Nightfall Read Free Page A

one this winter.” He pulled out his wallet and withdrew a business card. He handed it to her. “Here’s my card. You can get me at this number any time day or night. Do you feel safe here tonight?”
    “I’ll be fine. Thanks so much for following me home.”
    “Your ex…are you afraid of him?”
    She blinked. “Not until tonight. The way he snuck up on me in the alley…I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him in over a year. He said that there are some guys he arrested that have threatened to hurt the people he loves.”
    Alexander’s expression turned to visible concern. “Maybe you should come back to Sentry Security with me.”
    Surprised, she didn’t know what to say for a moment.
    He held up on hand. “That isn’t a come on. My team and their wives live there and so do I. You could stay in one of the extra rooms.”
    Caution filled the pit of her stomach. “That’s very kind, but I’m fine here.”
    He nodded. “All right. But if you change your mind call me.”
    “I will thanks.”
    “Do you want me to check the house?”
    She laughed softly. “Alexander, you’re sweet, but no. I’m good.”
    He held up both hands this time. “I surrender. Okay if I call you tomorrow?”
    Heat warmed her cheeks. “Sure. I’m planning on sleeping in. So how about late morning?”
    She gave him her number and he put it into his smart phone. He waved and she watched him get into SUV. He waited until she’d closed the garage door before she heard him drive away. Once she entered the house, she wished she’d let him check the house. She quickly went into survival mode, checking and double checking the two thousand square foot house thoroughly. She flipped on light after light, and kept her cell phone tucked into her pants pocket. Even after she’d made sure the house was secure, she stayed up for several hours that night tossing and turning and with lights on. Long Valley had upended everyone’s world in one way or the other, but Dominic’s appearance brought fresh concerns to her mind.
    Now that Dominic had returned to town, her instincts went on high alert. Something definitely wasn’t right.

Chapter 2
    Alexander sat around the table in the war room at Sentry Security and stared at his team. Mark O’Day, Ian MacDaniel and Adam Becker. They were starting a new contract Monday morning and Alexander had finished briefing the men on what they’d be doing for the next few months. Yet Alexander couldn’t seem to keep his mind on his business, and that royally freaked him out. One thing he could always count on in his life, both as a military man and a security contractor, was his ability to stay focused. This was the second time during the meeting his attention drifted to thoughts of Patty Reynolds. It didn’t help that the day-old donuts they’d all devoured moments ago kept him from forgetting her long enough to conduct the meeting.
    Mark chewed the last bite of an eclair and wiped his hands on a paper napkin.
    “You okay, General?” Adam Becker asked from across the table.
    Alexander jerked his attention back to the men. He cleared his throat. “Of course I’m okay.”
    “You didn’t finish telling us something that you said was very important,” Ian said.
    Mark didn’t say a word, a cocky smile on his face as if he knew exactly why Alexander couldn’t seem to get his shit together.
    Alexander cleared his throat again and folded his hands over his stomach. He relaxed into his big chair. “I’m planning on inviting someone to live in the complex, and I wanted to make sure you’d all be comfortable with it. The women, too, of course. I’ve already mentioned this to Penny.”
    Mark cocked one eyebrow. “This guest wouldn’t be a lady friend of yours, would it?”
    Alexander ignored Mark’s insinuating tone. “You all know her. Patty Reynolds from Patty’s Bakery.”
    Alexander scanned all their faces; every last one of them looked intrigued. Too damned intrigued. Adam looked as if he was