Tease Me (Private Listing #4)

Blake glances at me briefly. His expression is blank. My throat thickens and I’m pretty sure I’m going to cry or throw up or both. What happened to “We need to trust each other for this to work”?

“Take a walk with me.” Blake gestures with his head to Robert. He pauses next to me. When he reaches out to touch my arm, I flinch away. I can’t.

He releases a breath. His green eyes capture mine. His mouth presses into a thin line. “Wait here for Seth.”

I cross my arms and look away.

Robert stops beside me. He glances at Blake’s tense back and then to me. “If you need me…”

I force a smile like my heart isn’t breaking a little. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

I just know where I stand now. They may claim to love me, but they don’t trust me.

Chapter 137

Personal Responsibility

Blake

Seth warned me it was a bad idea, but fuck, I can’t help if I don’t trust anyone. Another man is after Madison. Maybe Robert isn’t the stalker, but he could be something else. Something more to her.

Madison’s watery eyes tore at me before she took them away entirely. The way she flinched from me. The hurt and pain on her face made my insides crumble. I’m the one she turned to for comfort and I’ve pushed her away. But I can’t focus on that right now.

Right now, I have to follow this clue. We need any lead we can get on Madison’s stalker.

“I’m going to show you around the office.” Stopping a few feet from the conference room with Robert, I glance back but the door is still open. She’s hurting and there’s nothing I can do about it. At least not right now. Fuck. I turn to Robert. “I want you to see if the woman you talked to is here.”

“Anything to help Madison.” He doesn’t meet my eyes, but he’s already looking around the office.

I don’t want to be correct about this, but I lead him to Hope’s desk. Hope lifts her head and gives me a smile before turning to look at Robert. There’s no spark of recognition in her eyes. She gives him a curious once-over before turning back to me.

“Do you need my help, Mr. Wagner?”

When I glance at Robert for confirmation, he shakes his head. Some of the tension leaves me. If it had been Hope, it would devastate Madison. She trusts Hope, and I know they’ve gotten close.

“No, not right now.” I blow out a breath. “But maybe check in with Madison today.”

Hope tips her head to the side. “Is she okay?”

“She might be having a rough day.” I leave it at that. I can’t tell Hope that I fucked up. That I didn’t do the one thing Madison needs me to do. Trust her. Because I’m fucking broken.

Hope frowns and picks up her phone. “I’ll text her. Thanks for the heads-up.”

I lead Robert through the hallways. We stop by every office with a dark-haired woman, but no one seems to catch his attention. My mind keeps drifting back to Madison’s face. How she looked at me. I never should have doubted her.

I’m an asshole.

Courtney’s office door is closed, so I knock and wait. When she doesn’t answer, I hold up a finger to Robert to wait. I call the receptionist.

“Is Courtney Miller in today?”

“No, sir, she called in sick.” The receptionist is polite, but curt.

“Thank you.” I hang up and pull out my keys. Unlocking the door, I push it open and lead Robert inside.

Courtney’s office is small but neat. Pictures of her and friends fill her shelves.

Robert tugs on my sleeve. “That’s her.”