“Hmm.”
I was about to ask him what the noncommittal sound meant when one of the alarms I’d set on my phone went off, alerting me that I needed to be in my class in an hour. I’d set up a few of them in case I overslept or got so wrapped up in my studying that I lost track of time and ended up missing my exam. Pulling my phone out of the pocket on the side of my yoga pants, I muttered, “Crap.”
The mystery man straightened and seemed more alert when he asked, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, but I need to get going or else I’m the one who’s going to need to worry about failing. One of my professors apparently has something against vacations because she scheduled a big exam for this morning when our brains are already looking ahead to break next week,” I explained as I shoved my cell phone back into my pocket.
“Good luck,” he murmured, turning away from me. As he slipped through the door that led to the stairs—and I watched his butt the entire way—I made a mental note to tell Grace’s dad about the mystery man. Jonah had become a billionaire by owning the best security company in the world. So I went to him for help when it had become clear the cops weren’t going to do anything about Stacey’s situation.
2
Merrick
I exited the dorm and walked at a measured pace to the parking lot. Fading into the background and not drawing attention to myself had been ingrained in me years ago. It came naturally now. Even though I wanted to hurry back to my hotel so I could do some research, my instincts kicked in and kept me from kicking up my pace.
When I reached the rented, nondescript, dark sedan, I slipped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Calling on all of my patience, I drove off campus to my makeshift base of operations.
Once I was back in my room and sitting at the desk with two open laptops and a tablet, I started digging.
This wasn’t unusual for me. Thorough research kept me alive.
However, it wasn’t my target that had my attention this time.
Instead, my mind was consumed with pale green eyes, soft honey-colored hair, a body with curves in all the right places, and freckles. The freckles were killing me. I wanted to wipe away every trace of makeup she used to hide the ones on her gorgeous face, then search for more all over her body.
I was a little shocked at my reaction. I’d never found freckles to be a turn-on, but damn, the second I saw her, I gained a new appreciation for their sex appeal. I’d been hard as a fucking baseball bat in a split-second. Then she’d licked her full, shiny lips, and I was torn between thoughts of tasting them and pictures of them wrapped around my fat cock.
The sexual tension had only grown thicker when I noticed the heat sparking in her pretty eyes as she perused my body.
Fucking hell, I thought as I shifted in my chair, trying to find a more comfortable position. And failing. I tried to shake off my lust, as it was only distracting me when I needed to focus.
I told myself my attraction to her had nothing to do with why I was stalking her...she’d seen my face. I had to take care of her.
Of course, I wouldn’t kill her—my targets were only lowlife scum that needed to be given a one-way ticket to hell. But I couldn’t leave a witness. There was no other option. Especially not after she’d gone to the police. When Barrington turned up missing, his dad was sure to turn his attention her way.
I was going to have to take her.
And keep her.
Satisfied with my plan, I hacked into the school records and looked up her dorm room.
Audrey Cantrell. Even her name was beautiful.
I sound like a lovesick schoolboy. Get it together, jackass. I shook my head to clear away all the poetic shit and think of her as a job.
Twenty years old. English lit major. Home address was listed as an Upper West Side address. Tuition and room and board paid in full, no grants or loans.
Considering the location of her residence and her tuition situation, it was clear she came from money. But her family situation was unknown, and it would affect my plans for her. So I backed out of the school servers, leaving no trace of my intrusion, and continued hunting.
I dug up any digital footprint I could find, records, social media, a blog, anything that would shape my plan. The devil was always in the details.
She had living parents and one brother named Sailor—ironic, considering my past as a SEAL—who was almost four years younger.
Her latest posts on social media had to do with her best friend’s wedding in one week. The wheels in my mind started turning. A wedding could provide me with the perfect opportunity to kidnap Audrey.