He grinned. “She’s not the only person who can eavesdrop.”
I nodded. “Right. Sorry, I’m not entirely with it. I mean, it isn’t every day you get awakened by an intruder and hear gunshots at your... former-now-possibly-current boyfriend.”
His lips quirked up at the corners. “I got anything to do with it, I’ll be your current man since I’m too fuckin’ old to be a boyfriend.”
My head tilted. “Thirty-four isn’t that old, Clint.”
He pressed his lips together and I knew he was holding something back. “Okay, are you all right to sleep in here again? We can move to Wynnie’s—”
I shook my head. “Nope. Not sleeping in her room. This is fine. Though, where’s your gun? I mean, what were you thinking chasing after him in just your boxers?”
He sighed. “Can’t give the cops any decent intel if I don’t chase after the fucker. You’re right though. I’m gonna get my shoes on and grab my gun out of the SUV. Put your pajamas on. Pains me to say it, but we won’t be sleepin’ naked the rest of the morning.”
Clint
IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD have brought my gun into the Connelly house. Hell if I knew why I didn’t, other than the fact I had brought dinner with me, but that was no excuse.
As I locked up the house behind me, my gut told me this shit revolved around Raegan. It was flimsy, but then gut instincts didn’t hold much logic. I’d asked her about it Wednesday evening, but now it was time to figure this shit out.
In the bedroom, I noticed the red spaghetti straps of Rae’s pajama top and I forced myself not to dwell on how good she looked in bed. I rested the gun on the nightstand, took off my shoes, and shucked my jeans.
Once under the covers, I gathered her to me. “I know it’s late and all, but think hard, honey. That man was here for you. Whoever took you had a reason. Did you piss off someone in New York?”
Her head reared back. “How, Clint? I mean, what would I have done to piss off someone in New York to the point they’d abduct me here?”
I clenched my teeth momentarily. “I hate asking about the asshole, but what about your ex-husband? Could he —”
She leaned back and laughed. “Now that’s ridiculous. Trey is definitely an asshole, but he’s too infatuated with his dick to want me abducted or whatever the hell these people want.”
I sighed. She could be right, but the bastard had motive. Roughly four million of them, depending on how much her lawyers were paid.
“Your divorce finalized two, three weeks ago, right?”
“Closer to six. Why? And how’d you know that?”
I semi-lied. “Penny. But, what about your settlement? Would that be a —”
“Clint, that’s ludicrous. What’s Trey’s endgame? Abduct me, haul me back to New York, and demand his money back?”
My temper was wearing thin and her body tensed. “All right, Raegan. Let’s discuss this when we’ve both had some more shut-eye.”
She stroked a hand up and down my chest. “All right, honey.”
My cock twitched with her touch, but I controlled it. Barely. Though I took her lips in a kiss, which became a full-on make-out session before I wrenched free. “Baby, I love making out with you, but if your mother’s eavesdropping, not a chance in hell we’re having round two.”
Even in the dimness of the room, I saw her devious smile. “I’m good at being quiet if I have you in my mouth.”
I groaned. “Dammit, Rae. As much as I want to take you up on that I just can’t.”
“All right, baby,” she whispered.
RAEGAN PUT A BLUEBERRY bagel with cream cheese in front of me, when someone pounded on the front door. Penny’s brows knit, but the color drained out of Raegan’s face and my temper shot to the stratosphere. I shoved out of my chair, but Raegan slowed me with a hand on my bicep.
“Rein it in, Clint. You’re a little cranky—”
My eyes widened. “Whatever, Rae. There’s never a call for pounding on someone’s door like that, and especially when the door’s fuckin’ glass like your mother’s is!”
I stalked to the foyer. Blood surged to my head as my anger ratcheted up because at the door stood their other neighbor. He was a short, balding, soft through his core, middle-aged man. I jerked the door open, pleased I didn’t rip it off the hinges.
“What?” I barked.
His chin dipped into his doughy neck. “Is that any way to greet someone?”
I pounded on the wall near the doorframe, harder than he had. “Is that any way to knock on your neighbor’s front door?”
He tried, but failed, to hide a curl of his lip. “Well, I demand to speak with Mrs. Connelly.”
“Not happening,” I bit out.
He crossed his arms on his chest. “I don’t know who you are, but I don’t appreciate being awakened in the middle of the night by gunshots.”
I cocked my head to the side. “I’d be surprised to find anybody who enjoys gunfire waking them, at any time of day. So, what the fuck do you really want? Mrs. Connelly isn’t going to be able to do shit about those gunshots.”
“The police were here, and those flashing lights kept me up—”
I pushed toward him and he scurried backward. When the door closed behind me, I leaned forward. “Are you fuckin’ serious? Gunshots, cops on the scene, and you’re here to bellyache about your goddamn sleep being interrupted? Not the first question about how Penny’s doing, or her other daughter, or if anyone was hurt? Seriously? How far up your ass is your head lodged?”
I felt the draft of the AC before Raegan said, “Clint, that’s plenty. Mr. Hipps, I’m sorry you were disturbed. It’s not a normal—”
Mr. Hipps moved to intimidate Raegan, but I blocked him, and he backed off. Unfortunately, he still opened his mouth.
“You can’t tell me it’s not a normal occurrence. Three
