16. Leslie

Chapter 16

Leslie

"And this is my room…" Colt steps aside and lets me enter his bedroom first.

There's a king-sized bed sitting in the center of one long wall. The dark wood and navy sheets make it look like a bachelor pad, but it's exactly what I'd expect from Colton.

"And where am I sleeping?" I trail my fingers over the soft blanket draped over the bottom of the bed and peek over my shoulder at Colt.

"Right there." He motions to the bed.

"Is this bed big enough for the three of us?"

"Three? Who are you inviting into my bed?" Colt teases me.

"Snow. I'm not taking her place and based on the white hair on the blanket, I'm sure she sleeps with you." I grin.

"You really do pay attention to all the small details, huh?"

"Always. "

Colt opens his mouth to say something else, but my ringer fills the air. I scramble to grab my phone out of my pocket. It's Uncle Mason's ringtone and I don't want to miss his call.

"Uncle Mason," I breathe into the device.

"Hey, Zo. How are you?" His deep voice has me squeezing my eyes shut, letting a sense of peace wash over me. I don't know why Uncle Mason has the power to make me feel safe, but he does.

"I guess that depends on if you found Jimmy," I say softly.

An arm snakes around my waist and my back is tugged against Colt's chest. "I want to talk to Mason before you hang up," he whispers against my neck.

"Uncle Mason, can I put you on speaker?"

"Sure. Do I get to know who else I'm speaking to?" His teasing tone brings a smile to my face. I was so excited when he and Aunt Kelsey finally got married. I've always loved him and his teasing.

"I'm Colton Brown," Colt says with a firm tone.

"Ahh, Sheriff Brown. It's nice to officially meet you. Did something happen that you're with… Leslie?"

"He's my boyfriend." I grin up at Colt .

"Well, shit. That makes me pretty happy. Does he know everything, Les?" Mason asks.

"I know all about Zoey and Jimmy. She told me everything this morning. I was planning on calling you later tonight."

"This will make my job so much easier," Mason murmurs. "I don't know where he is, Zo. He hasn't been to work in almost a week. No one seems to know where he is."

"Uncle Mason…" I whimper.

A million thoughts are going through my head. This time he might've really found me. He could be in Maple Springs already, or he might be on his way.

"Having Colt aware of what's going on is going to make things easier. I can work with him and Ollie. We're going to keep you safe, Zo."

"And if you can't?" I ask slowly.

"I've put my life on the line for dozens of people. Do you really think anything will stop me from protecting you?"

"You're eight hours away from me," I whisper.

"And I'll be on the next damn flight if it will make you feel better. I can be there in four hours tops," he growls .

"She's moving in with me. I have a security system, cameras, and a well-trained German Shepherd. She'll attack if she feels like Zoey or I are being threatened."

"Good. I'm happy to hear that. I want you to text me later on tonight, Colt. I need access to you at all times in case I find him."

"Do you think he actually found me?"

Colt tightens his hold on me and rests his chin on my shoulder. He presses a soft kiss to my cheek and lets out a small sigh.

I wonder if he's already regretting inviting me into his home. Into his life. He deserves so much better than this. He belongs with a woman who doesn't come with baggage.

"Honestly, I don't know. I'm not sure how he could've found you, but you never know. I stopped trying to guess the bad guys' next move after Kelsey was taken. Nothing surprises me at this point."

"I miss you and Aunt Kelsey," I whisper. "I just want to be able to come home and see everyone."

"As soon as we catch him, I'll make it happen. I promise, Zoey. But I did hear Sophia's coming to visit you. Can she stay with you too, Colt? I'm not comfortable with her staying in Zoey's house if Zoey isn 't there."

"Of course. Is she your daughter?"

"Nah, she's another one of my beautiful nieces. The wild child of the bunch." I can hear the smile in his voice. Sophia always tries to bust his balls, but he's a good sport about it.

"Any one in Zoey's family is welcome in my home."

"Good, because if I find out Jimmy's down there, I'll be sleeping on your couch and setting up a remote office at your dining room table. Maddox might come too."

"Hey, Zoey Bear," Maddox's sweet voice floats through the line, making me smile.

"Hey, Maddie."

"Ugh, I forgot I don't like her. She calls me Maddie," he groans.

"Oh shush, you love her. Stop being dramatic." Mason brushes him off and refocuses on Colt. "Text me now. I want to give you some information and a picture so you know who you're looking for." Mason rattles off his number and a few seconds later he receives Colt's text. "Perfect. How many cops do you have working for you?"

"It's me and two other guys. We're a small town."

"That's not a bad thing. I need you to bring your guys up to speed, but don't tell them Zoey's real identity or who Jimmy is. Keep everything vague. You're looking for this man because of domestic violence. He'll most likely be armed and he's definitely dangerous."

They continue talking for a few more minutes, but I'm not listening. My mind is too busy thinking about Jimmy and all the things he'll do if he finds me.

"C'mon, baby. Let's get some hot chocolate and relax on the couch."

Colt spins me around to face him as he takes my phone out of my hand and ends the call with Mason.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought." I frown as I shake my head. I didn't even realize Mason had hung up.

"It's ok. We can talk about it, or we can just exist in our own little world for a while."

"The second option sounds better."

"Good. I think it sounds better too." Colt lifts me into his arms and carries me out to the living room. He gently places me on the couch, then drops a kiss on my forehead. "Let me get the hot chocolate started. Do you want to watch something?"

"How do you feel about Ted Lasso ?" I grin.

"Umm, I love it." His smile lights up his entire face as he moves into the kitchen. The open concept layout makes him visible even from the couch. "When is your cousin coming? "

"I think tomorrow." I wince. "I completely forgot she was coming. Are you sure you don't mind her staying with you?"

"Us, baby. She's staying with us. My home is now your home and I want you to think of it like that."

"Ok… Are you sure you're ok with her staying with us ?"

"I'm positive."