Surprise Delivery(75)

“I did not lie.”

I laugh. “Actually, you did. You stood in front of me and told me that you and Alexis were together.”

“We are.”

“In your mind, maybe,” I say. “But, to hear her tell it, she wants nothing to do with you. Never has. And now you’re stalking her because she won’t take your calls.”

“I’m not stalking her,” he snaps.

“No? Then what are you doing hanging around outside of her building?”

His face darkens, and he narrows his eyes even more. “You just think you’re a god among men, don’t you?” he sneers. “You think because you’re rich, good looking, and a doctor, that you just walk on water.”

I shrug. “I don’t know about that,” I reply. “But what I do know is that I’m better for her than you could ever possibly be.”

Brad steps up, his nose just inches from mine. It’s taking everything in me to not haul back and punch him square in the face right now. He scowls at me, the hatred in his eyes more than clear.

“I warned you to stay away from her,” he hisses.

“Yes, you did,” I reply calmly. “And what are you going to do about it if I don’t?”

His anger is tipping him toward the irrational and I’m kind of hoping he does something stupid. I’m hoping he gives me a reason to take him down. Maybe even have him arrested. I think spending a couple of days cooling his heels in jail may be just the sort of wake-up call Brad needs.

Alexis just wants him to leave her alone, and I think it’s going to take some sort of dramatic scene to get it through his thick head. I really don’t see him getting it any other way.

“What, you think because you’re bigger and stronger than me that I’m afraid of you?” he asks.

“Actually, I do,” I say. “I think you’re terrified and I also think you’re jealous because I’m getting something you’re never going to get, no matter how many nights you spend out here watching her apartment.”

“Fuck you,” he shouts, loud enough to draw the attention of people passing by.

I laugh softly and shake my head. “Is that it, Brad?” I ask. “Is that all you’ve got?”

Brad is apoplectic, and his breathing is ragged. His eyes are wide, filled with rage, and he sounds like a two-pack-a-day smoker who just ran a marathon. It takes a Herculean effort on his part, but Brad finally manages to compose himself again. The look of hatred in his eyes is no less intense, but he is at least calm enough again to speak.

“Last warning, Clyburne,” he says. “Stay away from Alexis.”

“Or what, Brad?”

A menacing smirk touches his lips. “You may be physically stronger than me, but you’re not smarter,” he sneers. “And there’s more than one way to – dispose of – one’s enemies.”

I rub my jawline, the stubble making a dry, scratchy sound. “Sounds ominous.”

“Final warning,” he says. “Stay away from her or pay the price.”

“Good thing I’m rich,” I say. “I can probably afford it.”

With one last sneer, Brad turns and melts away into the foot traffic on the sidewalk again, leaving me shaking my head as I look after him. I know that something’s coming with him and whatever it is, it’s not going to be good. He blames me for Alexis wanting nothing to do with him. And that’s fine. I’d rather have him focusing his rage onto me, than onto her.

But that means I’ll need to be vigilant.





There’s a loud, sudden banging on the door. It startles me at first. I glance at the baby monitor and breathe a sigh of relief that the racket didn’t wake Aurora. Duncan probably forgot something and had to come back for it. I throw the locks and open the door, ready to scold him for knocking so loudly, when I feel the blood in my veins turn to ice. Brad is standing in my doorway, looking none too pleased. His breathing is labored, and his eyes are burning with a wild, angry light. I do my best to quell the fear flooding into me, not wanting to give him the slightest hint that I’m scared.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“We need to talk.”

He pushes his way past me, striding down the hallway and into the living room. The surge of fear in me only gets stronger as I listen to his footsteps banging on the floor inside as he paces the living room. I need to get him out of here – away from my daughter. And the best way to do that is to calm him down and talk to him since he’s clearly agitated.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly as I close the door, careful to leave it unlocked. If the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to grab my daughter and get the hell out of there, then call the police. Brad clearly isn’t in his right mind and it’s terrifying me. Even though I get the sense that he wouldn’t hurt me, I just don’t know for sure – and I’m not willing to take that chance. Not with Aurora just in the other room.

“What do you want, Brad?” I ask as I sit down on the loveseat.

“Why was he here?”

“Keep your voice down,” I scold him softly. “And stop stomping around. If you want to talk, sit down and speak to me like an adult. I’m not going to put up with your temper tantrums.”