Amy stood to go fetch the dessert from inside the house and when she returned with three pies in her hands, Ryker, who had been sitting across from Landon, chose that moment to stand. Jameson's twin was an international rock star and he didn’t leave his persona on the stage. He was decked out in a torn T-shirt and tight jeans, that even in the summer heat, worked for him. But Ryker, Landon had learned, was the type of man that loved with his entire being. Every one of his siblings and friends knew that they were important to him. Especially his wife, Norah.
“Mom, thank you for the amazing dinner. While I had everyone here, I just wanted to let you know that Norah and I are expecting a new addition to the family this fall.”
Landon watched as the group gathered around the couple, offering their congratulations, but then Landon turned to look at Kerry and was surprised to find tears in her eyes.
“You okay, beautiful?”
It was as if he had shaken her awake and Kerry quickly swiped her fingers beneath her eyes to wipe away any stray tears.
“Sorry, I’m fine. I’m just so happy for them.”
“Yeah. Do you want to head out of here? I bet Amy could wrap up a slice of pie or two for us.”
“That’s a good idea. They should be celebrating with family.”
Despite a small protest by Amy, Kerry and Landon left the party, each with a slice of pie.
“I need to pick up my rental car,” Kerry said as they began the trek back to the downtown of Carson. Landon nodded and asked where it was located. By the time they arrived at the large parking lot across from the diner, dusk had started to settle in the sky. He pulled the truck into the spot beside the standard-issued black sedan and then turned to look at Kerry staring off through the windshield.
“Would you want to come to check out my place? I haven’t even been in there but for a minute,” she asked, twisting her hands in her lap, and Landon could see how nervous she was about verbalizing her question. Like he would ever turn her down.
“I’d like that,” he told her, smiling as she seemed to release her breath. “Afraid I’d say no?”
“I don’t know what I was afraid of. Never of you, though.”
“Well, I can follow you there if you’d like.”
“Sure,” she replied, unhooking her seatbelt and reaching for the door handle.
“Hey, sit tight. I’ll get it,” Landon commanded and he was surprised that she had listened as he jumped from the driver’s side of the truck and made his way to her door.
He escorted her to the driver’s side of the rental car and waited for her to locate the keys, then noticed a small piece of paper tucked under the windshield. Something deep inside Landon screamed danger and he aggressively pulled the paper free before reading the scratchy handwriting.
Curiously, Kerry asked, “What is that?”
An anger, unlike anything Landon had ever felt, even after the incident with his father and brother, unleashed inside of him and all he could see was red. Someone was targeting Kerry. Someone that knew who she was and knew exactly where to find her.
“Fuck!” he shouted into the evening sky, startling a couple that was walking down the sidewalk across the street.
“Tell me what it says, Landon.”
“It says ‘Don’t get too comfortable’.”
Her face blanched and turned an ashen shade that erased all of the pink in her cheeks that Landon loved. Someone was targeting his woman and he didn’t know the first thing to do to stop it.
“What do I do?” she asked in a voice so soft-spoken he barely heard it. Landon knew then that he had to be strong, that he would have to protect her until he could figure out their next move.
Taking a deep breath, Landon reached out to cup her chin. “I’m going to keep you safe, okay? We’re going to go back to your house and I’m going to stay with you, maybe for a while. I’m going to call the sheriff and my friend Cliff to see if we can get an ID on the person that left the note. There are security cameras everywhere. I’m sure they’ll find something. In the meantime, I need you to think about who may be following you. The news report didn’t help and there is a good chance that your parents sent someone to find you.”
It didn’t seem like a tactic parents would resort to in order to get their daughter to come home, but he didn’t know if that applied to kings and queens as well. Threats may be the only thing they know that works.
“I don’t want you tied up in this, Landon.” She confessed.
“Too late. I’m tied up in it, and in you. Can’t get rid of me now,” Landon added with a smirk that had her visibly relaxing.
Leaving the car in the parking lot, they went back to Landon’s truck and made their way to Kerry’s house. They only got lost twice since she didn’t have the directions with her. The address was still locked inside the rental, but they finally made it.
The bungalow was exactly something Landon could see Kerry living in, if he hadn’t known that she was a princess and deserving of the castle she most likely lived in, but it was definitely her style.