Page 70 of Watch Me
“Ethan …” He was still rubbing my hand, so I placed my free one on top of his. “I believe in you. You’ll catch this guy.”
“Hope so, but you’re right: you need to live your life. We’ve taken measures to protect you, and we have to trust that they will. You’ll also be surrounded by cops as an investigator. We’ll make it work. I want you to follow your dreams and be happy.”
“Iamhappy,” I corrected. “I’m happy because I’m with you. I’m happy becauseofyou.”
Ethan stood, leaned across the table, and in the middle of the packed restaurant, placed his lips against mine. “And I’ve never been happier,” he admitted, returning to his seat. “Now, let’s pretend we don’t have a care in the world. Tonight’s about you.”
“Want to go sing karaoke?” Ijoked.
He chuckled. “If you really want to go, yeah. If not, I’m okay taking you home and having a proper date night that ends with you and me naked.”
I pretended to think for a moment. “Yeah, that does sound better.”
Fiona Jones was number four on my watch list. Since I was already going out of order and had killed my number nine, I wasn’t too worried about it. Plus, Fiona was perfect. She hadn’t wronged me as Amy had, and she wasn’t too good to stick something up her ass like Daisy.
No, Fiona was the opposite.
She went to class, came home, did her homework, and lived a normal college student’s life. She also was attending school on a school visa because she was from England, meaning she didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving. That was why she was next. Everyone she knew would either be out of town or with their own family, so I could slip in and not worry about someone catchingme.
And I had weeks to watch and learn her schedule andplans.
After Jack and I started our love affair—we were sneaking around the office and hadn’t told anyone we were seeing each other—I still caught myself logging in each night to watch the women on my list. I thought I was over pussy and just needed dick—Jack’s dick—but I still had the urge to be with awoman.
Jack hadn’t answered my text about our nightly rendezvous, so I took the time to scope out Fiona’s neighborhood. I needed to know how close the house next to hers was—find out if she had looky-loos who watched the street at all hours—and figure out my escape plan. I didn’t stay long because it had started to snow, but I got what I needed to know. Fiona had a back door that I could get in and out of without anyone seeing me. It led to an alley behind her house and would be the perfect getaway. The other two times, I had to go out the front door, and I was lucky I wasn’tseen.
I was just thatgood.
After getting into my car, I made the decision to visit my favorite bartender. I knew her shift was ending soon, and I was hoping Sergeant Valor would be there too. I hadn’t crossed her off my watch list even though I was no longer watching her through her webcam or watching her at school. I missed watching them fuck, and I missed seeing Reagan on campus now that her class was over.
I swung the door to Judy’s open after I’d parked down the street and hurried to get out of the snow and cold. The moment I stepped foot in the warm bar, I saw Jack. He was at the bar laughing with Reagan. Even though I knew he frequented Judy’s, I didn’t like him flirting with her. He hadn’t answered my text, and watching him flirt with Reagan as I stood not three feet away made me angry. I saw him looking at her the same way he looked at me the night he fucked me in thebathroom.
He wantedher.
And I couldn’t let thathappen.
I turned and left, needing to come up with a new plan because Reagan wasnext.
It was early afternoon on the day before Thanksgiving, and I was pacing. Maddie was on her way from Michigan. I hadn’t seen my daughter in over three months, and that was the longest I’d ever been apart from her.
She was staying in the boys’ room for the four nights she was in town, and I was jumping for joy, to say the least. When I told her I’d moved in with Ethan, she was happy for me. We hadn’t had a chance to talk about her dating life, but that was going to change during her stay. I wanted to know everything. I wasn’t sure if I was going to tellhereverything, though.
How do you tell your daughter that a serial killer broke into your condo? I didn’t want her to think she was in danger. It was going to be difficult, given I had security with me. Ethan hadn’t solved the murders, so I was always looking over my shoulder and making sure one of my private security guys—either Evan or Pablo, depending on whose day it was—wasn’t far behind. What if this was my new normal? What if Ethan never found the killer? I’d heard a lot about cold cases and unsolvable murders while in school and from the true crime documentaries and shows I was addicted to. I just wished life would go back to the way it was before that stupid plaque appeared in myhome.
Finally, I received a text from Maddison:Parking in the garage :)
The excitement coursing through me increased tenfold. I wanted to go down and meet her, but then I’d have to explain to her about the big Latino man named Pablo and why he was following us. I was going to tell her, of course, because there was no way she wouldn’t see him or Evan shadowing me, but I didn’t want to have to tell her out in the open, and I didn’t want to freak herout.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I heard a knock on the door. I swung the door open without checking the peephole because I already knew Pablo wouldn’t allow anyone to knock on my door except the person I was expecting. And that person was my daughter.
She was standing on the other side, a huge grin on her face. Without a word, I rushed the last few steps and engulfed her in a tighthug.
“Hi,” she greeted, her chin on myshoulder.
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
After another squeeze, I let go and motioned for her to enter. “Come in. I only have a few hours before I need to be at work.”
