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.
"It's okay. Just take a deep breath, okay?" He coaches, gently running his fingers along my back. "In and out. In and out."
It takes a minute, but soon my breath evens out and I can feel myself start to calm down a bit. Everything about Tanner feels safe, and especially with my physical home in shambles, he feels a bit like an emotional home.
"I promise, everything is going to be okay. I thought we were over this with James, but I'll talk to him again and make sure it's straightened out. I'm so sorry. I have no idea what's gotten into him..." Tanner chokes up.
I shake my head, clutching the ring in my hand. "It wasn't James, Tanner." My voice is hardly above a whisper.
"What do you mean? How do you...?"
I open my hand, showing the ring to Tanner.
"What is this?" He takes it, holding it in his fingers as his brow furrows.
My mind feels like a hurricane as I try to sort through the words. "An engagement ring. I found it by my bed."
"Like the robber left it?"
I let out a sharp laugh. "Yeah. That's kind of ironic, isn't? What kind of robber doesn't take anything but leaves this behind?"
Maybe making a joke of it will make it seem less heavy.
"Have you ever seen it before?" He asks, still trying to piece everything together.
I nod. "On a beach in South Africa. When I gave it back to..."
"Zane." We both say at the same time.
Tanner clenches his jaw, anger pulsing through his veins as he hands the ring back to me. "You really think he's capable of doing something like this?"
"I didn't at first, but there's no other explanation. I haven't seen this ring in months and the last time I did was when I gave it back to him." I sniffle, wiping at my tears. Right now, I'm more embarrassed than anything. How could I have been such a fool? How could I let him play me this way? "I really thought he was just here for the job. I really wanted to believe that, but there are just too many coincidences now."
"What do you mean, coincidences?" Tanner's demeanor is so stoic that it's almost scary as he starts to collect all the facts. Especially after our conversation earlier, I can't hold anything back anymore.
"A bunch of little things since he's been back that I tried to brush off. Someone left flowers and coffee on my car. I thought I saw his car in front of my house once. And then the other day, when Lucas mentioned that he recognized Zane... I don't know. The thought crossed my mind, but when James told us that he was the one who threw the brick, I just kind of wrote it all off. But... but maybe I shouldn't have. I don't know how I could have been so stupid."
I bury my head in my hands to cover my tears, the shame almost too much. Saying it out loud makes it even worse. Of course, I should have paid more attention. Of course, I never should have underestimated him. And now look where we are.
"It's not stupid, Zoe." Tanner lets out a breath, running his fingers through his hair. "I know how it feels to want to see the best in someone, but we can't ignore this now. You know that, right? We need to tell the police."
"I know. I know we can't ignore it, but maybe I should try to talk to him first. This doesn't seem like him and maybe..."
"Zoe, you can't be serious." His voice gets louder. "The bastard broke into your house, and who knows what would have happened if you'd been here? I think we're past the point of talking. He's stalking you, and there isn't a chance in hell I want him within a hundred yards of you while you're alone." Tanner swallows. "We can either tell Ruiz about this, or I'll handle Zane myself."
There isn't an ounce of hesitation in Tanner's threat, and it makes my heart skip. It's ominous. It's chilling. But it's oddly comforting. I've never had a man so willing to defend me and even though I feel so wildly out of control right now, Tanner's presence is grounding.
"We can tell him." I agree, not wanting this to escalate even more. "But what am I supposed to do about work? It's not like I can avoid him there."
"Ruiz will take care of it, okay?" He presses a kiss to my forehead. "You don't have to worry about Zane anymore. We'll take care of it."
I want to believe him, but I'm not so sure. I'm not sure about anything Zane related anymore.
After a few more minutes, Tanner leaves and I quickly pack a bag. I can't stand to be here anymore, as if knowing that Zane was in here somehow makes it even worse. It's an even deeper betrayal, and it's got me on edge. I guess seeing me with Tanner the other day was more than he could take, and if he's capable of breaking into my house like this, what else might he do?