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Same story, different night.
Avalon walked straight into the darkness like it was an old friend who would embrace her and keep her safe. A total lie, of course, because the darkness was never safe. The life she’d chosen wasn’t safe.
And someone had to watch over her sweet ass.
It was a job that he’d been doing for years. All without her ever being aware of him.
Sometimes, when he didn’t live close enough—when his work took him to other cities or hers took her away from him—he’d hired people to keep watch on her. Her parents were dead now. Killed in a devastating car wreck when she’d been a senior in college. He’d been at the funeral. Had wanted to go to Avalon as she stood alone and grieved.
But he’d watched. Just watched.
Exactly as he did now.
Her job made her a target. Her past made her a target.
And if people knew just how much of a weakness she was for him? That would make her one hell of a target, too. But he’d learned one thing in this brutal world—you protected what mattered.
So he’d protected her.
He still protected her. You didn’t fuck with what belonged to him.
He followed her through the night. Not too close. Not making any sounds that would alert her. But keeping Avalon within sight. Of course, she darted through alleys. Hurried through snaking small streets that would look quaint during the daytime but spoke of danger in the night. And when a shadow detached from a wall and began to follow her down one of her twisting paths?—
His hand shoved against the chest of the shadow. “That’s a mistake you don’t want to make.”
A knife came at him. Fast and swift. So he twisted and broke the hand that held the knife. It clattered to the ground. Beau kept walking forward. Shaking his head, he pulled out his phone. Sent a quick text. Someone would need to handle the bastard who’d just made a tragic mistake.
And still, Beau followed her. Her steps were quite certain. Very sure. No hesitations from her. When she cut through the trees that waited up ahead and veered to the right, his jaw locked. She should know better. One hell of a lot better.
A growl broke from him, and at the sound, she stilled.
Sonofabitch.
His first mistake. In all of these years…
She whirled around.
But he was part of the shadows now, and she didn’t see him. Actually, she seemed to stare right through him. He drank her in. She was on the edge of the park, and the light from the crescent moon and the glittering stars let him see her shadowy form.
Avalon.
He’d like for her to make a good decision and not go into the damn park. Sure, it was a tourist hotspot during the day, but at night? A whole different ballgame.
She hesitated. Glanced at the park.
Then chose to stay on the sidewalk and skirt around the edge of the park. Sure, this route was longer, but it was one hell of a lot safer. Points for Avalon.
Her pace had picked up. Almost running now, as if Avalon had realized a predator stalked her. Good for her.
Sticking to the shadows, he kept following her.
When Avalon hurried under a streetlamp, there was a sudden shriek. She spun even as a black cat bounded from behind a garbage can. In her hand, Beau was very pleased to see that she gripped a taser.
Nice, sweetheart. But you’ll need a lot more than that to protect yourself from some of the monsters in the night.
She made it home. No more incidents. No more scares. He watched from across the street as Avalon hurried into the historic home that he knew she owned. Two stories. A Victorian. Gray exterior, with white trim. Lots of interesting nooks and crannies. Even a turret on the right. He had a friend who would have loved the house. Of course, that friend would have preferred it painted black, but that was a story for later.
He waited until the front door shut. Until he saw the lights flash on inside. First, downstairs. Then, after a few moments, upstairs. In the turret that he knew was part of her bedroom. For a moment, he saw her shadow behind the white curtains of the windows. She headed toward the curtains as if she’d open them to the night.
