Protecting The Billionaire (17 page)

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. The four-letter word echoed around in his head, causing the roots Allison had planted to dig deeper into his soul.

“I’ll be there in less than a minute. We’re turning onto Cameron Street now. I made Connor stop at Cooper’s Smokehouse, so I could get us barbecue for dinner. It took longer than usual tonight.”

The dark-blue sedan Connor arrived in that morning passed him and parked across the bottom of Allison’s driveway. Rock wasted no time opening his truck door. A thousand ants started their march across the back of his neck the moment his boots hit the pavement, and he started for Connor’s car. A quick glance around revealed nothing out of the ordinary, not even a dark cloud in the sky. But someone had eyes on them. And they were doing a damn good job of keeping out of sight.

Rock reached the car as Allison closed the door. Without hesitation, she smiled and wrapped her arms around him. “I missed you.” Despite Connor standing feet away, she kissed him.

Going home to an empty apartment never bothered him, but he could get used to coming home to a greeting like this every night. He enjoyed her lips against his for half a second longer and then pulled away. The ants on his neck continued their march. He needed Allison inside behind locked doors. “Let’s continue this inside.” Rock took the takeout bag she held and put an arm over her shoulders. “Anything unusual today?” He directed his question at Connor.

“Nice and quiet.”

Let’s keep it that way.
“Good. See you same time tomorrow.”

Connor nodded and headed back around to the driver’s side.

“Hope you’re hungry tonight.”

He faced the street, his back pressed up against Allison’s as she unlocked the door. The position allowed him to keep both eyes on the street and protect her at the same time. “Starving.” Her keys jingled behind him, followed by a squeak as the door opened.

Stepping up, he entered the house and took one final glance around before he turned and closed the door. “What did ya get?”

Allison paused at the alarm panel and punched in her code. “Large orders of ribs, chicken, and coleslaw, plus cornbread. They’d just taken it out of the oven. I skipped lunch today. It’s always dangerous for me to order takeout when I’ve skipped a meal.” She turned and started up the stairs “Start without me. I need to change.”

Considering that the snow-white blouse she wore probably cost as much as his monthly rent, he guessed changing was a good idea.

Rock grabbed plates from the cupboard and set them on the table then pulled the to-go containers from the plastic bag. The scent of warm cornbread drifted toward him, tempting him to grab a chunk, but he held back. He didn’t dine at five-star restaurants, but he had enough manners to wait until Allison joined him. He hoped she changed fast tonight. He hadn’t been kidding when he said he was starving.

While he waited, he grabbed a soda and popped it open. Beer complimented barbecue much better than any cola, but he didn’t want anything impeding his reaction time. Allison might still think they were overreacting, but he didn’t.

“You didn’t have to wait for me.” She dropped a kiss on his cheek as she passed by him. She’d changed out of her business clothes and into denim capris and a lilac T-shirt. “I’m having a glass of wine. Do you want one?” She grabbed a bottle from the wine rack near the back door. “How did I forget to lock this?” Allison stopped and turned the top deadbolt. “I need to pay more attention in the morning. I left my bedroom light on too.”

“The ones in here were on when I came in.”

“I don’t usually forget those things. Having Connor around is messing me all up.” Allison frowned and shook her head while taking a wine glass from the cupboard. “Did you want some?” She held up the wine bottle.

“Not tonight.”

She filled her wine glass as she walked to the table. “Jake stopped in the office today. Cindy, his assistant, called and told him about Connor being at work with me.”

He’d known it’d only be a matter of time before someone in her family found out.

“I also called my dad.”

Something’s up, Rock thought as he piled food onto his plate, because although she’d claimed to be hungry, she hadn’t reached for a single rib.

“He and Abby will be in DC this weekend for a party. He asked if we could meet them for dinner before they leave.”

Never in is life had he done the whole ‘sit down and get to know you’ thing with a girlfriend’s parents. It had never seemed necessary. This time it did. Not that he looked forward to it.

