“I’m always careful, Cricket. Lock the door after me.”
He cracked open the bedroom door and aimed his Glock. In the hall, he pulled the door closed behind him with a soft click. Noiselessly, he stepped into the living room. The darkness might be a problem for some, but he was so used to it that it was almost an advantage. How many missions had he done in the dead of night? Too many.
He was just looking behind the couch when the crinkling of plastic sounded.
The pantry. What the fuck was someone doing in there? Hiding? Getting ready to jump him?
With silent steps, he inched into the kitchen. The door to the pantry was ajar. Another crackle noise cut through the quiet.
Three more steps and he grabbed the handle. In one quick motion, he whipped the door open and aimed the Glock.
Nothing.
The fuck?
The rustling sound came from nearby. Frowning, he holstered his Glock and lifted an oddly heavy box of cereal from a shelf. There was his culprit.
A rat. Abigone.
He chuckled, closing the box so the animal couldn’t escape. He didn’t release the rat near the back door, instead going to the far corner of the yard before lowering it to the grass. The rodent scurried away.
“I’m glad it was you, buddy. Didn’t really feel like shooting anyone tonight.”
He’d just stepped back into the house when Indie entered the kitchen, pistol in hand.
Her gaze darted around the room before returning to him. “Where is he?”
“Hewas a rat.”
She frowned. “A rat?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She visibly exhaled, and she lowered the pistol to the counter before scrubbing a hand over her face. “I’m so sorry. I freaked out.”
“Hey, it was a big rat. You had every reason to call for backup.”
Her lips stretched into a smile, and even though it was small and tentative, it was the first smile she’d sent his way in over a year, and fuck, it made him breathless.
“Thank you,” she sighed.
“You can call me anytime, day or night, rat or intruder or even just to talk. You know that.”
Even the fact that she’d called him tonight surprised the hell out of him. She could have called her brother. Or she could have called either of her cousins, Jesse or Becket. But she’d calledhim.
Was it because even after everything she’d said, she knew it wasn’t over between them?
She cleared her throat. “Do you want some coffee?”
“Sure.” He never drank coffee at night. But if taking her up on her offer meant he got more time with her, then he’d drink an entire fucking pot of it.
As she moved toward her pod machine, he watched the curve of her bare thighs stretching from beneath the T-shirt.HisT-shirt.
Did she realize she wasn’t wearing pants? Or was she so used to him that she didn’t care?
Either way, the sight of all that smooth skin made his cock turn to stone. He forced his gaze away, only to catch sight of a folder on the counter.
Amber Ridge Fertility Center.
