of tea either. Some friends of mine own a sex club in Vegas and the only time I visit is when I stop in to say hi.”
“I don’t get the impression you’re shy in the bedroom,” she murmured.
“There’s a big difference between not being shy and BDSM. And no, I’m definitely not shy.” Our gazes met and the chemistry that sparked must have been too intense for her, because she looked away first.
“So really, how much did you read? Tell me the truth.”
“Enough to know there are no secret boyfriends or sex clubs.”
“Ace.” She dipped her head. “Did you read what I wrote about you?”
Oh, shit.
“I… No.” I’d skimmed through the earlier dates and paid more attention to the recent entries, looking for someone or something in her life now that might be problematic. Mostly.
“Okay.” She seemed to let out a breath.
“You wrote about me in your diary?” I couldn’t help myself.
She was bright red and I hated it for her, because this wasn’t fun banter or light teasing. She was truly embarrassed, because of me, and I never would have done that on purpose.
“I was really angry when you didn’t come to Dad’s funeral,” she said after a moment. “It was the one thing that got me through the hours after he passed, knowing you would be there, knowing I’d be able to see you just one more time. And then you didn’t come. It was irrational, especially in light of what I know now, but what I wrote in the days that followed was filled with grief and pain and confusion. Especially since I was in the middle of a divorce as well.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly. And I meant it. It had never occurred to me she still thought about me, possibly as much as I thought about her. “I would have been there if I could have been. I tried, I really did, but something was going on…and I couldn’t.”
“It’s okay.” She swallowed. “I just, when I thought you’d read the whole thing I… Well, that’s not the only time I wrote about you.”
“Did you write about our kiss?” I asked curiously.
“I’m a silly romantic,” she said, not looking at me. “I was a sheltered, naïve virgin when I met you and the only part of that that’s changed is that I’m not a virgin anymore. I’m still fairly sheltered and, after the disaster of my marriage, undoubtedly far too naïve for my own good. I’d like to think I’ve matured and changed, but I don’t know that anyone truly changes. We are who we are.” She finally looked at me and the pain in her eyes was unmistakable.
“I don’t know what that bastard did to you,” I said quietly, “but I already hate him.”
“Maybe someday I’ll tell you,” she said softly.
“Okay.” I looked down as my phone rang. It was Chains. “Excuse me, I have to get this.”
“Of course.”
“Hey, man, what’s up?”
“Between the low-resolution video and the stalker being mostly covered up, there’s no way to get enough of a picture to even run through facial recognition. I’ve got nothing.”
“What about the other thing I asked you to check?”
“Her mother? Clean so far. No boyfriends, no strange or new spending habits, no clandestine trips, nothing that stands out at all.”
“Okay.”
“Is Shannon with you? Everything okay?”
“Yup. Under control for now, but I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I. Let me know if anything pops up on your radar. And you need to up your nanny cam game to something with better resolution.”
“First thing tomorrow.”
I disconnected and told Shannon about needing a better camera for the apartment. “I want one in the bedroom as well,” I told her.
“We can go tomorrow—”
“I’ll take care of it while you’re at work. I want you to take a taxi from here and text me as soon as you get there. Don’t leave the building at all. If possible, make sure you’re never by yourself. Then text me before you leave. You’ll walk home as usual but I’ll be watching you. Does your building have a back door?”
She nodded. “Yes. There’s a small garden but you can get out through a gate in the fence.”
“Okay. I’ll scope it all out tomorrow.”
“You think I should go to work?” She looked miserable and conflicted.
“Yes. If this person is watching you, we don’t want to tip them off that we’re on to them. You need to try to be as normal as possible, but under no circumstances do you tell anyone about me or the