He’d spoken a few times with Mark Sherbrooke at Addie’s wedding, and each time he’d come across as friendly enough. Back then though, he’d been only Trent’s brother-in-law, not the guy getting hot and heavy with Sherbrooke’s only daughter. That little fact right there made all the difference in the world. Or at least it would to him if he had a daughter.

“I told him Friday night would probably be okay, but I needed to check with you first.” Allison’s forehead scrunched up and her eyebrows came together. “Do you mind?”

“Depends. Will I need to wear a tie?”

“You’re not funny.” She huffed, crossed her arms, and gave him an evil eye, which rivaled his Nonna’s.

“Whoa, are sure you’re not part Italian? Your glare would scare even Nonna.”

She tried to maintain her expression, but her lips twitched.

“Friday night’s fine, Ally.” Rock reached for another rib and put it on her plate. “You better eat before I finish everything.”

“Thanks. I know going out with someone’s parent can be dull.”

Considering he’d agreed to dinner with her father, she still sounded worried. When she cleared her throat, he knew she had more to tell him.

“He doesn’t know about the bodyguards and stuff. I’m hoping they’ll be gone soon. Please don’t tell him.”

He wished he shared her optimism. He didn’t see the guards from Elite Force Security gone anytime soon, not until Allison’s stalker made a mistake. No matter what she said, she had a stalker. And until the bastard was caught, he’d make sure she stayed unharmed.

“Please.”

If he was in Sherbrooke’s shoes, he’d want to know so he could keep his daughter safe, which was something he’d physically be able to do. He couldn’t say the same thing about her father. He looked healthy, but that didn’t mean he could stop the crazy SOB if he attacked. And honestly, was there anything more the man could do? She’d hired guards from one of the best firms in the country, a firm that did a hell of a lot more than just play babysitter, and he’d moved in with her. Unless Mr. Sherbrooke possessed some superhero powers, there wasn’t anything more he could add right now. Telling him at this point would only make him worry and stress Allison out.

“Won’t say a thing Friday.” He’d reassess his decision if and when something changed, because the situation would change. Unfortunately, he couldn’t predict when or how.

He watched them embrace down on the sidewalk before Raimono said something to the muscled moron who’d driven Allison home. She’d hired some private bodyguard. Damn Kane’s flunky. The shooting at the Marine’s apartment had freaked her out. If the punk had followed instructions, he wouldn’t have this added complication now. But it didn’t matter much anymore. His plans had changed.

The memory of what he’d found inside her house today had the vein in his temple twitching and all the muscles in his body tensing up. He wished he hadn’t gone in again this afternoon, but he liked visiting. It brought him closer to her. He’d spent hours practicing his lock-picking technique so he could go in whenever he wanted. Finding the spare house key in her kitchen drawer had been an unexpected bonus. He’d made a copy and than returned the original in case she ever went looking for it.

Today he’d made his usual rounds of the townhouse. He’d grabbed a bottle of sparkling water in the kitchen before checking the Internet in her office. He liked scrolling through the sites she visited. It gave him ideas of what she liked and what interested her. When he’d finished, he’d moved upstairs. He always left her bedroom, his favorite room, for last.

The condom wrapper on her nightstand changed everything. He’d known Raimono had spent the weekend, he’d seen him leave this morning. Until he spotted the evidence, he’d convinced himself their relationship hadn’t progressed that far.

He knew deep down on some level, Allison felt the connection between them. He’d seen the way she looked at him. Talked to him. In fact, he remembered every word from their last conversation in December. She only needed time to recognize her feelings for him.

Damn you. Don’t you know you belong to me, Allison? How could you let him touch you like that? Spoil you like that?

Pushing away from the window, he paced. He would’ve made her happy, if she’d just given him the chance. Now, they both needed to die. Raimono first. This time he didn’t care if she witnessed his death or not. And he’d handle it himself. He didn’t want some dumb punk messing up again. Besides, he wanted the satisfaction. No, he deserved the satisfaction after what Raimono did. With him gone, he’d take Allison up to his house in Maine and show her what she could’ve had if she’d picked him instead. Once he finished with her, he’d get rid of her too.

