The next day, I’m in the studio working on Jamie’s painting when I hear the back door open behind me. I realize instantly that I must have forgotten to lock it this morning after I carried a bag of trash out to the dumpster in the alley. I make it a point to always keep the back door locked.

I turn to see who’s there, but my response dies in my throat when I see Todd standing just inside the open door.

“You shouldn’t be here, Todd,” I say, trying to maintain a steady voice. My heart starts pounding. I don’t think he’d hurt me, but he scares the hell out of me lately. When I look into his eyes, it’s a stranger staring back at me.

“Who the hell is the guy, Molly?” he says, closing the door. “The blind guy. Who the fuck is he?”

“You need to leave,” I say in a shaky voice. I point toward the back door, desperate for him to leave. Jamie and Beth are due to arrive any minute now, and I need to get Todd out of here before they do. “Just go right back out the way you came.”

He reaches behind himself to turn the lock. “We need to talk.”

“No, we don’t. You need to leave. In case you’ve forgotten, I have a restraining order against you. That means you can’t be here. If I call the police – ”

He gives me a look of disappointment. “Molly, come on. Is that any way to talk to your husband?”

It scares me, how calmly he speaks, as if he’s the rational one and I’m off my rocker. “You are not my husband!” I hiss. “I mean it, Todd. Leave now, or I’m calling the police.”

We both glance at my cell phone, which is lying on a table across the room. He glances at my phone, then back at me, as if he’s calculating how long it would take me to reach my phone and call for help.

He shakes his head. “Don’t be so melodramatic. I just came to talk.”

“We have nothing to talk about.”

“Yes, we do. Like, how much longer are you going to continue punishing me? I told you, it’s over with Mindy. You’ve made your point, and now it’s time to come home.”

Making a split-second decision, I make a move for my phone, fully intending to call 911, but Todd moves too, cutting me off. He spreads his arms, blocking my way, and then proceeds to drive me back until I’m pinned in the corner.

“Stop it, Todd!”

His expression hardens as I hit the wall. I’m trapped, and my heart’s pounding so hard my chest feels like it’s going to explode. I make another attempt to get around him, but he grabs me by the throat and slams me against the wall. The impact is so swift and sudden, I don’t have time to brace myself, and my head rocks back and smacks against the bricks.

His long fingers tighten around my neck, cutting off my air. “Listen to me, and listen good,” he says through gritted teeth. “I’ve had enough of this! You – ” 

The front bell chimes, alerting us to the arrival of company. The knowledge that it’s probably Jamie and Beth makes me ill. I don’t want either of them mixed up in my problems.

Todd watches the open doorway as Beth walks through. Her eyes widen at the sight of Todd clutching my throat, and she stops abruptly. Jamie’s right behind Beth, and with little warning, he walks into her, nearly knocking her over.

Jamie grabs Beth’s shoulders to steady her. “What’s wrong?” he says.

A young man I’ve never seen before pushes past both of them and comes to stand directly in front of Beth. He’s young, probably in his mid-twenties, with short black hair and obsidian eyes, his complexion a beautiful shade of café-au-lait. The instant his gaze lights on Todd’s hand around my throat, he reaches inside his jacket and withdraws a black handgun.

He and Beth are both staring at Todd. All I can do is try to make eye contact with Beth, hoping she’ll get my message. Go back! Get out of here!

“Molly?” Beth says in an even, measured voice. Her gaze darts back and forth between me and Todd. I know she’s trying to play it cool, but I can see the fear in her eyes.

Todd releases my neck and exits through the back door, out into the alley. The dark-haired young man runs after him.

Jamie steps in front of Beth. “Molly? Is everything okay?”

“Yes,” I say, trying to remain calm. “It is now.”

“A man had Molly pinned to the wall, his hand around her throat,” Beth says, her voice a little shaky now. “He ran out the back door, and Miguel went after him.”

“Was it Todd?” Jamie says, facing my direction.

“Yes.” I smile apologetically at Beth. “Todd’s my ex-husband. He… shouldn’t be in here. I have a restraining order against him.”

“Are you all right?” Beth says, as she comes toward me. She reaches out and touches my arm hesitantly. “Did he hurt you?”

I shake my head, gently feeling my neck, and wincing when I come across a tender spot where this thumb had pressed hard enough to likely leave a bruise. “I’m all right. He just scared me.” I glance at Jamie, who looks far from convinced. “I’m fine, really.”

The back door opens and the dark-haired young man walks in. “He’s gone. I lost him.”

Using his cane to navigate around my work tables, Jamie heads my way, his other hand outstretched. I meet him halfway, reaching for his hand. He props his cane against a table and places his hands on my face, his thumbs brushing across my eyebrows, then down my cheeks to my lips. His fingers slip gently down my throat to my shoulders, as if feeling for injuries. “Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?” he asks me.

 “He startled me, that’s all. I was back here painting when he came in through the rear door and caught me off guard. I must have forgotten to lock the door this morning.”

Jamie frowns. “I’m having a security system installed here today. I’ll take care of everything. It won’t cost you a penny.”

I shake my head. “Jamie, I can’t let you do that.”

“Yes, you can,” he says, using a tone of voice I’ve never heard him use before. He takes hold of both my hands. “I’m not leaving you here without any kind of protection. End of story, so stop arguing with me.”

I glance at Beth and roll my eyes. “Is he always this pushy?”

Beth laughs. “If you think this is pushy, you should meet his brother Shane.”

“You’re shaking,” Jamie says to me. “Close up for the day, and come back to the apartment building with us.”

I nod. “I think I’ve had enough excitement for one day.”

While I turn off the lights and lock up, Jamie makes a quick phone call.

“I just spoke to my brother Jake,” he tells me. “He said he can have a team over here this afternoon to install a state-of-the-art security and surveillance system. No more surprise visitors, okay?”

I share a look with Beth and resist rolling my eyes.

She presses her lips together to keep from smiling. “Welcome to my world. The McIntyre men don’t mess around.”

“I know you ladies are laughing at me,” Jamie says. “But I don’t care. Molly, your ex-husband violated a restraining order coming into your shop. You need to make a police report.”

“Is he a threat?” Beth asks.

I nod. “He’s grown more and more erratic over the past year, since our divorce.”

“Why? What does he want?”

“He wants me, but I refuse to go back to him.”