“Here, let me help.” Dane knelt beside her and started unlacing her boots.
“I can do this myself, it’s not like I broke any bones. I’m just a little bruised and sore.”
A smile played at her lips. It struck her as odd to see this large man taking off her boots. This was an entirely different side to Dane. Since the hospital he’d been attentive and almost nice. A little reserved, but still nice.
“I know, but the doctor doesn’t want you doing anything strenuous. If I’m entirely honest, I’m more terrified of your friends and what they’ll do to me if anything else happens to you.” His voice was rough when he spoke and he wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“They’re a lot to take, but I think you stood your ground pretty well.”
When he pulled off the other boot, she stood up. “Unless you’re planning on helping me with the rest of my clothes you better leave.”
“Is that an invitation?”
Calista expected to see laughter in his eyes. Instead, when his eyes met hers she saw something entirely different. Her legs gave way underneath her. Luckily the bed was behind her. There was no denying the look in his eyes. Pure lust.
“Oh.” One word was all she could manage to get out.
“Yeah, it’s just as much a surprise to me as it is to you.” He shook his head and raked a hand through his hair, spiking it out in all directions.
“But you don’t even like me. You’re positively horrible to me. That is of course when you’re not ignoring me.” To her horror her voice sounded husky and sensual. Unsure of what to do with her hands she clasped them tightly together in her lap, mainly to stop them from shaking.
He shook his head. “That’s not exactly true. I can’t think straight around you, and for some reason, everything I say comes out wrong.”
“I…” She wasn’t sure what to say. Not this. Not now. She couldn’t deal with any more complications. That’s all he would be too. One sexy, distracting complication. Her hand moved to her mouth as she remembered the way he’d kissed her at the hotel. She’d assumed that had been done out of anger. Now she wasn’t so sure. Had he been attracted to her even then?
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m just letting you know it’s an option.”
“Option? Why thank you for offering to share my bed. I should feel lucky, I suppose.” She turned her back to him and yanked down her comforter and sheets. “I would appreciate it if you would leave. Now.” Silent tears fell down her cheeks. When she heard the door click into place she turned back around and collapsed on her bed. A gasp escaped when she realized he was still in her room.
“Why are you crying?” he asked softly.
“I have no idea. Lately I feel like my emotions have been on a rollercoaster. It doesn’t take much to set me off. I don’t need any more complications in my life right now. That’s all this would be. More for me to worry about.”
His calloused thumb brushed her cheek. “I don’t ever want to be the reason for your tears. I don’t want a one night stand with you, in case that’s what you’re thinking.”
That’s exactly what she thought, but she didn’t respond. She didn’t trust herself to speak. The pain pill she took was setting in. It would be a matter of minutes before she was rambling and incoherent. He needed to leave before she said something really stupid.
“You need to get some rest, but this isn’t over. Not by any stretch. I won’t push you right now, but sooner or later we are going to talk about this. I just want you to know that my door is always open.” His low, seductive tone sent chills down her spine.
Despite her resolve not to say something stupid, she opened her mouth anyway. “When you kissed me at the hotel, was that out of anger or attraction?”
“Both,” he murmured.
Or at least she thought that’s what he said. Bags of sand pushed her eyelids down. As if in a dream she felt him push her back onto the bed. Covers came up around her shoulders, and she felt his lips brush lightly across her forehead.
“Sweet dreams,” he whispered.
****
You’re next. Slut. Whore. No one close to you is safe as long as you continue to ignore me.
Calista bolted upright and wrapped her arms around her knees. Sweat dripped down her back and between her breasts. Even her sleep wasn’t sacred anymore. She groaned and rolled over. It was only three in the morning. She contemplated getting a glass of wine to help her get back to sleep when a ringing from the other room shattered the silence.
Only one person would call her this late. She jumped to her feet and ran to the living room only to discover Dane and Nikolai already there. Didn’t they ever sleep?
She didn’t say anything, just watched them. Nikolai gave her the thumbs up. When he did, she grabbed the phone so quickly she almost dropped it.
“Hello?” Her voice still thick with sleep had a breathy, husky sound to it.
