37. GONE
"Do you think that's it? Do you think he's gone for good?"
Honestly? Absolutely not. No way. Not for one second. Eddie was fairly certain that men like Stuart Hordley cared more about ruining other people, especially beautiful and successful women, who may or may not have knocked them back, than they did about the safety of their own affairs. He was sure that they would see Hordley again. He just wasn't sure how or when. He would be back, and he would be furious.
He hadn't quite worked out yet what the man was capable of. He was sure that he knew that Eddie was ready to call his bluff, so he doubted he would be foolish enough to expose Rachel to her new community, staff, pupils, parents. Nevertheless, he would have to keep his eye on her for the next few weeks. Not leave for the day until she was too, walk her to her car, maybe the occasional evening email to make sure she got home safely. Until the end of term at least. It was the least he could do. He wasn't about to complain about it. There were much worse things to look at.
She is staring at him, expectantly, surprisingly. She was expecting an answer. He hadn't quite gotten used to the vulnerability of this woman that he never would have expected from the tyrant who had steamrollered all his plans last Autumn. The cocky, smug, assassin. Now she was looking to him for some sort of reassurance. It did something strange to him, seeing her look like this. Despite the stinging in his fist, he would hit Hordley again, and again. If it made her smile.
Okay, he thinks. If it lets her tired eyes rest, he could shoulder it. It might take some of the tension from her if she thought he had got rid of him once and for all.
Did he think that was him gone? Not for one second.
"Absolutely."
He just couldn't tell Rachel that.
He just hoped she would let him protect her when the time came.