Cole looks beautiful in his suit. The color is so dark that it makes his eyes look like sapphires. He straightens his tie as he looks at me sitting on his blue chair, with my robe barely covering me. “You make it impossible to leave, you know that, right?”
I pull my knees to my chest and see his eyes follow the sweep of my bare hip. “I know.” My heart is racing at the thought of being alone. I’m afraid of the stalker. I wonder if he’s waiting for me, watching me. I don’t want Cole to leave, but I try to banish the crazy thoughts before they make me nuts. I’m not living my life like this. A bolt of determination strikes me and I try to tempt Cole into staying a little longer.
A wicked grin crosses my lips. I stand and allow the robe to fall to the floor. Walking toward Cole, I wear nothing but a smile. Cole freezes. His eyes watch me move toward him. Tension lines his shoulders and spills down into his arms. God, that suit makes him look gorgeous. When I reach Cole, I thread my arms around his neck and gently kiss his lips. The feel soft and warm, completely perfect.
Cole sucks in a breath and slowly releases it after the kiss. His eyes close as he does it. I step away, loving the effect I have on him. Cole smiles for a moment and then his eyes open. He looks me over and says, “I want you wearing that exact same outfit next time I see you.” Cole grins, winking at me before he starts to gather his things and move towards the front door.
I laugh, following him. “I’m sure Sottero will appreciate a buck-naked Anna at court.”
“I know I would,” he says, not looking back at me.
I fold my arms across my chest and lean against the doorway. “Maybe I shouldn’t come today. I mean, she’s just going to try and use me against you—to prove whatever whacked point she’s trying to make.”
Cole turns and meets my gaze. He only looks at my face, but I can tell he’s fighting the urge to let his eyes dip lower. “There’s no way for your testimony to support her claim since you weren’t there.”
“But you were, and it doesn’t seem to matter what you say.” I wish I could make this go away. I can’t stand watching this happen to him.
“I haven’t been fighting this, Anna, but now I intend to. I’m not letting it slide. I’m changing my name before my father’s attorney forces me to and I’m fighting back.” He looks at me for a moment. At first I think he’s asking me if it’s okay, and then I realize that he’s telling me. There’s no question in his voice. He knows what he wants. He knows what he’s doing and he’s informing me of his intentions.
“There are some things that are worth fighting for.” He winks at me, repeating my words back to me. I nod and smile softly. I don’t want him to get hurt, but I think he’s made the right choice. I can’t hide it. Cole smiles at me. “Don’t do anything stupid. Keep the doors locked until you leave. Get in and out of your apartment as fast as possible. Stay out of alleys and abandoned buildings. I’ll see you this afternoon.”
“Cole,” my voice catches. I step toward him, hesitant. “Do you think he can get in here?”
“No, baby,” he shakes his head. “The doorman doesn’t let random people in, and your bike should be fine in the garage. No one can get in there either without the guard letting them through. There are a ton of cameras down there, too. Are you going to ride your motorcycle in later?”
“I don’t know. Which is better? The bike or the train? I could end up in a car alone. With the bike, I’ll end up in the parking garage alone. I can park the bike on the street when I get there.” Goosebumps prickle my arms as I speak. I hate this. I’m altering my life because of this douche. I rub the bumps away, but the creeped-out feeling still lingers on my skin.
“Take your bike. I’ll keep an eye out for you, and you better believe that if you’re a second late, that I’ll come looking for you.” I smile. Cole crosses the room and pulls me to his chest. He presses a kiss firmly to the top of my head and says, “No one will hurt you.”
I nod as he pulls away. I watch Cole walk out the door and my pulse ticks up a notch. It nearly explodes when I shower. The scene from Psycho keeps playing through my mind in an endless loop. I watch the suds swirl down the drain and remember the ribbons of blood on the bottom of the tub from that movie. By the time I get out of the shower, I’ve nearly peed myself twice.
“Stop it, Anna.” I say out loud, just to prove that I’m alone. The back of my neck won’t stop prickling. It feels like a ghost is breathing down my beck. I go to Cole’s stereo and turn it on, hoping that the noise will help. I blow out my damp hair and clip it back to the nape of my neck. I want to dress, but there’s nothing here. I’d already discussed this with Cole. Emma should be home and as long as she is, I’m going to grab my suit. If not, the backup plan is to buy another one. Maybe it’s a stupid time to be cheap, but I really want my suit. It fits me right and there’s no way I’m going to find another one in a few hours and make it to the courthouse on time.
I call Emma, hoping she’s home. She picks up on the third ring. “Anna, are you okay?”
“Yeah, Em. I’m fine. I’m at Cole’s. Are you okay?”
“God!” she spews swear words at me like a drunk gremlin and then asks, “What the hell happened? Edward said an animal got in, and then James came by to make sure you were okay. He said you asked him if he saw someone leaving the apartment? Anna, what the hell is going on?”
“Edward didn’t tell you?”