Cherry dropped her supplies on the table and glanced around. “Wow, he real y did a number on this place, huh?”
Wade felt his anger rise. The son of a bitch would pay. “Her bedroom is even worse. Panties, nightgowns, makeup, it’s al ruined.”
Cherry visibly shuddered. “I can’t imagine how she must feel. It’s such a horrible invasion of privacy.”
“Once things are in order, she’l feel better.” He hoped like hel that was the case anyway.
Cherry cocked her head to the side, no doubt seeing more than he wanted her to see. Their long-standing friendship meant they could read each other like a book most of the time. “How are you holding up?”
He clenched his fists at his sides, feet braced shoulder-width apart. “I want the bastard, Cherry. Dead or alive, it doesn’t matter.”
“Careful,” she warned. “The soldier in you is showing through.”
“If this was an op, I would make sure he never hurt another woman again. He would simply disappear, and Gracie would be safe.”
Cherry stepped forward and placed her hand on his forearm. He figured the gesture was meant to soothe him, but the only thing that would do that was seeing Gracie’s stalker behind bars . . . or dead. Preferably the latter. “This isn’t an op, though. You aren’t in the army anymore, Wade. You have to play this right. Let the police do their job.”
“They haven’t done shit so far. I’m tired of them dicking around. He’s out there somewhere, watching her, waiting. What wil he do next, Cherry?”
“It won’t matter, because you’l be there. You wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”
Her conviction brought him down a notch. “Damn straight. He won’t come within a hundred feet of her.”
“You real y care about her that much?”
Wade pushed his hands in his pockets. Suddenly he felt like a little kid again, shy and uncertain. “I care.”
“She’s lucky to have you in her corner, Wade. You’re a good man.”
He smiled. “So you no longer think I’m taking advantage of her?”
She rol ed her eyes and waved a hand in the air. “Gracie can take care of herself. I was stupid to think otherwise.”
He denied that with a shake of his head. “She’s more vulnerable than you think. This has real y taken a tol . I’m worried about her, Cherry.”
“She’s not had the easiest life, Wade. She’s withstood a lot. And now she has someone standing with her. That’s more than she’s ever had before.”
“Thanks, Cherry. Your friendship means a lot, to both of us.”
“You’ve been there for me too, Wade. I’m glad to repay the favor.”
“Wade?” He turned at the sound of Gracie’s soft voice. “I hate to interrupt, but your brother and sister are here. Jonas too.”
Wade strode across the kitchen and took Gracie in his arms, needing the connection to keep his sanity. If he let go of his control now, he wouldn’t stop until the sick asshole was in the ground. “In a few hours your apartment wil be livable once again. Once it is, we’re going to start the process of making it safe.”
She groaned. “A security system.”
“Yep. Jonas is going to instal it, along with a few other little gadgets. You won’t be staying here, though. Not until this is al over. If you have a problem with that, we may as wel deal with it now.”
She shook her head and looked up at him. “I don’t want to be here. Not now that he’s . . . touched everything. Al I want is to get it cleaned up.
Soon my lease wil be up, and then I’m leaving here for good.”
“Leaving?”
She pushed out of his arms; that determined look she always got when she was readying for battle came over her face. “I’l find a new apartment. I can’t stay here now.”
“You could move in with me. Make it permanent.” Damn, he liked that idea. A lot.