The day flew by with back-to-back meetings. Conor didn’t get a chance to call Emily and had no missed calls. He pulled up outside Emily’s apartment, reminding him of the last time they had been there on the day she moved into his place. He couldn’t believe it had only been two weeks. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

He parked the car and hit the elevator button. Emily and Gertie were like family now. Every evening, he found himself hurrying home instead of spending hours at the office, like he had in the past. Crystal teased him about his domesticated lifestyle. He told everyone it was temporary, that Emily and Gertie would soon leave. It was a day he dreaded.

Despite seeing Emily every day, the impulse to pull her into his arms for a kiss wouldn’t go away. He was learning the meaning of the word restraint. She had trusted him with her story and he wanted to show her he wasn’t a bit like Greg Nielsen. He thought she may have started to trust him. He caught her glancing at him but when he looked at her, she just turned a cute shade of pink and looked away.

At least he had until the last couple of days. What if Gertie was right and her standing him up at lunch was just a mistake. Maybe he should trust her more. He would talk to her when he got back home tonight. Maybe tell her straight out how he felt about her and hoped she returned his feelings.

Dan wasn’t on duty at the door. Conor waved to the doorman but the man was too interested in his paper to reply. Irritated, Conor wanted to remind him that the occupants of the building paid him to do his job. But he stayed quiet. It was none of his business. He had to collect a few items for Emily and then he would be gone.

Emily. The threats, while fewer, had turned nastier and more personal in content. Emily’s stalker appeared irritated by her radio silence. The police office and Conor’s security team suggested it could make the stalker sloppy. He would make a mistake and then they would catch him.

Steven. Conor thrust his chest forward, standing straighter appearing taller in his reflection on the metal doors of the elevator. His security guy would be furious if he heard Conor had come here alone. But he was an adult who could fend for himself. And besides, only those with a key and known to the staff could get into the apartment. Although today’s doorman hadn’t challenged him.

* * *

He put the key in the door, surprised to see the double lock wasn’t on. He pushed the door open and called, “Hello”. His voice appeared to echo off the walls. Laughing at himself, he kicked the door shut behind him. There was no mail lying on the floor. Dan had kept all mail at the desk and one of Steven’s men picked it up on a regular basis. Emily trusted Dan implicitly, but the police had advised that nobody know where she was staying. As much for their safety as for Emily’s.

Conor took his phone out to look at the list of items Emily wanted. It was kind of weird gathering some of her personal things together. She'd insisted she needed her suits if she was going to attend the industry awards at the end of the month. Steven and the police officer were against her going but Emily was stubborn. And fed up. Living in a glass cage, no matter how luxurious, seemed to make her feel cramped. Conor couldn’t blame her. Even Gertie was missing her old home and given the state of the retirement home, that was saying something.

Something caught Conor’s attention. Listening intently, only silence greeted his ears. He must be imagining things. He pushed the door of the kitchen open. Nothing looked out of place. He moved on to the bathroom and picked up Emily’s robe from the back of the door. Her scent wafted toward him. He hoped she might return his feelings. He wasn’t quite sure if being forced together had created the emotional intimacy between them. He’d told her things he’d never told anyone. All they had done was kiss yet their relationship seemed deeper than any he had before.

Conor heard the lock on Emily’s front door open. He shoved the phone in his pocket. Holding his breath, he waited.

Heavy footsteps walked across the hall into the living room. The intruder wasn’t trying to hide, but Conor gathered there would be few people in the apartment floor now. The occupants would be out at work. He waited to see what the intruder would do, wishing he had his gun. He rarely carried but this would have been the right time to take the gun from the safe in his car. Looking around the room, there was nothing obvious he could use as a weapon. He took out his phone to call for backup but let it fall. He reached for it just as the door opened.

A shot went off. The impact sent Conor flying backwards. He hit the bed before tumbling to the floor.