Paxton's Promise Page 8

  THE WHOLE WAY to my apartment was ridden in silence. Thankfully, Paxton opted to take the Hummer instead of his motorcycle. We were both on edge and the last thing I wanted was to be on a bike. When we got to my apartment, Cliff was leaning over the banister, waiting on us. He didn’t seem too happy about seeing Paxton with me, but the feeling was obviously mutual when Paxton’s gaze landed on him.

  “Please try to be semi nice,” I pleaded.

  He scoffed. “We’ll see.”

  At the top of the steps, Cliff met me there and gave a small smile. “I’m sorry I had to call and give you the news, but you told me to call if something happened.”

  “Thanks, Cliff. I appreciate it.”

  Paxton walked right on by us and went straight to the flowers and picked them up. I joined him. There were three black roses in his hand and all I wanted to do was step on them. This note, however, was a little more ominous than the others.

  “What the hell? It gets weirder each fucking time,” I hissed, snatching the note out of Paxton’s hand.

  “Are you sure this isn’t your ex? I mean, come on, his best friend tried to screw over Ryley and Ash. It wouldn’t surprise me if this asshole wasn’t messed up in the head too.”

  “Bradley wouldn’t do this. I know he wouldn’t.” Quickly, I turned to Cliff. “Did your friends find any fingerprints?”

  He shook his head and handed me the other notes. “No. There was nothing other than mine and yours. I don’t know what else they can do, other than patrol around to see if they can find someone lurking about. They have nothing to go on.”

  Sighing, I nodded and hung my head. “And I have no clue what I’m supposed to do. What if this person tries to attack me?”

  “They aren’t going to do that with me here,” Cliff replied.

  Paxton scoffed. “Well, first off, she’s not going to be staying here anymore. She’ll be with me. If this fucker wants to mess with her, they’re going to have to go through me.”

  Cliff’s gaze hardened. “If this person wants her bad enough, they’ll get her. Just watch your back. It doesn’t matter where she is.” Then to me he said, “Be careful wherever you go. Don’t trust anyone, especially strangers who try to talk to you.” Turning on his heel, he trudged back to his door and glanced at me one more time before disappearing behind his door.

  “I don’t like this, Gabby. While you pack up your things I’m going to call Mason. He’ll be able to tell us what we need to do.”

  Nodding, I opened my door and Paxton went in first, searching around to make sure everything was okay. When we were in the clear, I threw the notes on the counter and rushed to my bedroom. Load after load, I piled my clothes onto the bed. If I had to carry them all out in trash bags, I would.

  I was going to be staying with Paxton for two months and I needed a lot more than what I originally packed. With everything going on, I was kind of glad I agreed to the two months. I sure as hell didn’t want to be here.

  WHEN I FIND out what sick fucker is leaving notes and flowers on Gabriella’s doorstep, I’m going to cut off his goddamned testicles and make him wear them as a necklace. If she said it wasn’t her ex I had to believe her, but dammit to hell, I wanted to find out who it was.

  Gabriella was in her room packing so I stayed in her living room to make a phone call. Surely, Mason would know what to do.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  “Mason, it’s Paxton. Do you have a few minutes?”

  “Yeah, what’s up?”

  Over on Gabriella’s kitchen counter, all three letters stared ominously at me. It took all I had not to rip them the fuck up and burn them. “I have a problem, or actually Gabby does. Someone’s been sending her black roses with notes on them. And they aren’t exactly love letters.”

  “You’ve got to be fucking joking.”

  “I wish I was,” I growled. “But I’m staring at it all now. I need to know what to do.”

  “How long has it been going on?” he asked. I could hear papers shuffling in the background. “I need to write all this down.”

  “For the past week she’s gotten the flowers three different times. The first was with one black rose and a note and then so on.”

  “Can you take a picture and text it to me? I want to read the letters.”

  “Sure, give me a second.” After lining the roses and the letters on the counter, I took a picture and texted it to him. “Okay, you should have it now.”

