“I think I’m being followed.” No way this was mere coincidence. She was thirty miles outside town. And had he just threatened Jase?
As the girls rapid-fired questions at her, she dialed his number. He answered after the second ring, and she wasted no time. “I saw him,” she said. “That guy. Stan. He’s here and he’s looking for you, said there would be a reckoning. That you would pay for what you did.”
“Are your eyes on him now?” he demanded.
“No. He took off.”
He cursed. “Stay there. Do not go after him. I’m on my way.” He hung up.
The manager came inside the room a few minutes later, taking a stand at the doors—standing guard. Jase must have called Dane, who must have called him.
“What’s going on?” Kenna asked, the color drained from her cheeks.
Brook Lynn wrapped her arms around her middle. “I don’t know.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
JASE CALLED DANE from the road. They arrived at the restaurant within seconds of each other and rushed inside. The manager had known they were coming—Dane must have phoned—and had instructed a member of the staff to wait for them.
Of course, it helped that Dane was one of the richest men in the world.
“This way,” the hostess said, motoring forward. But she didn’t move fast enough.
Jase shot in front of her, scanning the faces in the restaurant—finding no one familiar. “Brook Lynn,” he called.
“Back here.”
He followed the sound of her voice. Relief washed through him as he stepped into the private room and drew her into his arms. Her little body trembled against him. He hated that he’d brought this to her door.
“Kenna. Sweetheart. Are you okay?” Dane cupped the redhead’s face, looked her over.
“I’m fine. Really. Nothing happened. The guy creeped us out, that’s all.”
Another tremor from Brook Lynn.
“Yeah, I’m okay, too,” Jessie Kay muttered.
“What she said.” Daphne hiked her thumb in the girl’s direction.
Jase kissed Brook Lynn’s temple. “I will find this guy. I won’t let him near you again.”
She trembled against him. “I don’t want you to go after him. I don’t want you in trouble.”
He’d once thought he would rather die than go back to prison, but the truth was, he’d rather go back to prison than see Brook Lynn hurt. But he kept the thought to himself, not wanting to worry her further.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get out of here.”
Dane took Kenna with him. Jase took the others.
“Don’t let Hope see me like this,” Daphne slurred from the backseat of his car. “Please.”
“Don’t worry. You can spend the night at my place,” Brook Lynn said.
He made sure to scout the land surrounding the house before allowing the girls to exit. As Brook Lynn tucked the pair into bed, Jase checked the locks on the windows and doors, making sure everything was secure. He even put Sparkles in the foyer as a guard dog. Tomorrow he would be installing a security system.
He drove Brook Lynn to his house and scouted that land, as well. No sign of foul play. But he could feel old habits fighting their way to the surface, the urge to glance behind him every few minutes intense, as was the urge to jump at every noise.
Once inside, Brook Lynn rested her head in the crook of his shoulder, and it felt like his lifeline to sanity.
In the kitchen, Beck and Hope sat at the table, playing a game of Monopoly. Hope punched the air in front of Beck’s face, saying, “Suck it, Uncle Beck. You owe me two bazillion dollars in rent.”
“Hey,” Jase said.
“Daddy! You’re back!” Smiling, the little girl raced over to hug him. “Where’s Momma?”
“She’s having a sleepover with her friend Jessie Kay.”
“No fair.” Hope pouted up at him. “I want to have a sleepover, too.”
He was going to be putty in her hands for the rest of his life, wasn’t he? “How about you have a campout on the couch? Uncle Beck can sleep on the floor.”
“Sweet!” She waved at Brook Lynn, and Brook Lynn waved back.
“Where’s West?” he asked Beck.