Chapter 16

16

I’m washing my face in the master bathroom, trying to figure out how to prove Ethan attacked me, when a text buzzes on my phone.

Though it might be anyone—Olivia, Max, my parents, my mobile phone company telling me I can save two hundred dollars if I upgrade today—my heart seizes because it could be Ethan.

And hearts, though often flighty, are sometimes right.

I stare at Ethan’s name, terrified to unlock my phone and see what he said. My heart begins to pound, and I break into a cold sweat.

Too chicken to look on my own, I swing the door open and hurry through my bedroom, calling Noah’s name before I even reach the hall.

He must be able to tell that something is wrong from my tone because two seconds later, his door flies open, and he charges out of his room, sans shirt, in a pair of low-slung workout shorts. And just to show you how freaked out I am, I’m not even checking him out.

“Ethan texted again.” I shove the phone at him.

“What did he say?” he demands, taking it and then growling when he doesn’t know the passcode.

I type it in quickly and then return the phone to him. “I don’t know. I didn’t read it.”

His eyes scan the text, and his expression darkens.

“Well?” Though I didn’t want anything to do with it two seconds ago, now I need to know what he said.

“He’s informing you conservators shouldn’t spend the night. He believes I’m attempting to take advantage of you. If you’re uncomfortable, let him know, and he’ll come over. Otherwise, the situation will be remedied in the morning.”

“What does that mean?” I gasp, grabbing for the phone to read the text myself.

“I’m not sure.” He crosses his arms, scowling.

I flick my eyes back up to him, my pulse gradually slowing. “You okay?”

“I’m not worried about me.”

“I kind of am.”

He gives me a skeptical look. “I’ll sleep with a stake under my pillow.”

“He’s watching the house.”

“If he’s not, he has someone who is. It’s possible they’ve hidden surveillance equipment as well.”

“Inside?”

“Not likely. But in your yard? Very possible.”

“This is going to sound dumb, but what if I text him back and say I think he’s a really nice guy, but I don’t think we’ll work?”

“That does sound?—”

“ Hey. ”

“—less than brilliant. Don’t engage with him, or he’ll keep harassing you.”

“I think maybe I should talk to the police tomorrow and see if I can get a restraining order.”

Noah gives me a look that’s full of sympathy, which doesn’t make me feel better.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you pity me,” I hiss.

“You probably can’t file a restraining order now.”

“Am I too late?”

“No. But remember what I said? The moment the word ‘vampire’ gets brought up, they’ll send you over to us.”

“Crap,” I mutter.

“Bringing out the serious swear words, I see.”

“Shut up. I’m a lady.”

He chuckles, drawing my attention back to his face. And then his arms. And then his chest, abs, and…

“Do you live at the gym?” I ask as my eyes wander over him.

His expression goes from concerned to smug in two seconds flat. “From the way you’re ogling me, I take it Kevin wasn’t much to look at?”

“Sugar Baby apparently thought he was fine.”

“What?”

“Never mind.” I turn back toward my bedroom. “I’m going to sleep. If a vampire breaks in during the night, stake him before he wakes me up, okay?”

Then I close my door and pretend I’m not terrified Ethan might actually break in while we’re sleeping.

“Toast is amazing,” I say, taking another bite of Noah’s buttery cinnamon sugar creation he just set in front of me. “So is having a live-in chef.”

“Better than cucumbers?” he asks from the stove.

“Let’s not be crazy.”

“You should try it with bacon.”

“You can keep your fried pig strips, thank you.” I take a big sip of my blood smoothie. It’s peach this time.

“Such an odd duck,” he mutters, making me laugh.

I feel good this morning. Not only have I successfully taken my prescription several days now, but no one tried to break in during the night. The sun shines merrily through the windows, washing the kitchen in morning light and reminding me true vampires can’t be out between dawn and dusk.

Apparently, Ethan was bluffing.

“Hey, Daniel,” Noah says, answering his phone.

I pause with my toast halfway to my mouth, blatantly eavesdropping.

“ Excuse me? ” Noah suddenly snarls, so angry I start to rethink my good mood.

I set my toast on my plate, nervous.

“No, I’m not leaving her house,” he says. “I don’t care who ordered it.”

Uh oh.

“Screw the job.” He pauses, fighting for control. “I’m sorry, Daniel. I’m not angry with you. Thank you for giving me the heads up.”

