refuse to look at him. I won’t give him the satisfaction of letting him know he’s getting to me.
Shoving my hands in my pockets, I wait quietly for Tate to unlock his door. When he swings it open, he offers me his hand and helps me climb inside.
“Tell me what’s going on, Tate,” I ask quietly, turning in the seat to face him.
He glances behind him before leaning his forearms against the door frame, blocking Garrett’s view of me with his big frame.
“The place has been trashed, Reign,” Tate admits. “It’s been a while since I’ve visited, but it doesn’t look like anything has been taken.”
“So, not a robbery then,” I conclude.
“No, this was personal,” he confirms, looking at me, waiting to see how I’ll react.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I question, knowing him too well.
He sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “The bedroom is where most of this guy’s anger was aimed. The only semblance of control I can see is from the way he lined up a stack of photographs across the bed. Photographs of you from, well, everywhere. Whoever this guy is, he’s been following you for a while, Reign.”
I close my eyes in defeat.
“Hey,” Tate slips a finger under my chin and lifts my head, his dark eyes boring into mine, “we will find this guy, but if Garrett was with Travis all night, it wasn’t him.”
“Unless he got someone else to do it for him,” I point out.
Tate doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t write it off either.
“Reign?” I look around Tate as he steps aside and see my dad barreling toward me. Tate steps back, letting my dad pull me from the truck and wrap me up in his arms.
“You’re okay?” he asks but I don’t answer. I just squeeze him tighter so I don’t have to lie.
“When you called yesterday and said everything had been quiet, I was hopeful it was punk-ass kids who got bored,” he grunts. “You’re coming home with me now, right?”
I look up at my house and shiver. “Yes, I’m coming home. I don’t want to be here anymore.”
I swipe angrily at the tears I had been trying to hold back, frustrated that this guy, whoever he is, is winning by forcing me out. I can’t stay here anymore and that’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
I turn my face and bury it in my dad’s shoulder and sob. I feel violated, that a piece of me was destroyed right along with my things. Any happiness and warmth I experienced here is gone, leaving a malevolent presence in their place. This should be my safe space, but standing here now, all I feel is afraid.
My dad holds me until I’m all cried out. He wipes my damp cheeks with his thumbs and offers me a sad smile. “Come on, I’ll drive you home. I’ll have Trav bring your car by later.”
I look up at Tate, who steps forward and kisses my forehead. “We’ll catch him, I promise.”
I nod. What else can I do?
I ignore everyone else, letting my dad tuck me into his chest and maneuver us through the growing crowd to his car. We drive back to my childhood home in silence, neither of us knowing what to say. By the time we pull up thirty minutes later, I’m beyond exhausted and ready to crash.
“Reign?”
I turn to look at my dad, offering him a shaky smile.
“I’ll be okay. I’ll wake up tomorrow, dust myself off, and be back to my usual badass self. But tonight, I don’t want to talk about it. I want to lick my wounds, eat my bodyweight in ice cream, and watch trashy reality TV,” I tell him quietly.
He reaches over and takes my hand. “Then that’s what we’ll do, Raindrop. You and me, kiddo.”
I squeeze his hand and smile. “Come on, then. Let’s get this pity party started.”
Chapter Ten
Reign
“Are you doing the walk of shame?”
I jump, placing a shaky hand over my chest when Derek appears beside me. “Shit, you scared me. No, this is my dad’s T-shirt. There was an incident at my place last night, which means I couldn’t get my things.”
“What do you mean there was an incident?” he barks. Lord spare me from protective males.
I give him the whole story, minus my suspicions about Garrett. I trust Derek and after being here for such a short period, that’s saying something. But until Owen finds evidence, it’s all just hearsay.