Noah hit the end call button, letting loose a string of curses.
"How'd he find me? How'd he get this number?" I wondered out loud, talking more to myself than to Noah.
Noah rang Melody to tell her that any calls that came in for me needed to go through him first, no exceptions. He walked over and put his hands on my shoulders to stop my frantic pacing and tilted my face up to look at him. I had tears in my eyes.
"Has he contacted you since we arrived, other than the other night and today?"
Shaking my head, I let him pull me into an embrace. "Just those two times."
"Mal and Jay will be here in just a minute. We'll figure it out."
"Figure what out? He knows where I am. He saw me. Today, Noah. He knows what I'm wearing."
Noah's arms tightened around me. "I'll call Greg, Maybe he can help. And John. See what legal action we can take against him. I won't let anything happen to you. You'll be okay."
"Like he'll really obey the laws. They have to find him. It's the only way."
I tried to relax against him, trying not to care that everyone in the office could once again see us together. The hard comfort of his body, the quieting touch of his arms around me, and the soothing sound of his voice in my ear should have been enough to calm me, to reassure me, and to make me feel safe. Except it wasn't.
I didn't feel safe at all. Knowing that Stephen had seen me yesterday and today was seriously messing me up. Who was I kidding? Noah couldn't keep me safe no matter how hard he tried. What was Joshua going to do - joke Stephen to death? Mal - Mal should be doing more. He used to be a goddamn detective. If someone was going to find him, it should be Mal.
Because he was the only one of the three that actually had it in him to murder Stephen.
I wasn't being fair. Fuck fair. Fuck being rational. I was terrified. It didn't matter how strong I acted, how much of a front I put on when taunting Stephen over the phone. If he was in Boston and close enough to know what dress I wore to work today, then it was only a matter of time before he attacked me. Or killed me.
Joshua burst in with Mal on his heels.
"How the fuck did he find her?"
"What'd he say to you?"
I pushed my hands up between Noah and me and shoved him away. Mal was inches from me when I rounded on him, tears streaking my makeup and teeth bared.
"Why haven't you found him yet? Why aren't you out there right now, hunting him down and bringing me his mangled, headless corpse?'
Jesus, Regan. He isn't a body snatcher, for fuck's sake.
If he was shocked by my outburst, his face didn't show it. Joshua and Noah were a little thrown by it, stepping a few inches away from me as I berated Mal.
"You were a detective, weren't you? You got Noah out of prison. Finding a murderous psychopath shouldn't be hard for you. Instead of following me around like an overprotective asshole, go find him!" My voice cracked with a sob. "Please find him."
Mal began to wipe away my tears and pull me closer gently, his body tensed to grab me if I decided to run from him. I fought him for only a few seconds. Soon, his large body surrounded mine, warm and solid.
"Please, Mal. Just find him."
"Shh, I've got you, baby." He hand stroked my back. "I'll bring him to you in pieces if that's what you want."
Joshua held up his hands. "Maybe we should tell the police what's happening before the two of you go off collecting body parts as trophies. Has your P.I. found out anything new?"
Noah shook his head. "I just sent him a recording of the call. I'll send it to the police, too."
Joshua turned to Mal expectantly.
"Walker is pulling in more of his guys. We'll have twenty-four surveillance on the house and office. She goes nowhere without two of them with her."
"Are they all hired killers like Walker?"
Noah gave Mal a look that made me think that Mal wasn't supposed to have told me about Walker's job history. But I was glad I knew of it.
Mal completely ignored Noah's disapproving look and looked down at me instead, brushing my hair behind my ears and grinning. "Yeah, baby, it's all his old crew. They're a rude, nasty, violent group. You'll love them."
That got me to smile a little.
"And if you talk to them like you just did to Mal, saying things about bringing you headless bodies, they are going fall in love with you." Noah didn't look too pleased about that.
He picked up the phone, telling Melody to get the Chief of Police on the line. I burrowed further into Mal as he and Joshua started discussing restraining orders. I tuned them all out. In the end, it didn't matter. Not really. Greg couldn't help, the police here couldn't help, the private detective, the lawyers... there was no one that could help.
What if I just told Stephen where I was? Use me as bait or something. The cops could be waiting for him when he made his move and arrest him, and this would all be over. Or even better, Walker and his crew would get to him first. I'd be able to breathe again. Live again.
I needed to do something to get him to call me again. Thinking back on his previous two calls, it seemed that maybe when I did something to really upset him, he'd reach out. I got away from him in Maine, hurting him, and disappearing to Boston. Today, he was pissed because he'd seen all of us together on our date. If he was watching me as closely as I feared, it shouldn't be that difficult to do something to rile him up enough to call me again.
"Let's just tell him where I am."
The office went silent. I lifted my face away from Mal's chest to find them all staring at me.
"He calls when he's upset with me. So let's do something to make him mad, and he'll call here again. I'll make sure he knows where the house is."
"Why would you do that?" Mal's voice was deceivingly calm.
"To set a trap. When he shows up, the cops can grab him."
Noah snapped something into the phone, then slammed it down. In two strides, he was around the desk and tearing me from Mal's arms.
"The fuck you will," he practically shouted.
"He probably already knows where I'm living. What's the difference?"
"That there's still a chance he doesn't."
"You have any better ideas?" I snapped back. "Other than hiding?"
Noah got right in my face. "Yeah. Not telling him where you live is a great one."
"I can't sit around and wait for the police to do something or him to find me. I can't live like this!"
"And what if you did tell him? He might be crazy, but he's not stupid. I doubt he'd just walk up the front door and knock."
Joshua, forever trying to be the referee between us, reached out and pried Noah's hand from my arm. "How about we all find somewhere else to have this argument?"
