Anson didn’t fall back asleep after their talk. He made plans. There was no way that Piper was going to be able to have the life she deserved until he did his job and eliminated all threats to her future.

AJ had sent him an update before they’d boarded. There was one name that kept coming up in his searches. A name that didn’t belong because there was no connection to Piper aside from a previous association. Jerry Loe practically followed Piper from college. AJ had gone down the list of people that both of Piper’s exes had compiled in their time with her. Piper hadn’t brought Jerry up to KSI because she really didn’t think he could be a threat.

Darius and Tristan had thought that he was too friendly. Always commenting on her social media, inserting himself into conversations. After their run-ins, they had told King that he was too much of a wimp to do the things that Piper’s stalker had been doing.

He probably had been told that all his life. That he wasn’t enough of a man for someone like Piper. That just meant he’d have to prove it. AJ tracked down his current address which was not far from Piper’s work. It turned out he worked from home doing contract IT work. He knew computers, which explained how he could find out so much information about Piper’s exes.

It still wasn’t enough to be sure, but they’d informed Detective Klein of their findings anyway. She was happy that something was being done, knowing her hands were tied. She offered her assistance should anything concrete come up.

KSI was going to need the SPD behind them to make sure her stalker ended up behind bars. The bigger problem was that stalkers didn’t always get harsh sentences. A good lawyer could convince a judge that the poor soul needed counseling and is just misunderstood. That was until the stalker walked through a restraining order and seriously hurt someone.

Anson wasn’t going to let that happen. He forwarded all of AJ’s findings to the team. Hudson was doing some covert follow-up trying to see if there was anything else they could use to make sure this was their guy. Anson’s gut was telling him it was. AJ had sent over a picture of the man. It was sitting on his phone in his pocket. He’d burned the image into his mind. He was going to be looking at every stranger he passed checking if it was him. It was a face that his mate had seen, multiple times, and if it was really him, she’d been looking at evil every time.

The plane landed and he felt Piper’s hand on his knee. “Anson?”

“I’m awake.”

They got off the plane and Anson kept her behind him, holding her hand to the small of his back so she had to trail behind him very close. Luca was waiting for them at the exit past security. He was standing with his arms folded making sure everyone created a wide berth around him.

“I didn’t want the car idle, I’ve brought Hudson. He’s circling,” Luca said abruptly.

“Is that necessary?” Piper asked, leaning around Anson’s back.

“It is,” Anson said. “Let’s move.”

“What about our luggage?”

“We’ll get it. Let’s keep moving.”

“Anson, this seems like overkill.”

“Good, then I’m doing my job.”

Anson and Luca circled Piper and kept them moving. They got their luggage and timed their exit to meet Hudson in the car.

Once they were inside, Anson settled Piper into his side. “What do we have?”

“Sure you want to talk about this in front of her?” Hudson asked.

“You mean my mate? Since it directly has to do with her, go ahead.”

“I’m not sure your place is a good idea tonight,” Luca said.

“Why not?”

“This guy, he’s smart. Like too smart to not be able to figure out who you are and your address,” Hudson said from the driver’s seat.

Piper sat up straighter. “Wait, you know who it is? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because we can’t confirm anything. Just that he’s looking like a really good possibility.”

“Who is it?”

There was a pause in the car as Anson gave a look to Hudson in the mirror. “A man named Jerry Loe.”

Piper frowned at Anson then burst out laughing. “Jerry? Little Jerry? There is no way jumpy Jerry is the one that’s been tormenting me!”

“Babe, you’ve known him since college. You went out with him.”

“One date, it wasn’t even really a date. I was just being nice and getting a cup of coffee with him. I told him there wasn’t a spark but we could be friends. He seemed to be fine with that. We run into each other once in a while. It’s friendly.”

“Run into each other?”

“Sure, at the coffee shop. Sometimes the restaurants around work. He works downtown.”

“Technically. He works from home which is close to your work. In fact, all of his past addresses have been in close proximity to your work or your home.”

“He has?”

“You move, he moves. He works in the IT field. He graduated with advanced degrees in computers and criminology. I think he was using it as a lesson plan on how to stalk you.”

“But… but, it’s Jerry,” Piper said still confused.

“I know. It’s often the one we least expect. He’s kept everything in front of you casual. Most likely because he lacks the confidence to tell you how he really feels. When he feels ignored or that he might lose you to someone else, he acts out. He makes sure you are available because then he can keep up his fantasy that you have a relationship. We have no idea to what extent his delusions go. We’ve reported it to Detective Klein. As you know there is little they can do.”

“Until he does something worse.”

