Crazy Love by MINK

3

Slade

She should be home by now. I usually follow her from her job, but tonight I was busy making sure everything is in place.

Kidnapping someone isn’t as easy as it sounds. Not when the person you’re taking is the only woman in the world you’d die to protect. I don’t want to scare her, to make her run. Besides, I’ll only chase her, and when a man as big as I am is running after you, it’s bound to be frightening.

So I’ve been here in the neighborhood. I pulled her empty trash and recycling bins back from the curb, mowed her lawn one last time, and made everything look normal. Same at my place.

Walter greets me with his usual purr when I unlock the kitchen door and walk into Bunny’s place.

“You act like no one ever loves you.” I kneel down to pet him. “I know that’s not true. Bunny loves on you day and night.” So much so that I find myself getting jealous of Walter, even though he’s just a cat. Still, he gets to snuggle up to Bunny when she’s in bed or sitting on her couch reading. I see every bit of it through the cameras I’ve placed in all the light fixtures. I know it sounds creepy … and I really don’t have an explanation that would make it sound better. But that doesn’t matter. Bunny is the only woman I’ve ever wanted, and she’ll forgive me for being a little overzealous in my pursuit.

“When are we leaving?” He rolls over so I can scratch his belly.

“Everything’s ready. I just need to put you in your carrier.” I unzip the door to the soft case. There are already treats inside as well as his favorite toy, a plush fish that wiggles when he bites it.

He sniffs. “Are those the turkey treats instead of the chicken? You know I don’t like the—”

“It’s the chicken.” I can’t with this furry menace. “I know you don’t like the turkey. You’ve only told me fifty times. Just get in.”

He gives me a sideways glance that’s full of sass, then prances forward. “Just like we practiced. Good.” I scoot him in and zip up the door. I frown. “Have you gained weight since we last did this drill? You’re even wider. I need a bigger crate.”

“How dare you even suggest such a thing!”

“Never mind. I must’ve miscalculated.”

He ignores me and munches on his treats. I stand and survey the house one more time. Everything’s packed, both of our houses ready to be locked up tight. The nosiest neighbors already have notes in their mailboxes about Bunny going on a girls’ trip with some friends from her hometown. No one pays any attention to my comings and goings. They think I have a job that keeps me out of town quite a bit.

I check my watch for the third time since I walked into her house. “Where is she?”

Walter peers up at me through the ventilation areas in his cushy carrier. “I don’t know. You’re the stalker. Isn’t it your job to know?”

“She’s late.” I turn and walk out, then lock the back door as I carry Walter to my SUV and load him into the backseat. “Change of plans.”

He meows once, then turns around and settles into a fluffy cinnamon bun.

“See? This is why I’m the one who should get all her attention instead of you. She could be in danger, Walter. And what do you do? Do you go dashing off to save her? No. You just take a nap and—”

His kitty snores make it to my ears right as I start up the car.

I shake my head. There’s no point trying to talk sense to Walter anyway. He’s by far the most arrogant cat I’ve ever met. Got a mouth on him, too. Good thing he’s a fluffy ball of cuteness.

I pull away from our perfect houses, leaving them in the rearview. We won’t be back for a long while, if at all. My life isn’t here. It’s wherever Bunny is. Speaking of—I pull my phone from my pocket and click on her tracker.

“A steakhouse?” I shake my head at my phone, then press harder on the gas. “That’s not like her.” A creeping sensation rushes up my spine. I don’t like this. Not at all. And I have a sneaking suspicion this has something to do with her sleazebag boss. I’ve been through all his dirty laundry—it’s enough to keep a dry cleaner in business for a generation.

“See? I should’ve taken him out before. Remember, Walter? Remember when I fucking told you that guy would make a pass at her, and you said she was fine and it was just a temporary job anyway? Remember that?” I look at his crate in the rearview, but he doesn’t move. Asshole.

He was wrong about her boss, and that’s thrown this whole thing off.

But it doesn’t matter. Bunny is still going to be mine, and everything will go perfectly to plan for the rest of the night.

I pull into a parking spot at the rear of the restaurant and leave the car running. “I won’t be long.”

“If they have any sort of salmon on the menu, I’d appreciate a serving. Leave any sauces on the side, though. My stomach is quite delicate, you know.”

I slam the door before even responding to his silly request. Hurrying past the parked cars, I stride into the restaurant and see her right away.

She’s at a table to my right, and she’s singing. Her words are slurred, and that piece of shit boss of hers has his arms around her shoulders.

That’s it.

I grab a menu from the server station and walk right up to the table.

Cal Foley looks up at me. “Where’s the waitress?”

“My apologies, but she had to take a short break. I’ll be taking care of you for the rest of the evening.”

“I think we’re done here.” He grins up at me as Bunny’s head lolls back, her unfocused eyes sending worry cascading through my gut. “I’m going to take this little thing home and wear her out. But first, I need to take a piss.” His bragging tone and the way he’s touching my girl sends me into a fucking dizzying bout of rage. He pulls out a credit card and hands it to me as he stands.

“Thank you.” I watch as he props Bunny up against the corner of the booth. “I’ll get this taken care of.”

“You. It’s you,” Bunny says and stares at me, but he ignores her. She’s drugged. He spiked her drink. I know my Bunny, and she’d never drink enough to get like this, not with a man like Cal Foley. She knows better.

“Thanks, man.” He strides to the back, past the bar and into the hallway where the bathrooms are.

“I’m coming back. Sit tight.” I lean over and kiss her forehead. “He’ll never touch you again. I promise.”

Her eyes close, and she’s off to dreamland.

I toss the menu onto the table and stride to the bathroom, rolling my sleeves up as I go. I’m going to enjoy this. Immensely.

I just wish Walter was here to see it.