He ends the call, growling, and then slams his cell on the counter.

“Bad news?” I ask quietly.

Slowly, he turns around to face me. “They’ve assigned a new conservator to you.”

“ What? ”

He extends his hands—a silent, frustrated apology.

“Who’s they ?” I ask icily.

“My boss, with orders from his boss, who probably had orders from his boss.” Noah runs his hand through his short hair, making a mess of it. Then he swears, shaking his head like he doesn’t know what to do.

“And they’re going to fire you if you stay here?”

“That’s what Daniel said.”

“But you’re renting a room from me. They have no right to tell me who can or cannot stay in my house.”

His focus sharpens on my face. “Actually…that might work. Hurry, let’s sign a contract and backdate it.”

“So, if you have to remain here anyway, will they let you stay on as my conservator?”

“I doubt it. They’ve probably already moved me over to the vacuum salesman.”

“No,” I say, fear clawing at my chest. “ No. ”

“Piper…”

“I don’t want a different conservator—I want you. This is ridiculous.”

Though still frustrated, he looks quietly pleased. “Say it again, just to boost my spirits.”

I smile despite myself. “I want you.”

He smirks. “It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah. Too bad we’re just friends.”

“Too bad.”

“Come on.” I abandon my toast but grab my smoothie. “We’ll go to my office and draw up the contract.”

Thirty minutes after Daniel’s warning, Noah gets a call from his boss.

“Hey, Reid,” he says like he doesn’t know what’s coming, looking over our newly signed contract. “A new assignment? Why?”

I pull my legs up and cross them in the computer chair, watching Noah.

“I mean, that’s fine. The situation is a little complicated, though. Piper is a friend. She found out I was back in town and didn’t have a place, and she offered to rent me a room. We’ve already signed a contract.”

That’s almost the truth.

He continues, “I ran into her before she was assigned to me, but it did seem like an ideal situation, especially considering her stalker. ”

I twist my hands, and Noah winks, silently telling me he’s got this. After his initial explosion, he went into recon mode. He said he was going to take care of this, and I believe him. But it might get messy.

“It should be in her file,” Noah says, like he’s confused. “The vampire who bit her has been in contact. He added his contact info to her phone, and he’s messaged several times.” Another pause. “Why would her file be locked? And what happened to her history? You realize this woman’s boyfriend was murdered the day before she was infected, right? The guy on the news?” He grins to himself, apparently liking the direction the conversation is taking. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

Mindlessly, I pull a piece of computer paper from the printer and begin folding corners.

“It is strange her file has been swept clean.” Noah nods like he’s agreeing with something his boss said. “It’s fine if I stay here, right? I can send in the rental agreement if you like. And I’m sure Piper would be happy to chat with you as well.” He pauses. “If you don’t mind driving over. This afternoon at the Glenwood Springs office?”

I nod when he raises his eyebrows to ask me if that will work.

“Yeah, this afternoon is fine.” His jaw tightens a little. “I can meet Colin tomorrow. But you’ll need to get someone switched to Piper right away. I don’t think it’s safe leaving her alone right now.” He nods again. “Thanks, Reid. We’ll see you in a few hours.”

“How did it go?” I ask when he ends the call.

He nods to the paper in my hands. “Practicing your origami?”

“Is he going to let you stay here?”

“We’ll see. We head into the office at two.”

“What will you do if they tell you that you have to move out?”

“Continue the family business and become a grocer.”

“You can’t throw away your entire career for a woman you barely know.” A smile toys at my lips. “Even if she is the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”

He grins. “And they say mental illness only affects vamps in later stages.”

The exchange shouldn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy, but it does. Maybe he’s right, and the virus is affecting my brain.

“Seriously, though,” I say. “You’ve been with NIHA for over ten years.”

“And I was a hunter until last month. Someone is already trying to boot me out.”

“So, you’re just going to let them?”

“No. Finish your smoothie. We’re going shopping.”

I follow him out of the office. “For what?”

“A security system. Don’t argue—I’ll pay for it.”

“Why would you do that?”

He turns back, giving me a wry look. “Because you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I’m going to keep you safe.”

And though he’s just flippantly tossing my words back, I falter a little.

What would it be like for someone like Noah to say that to me and mean it? And how much better would it be if that man was Noah?

Oh no—how cliché.

I have a crush on my bodyguard.