  The line went silent as I waited for him to look at the picture. The thought of knowing some psycho piece of shit was coming to her door made me furious. If she would’ve had her door unlocked, or even outside running her laps, there was nothing she could do to stop someone from harming her. What made it worse was that something could’ve happened to her this week, when I was waiting for her to come around.

  “Paxton, you still there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “All right, I’m going to get in touch with Ryan Griffin. He’s the lead detective down in Vegas, but he’ll know who to get in touch with. If things start getting really bad, I’ll come down there myself; but for now, I’ll fill him in on everything.”

  “What should we do? What do you think we’re looking at here?”

  Mason huffed out a frustrated breath. “I’ve seen shit like this all the time. With Gabriella being in the public eye, especially in the fighting world where she’s surrounded by men, I’m surprised this hasn’t happened before. She’s a good looking girl and I know there are people who fantasize about that shit. There are some sick fucks out there.”

  “So, we’re talking stalker here?”

  “Pretty much. The only problem with this one is that the letters are very vague. I’ve seen instances where this sort of thing happened and we never see the girls again. It would be too late. This may turn out to be nothing, but it’s not something we can play around with.”

  “What do we do in the meantime, while you get in touch with the other detective?”

  “I want you to stay away from her apartment. Keep her somewhere where no one can get to her.”

  Thankfully, she’d been staying with me. I had a gate and plenty of guns in my safe. My uncle wasn’t just big into racing, but hunting as well. I shot my first deer with him.

  “She’s been staying with me,” I informed him.

  He snorted. “Does Matt know?”

  “He knows we’re together, but not that she’s living with me, or that she’s being stalked by some psycho panty sniffer. She didn’t want to worry him while he’s on vacation.”

  “Fucking shit,” Mason grumbled. “I just hope he doesn’t call me because I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my mouth shut. This could potentially be some serious shit we’re dealing with.”

  I sighed. “I know. Let’s just hope we get it figured out before it gets that far.”

  “Let’s hope so,” he agreed. “All right, let me get off and see what I can do. Keep me updated if anything else happens.”

  “Will do.”

  Mason hung up the phone and Gabriella waltzed out of her room with two trash bags full of clothes.

  “You’re staying for two months, not two years,” I laughed, sliding my phone into my pocket.

  “Two months is like two years.” She dropped the bags onto the floor and caught her breath. “So what did Mason say?”

  I picked up her bags and started for the door. “Basically, you have a stalker and I need to keep you safe until he figures something out.”

  “Do you think there’s something to worry about?” she asked, concern etched in her voice. Gabriella was small, but she had a strong frame. I had no doubt she could fight her way out of most scenarios, but sometimes that just wasn’t plausible.

  “He said it’d be best for you to not be left alone. I kind of had that figured out already. He’s going to get in touch with someone who’ll be able to help us.”

  “I’m not going to be put on house arrest, Paxton,” she remarked, crossing her arms
over her chest. “This could go on for months and I refuse to let someone make me cower in the corner. I’m not going to lie, it freaks me out, but I can’t be scared to go out in public.”

  If I had my way, she wouldn’t go out at all. I’d be perfectly happy having her all to myself, twenty-four seven. “I’m not saying that, Gabby. God knows you’re stubborn as fuck, and of course you’re going to rebel, just to show this person that you aren’t scared. We just need to be careful.”

  Huffing, she lifted one of the bags in her arms and started for the door. “And we will be careful. But, if someone comes after me, they’re going to get the fight of their life.”

  “Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  Once we were out the door, Gabriella locked it and we descended the three flights of stairs. Even though she tried to appear strong, I could see her gaze darting back and forth through the darkness. As long as she was with me, she’d be fine. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe.

  PAXTON WATCHED ME while I unpacked my clothes in the spare bedroom. My mind was a jumbled mess, thinking of who would be leaving me the messages. Every time, I came up blank.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  I folded up the last two shirts and put them away before joining him on the bed. “Yeah, I’m fine. It just sucks not knowing.” I laid down beside him and placed my head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

  “You know I’m not going to let anything happen to you, right?”

