Chapter Seven

"How're you feeling?" Arlo curled his fingers around the edge of the large tray of unsorted mail Jonah was working on.

"You asked me that earlier." Ever since Jonah had gotten to work this morning, Arlo had been hovering around him like an anxious puppy. Did he think Jonah was going to break down at any moment from the trauma Flint had caused?

If he didn't stop, Jonah was going to find a rolled-up newspaper and swat him away.

Honestly, it was annoying. Jonah didn't want a puppy yapping around him. He wanted a wolf who could make him howl. A wolf who turned his brain inside out with just one kiss.

Even now, Jonah's thoughts drifted to that kiss they'd shared two days ago in Kijani's kitchen. It still had him panting. Still had him so hot he felt like he was baking under the sun's rays.

Then yesterday? The motorcycle ride and spending the day at the fair with Kijani still had Jonah smiling. It would have been an even better day if Kijani had kissed him at some point. Even without a mind-blowing kiss, he wouldn't have traded their time together for anything.

Now Jonah really wanted that whole lotta good.

Especially since a shit-ton of bad stood right in front of him.

"But I saw you standing over here looking… I don't know, maybe pensive?" Arlo leaned his forearms on the edge of the large tray, an over-bright fanatic shine in his eyes.

"People zone out, Arlo. You don't have to run a vibe check on me." Jonah started casing large envelopes and bulky items, using the "taco" method as he swung into a rhythm.

His back to Arlo should have been a hinty-hint-hint, but the guy kept talking. Lucky me.

"You're being a dick again," Arlo grumbled.

"This isn't social hour at Fearless Fox." Jonah grabbed the loose mail and continued sorting, frustrated when he had to tap a letter repeatedly so the address would show through the window on the envelope. "I have to get this completed in a timely manner."

Jonah moved on to sorting parcels, wishing Arlo would go away. They'd been getting along at work, but ever since Flint's arrest, he was becoming clingy, which was one of the many problems they'd had as a couple.

Arlo's list of issues was as long as Santa's list of naughty and nice children. Jonah had dealt with his obsessive clinginess when they'd been dating. He sure as hell didn't want to deal with it again.

"Did you want to go for a drink after work?" Arlo asked as if Jonah's snarky comment about the bar had been a suggestion.

How dense could one guy be? The wall between them was so obvious, yet Arlo seemed oblivious to it. Did Jonah have to put up a neon sign that read "Not a Chance in Hell" for his ex-boyfriend to finally get the message?

"Want I want is to get my work done." Jonah moved the trays to the casing area and began to pull down the mail from the individual slots, sorting them according to his route.

"You're starting to act like Flint again, like his hostility has rubbed off on you."

"Because I'm trying to get my work done?" Jonah asked incredulously.

"Because you act like grabbing a drink with a friend is beneath you." He flattened his lips while breathing heavily through his nose.

Flint had acted jealous, not high and mighty. But Jonah wasn't acting that way. He just wanted for Arlo to leave him alone.

Taking a step back, Jonah thought of Flint's violent eruption. He reminded himself that Arlo had never been physically abusive, but the tense jaw and flared nostrils made Jonah's mouth go dry.

Are my hands trembling? Absolutely. Before Flint, he'd never been exposed to violence. Now he questioned whether Arlo might be capable of similar actions.

Arlo shook his head, wincing slightly. "I didn't mean to get upset with you."

But he hadn't retracted his words, indicating he still believed them.

"You're the one behaving like Flint." Jonah narrowed his eyes, determined not to be intimidated by the hostility, though now more wary of it.

His comment seemed to piss off Arlo. "He was an asshole, and yet you put up with him for nearly two months."

Through gritted teeth, Jonah asked, "Are you implying that I liked his aggressive behavior?"

"I just came over here to check on you." Arlo grabbed the flatbed cart and wheeled it over to him. "Looks like you're still processing everything that happened."

The only thing Jonah was trying to process was Arlo's mood swings. He had never seen someone cycle through emotions so quickly before. Now he was acting as if he hadn't insulted the hell out of Jonah.

