Page 10

I’ve pushed the babies up and down the driveway a couple of times now, keeping one eye on the door to the carriage house as I watch for Tyler to come out. He said he’d join us as soon as he could.

On another pass down to the bottom of the drive, I pause and glance back to see if he’s coming yet. Unfortunately, no. I’d like to walk down the street to the Lake Michigan walking path, but not without Tyler.

While I’m down here near the street, I check our mailbox. There are several pieces of mail here, all junk. I grab the envelopes and glance through them—junk mail, junk mail, junk mail, water bill, junk mail. When I glance at the last piece in the stack, my heart stutters. The envelope is addressed to me, but there’s no postage mark. The weird thing is, it’s not in the same dark heavy handwriting as before. It’s written in blue ink in tiny capital letters.

Gary didn’t write this.

Someone else did.

But who? The only other person who knows my history is Rhonda, and she’s not involved. Besides, she’s in the hospital. She couldn’t have done this.

I glance around, scanning both sides of the street, but I don’t see anyone lurking. I put the rest of the mail into a pocket on the stroller and open the hand-addressed envelope. Inside is another handwritten note.

Ian,

If you think this is over, you’re wrong.

Dead wrong.

A wave of dizziness washes over me, and I grip the stroller handle hard. This doesn’t make any sense. Rhonda’s in the hospital. Gary Sharp is in jail. Neither of them could have left this letter here in our mailbox.

My skin is crawling, and I can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching me. I scan the sidewalk in front of our house, looking for someone who shouldn’t be here. I glance at the few parked cars on both sides of the street, but I don’t see any that are unfamiliar. There is a white work van I don’t recognize parked a block away, but I can’t see through its heavily-tinted windows.

As I pull out my phone to call Tyler, I hear a sound behind me. A footstep, the scuff of a shoe on the sidewalk. I turn to face a man wearing ragged blue jeans and a black hoodie. His thinning blond hair is pulled back in a ponytail. There are shadows beneath his bloodshot eyes, and his narrow face is gaunt.

“You fucked up everything!” His voice is low and grating. “Gary said this would be easy money.” He takes a menacing step forward.

As my heart slams into my ribs, I push the stroller behind me and plant myself between this guy and our babies. “Don’t you dare come near my kids.”

When he keeps coming, I shove him back and watch as he struggles to keep his balance.

He regains his footing and comes at me a second time. “You fucker!”

I grab his wrists and grapple with him. “Tyler!”

I hear Tyler’s shout, followed by the sound of his steps hitting the pavement. A moment later, he rushes past me and slams into the man, tackling him to the ground and pinning him in place.

Tyler shoots me a quick glance. “Get inside!”

A moment later, Jerry is racing down the driveway, followed by Kimi.

“Take the babies inside,” I tell Kimi as I push the stroller in her direction. There’s no way I’m leaving Tyler out here to deal with this alone.

Tyler and the stranger are on the ground, wrestling for control. Even though the blond is thin and wiry, he’s strong. They grapple with each other for another minute before Tyler manages to roll on top of the guy, straddling the man’s hips. His face is locked in a grimace as he slams his fist into the guy’s face, once, twice, a third time.

I don’t think the guy is fighting back anymore.

Jerry grabs Tyler’s wrist before he can throw another punch. “Stand down, man. He’s not going anywhere.”

Tyler frisks the unconscious man and finds a switchblade and a wallet. He tosses the knife out of reach and hands the wallet to Jerry.

Jerry flips open the wallet and frowns. “His name’s Eric Sharp.”

“Sharp?” I say. “Oh, my God, he must be related to Gary.”

“Probably his brother,” Jerry says.

Tyler flips Eric onto his belly and pins him down with a knee to his lower back. He pulls out his phone and calls 911. While he’s talking to the dispatcher, he glances up at me. “Did he hurt you?”

“No. I’m fine.” I’m having trouble catching my breath, and my head is spinning. That’s when I remember the note I found in the mailbox. It’s lying on the ground where it got trampled when I tried to keep distance between this creep and the babies. I grab the note and hold it up for Tyler to read. “This was in our mailbox.”

As Tyler skims the page, his expression darkens. He glances down at the man on the lawn. Eric Sharp is groaning as he starts to wake up.

Tyler scans me from head to toe. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m okay, really. Just shaken.”

The faint wail of police sirens grows louder by the second.

“Why don’t you go inside and check on the kids? The cops will be in shortly to get your statement.”

I smile at my superhero. “You must be sick of coming to my rescue.”

“Never,” he says, his gaze boring into mine. “Now, go inside, Ian. Please.” He’s using his I’m-the-boss-so-do-what-I-say voice, which is a total turn-on.

“Whatever you say, dear,” I say as I start walking up the drive to the front door, where Kimi is waiting anxiously.

* * *

Eric Sharp is taken away in an ambulance. The police come inside to take my statement. Tyler, Jerry, and Kimi give theirs.

After a brief investigation, we learn that Eric is indeed Gary’s brother, and that they were both in on the blackmail scheme from the beginning. When the cops go to the hospital to interview Rhonda, she says she didn’t even know Gary had a brother.

“Is this finally over now?” I ask Tyler as we’re lying in bed that night up in our rooftop sanctuary.

“I think so. I certainly hope so. At least we know Gary Sharp has no more siblings. But until we know for sure, you still stay in the house with protection. And you won’t leave the house without me. Is that clear?”

“Yes, dear ,” I say as I roll toward him and kiss his cheek. “Whatever you say.”

He smacks my bare ass. “Don’t get smart with me.”

I can’t help smiling. “What will happen if I do?”

Tyler grins. “Try it and see.” He rolls us so that he’s lying on top of me, our erections nestled together. He kisses me, deep and slow, the kind of kisses that go on for ages. His tongue strokes mine, and his fingers pinch and tweak my nipples, making me squirm. His hand slides down between my legs to cup my balls.

“Tyler, please ,” I beg.

And then he gives me what I need—his fingers wrapped tightly around my cock. My precum is dripping, easing his grasp. He spits in his palm, then slides his fist down the length of me, from base to tip. He strokes me until I’m half a heartbeat from coming, but then he backs off.

I groan. “Not fair!”

“Patience, baby,” he whispers. “Patience.” And then he’s sliding down the bed to kneel between my open thighs. He grasps the base of my erection and draws the rest of me into his hot, wet mouth. He sucks me in deep, stroking me with his hand and tongue, driving me absolutely wild until I’m a whimpering, panting mess.

When I feel his slick finger slide into my ass, stroking me in just the right place, I see stars. The pleasure is too much, all the stroking and licking and teasing. I cry out, loud and hoarse. A moment later, I’m coming, my spunk pumping into his hot mouth. He swallows every drop as his finger slides in and out of me, drawing out my orgasm.

By the time Tyler rolls me onto my belly and pushes into me, I’m a puddle, all sensation and boneless pleasure.

“You’re mine,” he growls quietly into my ear.

“Yes!” I gasp, struggling to catch my breath.

“Mine to love. Mine to protect. Mine to fuck.”

“God, Tyler! Yes!”

When he comes, filling me with his heat, he collapses on me, driving himself even deeper. He thrusts slowly in and out, marking every inch of me.

There’s no question who I belong to. None at all.

This man owns me.