  “So what are you going to do, rescue me if something happens?” I teased lightly. “Like a super hero?”

  “If need be,” he answered in all seriousness. Shifting his weight, he lifted up on his elbow. “I will do whatever I have to. If something happened to you, I’d spend every waking hour searching to find the answers. No matter what happens, I’ll always come for you. I promise you this.”

  “You sure do make a lot of promises,” I murmured. “It’s got to be hard to keep up with them all.”

  “No,” he replied, shaking his head. “Because the only ones I’ve made in my lifetime have been to you and Kacey. That’s it.”

  Cupping my cheek with his hand, he leaned down and kissed me, gently opening my lips with his tongue. The smell of his skin and the taste of his lips were intoxicating. I never wanted to leave his arms. It was safe where I was. It felt like nothing could touch me while I was there. The feelings I had for the other men in my life didn’t compare to the overpowering sense of fulfillment I had with Paxton. It was different, more complete.

  Even though he drove me insane and made me want to pull my hair out, in the end, it was always a battle I was destined to lose. Our paths crossed and I believed that everything happened for a reason—that things were meant to fall into place when they did. I met him years ago, and didn’t remember him because it wasn’t our time. Now was our time.

  Placing my finger to Paxton’s lips, I broke our kiss and stared into his sea green eyes. We were both breathing hard and my heart was beating out of control. It was now or never. “Pax,” I whispered softly.

  He brushed the hair off of my face. “What is it, sunshine?”

  Grabbing his hand, I held it to my cheek and closed my eyes. “I love you.”

  Silence fell over the room and it was as if time stood still. I waited for him to say it back, but he never did. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and averted my gaze, hoping I could keep the tears at bay.

  “Say it again,” he commanded. “Only this time, keep your eyes open and look at me.”

  My pulse sped rapidly as I turned to stare at him. There was no rejection in his face, only raw, primal heat. It made me shiver. “I love you, Paxton. It took me forever to figure out what I was feeling, but there it is. I love you.”

  His fingers brushed the hem of my shirt and he slowly lifted it over my head, keeping his gaze on mine as he unclasped my bra. Gently, he cupped my breast and kneaded it with his warm, strong hands. Still, I waited for him to say something back, and he didn’t. I could feel that he returned the sentiment, but I needed to hear the words. Instead, he lifted his shirt over his head and lowered his shorts. I helped him out and lowered my shorts as well.

  Covering me with his body, he kissed his way up to my lips. “I want to make love to you.”

  My heart pounded. He pressed against my opening, but I reached down and took him in my hand, gliding it up and down before he could enter me. My thumb rubbed over the tip and a bead of moisture spread across my finger. I loved that I could turn him on.

  “It feels so good when you touch me.” He watched me play with him and his ass flexed as he pushed into my hand. Having had enough, he placed his hand on mine and moved it above my head, clasping his fingers through mine. The other he used to push a finger inside me and then another when I grew wetter.

  The insides of my thighs were damp with need, ready for him to take me, but he still worked me over with his long, lithe fingers. Pulling them out, he traced my nipples with my wetness and sucked them clean before placing his fingers in his mouth.

  I moaned and bit my lip, resisting the urge to touch myself for relief. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait for long. Positioning himself at my entrance, he eased himself inside. Moaning, I gripped his hand and held it tight. With slow, gentle strokes he pushed in and pulled out, over and over. It wasn’t hard and fast like when he’d fuck me. He was truly making love to me. No one had ever made love to me before.

  When his lips found mine, I couldn’t keep my eyes from blurring. Pax saw the first drop fall and his brows furrowed. “Gabby, what’s wrong?” he asked gently.

  I shook my head and squeezed his hand. “Nothing. Everything is right for once. Don’t stop.”