Noah shook him off. "I'm not going anywhere until I know this insane idea is out of her head."
"I guess we'll be here awhile, then." Crossing my arms like a petulant child, I planted my feet and stared him down.
"Excuse me," a deeply accented voice spoke from behind us.
Noah loosed his grip on me, clearing his throat. "Thad, come on in."
I tried disengaging from his hold. He kept a hand on my upper arm, looking into my eyes momentarily before moving his attention to our guest. He extended his hand in greeting while I took another moment to collect myself and then turned.
Mal and Joshua had already adjusted their positions, so the four of us were lined up in front of the desk, side by side. Their expressions didn't tell me if Thad was welcome or not.
Noah lifted his head, a cocky, proud gesture as he motioned to me, his arm tightening around my waist so I was tucked protectively into his side. "I'd like you to meet Regan."
Thad was an incredibly attractive, forty-something-year-old man. He was quick to cover it, but I saw his expression of astonishment before he masked it with a smile that he aimed at me. His straight teeth were glaringly white against his tanned complexion and dark features. When I reached out to shake his hand, he gently brought it to his lips and kissed my knuckles, his eyes never leaving my face.
"Even more exquisite than described," he murmured against the back of my hand. "You would look lovely on canvas."
At my confused look, Noah gave a quiet laugh. "Thad is an artist. He paints portraits. We're launching his new gallery tomorrow night."
Not for one second did I believe that Thad was just another client of R&R. Judging by the looks that continued to pass between them, there was a history to this relationship that I would be asking about very soon.
"Which I hope you'll be in attendance for?" Thad had yet to release my hand.
I cocked an eyebrow at Noah. "I'm not sure. Will I?" He hadn't shared any information about the launch with me. With the new developments, he would probably lock me in the house like a prisoner. My blood grew hot in anger at the thought of any of them trying to dictate if and when I could leave the house.
Noah gave me a cool look, knowing what I must be thinking. "Of course," he answered, very subtly pulling me back from Thad's grasp.
"Were we expecting you?" Mal was frowning at my hand as it slid away from Thad's.
"Yes," he answered. "Always a pleasure, Maleko."
Mal harrumphed and crossed his arms, still frowning.
"I apologize for the interruption. Your assistant told me it was okay to come in."
I glared at Melody through the window. "Of course she did."
He turned his hands palms up and moved his shoulders in a barely discernible shrug. "I knocked but you appeared too otherwise occupied to hear it."
Noah glanced down at me. "Yes, sorry about that. We had just been made aware of some rather," he paused to find the word. "Unfortunate news."
"I'm afraid you're not catching me at my best moment." I smiled warily at Thad. He scoffed.
"Nonsense. I refuse to believe you can appear any more beautiful than you are right now."
Such a charmer, this enigmatic Thad. I couldn't do anything to hide my blush.
"You'll have to excuse Thad. He is constantly searching for his next wife." Mal looked him up and down. "Or mistress."
Thad gave a good-natured laugh. "I'm simply a collector of rare and beautiful things. Sometimes that involves the exchanging of vows. Or beds."
"Christ, we don't have time for this today."
Thad continued ignoring Mal. "Riley told me you are an artist. I always love meeting a like-minded soul. We should have coffee and discuss...things." His dark eyes were full of mischief, and if there weren't witnesses, Mal probably would have plucked them out with his hands for the way he was looking at me.
"What brings you by, Thad?" Joshua stepped forward to block his view of me. Thad gracefully sidestepped, knowing full well what Joshua was trying to do.
"The rumors are true, then?"
Noah fidgeted slightly. "Rumors?"
Thad laughed, and it was a wonderfully melodic sound. I don't think I disliked him. He was forward, yes. There didn't seem to be malicious intent behind it, though. He was a womanizer, and he embraced it.
"The four of you are...together?"
"Yes," they all answered.
Thad winked at me. "Congratulations, Regan. Have room for one more?"
"Okay, that's enough," Mal uncrossed his arms and moved toward Thad.
"It's too easy to tease you. Easy target and all that." He waved him away and reached into his suit, producing two pieces of paper. "I believe these are the last details you need for tomorrow."
Noah accepted them without looking, setting the papers on the desk behind us. "There's actually one last thing I'll need to confirm with you." He gave me a quick look. "A security concern that has just come up."
"Of course. Call my office this afternoon and we can discuss."
"I'd like to discuss it now." Noah's tone was firm. He motioned to the seat in front of his desk, and Thad smoothly sat down. He crossed his ankle over his knee, waiting for Noah to continue.
Noah sat, looking the part of a rich, attractive business owner. The role fit him so well.
"We will be employing additional security for the event tomorrow night. They aren't...the usual detail."
Thad looked around at each of us, his flirty demeanor replaced with one of total seriousness. "Does this have to do with the unfortunate news you just received?"
Joshua reached for my hand. Thad's eyes locked on to the movement, and he nodded. "I don't want whatever this is interfering with my gallery."
Mal's back straightened. "It won't affect your opening in any way. My guys know how to blend and stay hidden."
"Then there's nothing to discuss." Thad stood, straightening his suit. "I have all the confidence you have this handled and Regan's safety should be your priority."
Thad's captivating gaze then settled on me. "Regan, I look forward to seeing you again. You are absolutely enchanting."
With that, he pivoted dramatically and whisked himself from the office as quickly as he had appeared.
Noah was watching me watch Thad glide toward the elevators. His exit was just as attractive as his entrance.
Joshua squeezed my hand. "Whatever he offers, do not pose for one of his paintings."
Thad blew me a kiss right before the elevator doors closed, and I heard Mal curse under his breath.
"Never in my life have I wanted to kill so many people in one day."