Echoes of You: Chapter 18

I glared down at my cup of coffee. The dark brown liquid hadn’t done anything to me, but it was still getting the force of my rage. It was the only outlet I had. Because sounds of that damn shower had been taunting me for the last fifteen minutes.

Images of Maddie. Naked. Running her hands over slick, creamy skin. One would think her ridiculous, off-key singing would be a downer for my dick, but nope. It just made her more adorable.

I shifted, trying to alleviate some of the pressure behind my uniform slacks. Hell. I needed to get a grip.

The water cut off, and I sent up a silent . But that gratitude was short-lived because then my mind began filling in the happenings going on behind that bathroom door. Maddie toweling off. Rubbing lotion all over her body. Pulling on lacy—I cut myself off.

I ran over case notes in my head. SAR procedures. First-aid rules and regulations. Anything but the woman currently haunting my every moment, both while awake and asleep.

It didn’t help that Maddie slept in these tiny sleep shorts that showed off long, silky-smooth legs I could picture wrapped around me as I drove into her. Or the tank top she paired it with that molded to her cleavage in a way that had me imagining everything underneath.

She hadn’t bothered changing out of the damn things as she made us breakfast. Hadn’t put on a robe either. So, I was glaring at my coffee while I cursed myself.

I was so lost in my glowering thoughts that I didn’t hear Maddie emerge from the bathroom. Hadn’t even heard her approach until she pinched my side. “Hey, grumpy Gus. What’s the deal with you this morning? Did you not sleep well?”

My gaze flew from my coffee cup to Maddie, but I should’ve kept my eyes where they were. Hell. She looked so damn beautiful that I couldn’t find a single word. She had that inky-black hair curled in loose waves again, but she’d also woven a thin braid across her crown that held the hair back from her face. It meant nothing hid those haunting blue eyes I could get lost in forever.

But the dress. That would be the death of me. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a simple sundress she’d paired with ankle boots, but it skimmed her body in a way that had me swallowing my tongue.

Maddie’s brow furrowed. “Okay, now you’re freaking me out. What happened?”

I gave my head a shake. “Nothing. I’m fine. Really. Just didn’t sleep great.”

Maddie worried the corner of her lip. “You can go back to your house if you’re not sleeping well here.”

The slight hesitation before she spoke told me everything I needed to know. She wanted me here. Slept better when I was. It made me want to beat my chest like a damned gorilla.

I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against my side. “Not going anywhere. I just had coffee too late in the day yesterday.” If by , I meant the hit to my system that lying next to Maddie, her body curved into mine, gave me.

She grinned up at me. “Do I need to institute a coffee cutoff time?”

“Probably not a bad idea.”

A ding sounded from Maddie’s purse on the counter. Then another. And another.

“Who’s hounding you so early?” I asked.

It was only half past eight. I had to be at the station at nine, and Maddie had asked Sue if she could take on an extra hour in the mornings so our schedules would match up for a bit. I’d have a shift change shortly, but for now, it worked.

I glanced at Maddie when she didn’t answer and found her staring at her purse as if it were a snake poised to bite. The look had my muscles hardening to stone. “Mads?”

She jerked at my voice. “Yeah?”

“Something you forgot to tell me?”

She worried the corner of her lip again. “I’ve gotten a few anonymous texts. I have to assume they’re from Adam.”

I fought the urge to tug her tighter against me. As if I could stand between her and the damn cell phone still erupting with notifications. I exhaled slowly and released Maddie, striding over to her purse and tugging out the device. “You wanna give me the password?”

Her gaze locked with mine. “Zero, three, two, two.”

A zap of energy lanced through me, and I couldn’t look away. My birthday. I didn’t say a word. Instead, I tapped the numbers into her phone. It instantly unlocked, and I selected the text message icon.

There were only two senders. One was Grae, asking Maddie out for brunch tomorrow, and the other was from an unknown sender. I clicked on that one.

My gaze slid over message after message.

I locked the phone screen. I didn’t want to read anything else in front of Maddie. I wouldn’t be able to hide my reaction, and the last thing I wanted was to expose her to my rage.

I struggled to keep my breathing under control. “How many of these have you gotten?”

Maddie shuffled her feet. “More than one…”

My back teeth ground together. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

She leaned back against the counter. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because we’ve had a few other things going on?”

“This kind of thing is important. It shows escalation. We need to get you a new number and that order of protection in place.”

Maddie straightened. “I’ll get a new number, but I’m not getting a restraining order against Adam. You’re the one who said cutting off all contact was best. Any attention is good attention, right?”

My fingers curled tighter around the phone. I wanted to argue and plead my case in a million different ways. But I couldn’t. Maddie needed control now more than ever. She had to make her own decisions and not have me trying to take over.

