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I nodded as my thoughts swirled. Single and pregnant, just like my own mother. But unlike dear old dead mom, I also had a stalker in the mix. Because you could take the girl out of the ghetto, but you couldn’t take the ghetto out of the girl.

“Give me ten minutes and then send them in?”

“Okay, I’ll let them know.”

I let out a long sigh and thought about Jana and the party. It was time for me to do better.

Chapter 19

Tate

“Is she all right? What happened?” I was on my feet and moving across the dimly lit waiting room as soon as Jana stepped through the door.

“She’s a little banged up, Tate, but she’s fine. I didn’t get to stay long because the cops are in with her. They’re pretty sure her car was tampered with.”

I couldn’t swallow past the lump in my throat at hearing that someone had done this to her. “This is all my fucking fault.” I put an arm around Jana and led her to the seat beside Max, who watched his woman with worry in his eyes.

Jana groaned and smacked my chest. “Yeah, Tate, this is all about you.”

I grinned at her show of levity, appreciative. “Seriously, I was an ass. Got too much in my own damn head and just walked out while she was in the shower. She knew what the fuck I was doing, probably better than I did at the time, and so she went home. Giving whoever this asshole is, a perfect chance to target her.” It pissed me off that I let those fucking cops get inside my head, because this was the end result.

Jana sighed and grabbed my hand. “Teddy is her own woman, Tate. We offered her a place to stay and she refused us too. This psycho is out to get her so what’s important is that we find him! Or them.” She shook her head as tears fell down her cheeks. Max wrapped his big arms around her and I stepped back, looking out the window as fat, round drops of rain fell to the ground.

All I could think about was it was a good thing the accident had happened before the rain came or else her injuries might have been worse. It wasn’t much to be grateful for, but all of it seemed too perfect, or too perfectly timed.

“Shit, of course!”

Jana and Max’s gaze both found mine and I chuckled, walking out of the waiting room in search of Teddy.

Teddy who was ignoring me and had no desire to see me.

Well she would now, because her safety depended on it. She was buried in pillows gazing through the half-closed blinds when I walked in, so lost in thought she didn’t even hear me enter. “Teddy. I’m glad you’re all right.”

She tensed and slowly turned her head so I could see the anger and hurt, the disappointment in her big, blue eyes. “Tate. I’m fine.” She pulled the covers up to her chin with her one good hand.

I grinned. “Sorry sweetheart, but not from where I’m standing.”

“I’m also not your problem.” She spit out. It really was too bad that she couldn’t cross her arms because the defiant tilt of her chin was adorable. And sexy.

“I can understand why you think that, and you have every right to be pissed off and ignore me all you want. But later. Right now, I need to keep you safe.”

She groaned.

“No, don’t say anything. You’re not a problem. Ever. So tell me Teddy, are you going to shut up so I can apologize or are you going to answer my questions?”

I could see the indecision in her eyes. She wanted me to apologize and to mean it, but she’d never do anything that might resemble asking for an apology.

“Ask your damn questions.”

I grinned at her fiery temper. A redhead to her core. “Okay. I need you tell me everything that happened from the moment you left my house.”

“After you disappeared, I packed my things and went home. The workers were still there and I got a few things done, including a security consult.” She went on and on about the mundane tasks that filled her day and when she got to the breaking glass, something became clear.

Someone had waited until she was as vulnerable as possible to maximize her terror. “Have you noticed anyone following you, or seen the same car in different, random places?”

She shook her head, wincing and pinching her eyes closed at the pain. “No. And I have been looking, being cautious and even taking different routes.”

I smiled because she was actually listening even though she’d pretended not to at the time. “When did you notice something was wrong with your car?”