Page 29 of Talon

“Matrix’s old lady. She’s ex-FBI, and she’s great with computer forensics. Between the two of them, if that guy’s anywhere in the footage, they’ll find him.”

Less than an hour later, Matrix and Daisy walk into my office. Their presence is a reminder of the motorcycle club’s unwavering support. I can’t believe they dropped whatever they were doing to come help me. The club really is like a family.

“Hi, I’m Daisy.” She resembles a farmer’s daughter with her long, brown hair tied on each side with ribbons that match her shirt. Her emerald-green eyes are friendly and welcoming. She’s wearing jeans and a casual t-shirt. She’s beautiful in a girl-next-door kind of way.

“Jessica. Nice to meet you.” I reach to shake her hand, but she surprises me by pulling me into a hug. I glance at Talon, who doesn’t seem to notice her overly affectionate greeting.

“Let’s head to the security office,” he says as soon as Daisy releases me.

“It’s in the basement.” I lead the group downstairs.

When we get to Thomas’office, he stands to welcome us. He’s our security guard. He’s older, with a bushy mustache and a warm smile. In a way, he reminds me of my late grandfather.

“I’ve got the footage ready for you. Fair warning, though, our security system is pretty cheap, so the images aren’t exactly high definition.”

“Let’s see what you’ve got,” Matrix says.

We gather around the monitor, watching as Matrix scrubs through the images. The tension in the room is almost unbearable. There’s so much riding on this. We might finally see the face of the man stalking me. I don’t know if I’m ready for this, but I want this nightmare to end, so I brace myself for whatever we find.

“There!” Matrix points at the screen, freezing the frame.“That’s the guy who brought the box into the building.”

“He’s got the same build as the man who attacked me last night,” Talon says.

The guy’s face is obscured by shadows, making it impossible to discern any distinguishing features. He has a baseball hat pulled low across his face, and he’s wearing a high-collared shirt. There’s nothing familiar about him.

“Damn it,” I mutter, frustration mounting.“Why can’t we get a clear look at his face?”

Daisy leans in to study the footage.“This guy knows what he’s doing. He avoids all the cameras, never giving us a straight shot of his face. It’s like he’s been inside the building before because he knows how to avoid the cameras.”

Matrix nods in agreement, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.“I’m going to need a copy of the security tapes for the past month. Maybe we can find instances where delivery people came in more than once. They could be suspects.”

“Good idea,” Daisy says, her eyes still locked on the grainy image of the man.“If he’s been inside before, we might be able to find a pattern.”

As Matrix discusses getting the security footage with the guard, I’m overwhelmed by the lengths Talon and his club are going to in order to protect me. My thoughts race, trying to piece together how this unknown person could have infiltrated my life.

“Whoever this guy is,” I whisper to Talon,“he must know a lot about me. He knows who my friends are. He knows where I work.”

“We’ll figure this out, Jess.” His eyes are dark and serious as he pulls me closer. Despite the mounting danger, I believe him.

“Take another look at the guy. Could he be one of your coworkers?” Daisy asks.

I study the grainy figure on the screen once more.“I-I can’t be sure. It’s just too hard to tell.”

“Matrix and Daisy, can you run background checks on everyone Jessica works with, starting with the men?”

“Absolutely,” Daisy says.

“We’re not taking any chances.” Matrix gives me a quick nod.

“You’re all doing so much for me,” I whisper, feeling a mixture of gratitude and anxiety.

“Hey, we’ve got your back,” Talon reassures me, his eyes softening as he places a comforting hand on my shoulder.

Overwhelmed by their support, I throw my arms around Talon, burying my face in his chest. He hesitates for a split second before wrapping his arms around me and holding me tightly against him. As we cling to each other, I can feel our mutual need for comfort and safety, but also something deeper, something I’m not ready to explore yet.

When we finally break away, it feels like we’ve been caught in an intimate moment that neither of us had intended. Matrix and Daisy study us intently before glancing at each other. A smile spreads across their faces. I want to ask about it, but I stay quiet so I won’t betray the tangle of emotions in my heart.

“Let’s head back to the clubhouse,” Talon suggests, avoiding my eyes.“Dinner’s waiting for us.”

---