“Is that all she said?” I know it won’t be. Rose loves being the first with hot gossip.
“Well, no. She did mention a mysterious brunette who seemed to be getting comfortable in your apartment.”
“Of course she did.”
“Who is she?”
Straight to the point, as is her way. It’s something I appreciate. Cheryl and Eleanor are going to get on like a house on fire. “Eleanor Austin.”
“Have you spoken to William about her?”
I blink as the wheels in my head turn, and I realize the very precarious position I find myself in. If I claim Eleanor as a friend in need, Cheryl will report her existence to William, and I will find myself in front of him explaining the details. If he determines she is likely to bring trouble to our doorstep, he will have her banished from the town. No questions. No second chances. If Eleanor’s not allowed in my home, I can’t protect her. Which means I will break my vow to Fox and Honor, leaving me with one choice. Hopefully, Eleanor will forgive this white lie and understand it’s only to afford her the weight of the Reapers’ protection.
I shake my head. “Not yet.”
She raises a brow as she lifts open the lid on the counter and pulls out a peach pie. “I kept one back for you as soon as Rose got your message to bring Charlie home. I swear that dog has put away more meat than a gang of hungry bikers,” she teases.
I swipe a hand through the back of my hair. “You’re too good to me, Cheryl.” I force myself to meet her eyes, keeping my body as relaxed as possible. “I’ve left them to get acquainted.”
“The girlfriend and your dog?”
There it is. Time to embrace the lie or own up. “Yes.” My gut twists. No going back now.
“Everyone loves Charlie,” she says, accepting Eleanor’s false title without batting an eyelid. “And given this is the first woman you have ever brought into the town and our lives, I can only imagine she is as warm and loving.”
A snort escapes me before I can reign it in. Cheryl slides the pie into a white bakery box and tucks the tabs in. “Eleanor is complicated.” I sprinkle in some truth, tempering some of the acid on my tongue.
Cheryl’s lips twitch as she passes me the pie. “Indeed. I never expected you to settle for easy, Hunter. Partners have to match the darkness and secrets in our souls. You may have everyoneelse fooled, but I know you. I know what stalks your nightmares and drives your need to save everyone around you.”
She is one of four people who know my history, who knows where I disappear to every Wednesday evening and Sunday morning without fail. My mind is already coming up with different ways to ensure Eleanor stays put when I make my visits.
The bell tinkles over the door, and William steps into the bakery with a smirk. “You’re back.”
He struts over, and we embrace with a thump on the back before parting. He kisses Cheryl on the cheek, and she smiles at him like he’s her whole world. That kind of love is rare. It’s almost embarrassing to witness, yet impossible to look away.
“What’s this about a girl?” William asks.
“Eleanor Austin,” I confirm.
He snatches a lemon muffin with a cheeky wink at Cheryl who scowls at him before giving me his full attention. “You met her on holiday, and now she’s moving in? Seems a little reckless for you.”
“No, we met months ago.” I stay within the guidelines of truth, still putting my neck on the line by lying to my prez. “But reconnected during my time in Miami.”
“You aren’t due home for another ten days. Why are you here?”
William is not stupid. He will see straight through anything less than the whole truth about Eleanor’s situation. The key is figuring out how to say enough to ensure she’s allowed sanctuary.
“She got herself into some trouble.”
The change in the air is palatable as William abandons his muffin on the counter, standing up straight and pulling on his prez mask. “What kind of trouble?”
“She attracted the attention of a very bad man.”
“I see.”
“And now he’s hunting her.”
William nods as the facts slide into place, his jaw ticcing. “You brought her here as it’s the place where you can protect her best.”
