“I’ve repeatedly told them it’s the wrong address. I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.”
I took the box from her hands and placed it on the counter so I could wrap my arms around her. “We can worry about it tomorrow. How was your day?”
“Pretty boring actually. The bookstore isn’t very busy. I’m surprised they even need me.”
“You don’t like working there?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it. There’s just not much to do. I’d prefer to be a little busier.”
“Have you asked if they have more work for you?”
“No, but I guess I could. Enough about me. How was your day?”
“It was fine until Shane started bitching about not getting enough time in the ring. He kept on and on about it until Bronze finally sent him home. We’re having a meeting about him tomorrow, but I think it’s just a formality. I’m pretty sure Bronze is done with him.”
“I’m sorry you had a bad day,” she said and raised up on her tiptoes to kiss me. “Maybe I can make you feel better.”
She took my hand and led me to the bedroom, where she did indeed make me feel better. Twice.
* * *
“Coal!”Aspen whispered urgently while shaking my shoulder. “Coal!”
“What?” I mumbled sleepily.
“Shhh! I think someone’s trying to break in.”
I was instantly wide awake and sat up in bed.
“I heard something out back.”
“Stay here and call Game,” I instructed and got out of bed. I picked up my gun from the nightstand and left the room to see what was going on.
I quietly moved through the house toward the back door, where it sounded like someone was jiggling the doorknob. The glass was covered with a frosted privacy film, but I could see the silhouette of a person on the other side.
I looked down at the door to see they’d already unlocked the deadbolt and were steadily working on the remaining lock. Moments later, the door was pushed open, and someone stepped inside.
I raised my gun and swiftly brought it down on the back of their head. The person groaned and dropped to the floor. Following them down, I pulled their hands behind their back and straddled their hips to hold them down.
“Fuck, man! Are you okay?” Game shouted as he came through the open back door.
“Hit the lights and get me something to tie their hands with.”
He flipped the light switch and tossed me his belt.
I made quick work of securing their hands before I flipped the person over.
“Holy shit!” “Son of a bitch!” we said at the same time as we looked down at an unconscious Shane on Aspen’s kitchen floor.
“What in the hell is he doing here?”
“I don’t know, but we’re going to find out. I need to go make sure Aspen’s okay. You got him?”
“Yeah, man. Go ahead.”
I hurried back to the bedroom to find Aspen nowhere in sight. “Aspen, baby, everything’s okay.”
I heard a rustling sound before she appeared from her closet. “Was someone out there?”