Except Hiro acted like it was some sort of national emergency and demanded they make me a pair of glasses for same-day delivery. I didn’t even know they could do that. But they agreed, and I don’t think it was because of the pile of money he put on the counter. More likely, the slightly unhinged look in his eyes while he did it. I was realizing more and more that, while I might not be the least bit afraid of Hiro, other people were.
I’d probably have to find a new eye doctor after this. And I’d probably have to make sure I went to my next appointment alone. Of course, given the way he was my literal shadow all day, I think I’d have better luck catching a fish in the bathtub than going anywhere without him.
Which made me wonder how tonight was going to go because I was supposed to meet up with Tommy’s “associate” alone.
A knock on the door had me looking up from my phone. I definitely understood why everyone had these things. You could do so much on one tiny device. Tossing the blanket off my legs, I unfolded from the sofa, ignoring the protest in just about all of my limbs. I made it two steps toward the door when I was snatched off my feet from behind.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Hiro’s voice rumbledin my ear.
“Someone’s at the door,” I said through a rush of tingles racing over my scalp and down my neck. Where did he even come from anyway? For someone so big, he moved very quietly.
“And you thought you’d just go let them in?”
“It’s probably Haz and Kieran.” They were supposed to be here soon.
With a rough sound, Hiro spun me around so I was facing him and then lifted me off the ground like I wasn’t even allowed to stand on my own. Or maybe he didn’t feel like bending down so we were eye to eye.
“House rule number ten?—”
“You have more rules than a cable company’s service script.” I mean, really, I was going to have to start writing them down.
Not that I was going to follow them. I just wanted to keep track of how many he could come up with.
“Ten,” he restated as if his word were the law. “I don’t care if Jesus himself has risen and comes over for tea and crumpets. Youwill notanswer the door. Ever.”
“I’ve never had a crumpet,” I said. “Have you?”
He growled. “That’s not the point.”
“They’re in some of the books I’ve read. But?—”
Knock. Knock.
“Hang on a second,” Hiro hollered, then gave me a little shake. “I mean it, Pip. Anyone could come knocking, but not just anyone is allowed access to you.”
A jolt of a thrill shot through me as my teeth sank into my lower lip. I shouldn’t be so charmed by his over-the-top protective tendencies. But I was.
All my life, I’d wanted someone to care about me.
And now someone cared so much it made him ridiculous.
“Got it?” Hiro asked.
I nodded, and he set me down, moving in front of me. “Stay here.”
Well, at least he didn’t tell me to go hide.
He opened the door with one hand, the other on a gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans. Jeans that seriously hugged his butt in all the right places.
“Yeah?” he said into the hall, not opening the door enough for me to see who was there.
“Delivery,” someone replied. “Sign here.”
Hiro let go of the gun and did as requested. A few moments later, he shut the door and turned with a small box in his hand. “Your new eyes are here.”
I groaned.
“Still not sure about the glasses, huh?”
