“Nothing, ma’am. King R Ranch has already paid for our services.”
“What about the monthly fee to have your security company help monitor things?”
“We have paid it up for a year,” Viper told her.
Callie gasped and turned to look up at Viper. “That’s too much. I need to pay something.”
Viper reassured her. “Reichardt paid for the year to give you time to present the monthly fees to the city council to get it put into their budget for the library.”
“Do you have any more questions?” the security guy asked, standing and putting his supplies into a black tote.
“No, I think I’ve got everything answered. Thanks again, Mr. Richards.”
The man handed her a card. “No problem. My name’s Mike and my personal cell number is on the back of my card. Call me if you have questions or for... whatever.”
Viper couldn’t help but growl when the other male flirted with Callie. She belonged to him. The thought should have had him denying it but he didn’t. The idea was growing on him. He watched as the human male left to go downstairs to the library. It surprised him to find curious blue eyes on him.
“Is there something wrong with your throat? I’ve heard you growl several times. Do you need a cough drop or something?”
“I’ll check all the cameras downstairs, lock the doors and set the alarm system,” he said without answering her questions.
“What about you? How are you leaving?”
“The balcony. You can watch me through the cameras and lock and secure your apartment.”
He watched as a myriad of expressions crossed her face. Was she disappointed that he was leaving? It was hard to know. Did she like him? Was it too soon? Damn it!
Viper surprised her by reaching out and pulling her into his arms. He bent to kiss her. At the first touch of their lips, the fire spread throughout his entire body. His dragon was near the surface, ready to claim their mate. Just as suddenly as when he embraced her, he let her go.
“Lock up after I’m gone,” he said, storming out of the newly installed balcony doors.
*****
Stunned. Callie stood in the living room holding her cell phone in one hand and her other hand touching her lips where Viper had kissed her. She had just melted into him when he pulled away. What in the hell was that turnabout?
Turning on the security app, she watched from one camera angle to another as he progressed off her property shutting the gate. He stood waiting for her to lock it. She clicked the button the tech told her to and immediately set the alarm. If she had a whacking stick, she would press it to hit him over the damn head.
She wasn’t sure it could take much more of his changing moods. After checking all the locks and cameras, she placed her phone on the kitchen table and opened the top cabinet where she kept the special stuff. She needed something stronger than a beer for this. She poured a shot glass of rum, shot it back, then poured another. Thankfully, tomorrow was Sunday. The library wouldn’t be open and she could sleep it off.
Was there an evening church service tomorrow night? She quickly dialed the church automated service and listened to the times of service offered. Great, she could sleep in and then attend the seven o’clock evening service. She poured another shot glass.
Chapter 12
Sunday Night 8:00 p.m.
“Callie, dear, are you okay?”
Church had just ended. Callie regretted the two extra shots of rum she had last night. Though she slept late, she woke with the worst headache ever. She suffered through terrible singing and a long sermon and considered herself thoroughly punished. All she wanted to do was to go straight home and back to bed. But first, she had to get past the parishioners. She turned to face the pastor’s wife and three of her nosey friends.
“Yes, Mrs. Foster. I’m fine.”
“You should come stay with us for a few days, just in case.”
“That’s unnecessary. I have a new security system in place. Everything is taken care of.”
“Is it true that the man locked you in the closet?” one of the shorter women asked.
“I heard he walked into the shower while you were in it?”
“JJ’s mother says he did his business while wearing her lingerie. I heard some men like that thing.”
“Ladies, everything you have heard is not true. The intruder will be caught eventually, but I am fine.”
“I don’t know if I feel safe anymore coming to the library,” the lady with glasses commented. What was her name? Ms. Upton?
“Ms. Upton,” she tried to answer the older woman reassuringly but the woman wanted to keep gossiping. She thought church people would frown upon this type of type. She made another attempt.
“I think it’s too dangerous. I think it best to sell the place to the city and move on.”
That was it, she wasn’t going to take it any more. With more force in her tone, “Ms. Upton, if you don’t feel safe coming to a place in the daylight that has plenty of security, then please don’t come at all.”
“Well! I have never!”
“Now you have. Have a lovely evening ladies,” Callie was so frustrated with their attitudes, she spun away from them, not realizing she’d gone the wrong way until it was too late. Well, she would not turn around now and give them the satisfaction of knowing they got under her skin.
She would walk to the corner, and then circle back around once most of the cars had left the church parking lot. When she got almost to the end, she felt that prickly sensation— the hair
