Forever Mine

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

DAKOTA

How could three simple typed sentences feel so ominous? It was nothing. A rose and a few words. That was it. Yet, it was way more than that.

I couldn’t stop staring at it. I knew we should go into my apartment. That we couldn’t just stand paralyzed in the hallway forever, but that didn’t make it easier to move.

“Jay?” Fuck, I hated how weak my voice sounded.

When he didn’t answer, I forced myself to look away from the paper and at him. Jay was staring straight ahead, unseeing. His whole body was shaking with rage, his hands fisted so tight that the knuckles were turning white.

“Jay,” I said again. I couldn’t think of what else to say or do, but for once, I couldn’t be the strong one here.

Somehow, it snapped him out of whatever trance he was in. His head whipped toward me. I don’t know what he saw on my face, but his expression completely transformed from unadulterated anger to concern and something softer.

“Fuck. Sorry, sweetheart.” He stalked toward me and pulled the paper from my hands. He cupped my cheeks, forcing me to look up at him. “I’m gonna check out your apartment. Can you wait right here for me?”

I nodded before I even realized what I was agreeing to. Jay took the key out of my pocket and unlocked the door. “I’ll be right back, sweetheart. Don’t go nowhere.”

“Okay.” It wasn’t until he went inside that I realized he was checking to make sure no one was in there or had fucked with my apartment.

My heart was racing. Did he really think that was possible? Sure, this was creepy, but…

“It’s all clear. It doesn’t seem like they went inside.” I blinked. What the fuck was happening? Just minutes ago, all I could think about was getting Jay naked.

Jay took my hand. “Let’s get you inside.” He picked up the note and rose, then wrapped his arms around me, ushering me into the apartment.

I was in a bit of a daze. I watched Jay lock my front door and then he guided me to the couch. I didn’t know I was shaking until he threw a blanket around me. He started pacing the floor in front of me.

“Jay, can you sit with me, please?” That immediately did the trick and Jay stopped, coming to sit next to me. He hauled me onto his lap and buried his face in my neck. I melted into his hold.

“Sorry, darlin’. I’m here. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

He didn’t mean physically. He was letting me know he had enough of a hold on himself to stay present with me when I really needed him.

I didn’t answer, just snuggled closer, enjoying his arms around me.

Jay planted light kisses on my neck, face, and shoulders, and just held me, neither of us speaking. But we obviously had to talk about it.

“I’m not cheating on you.” I didn’t think Jay thought that, but the thought had been racing through my brain this whole time. He was so fucking angry when he read the note, I wanted to make it clear. “I would never do that.”

One second my back was to his front and the next, he had me on my back on the couch and he was on top of me, his face just inches away from me. “What the fuck, Kota? Did you really think I thought that?”

I shrugged. My heart was racing, but not from fear. The way he manhandled me…well, let’s just say if the situation were different, I’d be ripping his clothes off.

“I mean, you seemed really pissed. I figured that wasn’t where your head went, but I had to be sure.”

Jay’s hand closed around my throat, but there was no pressure there, it felt more like a gesture of possession than anything else. “Yeah, I was fuckin’ pissed. But not at you. I was pissed, still am fuckin’ furious, at whatever asshole thought he could mess around with you and scare you like that.”

He kind of collapsed on top of me, and I wrapped my arm that wasn’t trapped between my body and the couch around him. “Maybe it was a joke?” I didn’t believe my words any more than Jay did, but what else could it possibly be? Anything else was too terrifying to really consider.

Jay nipped at my bottom lip. “That was a sick fuckin’ joke if it was. Who even knows where you live that would do that?”

I had no idea. Very few people knew where I lived. I’d never even told anyone I worked with.

“I think we should talk to Wes and Luca.” Jay looked so serious, and the rage was still close to the surface.

I frowned at him. “You really think it’s that serious? Besides I thought Luca was going to be gone for a while.”

As the conversation in the car proved, none of us really knew what Luca and his team did, but they somehow managed to make a body in the middle of Beck and Riley’s apartment disappear like it was nothing. A creepy note seemed so far below their paygrade.

“Yeah, but maybe Wes can do something. He has connections, plus Luca said the techie, Diego, was around. There’s cameras in the main lobby, right? Besides, someone must have Ring doorbell or somethin’. Maybe they can see whoever did this. But I’m not fuckin’ around when it comes to your safety. Even if it’s a prank, someone showed up to your apartment, Kota. They know your name. They know you got a boyfriend.” Then just a hint of humor glinted in his eyes. “Though they don’t know you hate flowers.”

I laughed and pushed at Jay’s chest so he would move. My arm was starting to fall asleep. He got the hint and sat back, and I crawled into his lap. “True. They’re just pointless. If they’re trying to butter me up, better send chocolate next time.”

“They better never fuckin’ show up again,” Jay growled. I kissed his chest and ran my hand against his arm until he calmed some.

“Will you feel better if we talk to Wes?” I asked.

“Yes.”

I sighed. “Okay. It feels like overkill, but if it makes you feel better, then we can do it.”

“Thanks. I’m sure I’m being paranoid. But I don’t like people fuckin’ with what’s mine. And after all the shit with Beck last year…I won’t take the chance.”

I didn’t even make the connection. It hadn’t been that long since Beck and Riley came back to Jay’s car to an envelope full of pictures. The situation was totally different, but it was understandable that he made that connection.

“Alright, let’s talk to him.” Jay cupped my face so I was looking at him.

“Promise me you’ll take this seriously, Dakota. Even if you think it’s an overreaction, I need you to be careful. Someone showed up at your fuckin’ home.”

Jay was rattled. So was I. Though he was right that I might have brushed it off if it wasn’t for him. Not that it didn’t freak me out, but at the end of the day, it was still harmless. Jay wouldn’t let me do that, which honestly, was a good thing. I didn’t want to end up on one of those Netflix documentaries with my mom crying in an all-white room while they discussed my murder.

“Okay. I promise. I’ll be careful.”

Jay let out a heavy breath. “Thank you.” He shifted without letting me go, and fished out his phone.

“I’m just shooting Wes a quick text. Maybe he’s still at Luca’s and can catch him before they leave.”

“Don’t let them get distracted by this.”

Jay scowled, clearly not agreeing with my opinion.

I closed my eyes and rested against Jay’s chest, content to let him handle this. Fuck, maybe, kind of having a stalker was exhausting.

He seemed to understand. “Just rest. Let me take care of you for once.”

I smiled softly and started to drift off.