Page 114 of Ozzie

Piper leads me back to the table. I glance back at Durango. He’s frowning as he watches us. I suspect it will take him a while to adjust to seeing us together. Hopefully not too long.

We eat dinner and talk about some of the things we used to do when Durango, Willow, and I hung out. I amworried it will bore Piper, but she keeps asking questions.

We walk out to the car, scanning the area for John. I have no idea what Durango is thinking. Is he going to drop Willow and me off and go home with Piper?

“Cousin, I think you should drop Ozzie and me off at his apartment. That will give you and Willow some alone time,” Piper says.

Well, that is a good suggestion, but I doubt he’ll take her up on it. Not after accusing me of not protecting her enough earlier.

“Yeah, I can do that.”

I stare at the man, surprised.

He glances at me. “Does that work for you?”

“Yeah, it works. You know my building is secure, plus she’s safe with me.”

He smiles. “I know.”

I open the back door for Piper, but before she gets in, she stills, then pales.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

She sniffs the air. “Do you smell that?”

Durango and I both sniff the air.

“I smell men’s cologne,” I say.

She nods. “It’s what John wears.”

“Everyone back away from the car,” Durango says. He turns to Piper. “Do you think he was here?”

I spot a piece of paper on the windshield and grab it. “Yeah, he was here,” I say. I flip the note around for them to read.

“Sorry, I missed you,” Durango reads. “That son of abitch is playing games?”

“He’s letting us know he’s here and can get close,” I say.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Willow says.

We all turn our attention to her.

“Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to do some kind of surprise attack if he’s trying to grab Piper?”

Piper’s arms are crossed, and she’s rubbing them as if she’s cold. But I know better. She’s scared. I wrap my arms around her, and she sinks into my chest.

“He wants me to be scared. It gives him some kind of pleasure. Which means he can probably see me right now.”

Durango and I have been scanning everyone and everything, but I haven’t seen him.

“Two o’clock,” Durango says.

Willow begins to turn.

“Don’t look,” he warns her. “I’m going to four o’clock.”

I glance at his four o’clock position. It’s a small store. John will likely move away from Durango, so I shift my gaze to Durango’s twelve o’clock location. “I’m watching.”

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