“Just the same, I’ll take a look at them. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Where are they now? When did you receive the first one? What did it say?” He volleys the conversation, continuing with questions. “Travis would want to know whether he was home or not.”
“They’re at home. I got the first one last Monday, and the second one came on Friday, and then I had another one come earlier this week.” I wince when I see his jaw tick.
“Come on. We’ll go back to your house, grab the letters, and I’ll check your locks and go from there,” he all but demands.
“If that will give you and Travis peace of mind, let’s go.” I stand up, dig in my bag yet again to find my sunglasses and keys when I notice something in my bag, something that wasn’t there earlier when I left the courthouse.
“Mother trucker,” I grumble when I pull out the white envelope that’s addressed in my name.
“Goddamn it, how did that get in your purse?” Slade growls out.
“I’m not sure. My purse is basically with me all day at work. The only thing I can think of is when I was practically run over by someone while leaving today.”
Slade pulls the letter out of my hand using two fingers, trying to barely touch it before he exits the office. “I’ll be right back. Sit tight for me.”
“I guess this means more than I thought it did.” I sit back down and wait to see what Slade has to say, knowing full well I won’t like it one bit.
Three
Slade
I take the letter straight to Drake, asking him to take care of it as soon as possible. He’ll take it to our off-site lab, and if we’re fucking lucky, we’ll get some prints. Though, it’s highly doubtful. I know what I need to do next, and Taylor is not going to like it, not for one single minute.
“Let’s go,” I growl when I walk back into my office. She’s sitting in her chair her hair is in some kind of fancy contraption at the nape of her neck, showing off the column of her throat. Fuck. What would it look like with my hand holding it while I take her mouth?
“What do you mean?” Taylor stands up, her skirt hiked up on her legs from sitting down. Her legs are strong, and I know I want them wrapped around my waist or hell, my head as I eat her like she’s my last meal. My gaze travels up her body, hips that are curved, a slim waist, and breasts that will fit perfectly in the palms of my hands. Her shirt is giving just a hint of the cleavage I want my mouth on. Her face though, it literally about knocks me on my ass. She makes my heart thump like the loudest beat to a drummer on his kit. She’s a classic beauty, from her bee stung lips to her light green eyes that go darker when her emotions overtake her. Much like they are now. I move closer to her, my hand goes to the back of her neck, while placing my other on her lower hip.
“Shit just got real, fast. I’m going to follow you to your place, let you pack a bag, and then take you to my place. You’ll stay there until we get this figured out,” I state, giving her no room for an argument. But I see trouble brewing in her eyes, and I have a feeling it’s going to be spewed right at me.
“No, not okay. I have a home, Slade. It’s safe and in a great little community where we all watch out for one another. I know the letters are serious, are you positive I need to stay with you?” Her eyes are pleading with me, there’s no way I’ll allow her to stay at her place.
“You either stay with me, or I’ll move in with you,” I counter.
“That won’t work. I have a one-bedroom condo. This really sucks.” I see the inner turmoil that’s going through her mind.
“We could be roomies if we stay at your place.” I wiggle my eyebrows, trying to soften the blow I’ve handed her.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. I guess I’ll stay with you. It’s only temporary, right?”
“Is the thought of staying with me that bad?” I ask, and that’s when I see the blush that blossoms on her cheeks.
“No, it’s an inconvenience for you though.”
“Hell, it may do me some good. A few batches of your homemade cookies, your pretty face to wake up to… What else could I want, Trouble?” I let her nickname slide off the tip of my tongue without a second thought.
“Wait, no way am I trouble. That is all you, Slade Chavez. I’ve heard the stories from Travis to prove it too.”
“I’m pretty sure Travis was the ringleader in our fun and games.” I squeeze her hip. “You ready to go?”
“I guess. Are you following me, or am I leaving my car here?”
“As much as I wouldn’t mind leaving it here, you’ll need to get to work if I can’t take you, or if I don’t have someone available to take you to and from work.”
The pursing of her lips lets me know she didn’t like what I had to say. “Are you kidding me? I’ll have someone with me? How’s that going to work? You do realize I work inside a courthouse, where security is ridiculous every single day.”
“I know, and that’s why I won’t have a guy or myself escort you in and stay with you while you work. It’s probably the only saving grace at this point.” I move around her, guiding her toward my office door. By the time we leave her place and get to mine, we’ll both be hungry and tired.
“Gee, this is going to be a bundle of fun to deal with,” she smarts off.
“I know. With any luck, we’ll get this handled quickly. No one wants to see you get hurt though, most of all me,” I breathe out, feeling her body tense up, but ignoring it while we’re walking.
“Night, you two,” Bridger smarts off.
“Later,” I grumble. Taylor’s hand smacks into my stomach as if to say I should use my manners. She may be right, but if she heard the shit out of Bridger’s mouth on a daily basis, I’m sure she would be shocked to an early grave.
“Bye, Bridger. Where’s Drake?” she asks.
“He took off earlier. Knowing him, he’s standing over the forensic technician’s back, watching over every little thing. It doesn’t hurt that she’s a looker, either.” Bridger winks. I shake my head. Those two… The poor unsuspecting women that get stuck with them, I’m feeling sorry for them already, and they’re just a figment of my imagination right now.
“Keep me posted. I’ll have my cell on me.” I nod at him, then we walk out the door. Taylor pauses at her car door. It’s in good shape. Something Travis wouldn’t budge on was allowing her to have a garbage vehicle, not with the weather we get here. Still, I’d rather see her in something bigger than the car she has for the time being.
“This is me.” For the first time today, she acts shy around me, and I don’t like it.
“Taylor,” I say to get her attention. When she still doesn’t look me in the eye, I tip her chin up and dip down so I’m on her level. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be shy or nervous. We’ll navigate this together.”
“Okay, thank you, Slade. I know Travis wrangled you into this mess, but if it ever gets to be too much, let me know, okay? I can figure something else out instead.” Her green eyes tell me everything she’s feeling.