Anson didn’t want to agree with her on that. “Where are we heading?”

Hudson and Luca exchanged a glance. “We thought it best if we could control the environment.”

“Which means?”

“Which means Van’s back,” Hudson said cheerfully.

* * *

Piper couldn’t help but turn a circle inside Van and Cora’s apartment. The high ceilings and large windows made the inside feel like a museum. A very cool museum.

“I know it’s not very homey, but well, it’s home,” Cora said smiling. Cora was a perky redhead that seemed thrilled when Anson introduced her to his mate. Her mate, Van, was a big man, obviously a bear, and he looked… disgruntled.

“It’s really amazing,” Piper agreed.

“Oh, wait until you see my closet!”

Piper found herself being dragged across the room while Anson, Hudson, Luca, and Van watched them. Two sets of eyes watched indulgently and two sets of eyes with amusement. Not wanting to be rude, she followed Cora. She knew that Anson was going to be talking about her case, but she trusted that her mate would tell her everything she needed to know. Walking through a large room, she was pulled into a dark alcove.

“Here, step in here and wait. I’ll turn the light on. It really has to be experienced,” Cora said.

“Okay, I’m excited.” Piper had never said that about a closet. Then the light flicked on. A soft glow reflected off the white surfaces and glass doors and Piper’s mouth fell open. This wasn’t a closet, it was a showroom.

“Oh-my-gawd,” Piper gasped.

“I know, right? It’s my favorite place. Look,” she said running over to the corner. “I added pillows so I can hang out in here. I bring my tablet in here and read. I hide snacks in my Spanx drawer, Van’s afraid to go in there.”

“Good thinking.”

“I’m so happy to meet you. Don’t get me wrong, I love Van. His family is great. I just needed someone to talk to about this mate stuff with. We’re newly mated. We’ve been traveling. I’m expecting,” she gushed.

“Congratulations! That was… fast?”

“Oh, yeah, but these men. They just can’t resist knocking up their mates. They say it’s instinct. I just think they aren’t happy just getting their mark and their ring on you. Van would make me wear a t-shirt saying ‘Hands off—I’m mated’ if he could.”

Piper laughed. “Yeah, I can see Anson doing that.”

“Oh, I love that idea!” Cora said, coming around the center island in the closet.

“What? T-shirts? Seriously?”

“Not like that. For us, a club.”

“A club of what?”

“KSI mates. We’re the first. There are bound to be more eventually. We should all support each other. All those nights alone when they’re busy. We can set up a support system. Especially when the cubs arrive.”

Piper had only given it a little thought about what she was going to do if she didn’t see Anson for days, weeks, or possibly months. All of a sudden her normally manageable single life seemed daunting. “I think that’s a great idea. I really don’t know Anson that well. I don’t know how we are going to handle all the details of our life together.”

Cora plopped down on the cushions in the corner and Piper joined her. “I was worried about that too. It was all so fast. The Kindred have it easier, they just know. We… we have doubts.”

Piper laughed. “I still do. I don’t want to keep checking with him, but I can’t seem to help myself.”

“They don’t mind. Anson won’t get annoyed if you ask him every hour if he loves you. He’ll keep telling you until you don’t have to ask anymore. Van’s that way too. Sometimes I just look at him and can’t believe what’s happened in such a short time. He just smiles and says of course. Like he knows what I’m thinking.”

“That’s so annoying,” Piper sighed.

“It is. But they’re them. They’re our mates. How can you get mad at them for anything they do? Don’t get me wrong, you’re gonna get pissed at him. The bossiness, lord, it’s bad. But they’re doing it out of love, so we forgive them.”

“We do?”

“Sure, because the sex is out of this world, don’t tell me it isn’t. And they’re utterly devoted to us. Their flaws are minor and honestly, if it’s something that really drives you nuts, just tell him. He wants you to be happy so there’s a chance he’ll try to change something. As long as it doesn’t go against the bigger picture. There are three laws when it comes to Kindred men. One, protect your mate. Two, love your mate even if it means pissing her off trying to protect her to show your love. Three, keep your mate happy as long as it doesn’t interfere with law one or two. It makes sense to them somehow.”

Piper leaned into the pillows and stared up at the clothes hanging by her head. “I was nervous meeting you,” she admitted. “The guys said they were dumping us on you and I was mortified.”

“They don’t think about calling ahead to make sure we have clean sheets on the beds or the bathrooms are clean. It wouldn’t occur to them.”

“I’m glad we met. It’s nice having someone to talk to that won’t judge. I would never say this to another Kindred.”