First he had a few more things to get in order. This weekend though, he’d get what he wanted. He’d waited long enough. Yes, he’d have everything he needed by the weekend.

“Can you teach me to use a gun?”

Rock’s hands stopped on his belt buckle. “What?” It sounded like Allison said the word
gun
.

“I want to buy a gun and learn how to shoot it. I already checked. In Virginia, you don’t need a special license to purchase and own a gun. So will you teach me?” she asked again from where she sat cross-legged on her bed.

“What aren’t ya telling me?” They’d never discussed her views on gun ownership and she never commented on the pistol he often carried. However, Allison owning a gun made about as much sense as him owning ballet slippers. If her thoughts had turned in that direction, something had to have happened today because yesterday she’d been ready to call Elite Force and get rid of Connor and Neil.

“I think someone has been in the house.” She gripped her hands together and played with the heart-shaped emerald ring on her finger. “This morning after you left, I went to check my email before Connor and I went to the office. The browser was open. I always close the browser when I finish on the computer.”

That wasn’t much evidence. Her expression however said she had more.

“And you know how the deadbolt wasn’t locked on the back door last night when we came in? I asked Connor, he said he checked all the doors before we left yesterday and it was locked. So how did it get unlocked? And the lights were on when we came in last night. The only explanation is if someone was in here after we left yesterday.”

She made a damn good argument. If Connor said he’d checked the doors, then he had. “What about the alarm. It should’ve gone off if someone came in.” He’d watched her turn it off when they entered the house. “Does anyone have the code besides you?”

“Derek and the security technician who came out to check the system when I moved in.” She shrugged. “And I guess the woman who used to clean my apartment when I lived in Providence because I used the same code here. But Francine doesn’t know where I live. When I moved, I didn’t tell her where I was going.”

He doubted some cleaning lady from Providence would be breaking into Allison’s house, but it didn’t mean she hadn’t sold the information, because someone else out there had the number. That was the only explanation if someone had entered the house and not set it off. “Are you positive no one else has it? What about an ex?” Mr. Teeth, the ex-boyfriend, he’d met the night at Siena came to mind. She’d mentioned how reluctant he’d been to accept their relationship was over. It wouldn’t be the first time a guy had gone off the deep end when the woman he loved didn’t return his feelings.

Allison went from wringing her hands to drumming her fingers on her legs. “Yeah, I guess him too. We were together a long time and he had a key to my apartment. But he wouldn’t know how to pick a lock and get in.”

He disagreed. With enough patience and practice, anyone could learn to pick a lock, even a guy like her ex-boyfriend.

“Besides, my cousin Leah said Charles is seeing her friend Miranda Bergman.”

Her announcement didn’t cross Allison’s ex off his list, but evidently it did hers. For now, he’d keep his thoughts about Mr. Teeth to himself. “That it? Nobody else?”

“Nope.”

Although unlikely, someone could have guessed the number. “First lets change the code. Then we’re calling the cops.”

Allison’s lips parted, and he just knew an argument was about to follow.

“Sorry. It’s time we get ‘em involved. If someone is coming into the house, they need to be in the loop.”

Her sigh almost knocked him over. “You’re right. I know you are. I just hate calling them.”

The sadness and fear in her voice melted into his heart, becoming a part of him. “Don’t worry, Ally. I won’t let anything happen to ya. Promise. Soon we’ll get the bastard stalking you.”

Her smiled wobbled, but she didn’t cry or give any other indication of the fear he knew she felt. “We’ll do our first gun lesson after we call the cops.” Rock grabbed her hand and pulled her up. “Do ya know how to change the alarm code?”

“The user’s manual is in my desk. The technician who came out changed it for me but said it was easy if I needed to do it again.”

“It’s usually easy.”

They grabbed the manual from the office and trekked down to the basement. Although a different model than the system his parents had, the directions for changing a code were the same. “What’s the code now?” Rock asked, opening the control box mounted on the wall. In order to make any changes, they had to enter the current code first.

“0723.”

“Your birthday is your alarm code. Didn’t the tech tell you not to use a number like that?”
Mannaggia
, anyone with a computer and Internet access could find her code.