Hot as Hall

Chapter Forty Two

Zoe

"We got the notification from your alarm company. Apparently, the broken glass sensor and a few of the other interior sensors were going off, but by the time we got here, whoever it was had left."

My knees feel weak as Officer Ruiz speaks. I hear his words but can't totally comprehend what he's saying yet. Tanner's hand is intertwined in mine, and I've got a white knuckle grip on him, thankful I didn't come home to all of this alone.

"And you're sure nothing is missing?" Ruiz asks, clearly just as confused as I am.

I nod. "Not that I could see."

That made this all the more harrowing. Things were tossed around and dumped out kind of haphazard, but for the most part, it seemed like the intruder wasn't looking for anything in particular. He just wanted me to know he was here.

"Why don't you pack a few things while you're in there? I want you to stay with me tonight." Tanner gives my hand a tight squeeze.

The last thing I want to do is to be alone tonight, but things are complicated with James and Lucas as it is. And in the back of my mind, I want this to be James. Maybe he got upset again. I want it to be something as simple as that, because the alternative is paralyzing. The alternative is that someone else was in my home. Invaded my privacy. Went through my things. Expected to find me here and got mad when he didn't.

"Tanner, I don't know if that's necessary. I'm sure..."

"He's right, Ms. Parker." Ruiz chimes in. "We'll be here for the next several hours collecting evidence, so it's best if you stay somewhere else tonight."

Tanner sweeps a kiss across my cheek, whispering into my ear. "You shouldn't be alone after something like this, and the boys are at my mom's. Please."

Feeling both reluctant and relieved, I agree.

"Will you be okay to do that by yourself? I just want to talk to Ruiz for a minute."

I nod, mustering up all the courage I can find before heading back into the house.

As I climb the stairs, I feel like a stranger in my own home. Like I'm watching someone else's live play out in the crooked and smashed picture frames. And in my bedroom, it's even worse. Clothes and lingerie are tossed around, curtains pulled off the wall, even my bed is ransacked. It's violent. It's personal. And it's not something an angry figure year old boy does to his father's girlfriend.

And when I notice what's on my nightstand, that realization hits me like a brick wall. I don't know how I missed it before, but right there, laying out like I placed it myself, is my engagement ring.

All the air is sucked out of my lungs, and my knees almost give out from under me before I can sit on the edge of my bed. My hands tremble as I reach for it, turning it over and over in complete disbelief. It's been months since I've seen it, and seeing it again turns my stomach, and before I know what's happening, I'm in a full-blown panic attack.

Chest tightening. Vision blurring. Ears ringing. It's so hard for me to catch my breath that I'm gasping for air. Suddenly, I'm right back on that South African beach, giving it back to Zane, and as hard as I try to stop it, the nightmare memory keeps replaying in my mind.

The cheap flea market metal feels like it's burning a hole in my palm. When he bought it for me at that street fair, but now I can hardly stand to look at the thing.

Tears roll down my cheeks and suddenly the door opens.

"Zoe?" Tanner's face filled with anguish as he sees me in a sobbing heap on my bedroom floor. Immediately, he's at my side, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tightly against him.