“It sounds like you’ve been waiting for my call,” the electronic voice said.
The men had instructed her to keep him on the line as long as possible. In vain she tried to keep her voice steady. “Who are you and what do you want with me?”
“Too many questions. I think what I want with you should be obvious. You don’t want me to spell it out for you, do you?”
Her stomach lurched and the hairs on her arms stood up when the man laughed. The electronic voice had an ominous, eerie sound to it that rattled her to her core. It was like something out of a horror movie.
“After the present I received, I’m not so sure I know what you want anymore.”
“That was a warning and the only one you will get.”
“You want to meet me right?” Calista held her breath when he didn’t answer.
The seconds ticked by for eons.
She looked over at the two men.
Nikolai nodded and gave her the thumbs up.
Dane shook his head and frowned.
“What did you have in mind?” The electronic voice grated against her nerves.
She phone slipped in her sweaty palm, but somehow she managed to keep it against her ear.
“I’m sure we can come up with a suitable place and time.”
Ten seconds passed. “Why now?”
“You’re obviously intelligent and I’m naturally curious about the person who’s spent all this time following my career.”
Dane gave her the thumbs up sign that they’d traced his call but she needed a back up plan in case they failed.
“Since you’ve decided to play the game by my rules I have another present for you.”
Another one? Her hand shook uncontrollably. Unable to stand anymore she dropped onto the couch. “What is it?”
“Look in the dumpster on the south side of Market Street
behind the Italian restaurant. I think you’ll be pleased.”
Before she could ask any more questions, the phone went dead.
“Did you get the location?” She looked back and forth between the two men.
“Yes, but there’s no guarantee he’s still there. I need to make a call.” Nikolai disappeared into his room.
“Who’s he calling? Someone from your security company?”
Dane nodded.
“What do you make of the conversation?”
“He made sure not to give anything away. He wants to toy with you for a while. He needs to make sure your undivided attention is on him. I have a feeling this is just the beginning. He’ll probably be calling with more frequency until we track him down.”
Nikolai reappeared two minutes later. “I’ll be back.”
Before she could question him he disappeared. She looked to Dane for answers but he shook his head.
Too much adrenaline pumped through her veins for her to fall back asleep. “If I make some coffee will you drink some?”
“I’ll never turn down a good cup of Joe.”
Two hours later Nikolai returned. She knew they hadn’t found her stalker even before he opened his mouth.
“We tracked the call to an abandoned warehouse about eight miles from here. It was empty. Not sure who the owner is but I’m checking into it.”
“What about the present?” She held her breath. A thousand horrible thoughts ran through her mind.
Nikolai looked slightly uncomfortable as he looked at Dane and Calista. “Mike Valpas’s body was found hacked up in the dumpster he indicated. By the looks of it, he’s got more than pent up rage.”
She didn’t really want to know what Mike looked like, but couldn’t stop her morbid curiosity. “What did he look like?”
She didn’t miss the significant look that passed between the two men.
Nikolai shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
****
The next week nothing happened. No letters. No phone calls. Nothing. Calista managed to get some recording time in down at her studio but her heart wasn’t in it. And, it showed in her work.
“I’m so sick of living like this.” Calista ran a hand through her hair in an effort to keep the curls tamed. The three of them sat around her kitchen table picking at their plates.
“I’m sick of takeout food. I’m sick of not seeing my friends. I’m not going to let this man ruin my life.”
“I know, but hopefully this will be over soon. Besides, is it so bad keeping company with us?” Dane’s voice was teasing but Calista thought she saw something else flash in his eyes.
“Only sometimes,” she grinned and rolled her eyes. Since their return from the hospital Dane had been a completely different person. She knew he was attracted to her, especially after their uncomfortable conversation. Thankfully, he hadn’t brought anything up since then so she chalked it up to their close quarters.
“How are we going to bait him if I never leave this condo? Let’s do something fun tonight. Anything that gets me out of here. Please.”
Nikolai pushed his plate of half eaten Thai food away and stood up from the table. “She’s right, Dane. We’ve got to do something to provoke this guy. He’s much too patient and we need him to screw up or at least show something about himself. We’re chasing a ghost.”