Page 103 of All That Glitters

“But?”

“But then a delivery came to the clubhouse yesterday for Lil, marked as a donation. Lil was the one who pointed out that nobody would take a donation to the clubhouse as it’s out of the way. Initially, I was concerned it was a bomb threat.”

I cover my mouth with my hand, the thought not even occurring to me.

“We’re lucky that Powers used to work bomb disposal in the military. He cleared the delivery, but when I saw what was inside, I knew the threat had now shifted to you. I came straight to your apartment, and when you didn’t answer, I went next door, which is when I saw the wall of photos. Before I could do anything, the cops were there.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Midas

All the colorhas bled from her face as she reaches with a shaky hand for the iced tea. She struggles with the lid, so I open it for her and hand it back.

“What was in the parcel?”

“Ah, it was a black bag filled with dead dandelions.”

She looks up at me. “The ones you sent me?”

I nod, confirming it was me.

“They went through my trash,” she summarizes.

“That’s what I thought, too, until we tipped the bag out and found what was in the bottom.”

She swallows, and I can see she doesn’t want to ask, but she does anyway. “What else was in the bag?”

“All the panties you assumed I’d taken.”

She looks a little green, gripping the counter as she tries to suck in much-needed air.

I pick her up and carry her to the sink, knowing she’s gonna puke. I hold onto her, murmuring words of support as I hold her hair back with one hand. “It’s gonna be okay, Legs. I’m not gonna let anyone hurt you, I promise.”

She cries, her tears dripping into the sink with a tiny splash, but she doesn’t make a sound.

Once I know she’s done, I take her back to the bathroom so she can brush her teeth and wash her face. “Better?”

She nods as I lead her back out to the living area. I walk her to the sofa, figuring food might set her off again. I sit on the coffee table and take her cold hands in mine.

“When the cops took me in, they wouldn’t tell me shit. I thought something had happened to you, that this fucker had snatched you, and they were wasting time fucking with me when they should have been looking for you.”

“That’s why you reacted the way you did?”

“Yeah. Never been so fucking relieved in my life to see you whole and in front of me.”

“Did you go inside my apartment?”

“No. I won’t lie and tell you I didn’t watch you sleep from the fire escape a few times on the nights I was struggling, but I never crossed that line.” Yet, I think, but don’t say. It was only going to be a matter of time.

“Someone did,” she whispers.

I squeeze her hands tighter as she looks up at me, a tear slipping down her cheek.

“Someone was inside my apartment.”

I tense, a snarl building in my chest that I just about manage to swallow down. “Start at the beginning.” My voice comes out sharper than I intended, but she’s too stuck in her own head to notice.

“I felt like I was being followed for weeks, well, months really. But I assumed it was you. The dandelions I knew were you. I could smell you, and sometimes, stupid as it sounds, I could feel you.”