Chapter 12

TWELVE

K eir’s phone buzzed insistently, jolting him from a deep sleep. He blinked, momentarily disoriented, before his hand shot out to grab the device. The digital clock on his nightstand glowed 4:37 a.m. His stomach clenched - nothing good ever came from calls at this hour.

Beside him, Cat stirred, mumbling sleepily. Keir gently brushed a strand of hair from her face before answering the call, keeping his voice low.

“Sharpe,” he answered, his voice rough with sleep.

“Mr. Sharpe, this is Officer Ramirez from NYPD. There’s been a break-in at an apartment registered to a Catrina Reeves. We understand she’s an employee of yours.”

Keir’s blood ran cold. Cat’s loft. He glanced at her sleeping form, relief washing over him that she was here, safe with him. But that relief quickly gave way to anger. Someone had violated Cat’s home, her sanctuary.

“Yes, she is,” Keir replied, his voice tight with controlled fury. “Is it bad?”

“There’s significant damage, sir. We’re on scene now.”

Keir’s dragon roared within him, demanding retribution. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” he said, already moving to get up.

As he ended the call, Cat’s eyes fluttered open. “Keir? What’s wrong?” she asked, instantly alert at the tension in his posture.

Keir took a deep breath, steeling himself to deliver the news. “Cat, there’s been a break-in at your loft. The police just called.”

Cat sat up abruptly, the sheet falling away to reveal she was wearing one of his old T-shirts. Any other time, the sight would have sent a jolt of desire through him. Now, all he could focus on was the fear and shock in her eyes.

“What? How bad is it?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

“I don’t know all the details yet,” Keir said gently, sitting on the bed and taking her hand in his. “But we can go there now if you want to see for yourself. The police are still on scene.”

Cat nodded, squeezing his hand. “Just... give me five minutes to get dressed.”

As Cat disappeared into the bathroom, Keir clenched his fists. Whoever did this would pay. He’d make sure of it.

The drive to Cat’s loft was tense, the pre-dawn streets of New York eerily quiet. Cat stared out the window, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. Keir longed to reach out, to offer comfort, but he sensed she needed this moment to prepare herself.

As they pulled up to her building, Cat’s breath hitched. Police cars were parked outside, their lights painting the street in alternating red and blue. Keir helped her out of the car, his hand resting protectively on the small of her back as they approached the entrance.

Officer Ramirez met them in the lobby. “Ms. Reeves? I’m Officer Ramirez. I’m sorry we have to meet under these circumstances.”

Cat nodded numbly. “How... how bad is it?”

The officer’s expression was sympathetic. “There’s quite a bit of damage, ma’am. But it’s best if you see for yourself. Are you ready to go up?”

Cat squared her shoulders, lifting her chin. “Yes. Let’s go.”

As they rode the elevator, Keir marveled at Cat’s strength. He could sense her anxiety, see the slight tremor in her hands, but she faced this head-on. His admiration for her grew even deeper.

The doors opened onto Cat’s floor, and immediately they could see the police tape cordoning off her apartment. Cat’s steps faltered for a moment, and Keir instinctively moved closer, offering silent support.

Officer Ramirez led them into the loft, and Cat gasped. The place had been ransacked. Furniture was overturned, drawers pulled out and emptied onto the floor. But what caught Keir’s attention was Cat’s face as her eyes landed on a particular area of destruction.

“No,” she whispered, moving toward a shattered display case. Keir followed, his heart sinking as he saw what had upset her so deeply.

Amid the broken glass lay the scattered pieces of what had once been an intricate anime figurine. Cat knelt, her hands hovering over the destruction as if afraid to touch it.

“My grandmother gave me this,” she said, her voice thick with unshed tears. “Before she passed away. It was... it was the last gift she ever gave me.”

Keir felt a surge of rage so potent he had to close his eyes for a moment, forcing his dragon back down. When he opened them again, he knelt beside Cat, carefully gathering the broken pieces.

“I’m so sorry, Cat,” he said softly. “We’ll fix this. I promise.”

She looked at him, tears spilling down her cheeks, and Keir’s resolve hardened. He’d move heaven and earth to put that figurine back together, to restore this piece of her past.

As Cat moved through the apartment, cataloging the damage with Officer Ramirez, Keir pulled aside one of the other officers he recognized.

“Detective Molloy,” Keir said in a low voice. “Any leads yet?”

The detective shook his head. “Nothing concrete. No fingerprints, no witnesses. Whoever did this knew what they were doing.”

Keir’s eyes narrowed. “So no ideas who could’ve done this?”

“No, do you have any names you want us to check out?”

“The only person that comes to mind is Jason Grimes. He’s had it out for my company for years.”

“Having it out for your company doesn’t mean he’d do this. This seems personal. But we’ll look into it,” Molloy assured him. “But without evidence...”

Keir nodded, understanding the limitations. But he had resources beyond what the police could access. “Keep me updated,” he said, already formulating a plan.

As they wrapped up at the loft, Keir guided a shell-shocked Cat back to his car. “You’ll stay with me. We’ll get this sorted out,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. To his relief, Cat simply nodded.

Once they were back at his penthouse, Keir made a series of calls. First to Beck, instructing him to get his hands on and review any security footage from a ten-block radius around Cat’s building. Then to his contact in Japan, calling in favors to track down a replacement for the destroyed figurine.

It took a few days, but Keir’s persistence paid off. Not only did he manage to secure an exact replacement of the figurine, but he also arranged for the creator of the anime character to sign it. Additionally, he had the broken pieces of the original carefully restored and placed in a special display case.

When the packages arrived, Keir could barely contain his anticipation. He found Cat in the living room, curled up on the couch with her laptop, working on security features for Guardian AI.

“Cat?” he said softly, not wanting to startle her. “I have something for you.”

She looked up, curiosity replacing the sadness that had lingered in her eyes since the break-in. Keir sat beside her, placing two boxes on the coffee table.

“What’s this?” Cat asked, straightening up.

“Open them and see,” Keir urged, a small smile playing at his lips.

Cat carefully opened the first box, gasping as she pulled out the new figurine. “Keir, how did you... this is exactly like...” Her voice trailed off as she noticed the signature on the base. “Is this... did the creator actually sign this?”

Keir nodded, warmth spreading through his chest at the joy in her eyes. “Open the other one,” he encouraged.

With trembling hands, Cat opened the second box. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw the restored original, carefully pieced back together and protected in its new case.

“Oh, Keir,” she breathed, looking up at him with an expression that made his heart skip a beat. “I can’t believe you did this. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Before Keir could respond, Cat launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. He held her close, savoring the feel of her in his arms, the scent of her hair.

When she pulled back, her eyes shining with tears and gratitude, Keir couldn’t resist. He leaned in, capturing her lips in a tender kiss. Cat responded immediately, her hands coming up to frame his face as she deepened the kiss.

As they broke apart, both slightly breathless, Keir rested his forehead against hers. “You don’t need to thank me,” he said softly. “Seeing you happy is all the thanks I need.”

Cat’s smile was radiant, and Keir knew in that moment that he’d do anything to keep that smile on her face. The bond between them had deepened, strengthened by shared adversity and tender moments like this.

As Cat turned back to examine her treasured figurines, Keir allowed himself a moment of quiet reflection. The threat that had led to the break-in still loomed, but he was more determined than ever to protect Cat, to keep her safe and happy. His dragon purred contentedly within him, satisfied that their mate was well cared for.