the diner before the lunch rush had begun, and had been close enough to overhear Riley tell Jenny that she had Hanna’s journal. He’d been lucky until now that nothing had tied him to Hanna…it had never crossed his mind that she’d have a journal and could have documented everything. He’d kept his notes anonymous, but he had made a subtle pass at her. Had it been enough to put Hanna on edge? All it would take was a mention of his name to have the police at his door.
As if Riley returning wasn’t bad enough, now he had this shit to worry about. When she’d first arrived in town, he’d been terrified Hanna had maybe told Riley that he’d hit on her. But if she had, Riley had either forgotten, or she’d neglected to tell the police.
He’d watched Riley’s face light up the moment Ethan had walked in. The friendly newcomer with his jacked, linebacker shoulders and solid, military stride made his hackles rise. Something about the observant visitor put him on high alert.
Ethan would be trouble.
Riley was his now and it was up to him to decide if he wanted to get rid of her or keep her for fun with Hanna.
A tremor rolled down his spine as he climbed out of the car. He’d taken a big risk by taking Hanna here, in his hometown. Normally, he reserved his abductions for short trips out of town, and he’d be done with the women within a week.
Hanna…God. She was different. He’d had his eye on her for years but had always resisted the temptation. When the urge crept over him, suppressing his soul, he’d leave town and get his fill somewhere else. But every time he came back, she was here. Waiting. Taunting him.
When she’d stumbled out of the cab that Saturday night, there was no force greater in this world than the one that he had to have her.
Hanna was special.
And Riley had come here planning to screw it all up.
Over his dead body.
* * * *
Ethan backed out of the diner’s parking lot after watching Riley enter the restaurant. Peace washed over him now that they’d talked about the night at the bar. And maybe, just maybe, he’d made some progress. His truck inched past the hood of Riley’s car and his eye caught a white piece of paper flapping on her windshield. He frowned and shifted into park. What the hell? Had she gotten a parking ticket?
He unbuckled his seat belt, hopped out, and crossed the pavement to her black Nissan. If she’d gotten a ticket, she’d probably want to know. But the paper was small, and not the usual thick parking ticket stock.
Shit. Maybe someone had hit her car and left their information behind. He snatched up the paper and unfolded it.
You’re next.
The neat, simple black letters slowed his pulse. He turned around in the parking lot, scanning the small rows of cars. No one loitered in the bright sunshine. His abdomen tightened and he turned his attention to the diner.
It was a threat.
There’s no way she would have missed it on the drive to work. Someone had left it for her since she’d arrived…in broad daylight. The tendons in his hand ached to crumple it into a ball, but he couldn’t do that. He kept his hold on the edge of the paper, careful not to smudge any fingerprints if there were any, as he stalked to the restaurant.
Cool air conditioning coated his body and the door swung shut behind him. Riley walked out of the back room, her hands behind her back fastening her apron. Her lips twitched on a smile and her eyebrows rose.
“Still hanging around?” she asked, her eyes danced with amusement. He approached the counter and pressed the paper face up to the laminate surface.
“I found this on your windshield. I thought maybe someone had backed into your car and left their contact information. I was wrong.”
Her slim fingers lifted the paper and her gaze swept across the writing. The light tan of her cheeks drained to an alabaster white.
“What the hell is this?” he ground out.
Her eyes widened and she took in two soft breaths. “I have no idea.”
“It’s a threat, Riley.”
She shook her head and lowered the paper. “It’s probably a silly prank.”
“After the break-in the other night you really think that?”
Her hand lifted to tangle her fingers in her hair. “I agree, it’s strange. But I have no idea what it’s about. I’ll bring it to Joe’s attention though, I promise.”
The tension in his shoulders and back didn’t ease. Her green eyes flitted around the room and her usual confident, breezy attitude resembled that of a nervous baby bird.
“If there’s someone bothering you Riley, and you know who it is, speak up. This shit can get ugly quick. I’ve—”
Her thick, dark lashes met on a slow blink and she shook her head. “There’s nothing like that going on.” Her eyes turned to hard, emerald glass, the set line of her jaw made his teeth sink into his tongue.
Either she was as disturbed by this as he was, or she was lying through her pretty white teeth.
Chapter 4
It could be a coincidence.
Loose stones dug into the knee of her dress pants as she examined the deflated tire in her driveway. The late afternoon sun beat down on her back. She could have run over something on her way home yesterday.
She rubbed the knuckle of her thumb between her eyes. She’d slept like shit every night since the break-in last week. But last night had been the worst. Every creak or groan of the house had her bolting upright in bed, or diving for the knife under her pillow. She’d even gone as far as to buy a baseball bat on her way home yesterday and put it beside her bed. The locks had been replaced, but that didn’t change the fact that he was still after her. Joe had listened to the voicemail from yesterday. He’d promised to call the cell phone company and see about tracing the call, but had warned her that the person had likely used an encrypted phone.
She’d been so sure the voicemail was conclusive evidence that Hanna was still alive, but judging by the hard line to Joe’s jaw he wasn’t convinced that was the case.
“If it is Hanna’s voice, it could be a recording from weeks ago,” he’d warned. “But the scream could also be a clip from a movie or hell, taken from the internet.”
Anger still rippled through her. Joe was trying to prepare her for the worst, but she knew in her heart Hanna was alive. It had been her voice, of that she was dead certain.
Gravel crunched beneath heavy footsteps and she lifted her head as Ethan’s hulking form rounded the trunk of her car.
“Hey, everything okay?”
His brown hair fell across his forehead, and his bright blue eyes squinted at her. A wave of delight began to form in her stomach. She forced it down, though she couldn’t withhold the smile that tugged at her mouth.
He shoved his hands in his front pockets and took a step closer. She hadn’t seen him since he’d brought in the note off her car yesterday…the note warning her she’d be next. She glanced at the flaccid black rubber and a shiver ran up her spine. Who was she kidding? There was no way in hell this was a coincidence.
Her gaze drifted across the gravel to his large, sandaled feet and she let her eyes drink in the long, solid legs all the way up. Despite her need to keep her interest in Ethan at bay, appreciation warmed her skin. God he was gorgeous, and blessed in all the right places—that she knew of. His bronze skin had only darkened since he’d taken residence of the house next door two weeks ago. Long, thick lines of muscle adorned every inch of his body, even his light gray jogging pants couldn’t hide the hard-earned flesh that lied beneath.
Any other circumstance and she’d be mush to his easy smile and almost daily conversation. A few times, she’d indulged