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I should want them to leave so they can do their job and solve this case. Make sure I’m safe and that no one is after me.

But I don't want them to go.

I want them here with me. I want them to stay and make everything okay, because having them around makes me feel safer than I ever have. Which is also silly because I don’t know them. I’m not sure I can trust them, even though they’re doing everything right.

They could be fooling me. I need to keep my guard up to make sure their end goal isn’t to take me to whoever is in charge or to harm me themselves.

“Oh,” I say, trying not to sound sad about it.

Forge looks at me. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.”

He raises a brow.

I sigh, then add, “You don't have to look at me like that.”

“Like what?” he asks.

“Like you know I'm lying.”

“Are you?” he adds, a bit of humor in his eyes. It’s the first time I’ve seen something so light on his face. Usually he’s stern.

I press my lips together, not wanting to admit that I am lying because it feels too fast to say something like that. Finding your scent-match is a big deal, and a lot of people use that as a reason to jump into bonding. I need to be cautious.

Pierce chuckles. “You're going to have to get used to that. He's annoyingly observant.”

“It's my job,” Forge grumbles.

“It's also your favorite hobby.”

I laugh before I can stop myself.

I can tell they’re close by the way they interact. They have an easy relationship. It’s obviously they know each other very well and that they’re comfortable with one another. It makes sense they decided to form a pack with that sort of relationship. Partners in and out of work.

They both get to their feet. Time is running out. Any moment, they’ll be walking out that door and I don’t know when I’ll see them again. I can’t hope for bad things to happen so I have a reason to call them. That’s just stupid.

When they start toward the door, I jolt upward, and say, “Could we do something together sometime?”

Pierce smiles, looking back at me over his shoulder. “Something?”

“I don't know what people do when they're getting to know each other,” I admit.

“Usually dinner,” Forge says.

“But we just had lunch.”

Pierce laughs. “He means another day, sweetheart.”

“Or later today,” Forge adds quickly.

“Oh, uhm…” I glance at Trina, who’s still in the kitchen cleaning up, and wonder if she’s going to need help in the bakery. “I think another day would be better. Trina already had to close early, and I want to help her for the rest of the day.”

Disappointment crosses Forge’s face, clear as day.

“Sure,” he says.

“Tomorrow?” I say before I can think better of it.