“Harmony, slow down,” he said. “You don’t need to worry about any of this anymore. I’m gonna have my team take a look at everything and I will make sure you and your sister are safe.”
“Harmony?”
I turned to see Butchy walking into the room, his arms laden with food bags. “What the fuck happened?”
I filled him in and he swore.
“Right. We’re moving hotels,” he said.
“Don’t think that’s a good idea,” Jaxon said.
“Yeah, well you’re not their head of security.”
“No, but this is now an FBI investigation. I’ll be taking it from here.” Jaxon focused on me again. “Show me the box.”
I pointed to the box on the table. I couldn’t make my feet move toward it, and Jaxon didn’t make me. He slid on a pair of latex gloves and investigated the box, before pulling out a large plastic bag and slipping the box inside. “I’m gonna take this to my partner, then I’m coming back, okay?”
I nodded, and watched as he walked out the door.
“What happened?” Butchy demanded.
I shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. Someone left the box with the dead rat in front of the door. I’m assuming it was soon after you left.”
He wrapped an arm around me, but I wasn’t interested in his touch, so I moved away.
“I don’t like this, Harmony,” Butchy said, crossing his arms. “Your sister needs to listen to reason.”
“I hear you, buddy. But you know what she’s like.”
He scowled as he pulled out his phone and put it to his ear. “I want her back to the hotel now. I don’t give a shit. You have to fuckin’ caveman her over your shoulder, you do it. She comes back now. Jesus. Tell her that if she doesn’t leave with you now, I’m coming to get her.”
I raised an eyebrow. Butchy was acting a little out of character for him, and I wondered what had changed.
“Put her on the phone.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “You’re back in your room in twenty minutes, Mel, or I’m coming to get you. You don’t think? Get your ass back here now. No fuckin’ around. We’ll explain when you get here. Nineteen minutes, Mel.” He hung up without saying goodbye, then focused on me. “No one goes anywhere without me.”
I nodded, and he left the room.
My phone buzzed and I answered without looking at the screen. “Hello?”
“It’s Jaxon. I’m coming back up.”
“Okay,” I said, sighing with relief.
I knew I should pull myself together. Remind myself that Jaxon Quinn was an FBI agent investigating a crime. But I couldn’t seem to stop my heart from reaching for him. I felt safe and that was an emotion I’d never felt before.
Ever.
I made my way to the door and pulled it open before Jaxon could knock and he cocked his head as he stood in the doorway. “You okay?”
I bit my lip and nodded. “Hmm-mm, come in.”
He stepped inside and I closed the door.
“I wasn’t expecting you back so quickly.”
“Brock came by and picked up the evidence.”
“Brock?”
