Atticus by R.E. Butler

Chapter Five

Lori leaned against the door. But unlike previous nights, when she’d been scared and hovering at the door checking for danger, this time it was because she was bone-deep tired and desperately wanting to call Atticus back.

Her entire body warmed as she thought of him. Dark hair, dark eyes, sexy, kissable lips. And freaking broad shoulders and muscles on top of muscles. He was easily the sexiest guy she’d ever laid eyes on.

Her thoughts drifted to Keir. She’d thought he was good-looking at one time. But he was a pale shadow compared to amazing, irresistible Atticus.

That thought—how irresistible he was—drew her up short. She pushed away from the door, turned and locked it, and stomped into the bedroom. She flopped on the comfortable bed and groaned, covering her face with her arm. If she’d said no thanks when he’d offered to sit with her, she wouldn’t suddenly be picturing a happily-ever-after with a guy she’d only known hours. Why on earth did she feel so drawn to him so fast, when she was always so careful with her feelings? No guy ever got past her defenses, because letting a guy into her life meant putting him at risk.

And wow did she seethe at the thought of Keir going after Atticus.

Yeah, Atticus was bigger than the guy stalking her, but Keir was determined. She was very sure that he wasn’t going to stop until one of them was dead.

She liked Atticus. She’d liked holding his hand as they walked through the park. In her whole life, she’d never felt so safe. After being scared for so long, it was a strange feeling.

She didn’t want to like him, but she did. She didn’t need a complication in her life like a sexy guy, but she suddenly had one.

The question banging around in her skull was whether she could actually leave town once she was certain Novi was safe now that she had feelings—however early and fledgling they were—for him.

Throwing her arm to the mattress, she sat up with a disgruntled sigh and mentally gave herself a good shake. She’d spent the last twenty years carefully keeping herself away from any romantic entanglements. She would one hundred percentnotcall Atticus, and if she saw him in the park, she’d politely find a way to leave so she didn’t run the risk of getting him involved in her situation. While she didn’t know him well, she was sure that he was the sort of guy who would try to help her. She wasn’t a damsel in distress, she was a woman on the run, and those things were very different. She didn’t need saving, she just needed to go.

She picked up her phone and ignored the contact for Atticus that was now at the top of her list and instead sent a text to Cael.

You’ll take care of Novi, right? Make sure she’s safe.

He replied quickly:Of course. Is something wrong? You know that you both are safe here, right? The park is the safest place on the planet for you.

Lori let out a little mirthless laugh and blinked away the sudden sting of tears.

I’m glad she has you in her life. I just wanted to reassure myself about her safety. And yours. I’d feel terrible if something happened to either of you.

Nothing will, I promise. We’ve got plenty of security in place to see to it that you’re both safe here.

Thanks.

You can talk to me, you know. If there’s something bothering you.

I’m fine.

She blew out a breath and put the phone on the bed and looked around. She’d been in the apartment for three weeks and hadn’t yet unpacked her suitcase. It just didn’t feel right, and she couldn’t put her finger on it. When was the last time she’d felt like she was home?

When Atticus held her hand.

Oh hell no!

This was too much, and she needed to find a way to get gone, sooner rather than later. Maybe Keir had given up—it had been three weeks and it wasn’t like he’d shown up at the park gates and demanded her and Novi make an appearance. It didn’t seem likely, though. He had a reason for coming after them, and after twenty years, it seemed unlikely that he would simply give up.

She lifted her phone and looked at the time. The night yawned ahead of her like a gaping maw. What she wanted to do was reach out to Atticus and spend more time with him. But that was not going to happen.

Instead of texting him, she opened the map app and started to search for a new place to hide. She’d spent a lot of time going with remote, out-of-the-way places and towns with low populations. Now she wondered if doing the opposite was a better choice. If she went to a big metropolis, some huge city somewhere, she might be able to be lost in the crowd and more difficult to find. Maybe she should leave the country.

Her thoughts strayed to Atticus and his sincere brown eyes, but she pushed them angrily away.

It was for his own good, and Novi’s too, if she booked out as soon as possible. Like tonight.

* * *

Lori took her suitcase and lifted it to her side so the rolling wheels wouldn’t make a sound once she was outside. It was four a.m., and even though she hadn’t slept a wink, she was energized. She knew she was running away, but she honestly had no choice. She’d been unable to stop thinking about Atticus. The urge to call or text him had hammered at her subconscious like a tire iron. There was no way to explain the attraction to him, but she knew it would fade in time. He needed to be with someone who didn’t have a crazy stalker intent on killing her and everyone she loved.

So she was going to split. She had the code to the gate to leave the park. She had her own car. She would message Novi once she was safely away from the park. Around one a.m., she’d decided to go southwest and find a place to stay in a touristy area like Nashville. She’d change her name, find a place to work that paid cash, and hopefully draw Keir away from the park and Novi. If he found her, at least it would be just her and not her daughter. Or sweet Atticus.

Raw heat filled her, and she squeezed the doorknob so hard that her knuckles cracked. She could practically smell his cologne.

That’s it...she was going crazy. Which was one more reason why she needed to take off.

Get a grip, woman!

She shook her head to dispel the warring thoughts—Stay or go? Call him or don’t?—and turned the handle.

It was dark out, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out onto the concrete walkway and pulled the door quietly shut behind her.

She closed her eyes as once more her thoughts drifted to leaving Novi without saying goodbye, and also Atticus. But she owed it to her daughter to leave town and take Keir with her. He’d surely follow her, and she’d ensure that Novi could have the good and safe life that Cael promised. That kind of life wasn’t for Lori, she knew that. It was unfair that she’d been paying for a single mistake for two decades, but that didn’t change the facts. Keir was after her and Novi, and Lori wasn’t about to let him get to her only child.

Letting out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, she turned from the door.

“Good morning, Lori.”

Atticus!