smile that seemed forced. “I understand there’s a fighting club here?”
The seemingly innocuous question didn’t ease her worries at all. “A martial arts group, yes. In fact, they meet tonight. Would you like some information about signing up?”
“Yes, I would.”
She avoided his eyes, trying to quell her body’s desire to tremble and focusing instead on finding the brochure and contracts for the martial arts class. She located them tucked beside the desk and retrieved a copy for the man, intentionally not bothering to give him a pen in the hopes that he’d take the information and fill it out elsewhere. She forced out a kind smile as she took two steps from the desk and handed it to him. “Here you go. Bring the form in with a check before one of the meetings and they’ll get you signed up.”
He accepted the papers but didn’t glance at them, simply folded them once and continued holding her eyes. “Thank you. My wife is interested in any new age clubs you might have.”
Addie didn’t glance at the woman, though she felt her unwavering, cold stare boring into her. “New age?”
“Crystals,” the woman’s crisp voice broke in. “Healing. That kind of thing.”
Addie chanced a glance at her, swallowing nervously. “We don’t have anything like that around here.”
The woman continued to stare, as if she rifled through Addie’s brain for the secrets she kept. After a few moments of silence, she seemed satisfied. Both Biker Chick and Mr. Forgettable abruptly turned and left.
Addie let out a heavy breath and leaned against the desk, still tense and waiting. Once she heard the steps fade and the front door open and close again, she bolted forward and peered around the doorway.
The community center’s glass doors revealed the couple exiting into a red sports car in the parking lot. They didn’t dwell, instead pulling out and disappearing down the road in seconds.
While she didn’t catch the license plate, she didn’t think she’d need to—that car would definitely stand out in town. She might have to ask around later to find out who the hell they were.
The unsettled feeling that had overcome her when they entered the community center remained. She paused only for a moment to tell herself maybe she was overreacting when her instincts kicked in. If she was this uncomfortable, she had to trust there was a reason.
Immediately she rushed back to the office to get her purse from the lock cupboard, slipped on her running shoes, turned off the lights, and bolted from the building. She locked the door behind her, stuffed the keys in her purse, and ran.
****
Erik paced the living room, his rational mind arguing the gut feeling telling him Adelaide was in trouble.
He felt it, a tug against his breastbone that seemed to jerk him in to the northeast of the house, as if there was a string connecting them. He felt panic rush along that string with an edge of fear but not pain, not worry.
Of course, he’d never felt anything like that in his life and could be wrong, could be crazy. But nothing seems out of the realm of possibility when it comes to Addie.
He felt at war, in a constant argument with himself. Part of him screamed to go and find her, wherever she was, and ensure everything was fine. But then he hadn’t survived as long as he had by running purely on instinct—he had logic. He’d know , somehow, if she was truly in danger, and he couldn’t risk her future safety to follow mere worry now.
It was the only thing that held him back: the sense that she was coming closer to the house, to her sanctuary, and knowing that if he left he would be exposing her to more danger as soon as his presence was sensed. So he paced the length of the hardwood, gaze shooting to the clock on the wall as the seconds ticked by. His side ached with each heavy breath still and his head throbbed the longer he was on his feet, but he didn’t plan to sit until she was either in the house or he passed out
The seemingly innocuous question didn’t ease her worries at all. “A martial arts group, yes. In fact, they meet tonight. Would you like some information about signing up?”
“Yes, I would.”
She avoided his eyes, trying to quell her body’s desire to tremble and focusing instead on finding the brochure and contracts for the martial arts class. She located them tucked beside the desk and retrieved a copy for the man, intentionally not bothering to give him a pen in the hopes that he’d take the information and fill it out elsewhere. She forced out a kind smile as she took two steps from the desk and handed it to him. “Here you go. Bring the form in with a check before one of the meetings and they’ll get you signed up.”
He accepted the papers but didn’t glance at them, simply folded them once and continued holding her eyes. “Thank you. My wife is interested in any new age clubs you might have.”
Addie didn’t glance at the woman, though she felt her unwavering, cold stare boring into her. “New age?”
“Crystals,” the woman’s crisp voice broke in. “Healing. That kind of thing.”
Addie chanced a glance at her, swallowing nervously. “We don’t have anything like that around here.”
The woman continued to stare, as if she rifled through Addie’s brain for the secrets she kept. After a few moments of silence, she seemed satisfied. Both Biker Chick and Mr. Forgettable abruptly turned and left.
Addie let out a heavy breath and leaned against the desk, still tense and waiting. Once she heard the steps fade and the front door open and close again, she bolted forward and peered around the doorway.
The community center’s glass doors revealed the couple exiting into a red sports car in the parking lot. They didn’t dwell, instead pulling out and disappearing down the road in seconds.
While she didn’t catch the license plate, she didn’t think she’d need to—that car would definitely stand out in town. She might have to ask around later to find out who the hell they were.
The unsettled feeling that had overcome her when they entered the community center remained. She paused only for a moment to tell herself maybe she was overreacting when her instincts kicked in. If she was this uncomfortable, she had to trust there was a reason.
Immediately she rushed back to the office to get her purse from the lock cupboard, slipped on her running shoes, turned off the lights, and bolted from the building. She locked the door behind her, stuffed the keys in her purse, and ran.
****
Erik paced the living room, his rational mind arguing the gut feeling telling him Adelaide was in trouble.
He felt it, a tug against his breastbone that seemed to jerk him in to the northeast of the house, as if there was a string connecting them. He felt panic rush along that string with an edge of fear but not pain, not worry.
Of course, he’d never felt anything like that in his life and could be wrong, could be crazy. But nothing seems out of the realm of possibility when it comes to Addie.
He felt at war, in a constant argument with himself. Part of him screamed to go and find her, wherever she was, and ensure everything was fine. But then he hadn’t survived as long as he had by running purely on instinct—he had logic. He’d know , somehow, if she was truly in danger, and he couldn’t risk her future safety to follow mere worry now.
It was the only thing that held him back: the sense that she was coming closer to the house, to her sanctuary, and knowing that if he left he would be exposing her to more danger as soon as his presence was sensed. So he paced the length of the hardwood, gaze shooting to the clock on the wall as the seconds ticked by. His side ached with each heavy breath still and his head throbbed the longer he was on his feet, but he didn’t plan to sit until she was either in the house or he passed out
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