  Picking his pace back up, he wiped away my tears and pressed his lips to mine. “Is it because I didn’t tell you I love you? Because I do. I love you, Gabriella. I just thought I would show you first.”

  Lips trembling, more tears fell, but he kissed them away, licking them off of his lips. My heart soared. He loved me. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I lifted my hips so he could go deeper.

  When my orgasm hit, his grunts of satisfaction and completion only made it that much more enjoyable. It was the most passionate and fulfilling level of intimacy I’d ever experienced.

  Paxton unclasped his hand from mine and brushed the hair from my face. His green gaze bore into mine when he leaned down and placed his lips to mine. “I love you, Gabriella. I’m so in love with you it hurts. And don’t even get me started on the lust.”

  I laughed through my tears and held his face in my hands. “I know the feeling.”

  THE NEXT MORNING, I awoke in Paxton’s arms. I didn’t want to move for fear of waking him up, but his phone did it for me.

  “What the fuck?” he muttered, his voice gruff from sleep. “Who the hell is calling so early?”

  I looked over at the clock and laughed. It wasn’t early . . . it was ten in the morning. When he looked at the phone, his voice softened. “Aunt Jackie?” he answered. I couldn’t hear the conversation, but it sounded like something was wrong. “All right, I’ll be there in a little bit. Just let me get up and moving.” He stretched and got out of bed. “No, it’s no problem at all.”

  “Everything okay?” I asked when he hung up.

  Paxton chuckled and laid back down beside me, his grin wide. “Oh yeah, it’s nothing serious. My uncle’s truck broke down, and apparently, he’s trying to fix it. The last time he tried to work on a vehicle, he fucked it up beyond repair. I guess you can say I didn’t learn my mechanic skills from him.”

  “How long do you think you’ll be gone?”

  He shrugged. “A couple of hours. Do you want to come with me? You might get a little bored.”

  Kicking the covers off, I stretched and arched my back, making my breasts perk up as they hit the air. Paxton growled deep in his chest. “Actually, I think I’ll stay here and work out. But if you call me when you’re on the way home, I’ll be s
ure to be ready for you.”

  Grabbing a breast, he flicked his tongue over a nipple and bit down. My body jerked in response and I gasped. He circled his tongue around the bite marks and smirked up at me. “I look forward to it.”

  I moaned. “Go already, so you can get back.”

  Quickly kissing me on the lips, he jumped out of bed and disappeared into his room. A few short minutes later, he emerged wearing a pair of old, holey jeans and a faded red T-shirt. I liked that look on him. He was down to earth, unlike some of the other metrosexual guys I’d dated. Paxton could wear the old jeans and worn shirts and completely pull it off. That was who he truly was, and what killed me was that I had been so close to losing him because of my assumptions.

  After the door shut downstairs, I heard his motorcycle roar to life and the sound faded off in the distance. My stomach growled, but I decided to rinse off in the shower before fixing something to eat. As soon as I dried off, I pulled out some running shorts and a sports bra and threw my hair up into a ponytail.

  Now that Paxton was gone, I walked across the hall to his room and looked around. His walls were a dark gray and his large bed was covered in a similar shade of gray with silver bed sheets and black pillows. It was very masculine and modern.

  On one of his dressers there were framed pictures lined with him in various times and places. There was one with him as a child, beaming at the camera with a man and woman on each side of him. Judging by the resemblance in appearances I’d have to say it was his parents. They looked so happy together. I didn’t have any pictures like that.

  Next, I recognized the picture with his aunt Jackie and who I assumed was his uncle Jack. And next to that was a group picture with Paxton and two other people. They were teenagers, but it didn’t take much to recognize them as Kacey and Kyle Andrews. Kacey had her hair in braids with braces on her teeth and she was standing in the middle between Pax and Kyle. They all three looked so innocent with their beaming smiles, including Kyle. How he got to be so fucked up in the head was beyond me. People could change and thankfully Paxton figured that out before it was too late.