Finally Home (Home Series) (2 page)

Lainey sighed.  She’d never been able to say no when anyone asked her for something.

“All right, I’ll go, but please, no match-making, OK?”

Kacee shot her a look of pure innocence.  “Now, would I do that?  Don’t answer that.  Come on, shut your stuff down.  You can give me a ride.  Connor is meeting us there so I can go home with him.”

“Fine,” Lainey said, shutting her workstation down.  “Let’s go.”

True to her word, Kacee hadn’t arranged for some poor lonely guy to be waiting for Lainey when they arrived at the bar for drinks and dancing.  The first half of the evening she spent laughing with her friends and watching Kacee reunite with Connor.  She was happy for her friend but couldn’t help the wave of jealousy that washed over her whenever Connor stole quick, passionate kisses from Kacee. 

She was just about ready to call it a night when she saw Kacee’s eyes light with recognition a minute before her older brother, Kevin, approached their small table.  Lainey sent Kacee a narrowed glare but Kacee’s eyes widened and she lifted her hand, indicating she had no clue her brother would be coming.  Lainey had dated Kevin for a short time a couple of years ago. 

“Hey, beautiful,” Kevin greeted Lainey, kissing her cheek.  “How about a dance?”

“Kevin,” Lainey protested, even as he took her hand and was helping her to her feet.

“Come on, one dance, for old times' sake,” he said, his green eyes twinkling.

“Fine.  One dance,” she conceded.

When he pulled her into his arms for the slow dance that had begun and kissed her fingertips, Lainey knew something was up.

“OK, what is this really about, Mr. Adtkisson?”

“I missed you, that’s all,” he replied with a wink.

“Kevin.”

He laughed.  “Always could read me, couldn’t you?”

“Like a book.”

“Fine.  Mom is trying to get me to escort Hannah Stevens to the Founder’s Day Preview Dinner.”

“So, why don’t you? You’re always griping that you never go out with anyone new.”

He gave her a pointed look.  “Lainey.  It’s Hannah Stevens,” he said, as if that explained everything.

“Hannah is a very lovely young woman,” Lainey said, a smile tickling her lips.

“Oh, yeah, she’s really lovely...and has balled everyone in my parents’ country club.  I don’t want to be next on her list.  Come on.  Save me.  Please?”

She shook her head.  “You’re hopeless.”

“Is that a yes?”

“I suppose.”

He lifted her off her feet and twirled her around, causing her to laugh and squeal.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

As they laughed together, neither was aware of a man in the shadows, glaring at them.  He watched her laugh up into the Rich Guy’s face as they danced.  He loved the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed, like two perfect emeralds.  It wasn’t fair that it was the rich guy who was on the receiving end of those beautiful eyes.  Her hair, so blonde, so pretty...he wanted to sink his fingers in it, feel each and every curl.  He knew that curls such as hers were no longer in style, that most women wore their hair long and straight, but to him, it made her short curls all that more appealing...she was unlike any other woman in the room.

Rich Guy had pulled her closer and his lips were hovering close to her ear.  Whispering sweet nothings, perhaps?  What right did he have to hold her close, just because he had a lot of money? And he k
new the guy was rich.  He’d seen him in here before.  Knew he drove a Porsche.  He angrily crushed his cigarette and finished his beer, all while glaring at the couple dancing in the center of the dance floor.  It should be him with her.  He was just as good looking as the Rich Guy, wasn’t he?  Hadn’t she said she was blessed to have met someone like him?  Hadn’t she smiled at him and kissed his cheek?  It should be him receiving her attention.

Lainey Riley was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen...and the nicest he’d ever met.    She was probably one of the most genuinely caring and sincere people he’d ever come across.  He could tell she actually cared about him.  That rich bastard didn’t have any business with her, not when...

“You all right, buddy?” the bartender asked, distracting him.

“Yeah, fine,” he snapped.  He settled his bill and left, giving the couple on the dance floor one final glare.

It was well past two in the morning when Lainey finally made it home.  Despite her efforts to leave early, she was glad she stayed.  She and Kevin played at dating when she was in college but decided they were better friends than romantic interests.  Still, she enjoyed his company and had been a bit tempted when his good night kiss sparked a small flame between them.  Thankfully, common sense prevailed and kept them from anything they’d both regret in the morning. 

She was just about to climb into bed when her phone rang.  Confident that it was Kevin, she didn’t even bother glancing at the caller I.D.

“I thought we agreed to call it a night, you goof.”

“He doesn’t deserve you,” said a gruff male voice she didn’t recognize.

“Excuse me?”

“The Rich Guy.  He doesn’t deserve you.”

Lainey felt a chill run down her spine.  “Who is this?”

“After he left you, he went straight over to another woman’s place.  He’s doing her right -”

She immediately dropped the receiver.  For a moment, she stared wide-eyed at the phone.  What was that?  Who was...she jumped when the phone rang again.  Curious, she glanced at the caller I.D.  It read Unavailable.

Unable to resist, she lifted the receiver to her ear.

“He doesn’t deserve you,” the voice repeated.

“He’s just a friend.”

“You kiss all your friends the way you kissed him in the parking lot by your car?”

Alarm spread through her.  “Who are you?  Why are you spying on me?”

“Don’t you remember me, Miss Lainey?  You sent me a letter.  You told me I had a nice smile.”

Her mind was racing.  Someone she knew?  She met so many people through her work.  Someone she’d sent a letter to?  Her mind simply couldn’t focus on anyone.

“I’m sorry...we’ve met?”

“I love you,” he said simply.

“Who are you?” Lainey demanded.

“An admirer.  Stay away from the Rich Guy.  He doesn’t deserve you.”

“Why are you...?”

“I’ll kill him if he touches you again.”

