Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Tex hadn’t intended on revealing his presence, but he’d had no choice.

One minute he’d been watching Chelsea as she hurried back to her car. The next moment, that man had appeared out of nowhere.

The guy had moved so quickly it had taken Tex a moment to realize what was happening. To realize the man already had Chelsea pinned against her car.

Then Tex sprang into action.

He darted down the road in the direction the man had gone. But the guy had disappeared from sight.

A small suburban neighborhood surrounded them, full of houses built close together with street parking.

There were only so many places the man could go.

Tex slowed his steps to get a better look. He needed to be on guard.

Because Chelsea’s attacker hadn’t just disappeared into thin air. He was around here somewhere.

Tex paused in the middle of the road and glanced down the dark street in front of him. Two streetlights stretched above him, but one of them was dark. The sky was cloudy, so the moon didn’t offer illumination.

He soaked in all the details. It was a middle-class, blue-collar type of neighborhood. Lots of old trucks and even older sedans were parallel parked on either side of him.

That man could be behind any of them. Hiding. Just waiting to strike.

He slowly began to walk down the street, noting the Christmas lights on many houses and the large blow-up figures adorning lawns. Santa. Frosty. Reindeer.

It was a shame that danger had to dampen his spirits.

As he passed a truck, movement caught his eye.

The next instant, a man lunged toward him, trying to tackle him to the ground.

The attempt was a foolish one.

This guy clearly didn’t know who he was dealing with.

Tex braced himself. As the guy flew into him, Tex was ready.

He stood firm, blocking the man’s momentum.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise when he bounced back as if he’d hit a wall.

He stumbled. Then he took off in a run.

Tex was on his heels.

As they reached the sidewalk, Tex grabbed him.

Threw him onto a nearby lawn dotted with Christmas decorations.

Plastic crunched beneath the man’s body as a string of colorful Christmas lights broke.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the man grumbled as he scrambled to his feet.

“I’m stopping you,” Tex muttered.

The man raised his fists in an awkward attempt at self-defense.

Tex faced him, wishing this guy would just give up.

“Leave me alone,” he muttered.

Those weren’t exactly the words of a tough guy.

“You just hurt someone I care about,” Tex told him. “That’s not okay. Why don’t you take off your mask?”

The man didn’t say anything.

Tex shrugged. It wasn’t as if he’d expected the guy to listen. “Have it your way. I’ll take it off myself.”

But the next instant, the guy turned to flee again. And ran straight into a giant inflated Santa, knocking the figure over.

Before Tex could reach him, the man released Santa—and Santa bopped Tex in the face.

“What the . . . ?” Tex pushed the half-deflated Santa away.

He started to go after the man when he heard a knocking sound. He paused long enough to look over at the house beside him.

A little girl, probably eight years old, had her face pressed to the window, watching everything.

Tension gripped his heart.

The last thing he wanted was for a child to witness Tex ripping into this guy—especially with a giant blow-up Santa between them.

He looked back at Chelsea’s attacker.

But he’d already jumped into a car down the street—a car that looked very much like the one that had been nearby when Chelsea’s house was broken into tonight.

He fisted his hands.

That guy wouldn’t have gotten away if it hadn’t been for the girl in the window.

Next time, Tex would be more careful.

But right now, he needed to check on Chelsea.

Chelsea kept her gaze trained behind her as she waited for Tex to return.

Too much time had passed. What was taking him so long? What if he was hurt?

Maybe she should start her car. Head in the direction he’d gone. Maybe she should find him. Help him.

At once, an image of him lying in the road injured by her attacker filled her mind. She could hardly stomach the thought.

But what if Tex came back looking for her and she was gone?

The dilemma tugged inside her.

Five more minutes, Chelsea decided. That was how long she’d wait until she’d go check on him. It was the least she could do, especially since he’d put his well-being on the line for her.

But what was he doing out here anyway? Had he followed her?

She nibbled on her bottom lip. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

The minutes crawled by. Finally, a dark figure appeared down the street.

Her breath caught.

Was that Tex? Or was it the man who’d attacked her?

Her throat tightened until she could hardly breathe.

The shadow came closer. Closer.

She gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white. Should she drive away? Flee from potential danger?

She pressed the brakes, then shifted the car into Drive.

If she had to, she’d press the accelerator and get away.

Then the man’s features came into view.

It was Tex.

Relief swept through her. He was okay.

He tapped on her passenger door, and Chelsea hit the button to unlock it. As Tex folded himself inside, she threw the car back into Park.

Before she could talk, Tex rushed with, “Are you sure you’re okay? Did he hurt you? Do I need to get you to the hospital?”

“No, no. I’m fine.”

He studied her as if he were a human lie detector who could spot the truth.

Chelsea cringed and touched her neck where the man had pressed his arm into her windpipe.

She wasn’t sure if her skin would bruise or not. But his touch had definitely left an emotional scar on her.

“I’m fine. Really.” She paused and studied Tex’s face.

He still didn’t appear to believe her.

“He could have killed you,” he finally said.

“Thankfully, you were close.”

“But what if I hadn’t been?”

All the fluid left her face again. “But you were. By the way, what were you doing here?”

“What were you doing here?”

She nibbled on her bottom lip, not sure she was ready for Tex to turn the tables on her.

“You followed me, didn’t you?” she countered. “Why would you follow me?”

He frowned but kept his eye contact with her. “I was afraid you were in trouble, especially after the break-in earlier. I just needed to know you were okay. Right now, I’m glad I decided to follow you. It could have been ugly.” Tex paused. “What’s going on? Chelsea? Don’t push me out. Not now.”

She pressed her eyes shut, wishing she didn’t have to dive into this with him. But he had saved her. It seemed like the least she could do was to offer an explanation.

“Ryan needed my help,” she stated. “So I came out here to meet him.”

“Who is Ryan?”

“He’s one of my cousins. He didn’t live here when you did. His family moved back this way probably four years after you left.”

“And why did you need to meet him so late at night? Why out here?”

She licked her lips. “He’s been having trouble making ends meet, and he and his wife have a newborn baby at home. I like to help him out when I can.”

Tex continued to stare at her. “That still doesn’t explain the secrecy of it all.”

Chelsea pushed out a long breath. “His wife doesn’t approve of handouts—and I respect that. But they’re having trouble keeping their heat on. I can’t let Regina’s pride put the baby in harm’s way. So I slip him some money whenever I can.”

Tex said nothing.

“He works,” she continued explaining herself. “At a factory in Roanoke, and he doesn’t get off until midnight. That’s why we were meeting at this hour.”

“And the location?”

“It’s on his way home, so it’s not going to look funny if his wife checks his location online.” She frowned. “Part of me hates to be sneaky. But if I can help them, then I want to.”

“That’s admirable of you. But considering everything that’s happened, you shouldn’t have come out here alone. I would have come with you if you’d asked.”

“I can’t get used to depending on you. You won’t be here long before you leave me again.” Chelsea swallowed hard after the words left her lips.

She hadn’t meant to say it like that. But she knew her statement went much deeper than today.

It went back twelve years.

“Chelsea . . .” His voice sounded hoarse with emotion.

She feared Tex might say something in an effort to make the situation better. But there was no making the situation better, and the last thing she wanted was to hear his excuses.

“I’m sorry.” She pushed a stray hair behind her ear. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just feeling all out of sorts right now.”

“You can talk to me, you know.”

The way he said those words made Chelsea want to believe him. But she’d be wise not to do that. “I should probably get back.”

“I’ll follow you home, just to make sure there’s no more trouble.”

She knew that arguing with Tex would be useless. So she nodded. “Okay.”

“When we get there, I’m going to walk you inside again and make sure that everything is okay. There’s no other option.”

“Okay,” she said again, a touch of relief in her voice.

Tex looked almost surprised she’d been so compliant. With one last long glance at her, he climbed out. He strode down the street to his own truck.

Why hadn’t she seen the vehicle there? She thought she’d been observant when she drove out this way. But maybe she wasn’t as street smart as she wanted to believe.

She put her car into Drive and took a U-turn on the street. She headed back to her little house, one that suddenly didn’t feel quite as safe as it once had.

Today had certainly been unexpected.

Part of her didn’t even want to know what tomorrow held.