Page 69 of Royal

So much for staying away.

Not giving a fuck about the speed limit, I stepped on the gas and rushed to Royal’s house. Once there, I zoomed up to the curb, cut the engine, and got out of my car before placing a hand on my gun. Not drawing it, but getting ready just in case. The front door opened, and Brysen poked his head out.

“Grayson?” His voice shook.

I approached him quickly. “I’m going to walk around to the backyard and check it out. Close the door and lock it.”

He nodded and did as I’d said.

Moving along the side of the house, I opened the gate that led into the back yard and walked through it. The wet grass squeaked under my shoes, and areas were muddy from all the rain. It was too dark to see much, but after establishing no one was in the yard, I checked for footprints. If someone had been back there, there’d be evidence in the mud.

I advanced toward the patio, sweeping a gaze around the area. No prints that I could see. But that didn’t mean they weren’t there.

After double checking to make sure the yard was empty, I went to the back door and lightly tapped on the glass. Brysen flipped on the porch light and unlocked the door before sliding it open.

“Everything look okay?” he asked, hugging the blanket around his shoulders tighter against him.

I stepped into the house and locked the door behind me. “What exactly did you see?”

“Well, I was in the kitchen getting a snack when I saw something move across the patio. It looked too big to be a cat or dog.” His hazel eyes were wide, and he looked scared out of his wits. “No, it was definitely a person. Maybe my height or a little taller. After a second or two, they took off. I called Royal, and while I was on the phone with him, I heard, like, a tapping on one of the windows in the bedrooms. Like someone was intentionally messing with me.”

“Did you see anything else?”

He shook his head. “I hid in the bathroom and locked the door.”

Headlights shone through the living room windows as Royal’s SUV pulled into the driveway before the garage door opened. Moments later, Royal walked into the kitchen from the side door, and he rushed over to Brysen, checking him over.

“You okay?”

Brysen nodded. “Grayson checked out the yard. No one’s here.”

Royal’s gaze landed on me, and he stepped forward. Close enough for me to touch him if I tried, but I kept my hands to myself.

“Thank you for coming over,” he said.

“Don’t mention it.” Things felt awkward between us. I didn’t know whether I was allowed to hug him or if that would be too forward of me. “It might’ve been some kids screwing around. Whoever they were, they’re gone now.”

“Or I was imagining it?” Brysen shuffled over to the couch and plopped down on it.

“I’m going to do a walk-through of the house,” I said, glancing at Royal before moving down the hall.

I hadn’t found any evidence of anyone having been in the yard, but I had an eerie feeling and wouldn’t be able to rest unless I was certain Royal and Brysen were safe. After the shit I’d seen over the past month, I didn’t believe in brushing it off as if it were nothing.

Brysen said he’d heard tapping on the windows, so I went to each one, checking that they were locked. They were. When I got to the window in Royal’s bedroom, a chill shot down my spine. It was unlocked.

And on the glass, there was a muddy smiley face.

***

“I’m staying here tonight,” I said, pulling at my tie to take it off before unbuttoning my shirt. There was no way I was leaving.

Royal nodded. His face was pale, and he hadn’t said much since I’d told him what I’d found.

Brysen hadn’t taken it well, either. His eyes had watered, and he’d hugged his arms around himself. Any small noise had him jumping. Eventually, he’d settled down and fallen asleep on the couch.

The rain had picked up again, and the smiley face had been washed away. If only the memory of it could’ve been washed away, too.

“As I said earlier, it was probably some stupid kids fucking around.”