Page 23 of Possessive Bodyguard Summer

The dread I felt earlier? It’s back with a vengeance now. Something tells me none of this is a coincidence.

“It was black. I couldn’t see the driver’s face. He had on one of those full face helmets with a dark tinted visor. But even at the grocery store, I felt like he was watching me.” Monroe shook her head. “I’m sure it’s nothing. I’m just being paranoid for no reason.”

“If Maverick noticed, then it’s not nothing.”

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and immediately cued up the video feed from the doorbell and the cameras on the front of the house. With the click of a button I find several minutes of footage from today where a black motorcycle has slowly drivenpast my house three different times. Every time the driver turns and looks, but his face is covered just like Monroe said it was.

“Is this the same bike from the grocery store?” I hold out my phone and show her a still frame.

Monroe gasped. “Yes.”

Fuck.

“Have you noticed him around anywhere before today?”

“No. I would remember. Trust me.”

I believed her. If she recognized the bike or this person, she would tell me. Because of Kaleigh.

I took another look at the still frame.

Black Harley, a touring bike. Made for a comfortable ride. Hard saddlebags, aftermarket crash bars. Nothing unique enough to identify from a distance and the license plate was out of view.

"Stay here." I walked to the front door, disengaged the alarm, and stepped onto the porch.

The humid evening air wrapped around me as my eyes swept the street.

Parked cars. A neighbor walking his dog. A few teenagers on bicycles.

Nothing out of the ordinary for this time of evening during the summer.

Still... the feeling in my gut was still there.

I stepped off the porch and made a slow lap around the house, checking every gate. Every first-floor window. The exteriorgarage door entrance and the fingerprint keypad, making sure no one had tried to tamper with anything.

By the time I came back inside, Monroe hadn't moved from where I'd left her.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"Making sure no one can get to you." The words left my mouth before I had time to think about them.

Her eyes widened.

I cleared my throat. "I mean...making sure everything's secure."

"Clay..."

"No." I met her gaze. "If somebody's been circling this house, I'm taking it seriously."

She wrapped her arms around herself. "I feel ridiculous."

"You shouldn't."

"You don't think I'm overreacting?"

"I think your instincts led you here. To a place where you’re safe."

Silence settled between us. She stared at me like no one had ever said those words before. Maybe no one had.