"I thought about calling the police tonight. To help you look for him.”
"They wouldn't have gotten here in time. He must've realized you spotted him.”
"They could've at least driven around. Some killers are caught during routine traffic stops, right?”
“True.” His steady breathing is a low hum, and it's comforting. It’s how the ocean sounds before a storm comes ashore.
My body begins to relax, the tightness in my muscles slowly dissipating.
“I prefer you don't call the police unless I say to.”
“I worried they might mistake you for him. It wouldn't be the first time they shot the wrong person.”
“You were protecting me?” he says, sounding surprised. His earnest tone makes me feel strangely self conscious.
“Well…” I shrug. "If he'd killed you, he might have come up to get me next.”
“Ah. That makes more sense. Looking out for your own interests,” he teases.
My silent smile goes unseen. “Why do you have a rifle? And a handgun?”
“The rifle's for hunting. The pistol's for protection.”
“What do you hunt?” I ask.
There’s a pause. “Deer mostly.” His voice sounds honest enough, but his delay in answering makes me wonder if there's more he's not saying.
“Are you any good? I didn't notice any venison in the freezer.”
“You took stock with a glance, huh? Then this is a good time to lay down some ground rules. Don't poke around in this bedroom. If you want something to read, choose a book from the living room. We'll consider that a common area.”
I turn toward him. “Okay.” For the first time in a long time, there's a chance I'll sleep, which, considering what happened, is miraculous.
Shifting closer, I'm confronted by the scent of his soap, his shampoo, and his skin, a tantalizing musky scent that’s woodsy from his earlier trek outside.
I've never kissed the Viking. At the moment, I want to. Such a cliché. Big strong man becomes irresistible to the girl he’s protecting… someone cue the movie score.
“Have you had military or law enforcement training?”
“No.” His body is completely still. He’s the opposite of restless.
“It’s weird that you have those goggles for seeing in the dark. They seem like military surplus gear or something. You don’t hunt deer at night, do you? So why do you have them?”
“No more talk. Go to sleep.”
My brow rises. That’s not an answer.
Another thought strikes me. When Erik went out to face Casanova, he took the rifle with him, not the pistol. I’m sure that was so he could leave the pistol with me, but a wave of satisfaction rolls through me at the idea of someone hunting Casanova for a change. Usually he’s the one hunting unarmed women.
When Erik and I were freshman, I hated the dangerous edge to his personality. Even though Luis got what he deserved when Erik beat him up, I resented that Erik settled the score because I felt betrayed and vulnerable. At first, Erik let me think I could stop him. That his attraction to me would stay his hand. Instead, when I hesitated, he went ahead. No more discussion. No concern for me at all.
Once the Viking decides to take someone down, that’s exactly what he does. When they fought, Luis stood no chance against him.
Now, his attention is directed toward Casanova.Good.If Erik is determined to help catch the killer, he won’t quit until he does.
13
ERIK
