If there’s any blood left in my head, it drains to my feet. I can’t breathe as I consider what Tank is saying.
Cameras… In my room… That means Frank has been spying on me. He’s seen me naked. He’s watched me in the shower, on the toilet. In bed… He’s watched me fucking masturbate.
Mace wraps his free arm around me and hoists me closer against his chest. His palm comes to the side of my head as he tips my cheek to his shoulder. He’s stiff, but he’s being as gentle as he can with me.
Ghost’s voice is softer when he continues, “Based on the information the PI gathered, we think Samson’s plan was to swoop in after the tragic death of Autumn’s father and save the day. Take over her life in her grief.”
Tank winces. “The problem is she left town, and he has no idea where she went. He’s confused because he watched our men come in and retrieve the body. He must have assumed they were from the coroner’s office. Everything has been cleaned up in the house, and there’s been no report of his death anywhere. I must say, if there’s any satisfaction in all this, it’s rather gratifying watching that fucker pace his house, pulling his hair out, while he monitors cameras that have no activity. He’s losing his mind.”
“And he has no idea he’s been made?” Mace asks.
“Not a clue, but our guy downloaded a lot of video clips, tapped into the live feed Samson runs of Autumn’s room, and left his own sophisticated surveillance, so now we’re spying on Samson.”
I close my eyes. The only thing I can picture is me fingering myself under the covers. Luckily, I’m not the sort of person who regularly sprawls out naked on my bed and humps myself. But I’ve also masturbated in the bathtub. The asshole wouldn’t have seen much under the bubbles, nor heard much over the sound of the jets, but I’m so fucking humiliated that I want to die.
Mace’s teeth are clenched as he says, “Please tell me no one on our team has watched my girl alone in her room.”
Tank shakes his head. “Definitely not. The only clip I was going to show you is a recent one, so you can see the angle of his camera. No one is in the room because Autumn is right here with us.”
“And the PI?” Mace groans and leans back, holding me against him with both hands. “Sorry, don’t answer that. I know Anthony Bryant would never violate someone’s privacy. I’m just fucking furious.”
“I know you are,” Ghost says in a soft tone. “Fully understand. Bryant was well-aware of the possibilities. It’s a woman’s bedroom. All he did was copy the files Samson saved. He didn’t open any of them.”
I can’t breathe. Even if none of these men who work for Black Blade Protection have watched me naked or masturbating in my own fucking private bedroom, Frank has. Frank Samson. That motherfucker. I thought he was a friend. I’m so fucking angry that I want to stab him to death by myself. Starting with his balls.
Tank continues, “The guy has a calendar. He’s incredibly particular. He assumed Autumn would call the police immediately when she found her father dead. He planned around that with precision, plotting exactly when he would show up with his condolences and how long he would stay. He really believed he could swoop in, take over Autumn’s life, and steal something from Burke that he believes Burke stole from him.”
“And where is this fucking piece of pond scum now?” Mace asks.
“Not sure, unfortunately. He left with a backpack early this morning and hasn’t returned yet. Bryant didn’t imagine him leaving the house at that hour, so he was sleeping. He’s monitoring the feeds he installed in both houses. As soon as he spots Samson, he will let us know.”
I seriously can’t breathe, and Mace suddenly notices. He scoots back, grabs my chin, and looks in my eyes. “Take a breath, Baby girl.”
I can’t. It’s stuck in my lungs. I’m growing lightheaded, but my mind won’t send messages to my body, important messages that involve keeping me alive.
“Autumn,” Mace commands. “A breath, sweetheart. Now.”
My face feels hot, and when he shakes me, it yanks me out of my trance. I suck in a giant lungful of air and let it out just as fast, gasping.
“Good girl. Again, Baby.” He holds my gaze while I breathe, inhaling with me.
I’m on the verge of tears, but I won’t let them fall. I shake them off. I won’t give that asshole the satisfaction of breaking me. I’ll cry for the loss of my father, but not Frank Samson.
As soon as I can form a sentence, I grab the front of Mace’s shirt and fist it. “When you find him, you’ll cut off his balls and feed them to him one at a time?”
He smirks. “Yes, Baby girl.”
Chapter Sixteen
Mace
* * *
After Ghost and Tank leave, it takes me an hour to get Autumn to calm down enough to take a nap. She was hyperventilating for most of that time. Now, she’s been asleep for two hours, and I’m concerned, so I’m sitting on the edge of the bed next to her.
I suppose she’s beyond exhausted from everything that’s happened in the past few days. It’s a long list. Her mind needs rest. It has shut down. But I’m worried about her.
When I brush a lock of hair from her forehead, she finally blinks up at me. A few seconds go by before she remembers. It’s obvious when her eyes darken, and her jaw clenches.