Anonymous(28)

I shake my head. “Not going to happen.” His lips press against mine and I melt into his arms. However, everything stops when my phone beeps with an incoming text. I freeze, while Jake tenses.

He slowly steps back, a murderous glare aimed at my purse. “If that’s him, I’m going to lose my shit.”

Heart pounding out of my chest, I pull out my phone.

xxx-xxx-6334: I remember when we used to kiss like that. All you’re doing is pissing me off more.

Jake grabs my phone and reads it, eyes wide with rage. “Son of a bitch!” He turns toward the parking lot, and I wrap my hands around his arm, using all my strength to hold him back.

“You are in no way, shape, or form ready to fight this out, Jake. We don’t even know where he is.”

He stops, but continues to look around, eyes blazing. “I’m going to kill him.”

Panic engulfs me, and I push him harder back toward the bakery. If he were to get in a fight in his condition, there’s no way he could win against someone in top shape. I cup his face to bring his attention to me. “Jake, let’s go back inside, until you cool down.” When he realizes my hands are shaking uncontrollably, he snaps out of it and follows me inside.

Vikki looks at us like we’ve lost our minds. “Did I miss something?”

Jake leans against the wall and takes in a few deep breaths, while I show Vikki the message.

“He’s out there, Vik. I don’t know why anyone can’t find him.”

She scoffs. “He’s smart, that’s why.”

Jake blows out an angry breath and glares at my phone. “We’re going to get your number changed, right now. I don’t think I can handle seeing another text like that.”

Vikki nods in agreement. “You might want to, Ellie.”

Changing my number is the wisest choice, but it breaks my communication with Bryan. I want him to know that I’m not afraid of him and he’s not going to tear my life apart. However, watching Jake hang on by a thread isn’t what I want.

“Okay,” I say. “Let’s go get it changed.”

Vikki hugs me quickly. “I’ve got everything handled here. Just be safe out there.”

“Lock this door behind us,” I tell her.

Once we’re out the door, I can hear her sliding the lock in place. Jake puts his arm around me and makes sure I get in the driver’s seat before he goes around to his side. I know it kills him not being in fighting condition. He looks around the area before getting in.

“Let’s go,” he says, his voice dark.

We pull out of the parking lot, both watching the cars around us to see if Bryan’s in one of them. I hate living like this, checking over my shoulder to see who’s behind me. I park in the cell store lot and hold my breath. I’m waiting to see if Bryan drives by, but he doesn’t.

“Do you think he followed us?” I ask, whispering the words.

Jake is vigilant of our surroundings. “I don’t know. I’m starting to think you need to carry your Glock 19 everywhere you go.”

I have a concealed carrier permit because Owen teaches a class a couple of times a year. I never had a reason to carry my Glock, but it might not be a bad idea. “Luckily, we’ll be at home for the next couple of weeks,” I point out.

We both get out and head inside the store. The same girl who helped me block the number comes over and smiles. “Hi. Can I help you?” She can sense something is wrong by the look on Jake’s face.

“I’d like to change phone numbers, please.”

She points toward her desk. “Sure thing. Come with me.”

We follow her to her desk and my phone beeps again. Chest tightening, I take a deep breath and look at the text.

xxx-xxx-6334: Changing your number won’t get rid of me. I’ll still be able to find you.





Fourteen





Ellie





Once my number is changed, I begin to wonder if it’s even going to help. I don’t think Bryan is bluffing. Jake calls Owen and tells him what happened, and now we’re stopping by the police department to talk to Detective Bradshaw. He’s waiting for us in the lobby, dressed in his crisp uniform. He nods toward the hallway.

“I was going to call you today. You beat me to it.” We follow him down the hallway to his office. It smells like coffee. “Have a seat,” he says.

We sit down in the two leather chairs across from his desk. “What’s going on, Detective?” Jake asks, glaring at him.

Sighing, Terry clasps his hands together on the desk. “I’ve had some of my officers stationed around Snyder’s house. According to your texts, he’s around the area, but nobody has seen him around his home.”

“Maybe he’s staying in a hotel in Asheville?” I bring up.

Terry shrugs. “Possibly, but if he is, he’s using one of his aliases. We’ve ran all of his past identities into our system and came up blank.”

Jake throws his hands up in the air. “The cocksucker is following us. He watched us today at her fucking bakery. If you want to find him, he’s not far.”

He nods. “I have a couple of my men searching the area around the bakery as we speak. I also have a couple searching the woods around your home.”