Hurry Up And Wait (Owens Protective Services #24)

27. Isla

27

ISLA

“Pack your shit,” IKE demanded, storming through the house as guys from OPS worked on repairing the front windows.

“Excuse me?”

“I said, pack your shit. You’re coming home with me.”

Yeah, that definitely wasn’t a good idea. Not after what happened the last time I was with him. I could still feel his hands on me as he brushed his fingers over my skin.

“I’ll be fine here.”

His jaw clenched in anger. “Someone just tried to kill you.”

“Tried and failed,” I pointed out. It wasn’t that I had a death wish or anything, but going home with IKE just wasn’t a possibility.

“By sheer luck,” he gritted out.

“I’m not running away.”

“It’s not running away. It’s taking precautions to make sure you don’t end up dead.”

I cocked my head at him, a calm washing over me as I stared at his intense features. “Do you think someone was trying to kill me?”

“Did you not see the bullets flying at you?”

“But none of them hit me. In fact, there were three of us on that porch and not a single bullet hit any of us. ”

“Your point?”

“I don’t think you need me to make it. I think you already know what I’m thinking. And I think you agree with me.”

It was a scare tactic. I’d been going through it in my head, over and over again. It just didn’t make sense. Either the shooter had the worst aim ever or…

I could tell by the look on his face that he agreed with me. This was Shawn trying to scare me into submission. He didn’t have the balls to go through with actually killing me, not after his last attempt had failed so badly. “I think Shawn wanted me to know that he’s still watching, that if he wants to get to me, he will.”

“Or it wasn’t Shawn at all.”

I stilled, wondering what he was talking about. “Who else would it be?”

He stalked over to the fridge and yanked it open, pulling out a bottle of water. I still hesitated sometimes when I approached the fridge. I knew no one could get inside and plant another bomb. There were too many sensors on this house for someone to easily bypass and get inside.

And as far as I knew, the perimeter was being watched also. Which brought me to my second thought. “Why were you out there?”

He turned away from me, guzzling his water. He was buying time, for whatever reason.

“IKE, why were you outside precisely when the shooter drove past?”

He spun, his eyes boring into mine. “What are you accusing me of?”

“Nothing. I’m wondering why you were outside.”

“Because I was ordered to be.”

“By who?”

All he did was raise an eyebrow at me. I sighed heavily, sinking further into my seat. “So, he stuck you on bodyguard duty. And you actually listened. Why?”

“I go where I’m told,” he said noncommittally.

“Bullshit. Why did he want you on me?”

“Obviously, because there’s a threat against you. ”

Shawn. This was all because of Shawn. It didn’t surprise me that his attacks were centered around the divorce papers being delivered to him. What would he do when the divorce actually went through?

“Is there any proof that Shawn left this time?”

“No.”

“So, once again, Shawn gets away with attempted murder,” I muttered.

“He won’t stop,” IKE said, walking over to me. “He’s just going to keep going until you’re dead.”

His words struck something deep inside me. I couldn’t wrap my head around Shawn hating so much that he would attack and attack until I was dead. How could one person hate another so much? Did our years together mean nothing? Yes, I wanted a divorce, but I would never wish him dead.

Well, maybe now I would.

But it didn’t matter. If I ran, I would only be giving in to the fear. Shawn would win if I went home with IKE, and I refused to give Shawn even a second more of my time.

“I’m staying here. This is my home.”

IKE’s head tilted slightly and I thought pride flickered in his eyes, but it was gone too fast to be certain. “And if he comes again?”

If he came again, what was I going to do? My mind whirled with all the possibilities of what might happen. What if he went further next time? I shook my head. I couldn’t think about that. I had to focus on what I could control. No, I wasn’t safe in this house, but I wouldn’t be safe anywhere until Shawn was taken care of.

“I need to eliminate the problem,” I said bluntly.

“Divorce won’t solve this.”

No, he was right about that. But what were the other alternatives?

“Say the word.”

“What?” I asked, not sure what he was talking about.

“You said you need to eliminate the problem. I told you once, I make problems go away. Say the word.”

I swallowed hard at his words. He had ventured around the idea that he did bad things—things that were dishonorable. But this was the first time I heard him actually talking about it. And the way he phrased it, he sounded like he was simply taking out the garbage.

“I’m not a murderer.”

“You wouldn’t be doing anything wrong.”

But I would be complicit. If I woke up tomorrow and found out that Shawn had been murdered, I would know that someone had done it on my behalf. Maybe he deserved it. Maybe I should tell IKE to take care of him, but then I would have that weighing on my conscience for the rest of my life.

“That doesn’t make it right. I don’t know how you can even—” I stopped myself from saying something insulting. Maybe what he did was wrong, but it wasn’t my place to judge him. The stain on his soul was his problem. I wasn’t his savior, and I was more than positive that he wouldn’t appreciate the effort if I tried.

“I’m staying,” I finished.

He gave a curt nod. “I’ll discuss security with Cash. We’ll need someone posted outside.”

“I’ll be here,” Bowie said, walking into the room, his arm wrapped around Riley.

“Are you sure?” IKE asked, his eyes flicking between Riley and Bowie. “What about the garage?”

“Just until we figure something out. This asshole, no offense?—”

I shook my head, completely agreeing with him.

“—needs to be stopped.”

Again, I completely agreed, but how were we going to stop him? IKE looked at me again, like he was waiting for me to say what he wanted to hear, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t knowingly agree to the murder of my husband.