Chapter 14
Lynn smiled up at Aiden as they rounded the curve of his Harley. It was modest, black, and beautiful. It suited him. It wasn’t fancy by any means, but it was still a gorgeous a piece of machinery.
“Don’t you think it’s weird that I spend my days writing about big men who ride Harley’s, and then you show up in my life?,” She asked as she gripped the lapels of his leather jacket. He smiled down at her as he leaned in for a kiss.
“Yeah, that is pretty wild, but it makes sense to me.”
Before they could kiss again his phone started ringing in his pocket for the third time in an hour.
“Unknown again, let me answer it this time.”
She nodded, stepping back so he could have some space.
“Hello?”
Silence followed a confused expression that landed on Aiden’s face.
“Hello?,” He said again.
Nothing.
He sighed and hung up, glancing at her as he slid his phone onto his pocket.
“That’s fucking weird, Lynn. I’ve been getting these calls for the better part of a week now,” He admitted.
She frowned.
“Why didn’t you say something? Do you have someone that would want to prank you?”
He shook his head as he handed her his helmet.
“No. I’m a grown ass man, why would anyone want to prank me? I didn’t think much of it before now, honestly.”
Lynn shook her head as she clambered onto his bike and seated herself.
He hopped on in front of her, glancing back at her momentarily before he started the bike.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” He said softly.
Somehow, for some reason, she didn’t think that was the case. Unease grew in her belly, and although she couldn’t explain why, her anxiety skyrocketed the closer they got to her apartment.
It was getting chillier by the day, so this was one of the last times they’d get to ride his bike, and she so much wanted to enjoy it with him…but she couldn’t relax.
She felt like something was coming, or already here, but she was the last one to know. She felt like she should know why she felt so uneasy, but she couldn’t put her finger on why she did.
The wheels of his bike ate the asphalt quickly, and soon they were turning into the parking lot of her apartment complex.
Nothing seemed out of ordinary as they opened the door to her building and climbed the stairs to her front door.
“Are you okay?,” He asked as she unlocked the door. It swung open before she could reply, and she gasped.
“Someone’s been here!,” She cried out.
Aiden’s gaze swept towards her living room, where more than one item was moved or overturned or broken. It wasn’t a big mess, but it was obvious someone had been there.
“Stay here,” He said as he stepped inside.
Lynn caught his sleeve and shook her head, but he just put a finger to his mouth and shook his head. It felt like a million years before she heard his footsteps on the carpet heading back in her direction.
“There’s more vandalism, but it’s empty. No one’s here,” He said.
“Why would someone break in and not take anything?”
She stepped into her apartment and began to mentally check off everything that someone would take.
Nothing is missing…
She pulled out of her phone to call the police as Aiden peeked out the windows.
“I don’t see any suspicious cars,” He said as she spoke to an officer on the phone.
She was nodding as she hung up, her hands running through her hair.
“This is really fucking strange, Aiden. You’re getting weird calls, and now someone broke into my apartment?,” She asked as she kneeled down to pick up the picture of them lying face down on the floor with a definite shoe-print on the back of it.
“I agree.”
“There’s a common denominator here, and it’s you. Do you have any enemies that would want to hurt either one of us?,” She asked.
He frowned.
“This isn’t one of your books, Lynn. My life isn’t that interesting,” He snapped.
“Don’t talk to me like that! I’m not blaming you, I’m just trying to figure this out.”
He swore and nodded before he pulled her into his arms and smoothed the hair out of her face.
“You’re right, I’m sorry. I know you’re not blaming me, I’m just as confused as you.”
She huffed out a breath.
“They’re sending an officer over now, maybe they’ll be able to figure this out.”
Aiden sighed along with her.
“You sure your apartment isn’t haunted?,” He asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
She didn’t want to laugh but she did, and he smiled lovingly at her.
“We’re gonna figure this out, okay? I don’t want anything to happen to you. But, worrying about it right this second isn’t going to help either one of us figure out what the hell is going on here,” He reasoned.
Lynn knew that he was right.
Maybe it was Jake, looking for valuables? She had no idea why he would show up now, months after the fact, but maybe it was him. The door had been locked, though.
“Aiden, the door was locked. Either they have a key or they’re a damn good lock pick,” She said.
He glanced at the door.
“You’re right. If they got in once, they can get in again. I don’t want you staying here until we figure this out,” He told her.
Her gaze shot to his.
“What?,” He asked.
“You want me to stay with you?”
His hands landed on his hips.
“Why not?”
She shrugged, unsure of how to proceed.
“It’s just- that’s a big step.”
He rolled those perfect eyes of his heavenward and nodded.
“I told you I love you.”
“I know.”
“We spend every waking second together that we can.”
“Okay?”
He yanked on the hem of her shirt and pulled her towards him.
“So, move in with me. I know it hasn’t been long, but maybe this was the push we needed to make it official. We never sleep apart. We’re together all the time anyways. I love spending time with you, Lynn. Move in with me.”
Her mouth fell open as she tried to process what he was saying.
Move in with him?
“You realize that’s crazy, right?”
His smile only widened.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Lynn wanted to argue, but she had no reason to. He made perfect sense and then some.
“Okay, I’ll move in with you.”
He kissed her deeply then, his soft lips caressing hers as his hands gripped her waist.
“I’ll never hurt you.”
For a second their scary situation was pushed to the side while they held onto one another. Their connection was magnetic, almost impossible to fight. No matter how long they spent together, they just gravitated towards one another.
It was uncontrollable.
“But…there’s obviously someone out there who doesn’t like us together,” She said softly as she lifted their photo to the light.
Her face was scratched out.
Aiden swore and lifted the picture from her grasp.
“This is damn near insane,” He said.
“I agree with you.”
Lynn’s apartment suddenly lit up with the reflection from the lights on a patrol car pulling up next to Aiden’s bike.
“Cops are here, let’s see what they have to say about this. Either way, you’re coming home with me.”
Home…He’s my home.