"How about I buy you a drink after work as an apology." Arlo started stacking the trays on the cart.

"Stop." Briefly closing his eyes, Jonah deeply exhaled.

"I'm just trying to help."

"That's not what I meant." He held up his hands, palms out. "Stop whatever this is, Arlo. Our time together ended nearly four months ago."

The small area resounded with Arlo's laughter, which was akin to a braying donkey. He slapped the table, his shoulders shaking with mirth. "You really should get your ego in check." He wiped the tears from his eyes. "That was too damn funny."

Was Jonah reading too much into Arlo's concern? The guy had confessed he still cared and wanted them to be friends, even though he was being very pushy about it.

But it wasn't Jonah's ego that made him wary. It was a deep gut feeling that set off his Spidey senses. The way Arlo gazed at him with hopeful eyes. His laser-focus on Jonah's mental wellbeing. Those bursts of anger.

And then there was the unexpected apology for being a crappy boyfriend.

Yet, Jonah still wondered if he really was overthinking Arlo's intentions. Had dealing with someone like Flint made Jonah wary of everyone now? He hoped not. That was no way to live. He'd wanted Flint out of his life because he'd been exhausted arguing all the time. He'd wanted his peace of mind back.

Now Arlo was messing with that peace by making Jonah question his motives.

"Let's get your truck loaded." Arlo gripped the handle of the cart.

Jonah didn't like feeling so uncertain. Should he listen to his head, which told him that he was overthinking this, or should he listen to his gut tingling with an eerie vibe?

They worked together to load the truck, with Arlo handing trays and a tub of packages to Jonah, who stacked them in their designated spots. Twice Arlo's hands brushed his, though it seemed unintentional.

Regardless, Jonah didn't want the guy touching him for any reason, whether accidental or not. The only person he wanted touching him was Kijani.

"Thanks," Jonah said when they were done. He jumped out of the back and closed the overhead door.

"I'd say any time, but you might think I'm flirting," Arlo teased. "Seriously, though. My mom has always liked you. She's been feeling down because of her dialysis. I'm positive a visit from you would put a smile on her face."

Now that Flint was gone, Jonah didn't have to worry about stopping by to see Winona. He just didn't want Arlo using it as an excuse to spend time together.

"I'll let you know, but in the meantime, tell her I said hi." Jonah walked around his truck and hopped in, grateful to finally be away from Arlo and his unnerving mixed signals.

"Have you heard anything about Flint?"

Jonah nearly jumped out of his seat when Arlo suddenly appeared at his door. Now the guy was bordering on creepy. For fuck's sake. Why couldn't he just leave Jonah alone?

"No, and I have no interest in knowing what's happening with him." Bald-faced lie. Jonah wanted to know the outcome of Flint's court case so he could either relax or put in a change of address.

"I'm glad." Arlo nodded. "He's no good for you, Jonah. It's best you steer clear of him."

The same could be said about Arlo.

Jonah had finally rid himself of Flint, only for another ex-boyfriend to start acting weird.

Flint had accused him of being interested in Arlo's personal life, but it was the other way around. Arlo was constantly clinging to him now, and Jonah couldn't seem to get rid of him.

When would the madness end?

"I have to get going." Jonah started the truck and pulled away. He could talk to the postmaster about Arlo's harassing behavior, but what if that only made things worse?

It was a risk Jonah wasn't sure he wanted to take, but if Arlo didn't stop bothering him, he would have no choice.

* * * *

"You got a visitor at the front desk, Deputy Tenshi," Slater announced from the entryway of the bullpen.

Kijani glanced up from his computer screen, wondering who could possibly be visiting him. He had only been in town for two months and didn't know many people.

Could it be Jonah? Did something happen at work? They'd only been away from each other for a few hours, but Kijani ached to be with his mate again.

To indulge in another one of those firestorm kisses. To see the explosion of heat in Jonah's eyes and feel those soft lips on his again.

