Until Cobi (Until Him 3)

“Thanks for dinner,” I tell him as he pulls me into his side.

“Anytime.”

“Also, thanks for being here for me these last few days.” He doesn’t say a word to that, but his arm around my shoulders tightens, forcing me closer to his chest, then he places a kiss to the top of my head. “Night, Cobi.”

“Sweet dreams, baby.” My eyes close, and before I know it, I fall asleep, having nothing but sweet dreams.

Chapter 8

Cobi

MY EYES OPEN AND I turn to look at the clock on the side of the bed. It’s not even three in the morning, way too early for me to be awake. Not sure what woke me, I tip my head down to look at Hadley. She’s sleeping soundly with her head on my chest, one thigh cocked and resting over the top of mine, and her arm across my stomach. I start to close my eyes then hear a noise that seems out of place. I lie still and wait to see if I hear the sound again.

When wood creeks and what sounds like soft footsteps registers, I carefully dislodge Hadley and get out of bed. I feel for my gun on the nightstand and close my eyes when I remember leaving it locked in my truck in the gun safe under my seat. I didn’t want to scare Hadley by bringing it into the house; I didn’t want the visual of my weapon to bring up memories for her.

I make it to the bedroom door and open it slowly. The living room and kitchen are dark, the only light coming from the clock on the microwave. I scan the room then pause when I see a dark shadow shift slightly. Adrenalin starts to pump through my veins as I wait, holding my breath. When the shadow doesn’t move again, I open the door and move toward the light switch just off the kitchen. As soon as I flip the light on, a dark figure wearing a hoodie rushes past me toward the front door. I give chase, but before I can catch up, the person opens the door and disappears outside.

When I get to the door, I stop. No way in hell am I leaving Hadley unprotected. I watch them run down the block, keeping to the shadows. I close and lock the door then go to the bedroom and grab my cell. I call dispatch and inform them of the break-in. During the call, Hadley wakes up and stares at me with wide eyes as I relay into the phone that someone was in the house and that they got away before I could apprehend them.

“Get dressed, baby,” I tell her once I hang up and turn on the light. “Officers are on their way.”

“Someone was in the house?” she asks, pulling the blankets up over her lap and looking toward the living room with fear in her eyes.

I get closer to her and place my hand against her cheek, dragging her attention to me. “They’re gone. You’re safe.”

“Someone was in the house?” she repeats, staring into my eyes. “Did you see who it was?”

“No.” My jaw clenches.

Her eyes close and she drops her head forward. “He wouldn’t,” she whispers, catching me off guard, and I frown.

“What?”

“Was anything taken?” She looks up at me.

“I haven’t had a chance to look around. If they did take something, it was small enough for them to carry without me noticing.”

She nods then tosses back the blankets and gets up off the bed. I start to open my mouth to ask what she’s doing, but stop when I see she’s on a mission. I follow behind her then freeze as she picks up her purse and dumps the contents out on the top of the island. “My wallet.” She looks at me. “My wallet is gone.”

“Anything else?” I look around and she does the same, leaving the island and walking around the room. Nothing seems out of place, but I haven’t been here enough to know exactly where everything is.

“I don’t think anything else is gone.” She shakes her head. “I… I think I know who did this.”

“Who?” I growl, and she bites her bottom lip while wrapping her arms around her waist.

“My dad.”

I blink in surprise. I must have heard her wrong. “Excuse me?”

“My dad. I think….” She shakes her head and looks away. “Yesterday, he asked if I could help him and my mom with their electric bill. I told him no.”

“You think your father broke into your house in the middle of the night to steal from you, even after what happened to you days ago?” My words are spoken through clenched teeth and anger starts to fill every cell in my body. What kind of man would do that to his child, especially after what she just went through?