving my knife in his neck. That knife currently sat in evidence and had my fingerprints all over it. One run through the system and the county detectiveswould know the name I gave them didn’t match the one that would pop up.

And to make things worse, the name attached to those fingerprints was wanted for murder. It wouldn’t take long for the county detective to find that and come looking for me. To arrest me. I needed to be long gone before that happened.

I stuffed a few changes of clothes into the bag and threw it over my shoulder. It would have to be enough until I found somewhere to start over. I grabbed the keys for the unregistered car in my detached garage; I never drove it, but kept it maintained for this reason. I knew one day I would need to leave in a rush. It was the story of my life.

Always be prepared. That’s what my brother taught me. If only he could see me now.

“Going somewhere?”

The bag slipped off my arm and back onto the bed. I spun around with my heart in my throat and croaked, "What the fuck, Hendrix?" My hand went to my chest but it did nothing to slow the racing organ. "How the hell did you get in here?"

I’d locked the door on my way in. I was sure of it. My mind was frazzled but I never forgot to lock up behind myself. There were some things too engrained to ever be forgotten.

"Do you really think a measly lock can stop me from getting to you when I want to?"

I scoffed and turned back around. "I don't have time for your shit. I have places I need to be."

Like as far away from Willow Creek and the county sheriff as humanly possible. A few thousand miles should do nicely. I knew I needed to go north, but would it be the East or West Coast this time? I had been to both over the years and enjoyed my time, so the where didn’t matter as long as I got away.

"Which brings me back to, going somewhere?"

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see me. "I just told you, I have somewhere to be. Pretty sure that answered your question."

Why couldn't he just leave me alone? It was clear I did everything to avoid him since theincident. The one I refused to acknowledge happened months ago.

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