Page 45 of While She Sleeps (The Hunter and The Thief #1)

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

ORION

A s soon as she ended our call, I knew something was wrong.

The issue is, even though I knew exactly where she was and what she was doing, I was on the other side of town getting some things for the apartment to make it feel more like home for her.

I broke more traffic laws than I ever want to admit getting over here, but the cops are smart enough to ignore my car when it flies by.

“What happened?” I ask as softly as I can manage, but from the way she flinches, I know I didn’t succeed.

Ember’s body trembles slightly, her hand shaking around the glass of Coke she has halfway to her mouth. Whatever happened must have more than shaken my girl, because as far as I’ve seen in all the months I’ve been following her, the only thing that actually frightens her is getting into a car.

I’ve watched her fight men twice her size and walk away without so much as a broken nail. She’s gone up against Lucas and his asshole security more than a few times. She even walked into a dark room with a perfect stranger and didn’t so much as blink.

“I think she was being followed,” the older woman behind the counter supplies. “There was a van that sped off as soon as she closed the door behind her.”

I nod, reigning in my anger as best I can. I had a feeling something along those lines would be the case, but I had hoped it wasn’t.

For a man that’s never been scared of anything, I’m fucking terrified of losing Ember.

Once I’m sure I can shove my anger back beneath the mask I show the world, I drop onto the stool beside her with my body facing hers.

“How’d you find me?” she asks, her voice shaky despite her best efforts to keep it even.

“You said you weren’t far from your apartment. I did a couple of laps of the area after we got off the phone because you sounded scared, and I saw the van take off. It was a lucky guess that this is where you were.”

I leave out the part where I have a tracker on her at all times, because more of what I said was true. In my panicked state, I wasn’t thinking about the trackers. I was only going off the general area she told me she was in until I pulled up down the block.

She nibbles at her bottom lip and nods, accepting my explanation without asking any other questions. Probably for the best, seeing as I’m too fucking close to the edge to keep up the pretense.

“Can I get you something to eat, dear?” the older woman asks, her concerned eyes flicking between us.

Ember shakes her head. “No, thank you. You’ve already done so much. Thank you for helping me.”

She smiles. “Of course. Anytime you need somewhere to hide out, you can come here. I’ll let my staff know.”

“You’re too kind.”

The woman shakes her head, a soft smile on her lips. “No, honey. I just know what it feels like to always be running with no place to land. If I can give you somewhere to hide out when you have nowhere else to go, it’ll make this old woman very happy.”

I pull out my wallet and drop all the cash I have on me on the counter, not bothering to count it, which has both women turning to look at me with horrified stares.

“I can’t take that,” she says.

“You didn’t even count it!” Ember whisper shouts.

I shrug and push the cash closer to the woman. “Drink the rest of your Coke, Little Flame, and then I’ll take you home.”

I omit the part where her home is about to be my penthouse, and she has no say in the matter. At least under my roof, I’ll always know where she is and be able to ensure her safety.

It’ll also make it much harder for her to run.

E mber is quiet all the way back to her apartment, her hands shaking even as they’re clasped in mine.

It’s strange seeing her so shaken, but the fact she hasn’t tried to erect the walls she usually has piled high is as good a sign as any that she’s getting more comfortable with the idea of being with me.

She keys in the code to her building, and I squeeze her hand. “Head on up. I just need to make a quick call.”

She nods and takes the stairs slowly. She’s favoring her good leg, which means her hip is hurting. She’s come a long way with it these past few months, but it’s clearly bothering her more than she wants to admit.

Once she’s out of sight, I dial Killian’s number.

“Did you find her?” he asks without bothering with pleasantries.

“Yeah. She was followed by a van. I’m going to send you the license plate. I want everything you can find on the owner and any possible occupants.”

“You got it. Is she okay?” If I didn’t know him any better, I’d almost think he’s worried about Ember. But Killian doesn’t care about anyone except himself, and sometimes me, if I haven’t pissed him off recently.

“Shaken,” I admit.

“Not an easy feat.”

I sigh and flick a look up the stairs a moment before a terrified scream fills the foyer.

The phone is in my pocket and forgotten about before I make a conscious decision to sprint up the steps toward the sound, my hand poised on the gun in its holster beneath my jacket, ready to take out anyone who could be a threat to my woman.

I’m up the stairs in record time, but don’t pause until I reach Ember’s apartment, where she’s standing in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth as if it’s the only way to stop herself from screaming again.

I take in her body, checking she doesn’t have any obvious injuries before allowing my gaze to track over her apartment and find exactly what has the look of terror on Ember’s face.

It’s trashed.

The flowers I bought her yesterday are spread across the floor and trodden on, the vase smashed. Her table and chairs are beyond repair, splintered wood covering the kitchen, along with what I assume is every plate, bowl, and glass broken.

It only gets worse the further into the apartment my eyes move, and I take a step past her to put myself between any danger that could still be lurking.

I pull my gun out, doing a quick sweep of the apartment, checking everywhere someone could hide until I’m satisfied there’s no one else here.

“You have a gun?” she whispers.

I nod, but don’t bother explaining. I don’t have a lie prepared for why I need to walk around armed, but she drops it without any other questions as she steps inside, closing the broken door.

Whoever came here didn’t have a key, and from what I can tell, they didn’t even try to pick the lock. No. They wanted to do as much damage to Ember’s safe place as possible.

Now that I’m certain there are no lurking threats, I take the time to look around, and I pause in her bedroom doorway, taking in the sight in front of me.

“Oh my god,” Ember sobs.

Every piece of bedding is torn to pieces, her mattress gaping open, and a clear as day message in bold red above the head of the bed.

WHORE.