Slater's broad smile made Kijani frown. Rising from his seat, he walked to the front, grinning when he spotted the little boy he'd rescued standing beside his father.

The toddler wobbled over and hugged Kijani's leg.

The father approached them. "I'm Brock Wakerley. It's good to finally meet the man who saved my son from that accident." He gently tousled the boy's hair. "I'm not sure if you know this, but his name is Mathis."

Kijani already knew their names from the accident reports.

"I'm Deputy Tenshi. The pleasure is mine." He shook Brock's hand. "I'm happy I could help. How is your wife doing?"

Just like in the overturned SUV, Mathis gripped Kijani's finger in a tight hold and flashed a dimpled grin.

Brock clenched his jaw and looked away. "She's recovering."

The statements from the other two involved in the accident blamed Ivy Wakerley for the crash.

The driver of the red pickup, who'd been coming from the opposite direction, claimed she was speeding and looking down at the steering wheel while rounding the bend, leading Kijani to suspect she'd been on her phone.

Ivy was incredibly fortunate Mathis survived the accident. If Kijani had found a lifeless child when he'd dropped into the SUV, it would have haunted him for a very long time.

He crouched in front of Mathis, giving a gentle tap on the end of his button nose. "Would you like Uncle Kijani to get you a pack of cookies?" He glanced up at Brock. "If it's okay with your daddy."

Mathis made an adorable growling noise.

"He's been doing that ever since the accident." Brock rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I can't figure out why."

Because he heard my wolf when I was rescuing him. "I'm pretty clueless when it comes to kids." Kijani gave Mathis a playful wink. "So, can he have some cookies?"

Brock chuckled. "Sure, why not?"

With Mathis still clutching his finger, Kijani stood up and led the boy and his father into the bullpen.

"Looks like we're recruiting younger these days." Deputy Cannon Lowery joked with a grin. "I bet he'd be a better deputy than Savani."

From his desk, Deputy Morgan Savani tossed a crumpled piece of paper at Cannon. "Guess you didn't get the memo. He's your replacement."

"Deputy Mathis Wakerley. It has a nice ring to it." Kijani smiled at Mathis and introduced both him and Brock to everyone.

While the other deputies extended their warm welcomes, Kijani reached into the snack basket and grabbed a small bag of cookies. He squatted and opened the bag before holding it out for Mathis to take one.

Mathis growled as he pushed his small hand inside to pull out a cookie.

"Or maybe he was making that noise before the accident and I never noticed," Brock said.

Deputy Cannon Lowery wore a shit-eating grin as he looked at them. "Probably some kids' show about wolves."

Kijani shot him a warning look, silently telling him to knock it off. He wanted their visit to be enjoyable, not filled with unnecessary suspicion and hidden insinuations.

"We're going to take off." Brock shook Kijani's hand again. "I can never repay you for your bravery in saving Mathis's life, but thank you for being his hero."

Those heartfelt words struck right in the gut. While many might assume first responders were constantly thanked for their relentless commitment and efforts, that was seldom the case.

Even though Kijani didn't expect such appreciation, it still felt damn good to hear it.

"Take care, little buddy." Kijani hunkered down and shook Mathis's tiny hand. "Thank you for keeping your cool while Uncle Kijani fumbled through your rescue."

Mathis hugged Kijani's neck and growled. Keep your eyes on the floor to avoid tearing up. "Go easy on the growling so you don't give away my secret," he whispered.

"Deputy Tenshi, can I have a word?" Sheriff Harper stood at the entrance to the bullpen, smiling at the kid.

Kijani gently disentangled the boy's arms from around his neck then stood, ruffling Mathis's hair before he headed toward his boss.

"In my office." The sheriff pivoted and walked away.

He followed his boss, still smiling from the Wakerleys' visit. Kijani had never wanted children, but if he had, he'd want one just like Mathis. The boy had a way of wrapping himself around a person's heart.

"Is there a problem?" he asked as he entered the office.

"Please close the door and have a seat." The bear shifter dropped into his chair behind the desk.

