Boone shrugged. “Honestly, I think it was a courtesy call, just to keep me updated. I think she was also a little afraid that I’dlose interest or something if this drags out longer. I informed her that nothing could be further from the truth and that when she gets the legal clearance, I’ll be there.” Boone cringed. “At least I hope I’ll be there. I don’tnotwant to be there. It’s just…” He waved a hand in the air, pointing to shadowed corners. My eyes tracked to those darkened areas. It was so damn hard, not knowing if Huxley was there, looming and listening in. The very idea gave me the creeps and pissed me off in equal measure.
“You’ll be there,” I promised. It was probably foolish to make such a claim. Foolish or not, I needed Boone to believe it. I needed me to believe it too.
Boone’s answering grin was weaker than I would have liked. With a barely there nod, Boone sighed and changed the subject. “I went through some new requests that have come through. I turned most of them down, but I did reach out to a couple of others. I need some more information, but those two cases look promising.”
This was a touchy subject. Not that I didn’t want Boone working—I just didn’t like the idea of him going out alone. When I stopped chewing my food, Boone’s fingers slid into my free hand and gave a squeeze. “Nothing’s decided, and we’ll discuss it first. We’ll time it so I’m not going by myself.”
I raised Boone’s hand to my lips, kissing his knuckles. “I’m sorry for being such a worrywart.”
“I think if anyone’s earned that right, it’s you.” Boone cocked his head to the side, a lazy grin tilting one side of his lips. “I hate that you need to worry, but I’m glad you do. Does that sound selfish? You know I don’t mean it that way. I just—”
“It doesn’t sound selfish. I like that you worry about me too.” Releasing Boone’s hand, I stretched my arms above my head, shoulders and back cracking. “Christ, I feel old.”
“You haven’t qualified for AARP yet. Come on.” Boone stood. “Let’s get you washed and into some comfier clothes…or maybe no clothes at all.” Boone waggled his eyebrows.
My dick made the meekest of efforts, and I sighed as I stared down at my crotch. “I think even that part of me is too tired for what you’re proposing.”
“I’m not proposing anything beyond naked snuggling beneath the sheets.”
Any remaining tension drained from my body. “That sounds like a dream.”
“Only I’m the real thing.” Boone winked before picking up the perishables from the table and placing them back in the fridge. “Go get in the shower. I’ll grab you a beer before heading to bed.”
I had no idea how I’d gotten so lucky in life and love. All I knew was that I’d do my damndest to keep it. I just had no idea if my best would be good enough. That was the thought that kept me from sleep.
Chapter
Nine
Erasmus
Two days later and Franklin was still waist deep in the six murdered girls we’d found. He went in early, came home late, and tossed and turned most of the night. When Franklin kissed me goodbye in the morning, he barely looked better than when I’d tucked him in the night before. The case was taking up all his time, energy, and headspace, leaving little available for contemplations regarding Tenzen Huxley.
One foot propped on my porch swing, I used the other to push myself back and forth. The creak of the springs was a constant, oddly soothing backdrop. Chin resting on my bent knee, I stared across the street. Sometimes I wished my view was of Mrs. Hart’s house instead. Then again, I’d rather have a street between the neighbor who hated my guts than a simple fence.
Miss Pattycakes was out and about this morning. I’d heard her yipping at something or other, but she’d quieted quickly. Since I hadn’t heard Mrs. Hart’s door open and close again, I could only assume Miss Pattycakes was still patrolling her yard, looking for any unwelcome intruders.
If only it were that easy to spot the intruders invading my private sanctuary. When you stopped and paid attention,shadows could be seen everywhere. Even in the darkest of night, the barest hint of light allowed their presence. I’d need an underground, sealed bunker with absolutely no light to avoid Tenzen’s shadows. While that sounded like a warm and cozy burrow to a vampire, it sounded like torturous hell to me.
A young woman with her brown hair piled in a high ponytail jogged past, technology plugged into her ears as she trotted by, not a single glance spared my direction. While jogging didn’t really appeal to me, I envied her ease.
The truth was, I was bored. I’d significantly pared back on my caseload in an attempt not to make myself a bigger target…or at least an easy one. I had no idea what Franklin thought he could do if Tenzen decided to do… Fuck, it was so damn frustrating not being able to complete that sentence. Part of me wondered if it truly mattered. At this point, we didn’t even know if Pops’s silencing charms worked where Huxley was concerned. Sitting here, all alone with nothing else to do allowed too much time for useless speculation. All this constant thinking was doing was giving me an ulcer and raising my anxiety.
I blamed that increased anxiety for my over-the-top yelp and involuntary jump when my phone rang. “Get it together, Boone,” I berated myself before picking up my phone. My heartrate remained high when I saw the caller ID. “Agent Frost?” I answered.
“You can call me Phlox if you’d like,” the pixie/Pallas’s cat shifter answered. Reaching into my pocket, I activated Pops’s silencing charm. Phlox didn’t give me a chance to say anything else before he continued. “Leon and I are taking a flight to Montgomery. We should land sometime after midnight. We’ll get a rental car, but then we’re heading your way. Looks like it’s three to four hours to your house from the airport, which will put us at your place before dawn.”
Eyes wide, I swallowed and stuttered, “O-okay.”
“I didn’t want to just show up knocking on your door before the sun rose.”
My mouth opened before slipping closed again. “I appreciate that.” My brain felt numb, as if it were on a thirty-second delay. Perhaps longer. Finally, I managed to ask, “And why are you on your way here? Have you learned something?”
“Not yet, but I plan on learning a whole shitload of things. Aurelia spoke with Peaches.”
My blood ran cold. “About Ajita?”
“Mm-hmm. Gotta say, I did not see that one coming.”
