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CHAPTER FOUR

Paxton

I ask my brother Lukas if he can watch over the lumber section so I can stay with Piper.

I know that Marc is still around and I don’t like it.

That fucking asshole isn’t suppose to be anywhere near my girl.

The shitty part is he knows it, and is acting like it’s no big deal.

Well, fuck that. He’s going to learn real fast that he can’t mess with my girl.

Earlier this year, we met this group of guys and over time, they pulled us into their family. Whenever something happens, they’ve come in and helped us fix things. So naturally they’re the first ones I think of to help us with Marc. I text Sebastiano Mancini.

Paxton: Hey! You got a sec?

Sebastiano: What? You don’t start with hey bro! How’s the family? LOL

I laugh as I see his text.

Paxton: Hey bro! How’s the family? LOL You got a sec?

Sebastiano: LOL. What’s up? When are you guys coming to Lake Renegade?

Paxton: Soon. But I need your help. My girl has a stalker

Sebastiano: UM. What did I miss? You got a girl?

Paxton: LOL. You’ll meet her soon. She’s Emiko’s BFF and she’s staying in Wintervale…hopefully forever. Her name is Piper Daniels

Sebastiano: You know all the mamas and wives are going to be all over you if they don’t get to meet her soon. Tell me what you need

Paxton: His name is Marc Porter. He’s delusional and I worry that he’s going to hurt Piper

Sebastiano: What info do you have on him? Maybe a call will be easier. Give me five minutes to put the baby down and I’ll call you

Paxton: Thank you

Sebastiano and his wife Schuyler had their second baby, Sansone is two and baby Kaia is six months old now.

We haven’t gotten to meet her yet, but they send us pictures and she’s so damn adorable.

I spend a lot of time with my nephew Luke, but I never really thought about having my own kids until now.

I look down and realize I’ve carved a figure that looks like my Piper. I add her long hair and set her aside so that I can paint her with the others tomorrow.

“I’m sorry we didn’t get to properly meet,” I hear someone say.

I look up and see Marc. I just stare at him, I don’t really know what to say to him.

“It seems you’re under the impression that you have a say over my Piper,” he says to me.

I laugh. “‘Your Piper’?”

“Yes. We’ve been together for over a year now. So I wanted to come and explain to you that you need to stay away from her.”

Holy fuck. He’s crazier than I originally thought. Just as I’m about to answer, my phone rings. I walk away and answer it.

“Hey Bastian.”

“You sound stressed. Tell me what’s going on and do you need us there in Wintervale?”

“I think we do need help.”

I tell him everything that Piper told us about Marc, finishing with what he just told me.

“How do you guys attract the crazies?” He laughs.

“Hey, you have your share.” I laugh.

“True. But we’re all here in Lake Renegade and we can take care of these things.

We’ll cometo you. Let me talk to everyone and I’ll get back to you in a few.

Don’t provoke him. We don’t know how psycho he is.

Especially if he’s under the impression that he’s in a relationship with her. And don’t leave her alone.”

“She’s living at Emiko’s old place. I can stay there with her.”

“I’ll be honest here. I rather you both be at the house with everyone. Let me get on this guy, I’ll call Francesco too. He’s even better at me at this.”

“Thank you. And I’ll ask Piper if she’d be willing to move into the house for now. I’ll let you know.”

“And I’ll let you know who’s headed to you. You’ll have to pick them up because I know they’ll fly.”

“Okay, just let me know. Again, thank you.”

“Family. Remember?”“How do you guys attract the crazies?” He laughs.

Sebastiano hangs up and I head back out into the store. Marc is staring at my dollhouse.

“I’d like to pay you to make me and Piper a house like this. I think she’d love it.”

Okay. There’s something definitely wrong with him. And I don’t want to do anything until the others get here.

“I don’t do commission pieces.”

“Then I want to buy this one.”

“It’s not for sale.”

“Oh come on. Everything’s for sale. I’ll give you a thousand dollars for it.”

“Again. It’s not for sale.”

“And like I said. Everything’s for sale for the right price. Fine, two grand.”

I shake my head at him. “You could offer me ten grand and I’d still say no.”

I wheel the dollhouse into my office and lock it up in there. Then I do my rounds in my department to make sure no one needs help. What I really want to do is go back to Piper and make sure this asshat stays away from her.

I text my brothers.

Paxton: Lake Renegade family is on their way here

Lukas: To Wintervale?

Paxton: Yeah. Not sure who or when yet

Rhett: Is it because of that douchecanoe that’s stalking Piper?

Lukas: Wait. What the fuck is going on?

Paxton: Yeah. I called Sebastiano to ask if he could find some info on him. He said he’s going to talk to the others and they’ll be coming

Lukas: Who the fuck is the douchecanoe?

Paxton: Come to my section. It’ll be easier to explain in person

Lukas: On my way

While I wait for my brother, I keep an eye on Marc.

Piper

I try to block out the fact that Marc is here.

I have no idea how he found me. It has to be a lie when he said he overheard people talking about me.

Because I’ve never seen him at the new coffee place I went to back in Maine.

And I never really talked to anyone there.

I just spent my time writing and keeping to myself.

“Are you okay?” Emiko whispers to me.

“I don’t understand how he found me. It’s not like Maine and Montana are close to each other.”

“Could he have talked to someone you know back in Maine?”

“I don’t know. I mean I had a few friends, but they knew about him and never would’ve told him where I went.”

Emiko frowns. “I don’t like him and the fact that he’s here. Maybe you should come and stay at the house with all of us until he leaves.”

“No. I’ll be fine. He’s never come to my house and I don’t think he’ll do that here.”

“You know you’re being stubborn, right? I bet Paxton would tell you that you need to be at the house.”

“Besides. I won’t put yours and Lukas’ babies in that kind of danger. He was never violent, but in case he is now? No way. Those babies are too important.”

“You wouldn’t be putting us in danger. No matter how crazy he is. You’d be safe. Now I’m worried about you being there alone. I don’t like it.” She frowns at me some more.

“You know if you keep frowning like that, you’re gonna get early wrinkles on your forehead.”

“You’re a pain in my ass, Piper.”

I stick my tongue out at her. From where we’re positioned, every once in a while I can see Paxton.

It usually calms me to be able to see him.

But this time I can see him talking to Marc and the look on Pax’s face isn’t a happy one.

I watch him roll the cart that the dollhouse is on into his office. Marc turns away and walks over here.

“Can we have dinner tonight? I’ve really missed you,” Marc says to me.

“No. Remember the restraining order? You’re not supposed to be near me. I’d really like it if you’d leave. I don’t want to have to call the cops.”

“That’s not a problem. I know you didn’t mean it. Plus we’re in Montana. It’s not like it counts here.”

He’s definitely delusional, I know for a fact that the restraining order is endorsable in any state I go to. But I don’t really know what Marc is like. If he’s willing to come all the way to Montana from Maine and break the restraining order, what else is he capable of?

I breathe a sigh of relief when I see Paxton and his oldest brother Lukas walking towards us. What’s even better is they have a cop with them.

“Sir, you’re going to have to come with me,” the officer says to Marc.

“Why? I’m not breaking any laws and I’m not hurting anyone.”

Officer Jared Taylor shakes his head and pulls out a piece of paper.

“According to this, Miss Piper Daniels has a restraining order out on you. District of Maine,” Officer Taylor says to Marc.

Marc laughs. “That doesn’t apply here. Plus, it wasn’t a real restraining order.”

We’re all staring at Marc and the look on his face is telling us that he’s serious. And suddenly I’m afraid.