The line went dead.  Terror seized Lainey.  She immediately dialed Kevin’s number.  It rang then went to voicemail.  Hands shaking, she tried again and again and again until he finally picked up.

“Jeez, Lainey, I just -”

“Kevin! Thank God! Call the police!! Tell whoever you’re with to call the police and whatever you do, do not go outside until the police get there.”

“What the hell are you-
”?

“LISTEN TO ME!!” she cried.  “There’s someone out there, watching you!” She told him about the phone calls.

“Son of a bitch!” Kevin swore.  “Yvette, call the police.  Lainey, I’m coming...”

“NO!! Kevin, do not leave! Whatever you do, don’t even go near a
window until the police arrive,” she repeated.

“You don’t need to be alone,” he protested.

“I'm calling my dad as soon as we hang up,” she said.  Her father was the Springfield Police Chief.

“OK, but call me back as soon as you talk to him.”

“I will,” she promised, then hung up and called her father.

Within minutes, her house was filled with police, and her parents.  Lainey called Kevin back to check on him, and where he was
, it was the same.

“Pack your things,” her father told her, “you’re coming to stay with us.”

“That isn’t -,” she began but he cut her off.

“I’m not asking.  I’m telling you.  You are not staying here.”

“He didn’t threaten me, he threatened Kevin.  He’s the one -”

“Kevin’s an Adtkisson,” he said, referring to the town’s founding family, “he’ll have top notch security around him at all times.  You, on the other hand, won’t.  I can assign cops to you but face it, we’re a small town, we can only handle so much.”

Realizing defeat, Lainey nodded and leaned into her mother’s embrace for support. 

Paperwork was the bane of Mike's existence.  He hated it.  Not that he couldn't do it.  He just didn't like sitting still that long.  The wife of his former team member, Melissa Zigler, handled a lot of the company's paperwork, as did his former tac specialist, Tessa McCanton, but neither of them lived here in Springfield.  As Orion Securities grew, it was becoming painfully obvious that he needed to hire someone to be there in the offices to handle things.  He wanted to bring Melissa there.  She was the perfect fit for the job and for him and his team.  The only problem with that was, she wasn't ready to leave the home she'd shared with her husband; and that Mike could perfectly understand.  It had been two years since Zig's death.  He knew that as close as Zig and Melissa were, she may not ever be okay with leaving the last home she'd shared with him.  Which meant, as much as he hated to, he might have to seriously consider hiring someone to handle the office full-time.

He'd just finished off the last of the invoices when his cell phone rang.  Glancing over, he saw that it was Riley.  Curious as to why he would be calling while he was on his honeymoon, Mike picked up the phone.

"Riley?  Is everything all right?"

"Lainey just called.  I need your help."

Mike sat up a little straighter in his seat.  "What's happened?"

"She didn't go into full detail, but from what I can understand, she's picked up a stalker."  Riley relayed all that Lainey had told him in their conversation, which wasn't a lot but was enough to have her entire family running scared.  "She's staying at her parents place right now, but she can't stay there forever.  Lainey likes her independence and she isn't going to handle not being able to go home very well.  Can you get Colt on designing and installing a security system to her house?"

"Absolutely."

"For her offices as well.  She and Kacee Adtkisson have offices
downtown in a building Kacee's father owns.  It's a nice building and it has a security system but I would feel better if it was one Colt designed, and God, please don't
ever
tell him I said that," Riley said, knowing that he'd never hear the end of it from the big man if he knew that Riley actually thought his stuff was good.

"Your name won't come up," Mike promised, humor in his tone.

"Thanks.  I'd really like it if you could do a sweep of her house, too.  Make sure there aren't any more bugs or cameras...and just, keep her safe, man."

"I'll take care of her, I promise."

"Thanks, man.  Jenna and I will be home as soon as we can."

"Don't cut your trip short.  I'll get Colt on the security system and we'll take care of her.  Everything will be fine.  Just enjoy the rest of your honeymoon and we'll see you when you get home."

"Yeah.  OK, thanks, Mike.  I appreciate it."

"No problem.  Send me a text with her address
."

When he ended the call, he placed his phone down on the desk and took a deep breath.  Lainey Riley.  Her face had haunted him for nearly ten years.  In the last few weeks, he ran into her a few times at Riley's
girlfriend's house and again at their wedding.  She was even more beautiful now than she'd been as a teenager. 

His phone rang again, this time he saw that it was his uncle, Brad Chandler, his mother's brother. 

"Uncle Brad," he greeted him, "what can I do for you?"

"I need your help," he said, echoing Riley's words from earlier.

"Anything.  What do you need?"

"The daughter of one of my long-time associates is in need of your services.  She's picked up a stalker and..."

"Her name wouldn't happen to be Lainey Riley, would it?" he asked, shaking his head at the coincidence.

"Yes.  How did you know?"

"My friend is Riley Stanton, remember?  Lainey is his cousin.  I just got off the phone with him."

"So, you'll be looking out for her?"

"Yes...Riley wants me to install a security system to her home and upgrade the one at her offices.  You can help me, there.  I understand Jack Adtkisson owns the building."

"Yes.  I'll talk to him and clear the way for you to do whatever you need.  Take care of her, Mike.  I've known her since the day she was born, she's really special to me as well."

"Yes, sir.  I will do my best."

When he hung up, he saw that Riley had sent her home address to him.  Closing his computer down, he got up to head to her house.
  He called her father, Gavin Riley, who was the Springfield police chief to meet her at the house and let him do an electronics sweep. 

The neighborhood she lived in was an exclusive, gated community.  He was pleased with that, but her house was at the end of a cul-de-sac that backed up to a heavily wooded area, and that part did not please him.  As he waited for Gavin to arrive, his eyes scanned the woods behind her house.  Easy for someone to hide in there and not be spotted by neighbors.