the gutted building. There’d been nothing for her stalker to stand on to point a laser beam. How would he have positioned that heart for her to see?
Maybe he hadn’t pointed the laser from the building across the street.
Maybe he’d pointed it from her own.
Pausing in front of Cara’s door, Branden turned to Dexter Howe, the man who’d been watching over Cara the past few days. “Don’t let anyone in here unless I approve it.”
“I won’t, Branden. They’ll have to get through me first.”
With a nod, Branden knocked.
He’d barely been keeping it together as it was, but the instant Cara opened the door, pale and obviously scared out of her mind, he wanted to kill someone. “I brought back up.”
Her tight expression seemed to relax somewhat when she saw Howe. “Not Alex?”
He shook his head. “Not for this kind of work.” When he closed and locked the door, she retreated several steps, her arms crossed against her chest. She was trying to hold it together, just like him, but he could see she was shaking.
“Cara, baby—”
“He’s crazy and he wants to hurt you, Branden. He won’t leave us alone until he does. Oh, God!”
Her knees buckled, but Branden grabbed her arm before she fell, holding her close to him. He pulled her into his body, wrapping her clumsily in his open coat, rubbing her back.
“Take it easy. I got you,” he whispered.
“He was in the lobby. Just before you got here. What if—”
God, the bastard’s games had done their job. She was terrified, and truth be told, so was he. He couldn’t believe the man had talked to her. Had gotten so close to her. He blamed himself. He should never have allowed her to leave the protection of his building. Of his arms.
It was a mistake he wasn’t going to make again.
“You’re safe now.” He pressed a kiss against her tangled hair. “I’m not going to let him hurt you.”
She pulled back and grabbed his coat by the lapels, shaking him. “You’re not listening to me. He’s fucking with me, yes, but you’re the one he’s after. He wants to hurt you!”
He covered her hands with his. “And you don’t want him to. Why?”
She tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let her. “What do you mean? I wouldn’t want anyone to be hurt. You’re my boss and—”
“Don’t you fucking say I’m your lover, Cara, because that’s not all I am. And it’s high time the two of us admit that to one another. You care about me. Admit it.”
“Fine! I care about you. I don’t really want to go on a vacation, not without you. And I don’t want to quit my job. I want to spend more time with you. I want to get to know you. I want you to get to know me. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Fuck yes,” he growled before pulling her up on her toes and kissing her.
Her taste exploded on his tongue and the tight knot that had been inside his chest ever since she’d told him she was leaving finally loosened. He was still tense, still worried and furious that someone was threatening her, but having Cara in his arms calmed him in a way nothing else could.
He ripped his mouth away from hers. “I care about you, too, Cara. More than I’ve ever cared for any woman. I don’t know where things will wind up for us, but I promise you this. We’re going to find out, and that means I’m not going to let some sick bastard play his games with us any longer.”
“You can’t stop him! You’ve been trying to find out his identity but have come up empty. He’s smart. He—”
“He wants to meet me. So I’m going to meet him. This is going to end.”
“No.”
“Cara—”
She cupped his face. “No, Branden. We just admitted we have feelings for each other and you think I’m going to let you walk into some death trap a madman has set up for you? Absolutely not. We’ll think of another way.”
There is no other way, he thought. He remained silent. Because she was touching him, he could feel her still trembling. He could hear the way her voice rose as she talked, as if she was becoming hysterical.
“Shh,” he said, rubbing his palms soothingly over her back. “I’m here. We’ll figure something out, but right now I’m here.”
“That’s right. You are.” She buried her face in his chest and muttered, “And you’re staying here. With me.”
Chapter 25
An hour