Feeling a sense of unease, Kijani did as Sheriff Harper requested.

"Something happened during Flint Mahoney's transfer to Maple Grove."

"What kind of ‘something'?" That uneasiness intensified.

"The driver of a delivery truck had a seizure and crashed into the transport vehicle. While Deputy Malik Burrows was assisting the driver, Flint managed to escape through a broken rear window."

Kijani leaned back, rubbing his lower jaw. The question now was whether or not Flint would return to Midnight Falls. It would be incredibly foolish for him to do so. With his newfound freedom, if he had any sense, he'd flee to another state far enough away to stay off the radar and avoid getting caught again.

"I'm telling you this because I was informed Jonah Konopa is your mate and Flint threatened him when he got arrested."

Though Kijani wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet between Flint's eyes, he didn't look forward to breaking the news to Jonah. His mate was still grappling with Flint's assault, no longer feeling safe in his own home. Now Kijani worried this would only exacerbate that fear.

"He wasn't able to track Flint?" When Kijani arrived at work this morning, he'd looked into the details of Flint's transfer. Deputy Burrows was a lion shifter, so Kijani assumed there wouldn't be any problems.

"They were passing through a busy city. By the time the deputy realized Flint was missing, the road was crowded with onlookers and an ambulance had arrived for the driver. There were too many conflicting smells for Deputy Burrows to track Flint's scent."

Now Flint was in the wind, possibly making his way back to Jonah.

"When did the accident happen?"

"Early this morning." The chair creaked under the weight of the bear shifter when he leaned forward. "Yesterday, when I notified Sheriff Copache that we had Flint in custody, I also mentioned the threat against Jonah. He just called me twenty minutes ago to inform me of the accident and Flint's escape, since Jonah could be in danger."

"Flint already has a few hours' head start." Kijani knew the layout of this town after only two months. When he'd first arrived, he made a point to spend hours driving and walking around, committing street names and local businesses to memory.

An effective deputy couldn't rely solely on a GPS. He needed to be able to navigate the area on foot while pursuing a suspect through backyards and alleyways.

As Burrows had proved this morning, a heightened sense of smell was useless when faced with difficult surroundings.

Another valuable asset was the local community. Up to this point, the townsfolk remained cautious around Kijani. That was the nature of small towns. You remained an outsider until they decided to accept you as one of their own.

Kijani's preference for listening and observing more than he talked didn't help, since it made him seem emotionless and detached.

Although Kijani didn't like people looking at him that way, he'd been like that his entire life and found that it helped him gain deeper understanding and empathy.

It also helped him to detect someone's bullshit or hidden motives more easily.

Hopefully, the town would come to accept Kijani because it sucked being an outsider. But what mattered most to him was Jonah's acceptance. It seemed as if his mate was torn between drawing Kijani close and pushing him away. He couldn't tell if this was typical behavior for Jonah or stemmed from the assault he'd endured.

After spending time together at the fair, Kijani hoped he had gained more of Jonah's trust.

"Tenshi?" The sound of the sheriff's voice snapped him out of his head.

"There's no guarantee Flint will come back to Midnight Falls," Sheriff Harper said. "And if he is that stupid, he was picked up from our station last night. Which means, even if he steals a car, it'll take him until tonight to get here."

Instead of trying to keep an eye on the many roads leading in and out of town, Kijani would keep an eye on his mate, Flint's target.

"Now would be a good time to take your two-week honeymoon period," the sheriff said.

Not until he told Jonah they were mates. Kijani wasn't going to have sex with him, bite the guy to seal their bond, then try to explain things afterward.

The human had a right to fully understand things before anything went down between them.

"I'm gonna check on Jonah." He eased out of his chair.

"Just don't drag him into the station in handcuffs," Sheriff Harper grumbled.

Kijani arched an eyebrow.

Sheriff Harper softly chuckled. "You'd be surprised how many of your fellow deputies have hauled their mates in with restraints on their wrists."

With a shake of his head and a smirk on his face, Kijani walked out.