Love Me (WITSEC #3)(54)

I put the vodka in the freezer and juice in the fridge. “Maranda?”

“No. I have another cousin who turned twenty-one a couple months ago. She needed help sewing a tear in her costume for some college party she’s going to this weekend, and in exchange, I had her buy the vodka.”

“Speaking of sewing and costumes, how’s yours coming along?”

“I finished it and Ethan’s today.”

I went back to the cookies and began transferring them from the tray to a cooling rack. “Mermaids, right?”

She smiled. “I’m going as an evil siren version of Ariel, and instead of falling in love with the prince, I drown him.”

I chuckled. “Let me guess, Ethan is the prince you drown?”

“Duh,” she said, and we both laughed. “What are the guys going as?”

I shrugged. “They wouldn’t tell me. They want it to be a surprise.”

She scrunched her nose. “Lame.”

Thunder boomed outside.

“It looked like it was going to rain when I was driving over here,” Isabelle said, sounding excited, and rushed to look out the sliding glass door that led to the backyard. “I love it when it rains.”

“It rarely happens here.”

“That’s why it’s exciting, and the rain makes everything smell good, too.” She put her hand up to the glass and took in my backyard. “If it ever rains during the day, you could sit on that swing with a good book and just relax to the sounds and smells.”

“I need to finish putting it together first.”

“What do you mean? It’s already built.”

I walked over to the glass door and looked out at my patio. Sure enough, it was assembled. I flipped on the outside light before unlocking the door and stepping out onto the patio. It wasn’t raining yet, but the wind was picking up and another clack of thunder rumbled.

I took a seat on the swing and smiled as it swayed perfectly.

Isabelle took a seat next to me. “I take it that you didn’t put it together.”

I shook my head. “I’m pretty sure Knox did, with the help of one or all of his brothers.”

“What if I make us some cocktails and we swing for a little bit until the rain comes?”

I nodded. I liked that idea. The cookies needed a little more time to cool and I wasn’t ready to walk away from what I felt swinging in my new swing.





We moved my coffee table off to the side and made a picnic with blankets and pillows on the floor in front of the TV.

“I think we need a few more pillows and another blanket,” I said.

“I think so, too,” she agreed as she assessed our work so far.

“Be right back,” I shot over my shoulder as I headed down the hall.

Flicking on the light in the spare bedroom, I grabbed two of the sham pillows and the throw blanket hanging off the end of the bed. The sound of whistling made me pause before leaving the room. I glanced at the window, realizing the sound was coming from there. Walking over to it, I saw right away that water was pooling on the windowsill.

I tossed the pillows and blankets back on the bed and ran out of the room to get a towel from the linen closet. When I came back, I wiped up the water. Standing there, the whistling was louder. At first, I thought it was due to the leak, but after further inspection I found the window unlocked and not closed all the way.

I pushed it closed and slid the lock into place. Instantly, the whistling stopped.

Fear bloomed in my chest.

Why is it open?

Why isn’t it locked?

“Shi, your phone is ringing,” Isabelle yelled from the living room.

Did Logan open it? I wondered.

Did the sheriff when he broke in?

When is the last time I checked this window?

“Shi?” Isabelle said, her voice sounding closer, and I turned around just in time for her to come into the room. She spotted me.

“Sorry, my window was open, and water leaked all over the sill. I was cleaning it up,” I said, doing my best to shove down my fear.

“Do you need help cleaning it up?” she asked, but before I could respond, my phone started ringing again. “This is the second time this unknown number is calling you.”

“Just ignore it. I think it’s Cassy or Amber trying to mess with me. They’ve been doing it for days.”

Isabelle glared down at the phone as it rang. She accepted the call and put the phone to her ear before I could protest. “Don’t you miserable cunts have something better to do?”

I stood there wide-eyed and made a note to never piss off Isabelle.

Isabelle suddenly gasped. “I’m so sorry, sir. I thought you were someone else.” She paused as she listened to whoever was on the line. “No, you have the wrong number. Uh-huh. No worries. I’m sorry again about that. You, too. Bye.” She hung up the phone, grimacing. “I suppose that was karma’s way of reminding me not to be a bitch.”

“Who was it?” I asked, reaching out for my phone.

She handed it to me. “Some guy looking for an Annabell Weston.”

I was surprised at the relief I felt. I had done my best to pretend that it hadn’t bothered me this whole time, but as each day had passed and the phone calls had continued, it had become easier for fear to seep in and doubt to fester. Like a nagging thought in the back of my head, I’d begun to humor the possibility that it might have been Mr. X. That he might have found me. I knew as long as he was out there searching for me, there would always be a chance he could find me. But the odds of that happening were slim. I needed to take comfort in that, or I’d go insane.