“Wouldn’t say what to which Kindred?” Eden strolled into the closet throwing off a leather jacket and tossing it on the center island.

Piper sat up and Cora high-fived Eden once she had collapsed on the floor near them. “Piper is figuring out quickly that getting her mate to see things from a human side isn’t going to be easy.”

“Fuck no, it won’t be easy. Those guys are all testicles. And I mean that. They don’t think with their dicks. Dicks just want to get laid. They make all their decisions based on whether they can get their little swimmers to the finish line and knock up their mate. Then when they do, their balls make them crazy to protect their cubs and their mates. Then, when the kids are born, all they want to do is show off what their sperm has created. It’s all about the nuts,” Eden said shaking her head.

Piper couldn’t help but let her mouth drop open. Her brief introduction at the office to Eden didn’t give any hint to her real personality.

“Preach, sister!” Cora said laughing.

“How is your spawn?” Eden asked.

“Don’t call my angel a spawn. He’s my cubby wubby,” Cora said rubbing her belly that really didn’t have any discernible shape.

“You know it’s a boy?”

“No, just a feeling,” she said with a shrug.

“I heard Van talking about wanting a girl so he can buy her a pink motorcycle. You know those plastic ones?”

“What the hell? He is not buying pink crap, first of all. My kids are not going to get covered in fluff, especially my girls. And a motorcycle? Something she wouldn’t even be able to use for years? Where is his head?”

“In the clouds,” Eden declared.

“See, Piper, this is one of those situations I could explain all the reasons he shouldn’t do something and he’s going to do it anyway. No matter how asinine it is. Because he’s doing it out of love and wants to spoil his kid.”

Piper couldn’t imagine the big man named Van in the other room talking about pink motorcycles, it really didn’t seem possible. Nor could she imagine Anson talking like that.

“This is a really nice closet,” Piper said. It felt safe and protected from the outside world. “It’s cozy. Only one way in and out. It feels like a bunker or a safe room.”

Both women looked around. Cora smile then her smile grew bigger. “I have an amazing idea.”

“Oh, shit,” Eden moaned.

“Stop it. Seriously, let’s do a slumber party!” Cora said excitedly.

Piper didn’t want to dash the nice lady’s idea right off. “Um, sorry?”

“We can have the guys bring the mattress in from the spare room and put it in here. I think we have an inflatable one too. We can make popcorn and talk about the guys. Eden can give us dirty details to use against them!”

“What? I did not agree to that,” Eden said, looking wary.

“I don’t know if Anson would like that. Where would he sleep?”

“They can sleep in the pit. Van does it all the time. He says it’s his nest. It is very cozy. I’d suggest we sleep out there, but then they’d listen in. Anson won’t mind, you’re safe in here. Besides we won’t give them any way to say no. We can declare this our girls’ club and no boys allowed!”

“More like no dicks allowed,” Eden suggested.

“Hmm, NDA, no that sounds like a medical organization. Too weird. We will need another name if we’re going to have t-shirts.”

“Can’t we do something nicer than t-shirts?”

Piper looked between Cora and Eden to gauge if they were really debating t-shirts for a nonexistent girl club that only had three members.

“Oh, custom PJs! I love that, the zip-up kind that will fit over my belly. Oh and that has hoods, those are toasty,” Cora said with a deciding tone.

“Okay, but I’ve got a reputation to protect. I can’t let the guys see me in a onesie,” Eden said annoyed.

Piper didn’t really think she was annoyed. She had a gleam in her eye that said she was enjoying playing along with Cora.

“I’m going to go tell Van to get moving on the mattress. Let’s order pizza too, I’m hungry,” Cora said jumping up and leaving Eden and Piper alone.

“So, now that Perky is gone, how are you doing?” Eden asked.

Piper gave her a look and didn’t hide how tired she was. “I want this over.”

“I don’t know how much Anson has told you, but this guy, if it’s really him, he’s not going to last much longer. He knows our guys are looking for him. It will be getting around that KSI is on the hunt. We have enough eyes and ears around now that we have a target that he’s already caught in the web, he just doesn’t know it yet.”

“I don’t know how to live without looking over my shoulder,” Piper admitted.

Eden gave a shrug. “That’s going to take time. I look over my shoulder because I’m a pessimist and I’ve always done okay.”

“You’re a trained professional,” Piper reminded her.

“Hah, glad you think so. I swear my brain is turning to mush on my assignment. Talk about wanting it over.”

Piper laughed and then a thought flashed into her mind and a smile crept across her face. “Let’s forget my problems for a bit and talk about Bliss Hartley!” Eden’s groan only made Piper laugh harder…