Page 54 of Risk Assessment
Dylan’s eyebrows rose slightly and then he smiled. “Yes. I was missing mine earlier this evening.”
Gabe stilled. “What happened?”
“I thought I spotted someone watching us but I didn’t catch them”
Gabe nodded and offered his hand again. “Just be careful, and call if you need anything. I mean it.”
Dylan nodded and shook Gabe’s hand.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Raleigh. Sorry it had to be under these circumstances.”
Raleigh smiled at Gabe and Connor and then she and Dylan left. They settled into the truck and Dylan put the case under his seat.
Raleigh twisted her fingers together. “That’s a gun, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Like I said I don’t have mine because of the suspension. I don’t like being without one. It’s just a precaution though, Ral. It’s not that I think I’ll need it. Just better to be safe, that’s all.”
Raleigh leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes.Bullshit, he was just being safe. Gabe and Dylan both thought hemight need it. She whole-heartedly agreed. This entire situation was getting so far out of control, she had no clue what to do next.
They left the city and headed upstate to the resort. She stayed silent the whole time. Dylan was watching her out of the corner of his eye. He’d kept trying to chat but she’d shut down. She was tired and sad. All she really wanted was to feel safe and free again. Free to live a normal life. Free to not have to constantly look over her shoulder. Her stalker…Calvin Clark was winning.
Now what was she going to do about it?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Thatslut! How could she?
He seethed as he paced his room. Rage pulsed through his body. She washis! She was his queen! The perfect woman for him. The woman who would help him take the world by storm. His exact match.
Sheknewthat.
He clenched his fists and ground his teeth. He’d worked so hard to get here, to get things ready for him and Raleigh so they could reign together. Why was she jeopardizing it?
Her Connecticut aristocratic roots demanded an educated, well-spoken, intelligent, high-achieving partner—everything that he was. But instead, she’d picked up with that thug! That uneducated, unintelligent, low-born piece of garbage. She’d let him kiss her. Touch her. He was probably touching her right now.
His stomach rolled at the thought.
She was perfect. Pure. His equal. Together they could achieve anything. Yes, he’d found her to have a few rough edges—the slap-dash method she used to hang her towels, the fact she didn’t arrange her food alphabetically—but they weresmall things. Things he could train her out of, butthis, her demonstrated lack of refined taste filled him with horror.
He paced back and forth and pulled at his collar. He’d changed back into his work clothes after returning from the pier. Why? Why would his perfect princess, his model of propriety, do this to him? He’d failed her. That must be it. She’d found him wanting. He froze. Could that be it?
No! He was not wanting. He was on the verge of his greatest success yet. She knew that. She knew that in a few short months, he would take his rightful place among the elite of Bedford Hills and then who knew? If she was by his side, the sky really was the limit. He stopped in front of his desk and straightened the papers there. Mess was never to be tolerated.
No, he was not wanting. She was the one who did not measure up. She was… He paused in his pacing. No, that wasn’t right either. Heknewher. Had known her for years. They were successful as partners in the past. She was part of his greatness. She ultimately catapulted him to success.
He was not wrong. He knew it in his heart. He knew it in his soul. She was the best. But if she was truly his perfect mate, what had gone so wrong? Why had she allowed that cop into her life? Hadn’t she just brought him for show?
He paced some more while running through all their conversations, hashing and rehashing every look, every nuance. What had happened to his perfect princess?
Could she be trying to makehimjealous? Was she worried thathewasn’t paying enough attention toher? He almost smacked himself in the forehead. How could he have been so insensitive? Here he was all caught up in his work and his plans and he really hadn’t spent any time payingrealattention to her. His visits were brief and he’d never spent any serious time with her. She must be feeling lonely. This all made sense. She wantedto make him jealous so he understood just how much she meant to him. His heart swelled.
Well, he’d have to move up his timeline. He wouldn’t move into his new position for a few months yet, but he couldn’t take the risk of this cop distracting her on a more permanent basis. She needed to know just how much he cared about hernow.His mind whirling, he pondered how to manage everything. They had to be together in secret. That was the only thing that would work.
A glimmer of an idea popped into his brain.
He started ruminating on it. Yes, it was the beginnings of a plan. He picked up his pen and started making notes. Organization was always the key.
Yes, this was going to work.
