“Lena, no,” I called and caught her around her middle. She thought it was a game and giggled.
“Again,” she yelled, kicking her little legs.
“Luca, stop,” I said when he moved toward the flowers as well.
“But I wants to sees them too,” he wailed, going into meltdown mode.
I caught his arm and took a step back, my retreat slowed down by my uncooperative children.
“What’s going on?” Gears asked, walking up to my front door. He must have been the unlucky one tasked with watching me today.
His attention snapped to the flowers, and he stopped. “Who sent you flowers?”
“If you get rid of them for me, I’ll bake you whatever cake you want,” I said, still wrangling my kids back into the house.
He tilted his head, not removing the flowers. “Why do you want to get rid of them?”
“I don’t want them,” I wheezed, getting a good workout from holding my kids.
He looked at me like I’d gone insane. “You don’t even know who they’re from.”
“I’m sure I know who sent them. And I don’t want them.”
He took a step closer, still not taking care of the flippity-flip flowers. “I think I should call Ace.”
“I don’t care what you do as long as you remove them.”
When the kids refused to go back inside, I walked around the flowers instead, careful not to touch anything.
“We’re going to the playground,” I said and marched across the street to the park.
At least we didn’t have to go far. It also meant I could keep an eye on my front door—which I hadn’t locked despite my best intention—and make sure the flowers were gone before I returned.
There was no use getting upset. I’d decided this required a case of “ignorance is bliss.” If I just pretended there were no flowers, then there also wasn’t a stalker. Easy.
We hadn’t been at the park for long when the roar of motorcycle pipes rang through the neighborhood. I watched three bikes pull into my driveway and sighed. Looked like ignorance wasn’t going to work this time.
Sebastian’s head snapped in my direction as soon as Gears snitched on me.
“Let’s go back home,” I said to the kids, deflated. I didn’t want to go anywhere near those flowers. Or anywhere near Sebastian, who was standing in my driveway, arms crossed, sunglasses on his gorgeous face. He belonged on a magazine cover with his high cheekbones and full lips.
Neither Lena nor Luca was happy about only getting to play for such a short time. But I knew if I ignored the angry hulk standing in front of my house for too long, I’d make things worse for myself.
It took a few more minutes until I was able to pick up Lena and take Luca by the hand and walk back.
Sebastian hadn’t moved, his face hard, his jaw muscles tight. Why in the world would he even be angry? Wasn’t my fault Gears pulled him away from whatever he was doing.
“Inside. Now,” he barked once my foot hit the driveway.
“Stop bossing me around. I’m not a dog,” I hissed, my nerves already frayed.
He put his hand on my lower back, and I tensed. The light touch caused my whole body to lock up. If he noticed my response, he didn’t say. Instead, he led us inside, not once breaking contact. My steps hastened when we walked past the flowers, and I eyed them from my periphery.
“Pack a bag,” he said as soon as we made it inside. “We’re staying at the clubhouse.”
I stopped, flowers forgotten. “What? Why? No way am I bringing my kids there.”
“Did you read the card?” he asked.
My blood turned to ice, and I clutched Lena to me while at the same time squeezing Luca’s hand. I knew the card wasn’t a good sign.
“No,” I haltingly replied. “I thought it was just another way for him to screw with me.”
“Show it to her,” Sebastian said.
Gears stepped forward and handed me the card in question. I didn’t take it since I was still holding on to both my kids. Sebastian didn’t make me choose who I was going to let go. Instead, he breached the distance between us and pulled Lena out of my arms.
She didn’t mind at all and instead settled right in. My mind on the card instead of my daughter, I took it and looked at the image on the front. It was Salvador Dali’s painting of melting clocks. I’d never liked it and thought it was disturbing.
When I flipped it over, there were words on the back.
Ticktock. Time has run out.
A jolt of panic shot through me and took hold, digging deep. He’d officially lost his mind. What a creeptastic attempt to freak me out. It was time I went to the police, because flowers were one thing, scary messages another.
“You’ll stay at the clubhouse. There’s always people around, and nobody will get in or out without us knowing,” Sebastian said, ignoring Lena, who was singing into his ear.
I gaped at him, words trapped in my throat. I didn’t want to stay at the clubhouse with scary bikers. And I certainly didn’t want my kids there.
That thought finally snapped me out of it. “I’m fine staying here. I’ll tell the police, and they’ll keep an eye out.”
Sebastian nodded at Gears, who started collecting toys from the living room.
I glared at both men, not in the mood to be ignored. “Hey, what are you doing?”
“He’s helping you pack. Now, if you don’t want him to go through your clothes, you better start packing,” Sebastian said.
I stalked past him, making sure to stomp extra hard. “You’re infuriating.”
I felt helpless. Nothing in my life seemed to be in my control anymore. My stalker was escalating, and a biker was running my life.
It was safe to say my life had gone down the drain.
Luca climbed on top of the bed once we were in my room and started bouncing.
“Luca, no jumping on the bed,” I muttered and jerkily pulled clothes out of drawers and my closet.
I packed
