“Hang on,” Nico said. “No going in until we clear the house.”
I stopped mid-step and looked at my place. I didn’t even contemplate that someone might be waiting inside for me. The thought was enough to turn my guts to water. It was my home, a place that should always feel safe. In one sentence, Nico had changed all that. Now every shadow, every angle, every nook looked like it could be hiding someone. A nightmare fantasy flashed through my mind—some dark figure crawling out of my linen closet, a knife clamped between his teeth, murder in his dark eyes. I shivered and crossed my arms across my chest, feeling cold even in the humid Florida heat.
I handed Nico the keys and waited with Sebastian and Felipe while Nico and Luis went inside. We stood in silence; both men kept looking up and down the road. I couldn’t take my eyes off the house. When Nico came out three minutes later, waving the all-clear, I released a deep breath, relief swelling in my chest. I knew I was safe, being surrounded by four shifters, but still, the thought of an intruder being found in my place had been more stressful than I’d even imagined.
I stepped onto the porch and Nico nodded inside. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be at the front door. Luis will go to the rear exit. We’ll stay outside to give you some space.”
“Thanks,” I muttered.
The first thing I did was go to the fridge and throw out anything that wouldn’t survive a week or two and put the trash bag by the door. In my bedroom, I pulled out my big suitcase and the carry-on bag I used whenever I traveled. I stuffed my carry-on full of my toiletries, phone charger, and other little things. I grabbed random clothes, shoes, and underwear, then dropped them into the larger bag. I was on my knees organizing the bag when I let my hands rest on my thighs. All I could do was stare at the things in the suitcase and wonder if it was enough. I would only be twenty or thirty minutes from my place. I could always have someone bring me back to grab whatever I’d forgotten.
Why was this happening? How long would I have to live like this? Bodyguards, safe houses, chaperones to and from the store and work? It was all too much to bear. I felt the fear inside me, but also a growing rage at the injustice of it all. I’d been a good person. I’d done all the right things and tried my best to help people who needed it. So why the hell hadmylife turned to shit?
I hadn’t even realized I was trembling until Nico’s hand brushed my shoulder. I spun around and leveled my eyes at him. He pulled his hand back and glanced at the suitcase. “I said your name a few times, and you didn’t answer. I came to check on you. I was worried.”
My mind must have totally zoned out to not have heard him. “Sorry, I must have spaced,” I said, casting my eyes down.
“It’s okay,” Nico said. “It’s a lot. I understand it’s probably difficult to deal with it all.”
I stared at him for several seconds. What was he trying to do? Was he only placating me? Trying to keep me calm by being nicer than he needed to be? All these questions and more bubbled in my head as I looked at him.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Doing what?” Nico asked, looking confused.
“Being so nice to me.”
“Uh,” Nico’s brows furrowed. “Would you prefer I not be nice?”
I huffed out a sigh. “I know you’re only using me to get what you want. To get this Javi guy or whatever. You don’t have to pretend to be nice to me. That’s all I’m saying.”
Nico’s eyes went hard, and his face was stony. “Us having a similar endgame has nothing to do with my personality or the way I treat people.” His voice was icy, and I already regretted what I’d said. “I’m really sorry you haven’t had good experiences with shifters. Truly, I am, but we aren’t all the same. If that’s what you think, then that’s a pretty bigoted thought process.”
“I didn’t mean?—”
“Yes,” he interrupted, “I do need to figure out what Javi is up to. That’s true. That doesn’t mean I need topretendto be a decent damned person to do it. I’ll be outside.”
He spun on his heel and stomped out. I closed my eyes and winced inwardly. Why the fuck had I done that? Shame and regret warred within me. Each emotion did its best to beat my ego to death. That had been a shitty, cold-hearted thing to say, and I couldn’t think of a single reason to have said it other than that I was pissed at the situation and wanted to take my frustration out on someone.
“Dammit,” I hissed and pounded my fist into my thigh. I was being a bitch to the one person trying to keep me alive.
Luis carried my big bag to the SUV while Sebastian took the bag of trash to my can and rolled it to the curb for me. Without looking at me, Nico took my carry-on from me. He put it in the back and climbed into the driver seat. “Is that everything?” he asked through the passenger window, still not looking at me.
“Yeah,” I said as I opened the door.
We pulled away, and I didn’t even get a chance for one last look at my place. All I could do was stare at the muscles in Nico’s jaw clenching and unclenching in anger. He was still pissed, and I knew exactly why.
I let him drive for several minutes, watching the scenery change as we neared his pack lands, before I spoke again. “Look, Nico, I didn’t mean to be so?—”
“You’ll be looked after the entire time you’re in my care,” he said, cutting me off before I could apologize. Yep, definitely still pissed at me. “Along with my friends you’ve already met, I’ve got four brothers. So, at least one of us will be around at any point. Usually more than one. We’ll take you to and from work, and whoever is with you will stay there—one inside near the bar, and one outside checking the perimeter.
“I’m really not trying to uproot your whole life. I hope you understand that. I only want you to stay safe. Once we figure out what Javi is up to and stop him, you can go back to your life. You’ll never have to worry about me bothering you again.”
I pursed my lips, staring at my hands in my lap. I cursed myself again for being an asshole earlier. I’d much preferred Nico’s kind tone over the harsh, cold one. Had I taken something that was already going to be a little weird, awkward, and scary, and made it even worse? It was looking that way.Great job, Maddy, a really good idea.
A few minutes later, we got to what I could only assume were the gated Lorenzo pack lands. Nico leaned out of the window and punched in a code, and the gate slid open. Once we pulled through and started driving by houses, my eyes almost bulged out of my head. Every house was really nice. I didn’t know what I’d expected, but it wasn’t these three- and four-thousand square foot monsters. Several had swimming pools and every lawn was immaculate. Another wave of shame cascaded across my mind as I realized I’d been anticipating shabby mobile homes or some big communal bunkhouse. I hadn’t realized I’d been so judgmental. I guess all it took for the real me to come out was for my life to be in danger. The day was getting more depressing by the second.
The homes stayed pretty much the same the whole way down the road. I tried to forget my festering embarrassment by ogling the houses. Nico’s pack must have had quite a bit of money to afford the luxury. The houses weren’t mansions or anything, but they were definitely on the more expensive end of upper middle class.