I swallowed down the need to protect her with everything in my arsenal. “Okay.”

Maddie’s brows flew up. “Okay?”

“I respect your decision, even if I don’t agree with it.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Who are you, and what have you done with my pushy, overbearing best friend?”

I huffed. “I’m not overbearing.”

“Suuuuuure.”

“I’m very chill.”

“Unless someone tries to steal your donuts.”

I pinned Maddie with my gaze. “Did Wren text you?”

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing, but it didn’t work. “You threatened to put ex-lax in people’s coffee if they stole one?”

“Yeah, and Wren’s my first victim. She took my donut.”

Maddie shook her head and closed the distance between us, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Thanks for not pushing.”

I rested my chin on the top of her head. “It’s not easy for me. I want to do everything I can to keep you safe.”

“I get that. But I know Adam better than you do. This is the best way.”

“Okay. But I’d like to take your phone into the station and at least get these text messages on record. I can get a new number set up for you if you give me your account password. I’ll pull your cloud history, too.” I didn’t want the douchebag having any way to contact her.

“Sure.” Maddie tipped her head back so she could look at me. “Did we just compromise?”

I grinned at her. “I guess miracles do happen.”

I knocked on the open door to Lawson’s office. He motioned me in with one hand while holding the phone receiver to his ear with the other. “Sounds good. I’ll be in touch.”

I closed the door as Lawson hung up. He eyed the door behind me. “I take it this isn’t a social visit.”

I dropped Maddie’s phone onto his desk and lowered myself into one of the chairs. “Maddie’s been getting a bunch of anonymous text messages. Sounds like her ex.”

Lawson’s jaw tightened. “She know you have her phone?”

I glared at my brother. “Yes. She gave me permission to file the messages into evidence and change her number.”

Lawson leaned back in his chair as he picked up the cell. “Look at you, making healthy emotional progress and not trying to steamroll her.”

“Shut up and read the messages.”

Lawson scanned the screen. With each moment that passed, his knuckles got whiter. “This doesn’t look good.”

“No, it doesn’t.” I’d read every message twice this morning. Each one made my blood boil.

“He’s a manipulator, a narcissist, and it looks like he’s got a healthy dose of obsession going on.”

“It’s also escalating. I went back through Maddie’s call and message logs. He started out with just a few in the days after she left, but the longer she went without responding, the more he sent.”

Lawson nodded. “You think he’ll show up here?”

“I honestly don’t know. Maddie says he’s pretty wrapped up in his job, but I can also tell she’s genuinely scared of him.”

Lawson set the phone back on his desk. “He could stay put and bluster, or he could escalate further.”

My gut twisted, but I did my best to fight off the panic. “She still doesn’t want to file an order of protection. She did sign the one against her father, though.”

“I understand her reasoning. Her dad will know where she is when he gets back here. Her ex might guess, but he wouldn’t know for sure. A restraining order would tell him.”

“I hate this. It feels like we’re just waiting around for something horrible to happen.”

Lawson leaned forward, his arms resting on his desk. “I get it, I really do. But you’re sticking close. She’s keeping an eye out. It’s all we can do for now.”

“It’s not enough.”

A knock sounded on the door.

“Come in,” Lawson called.

The door opened, and Holt peeked his head in. As soon as he saw it was just the two of us, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “I was hoping you two would be in.”

I straightened in my seat. “You find something?”

Holt nodded as he took the chair next to me. “I’ve had some of my best tech guys looking into Adam.”

“Have I told you lately that I’m glad you kept half ownership in that company?” Lawson asked.

The corner of Holt’s mouth kicked up. “It does come in handy.”

“What did they find?” I pushed.

Any hint of amusement fled Holt’s face. “On the surface? Nothing. Adam Westchester is an upstanding citizen. Attends church every Sunday. Runs a charity that helps thousands of people every year. Sends his mother flowers once a month just because.”

My fingers curled around the arms of my chair. “But under the surface?”

“There have been three different charges brought against him.”

“What charges?” I demanded.

“Two for stalking and harassment. One for assault. But they wouldn’t pop in any normal searches or background checks.”

Lawson’s brows drew together. “Why not?”

Holt tapped out a rhythm on his knee. “Because the first two were dropped, and the second one was settled out of court. Our boy must have friends in high places because he’s basically had all record of any of it erased.”

This was what happened when you gave an abusive narcissist power and money. I looked at my brother. “But you found it.”

He nodded and then shifted in his seat. “I got into some paperwork for the settlement. This guy is worse than a douchebag. An ex-girlfriend filed the assault charges.” Holt’s eyes locked with mine. “He almost killed her.”