She nodded.
“How many bunches of flowers?” Eli asked.
“Umm, maybe four,” she told them.
“And you’re sure Ricky sent them?” Eli was busy writing on a pad.
“Yes, well…” she trailed off as she remembered Ricky’s words. “Except he said he didn’t send the last bunch and none of them ever had a card. Oh God, he sent them, didn’t he?”
“It’s definitely a possibility.” Eli glanced at her. “This is a lot to take in, honey. Do you want some time to think things through?”
If she took time she’d wimp out.
“No, tell me what I will need to do.”
“Well, you’d need to start going to Saxon’s regularly. We don’t know how closely he’s watching you so it may take a few weeks. Plus he might find it strange if all of a sudden you’re straight back into it, so build it up slowly. Maybe one night this week, two nights the following. Some hesitance will be believable at first, but you’ll need to have most of your fear under control.”
She nodded. God that was easier said than done. How could she stop herself from panicking?
“I’m not sure I can let strangers touch me.”
Duncan turned her until she straddled his lap. His hand grasped the back of her neck as he forced her to stare up into his face.
“No one will be touching you but me.”
His possessiveness eased her fear.
“How will we get him to come after me if you’re always with me?”
“We’ll be watching closely, both inside and outside the club,” Eli told her. “We’re hoping he’ll show himself. If he doesn’t, then we may need to set up a situation where it looks like you’re on your own. It won’t look real unless you play with Duncan. Everyone here knows about your relationship. Even if we wanted to plant someone else, we couldn’t.”
“I would never allow that,” Duncan said in an implacable voice. “You are mine.”
***
Laken watched from the couch as Duncan closed the door behind his brothers. She felt drained and on edge.
Duncan had stared for a long moment at the doorstep before closing the door. He walked over and just stood, looking down at her.
“Pack a bag, you’re coming home with me,” he told her in a calm voice, but as she looked up into his gaze, she saw the fury. And maybe a glimpse of hurt.
Oh God.
“Duncan, can we talk about this?”
“Not right now. I’m too angry. Go and pack a bag. You have five minutes. We’re staying the night at my place.”
She thought about protesting but there was no leniency in his face. Besides, she wanted to ease his anger, not increase it. Guilt had her feeling terrible. She shouldn’t have kept secrets from him.
She stood and packed a small bag before returning to the living room. He was staring out the window.
“Do-do you think he’s watching now?”
Turning, he looked at her for a long moment and she thought he was going to ignore her. Then he held out his arm.
She flew towards him, snuggling close as he placed his arm around her.
“You go nowhere alone, you understand me? Eli and Kellan have someone watching over you, but I need to know where you are at all times in order to keep my sanity. God, I wish I could keep you locked up and safe, but we need to go on with our lives like normal. We can’t give him any clue that we are on to him.”