“Yeah. I was.”

  Her eyes widened again before her pink lips twitched with a grin. “Why?”

  I shrugged, not able to meet her bright blue eyes as they bore through me. “You were having a nightmare. I was trying to help.”

  She was quiet for so long I had to look up and see her face. Somehow, she was still smiling. Her arms stretched above her head and I watched, fascinated. “I guess it worked. I can’t remember it.”

  I shrugged again. “Glad to help,” I muttered, unwilling for her to know exactly how glad I was.

  I needed to leave.

  Not just because the dawn was swiftly approaching, but because I couldn’t stay in that room and not touch her. It was almost too hard to do so even now.

  I took a step back and shoved my feet into my boots. “There’ll be someone here to pick you up when you’re discharged.”

  She frowned. “Why?”

  “Because I’m not leaving you unprotected anymore.”

  She reached up to touch her neck, and I winced. Thankfully, the bite marks had healed, but she was probably still sore.

  “What happened?” she asked softly.

  The rage percolated in my system. “You were attacked. Again.”

  Her frown deepened as she stared down at her lap. “My driver,” she finally said. “I think he did something. I just can’t remember…” she trailed off.

  I guess I should have used the hours alone with her to come up with a plausible excuse for her injuries, but I hadn’t. Which meant, I needed to think quickly.

  “I had someone trace your account. We’ve apprehended the man who did this and we’re taking care of him.”

  By sticking him in a vamp-proof cell and denying him blood for years. Or centuries, if I had anything to say about it.

  “I don’t understand why this is happening. What’s really going on?” she asked, her shrewd eyes assessing me.

  I averted my gaze immediately, knowing it would be so much easier to lie to her that way. “There’s been a string of violent crimes in the area. We’re looking into it.”

  I watched her gaze narrow out of the corner of my eye. “How did you get to me so quickly?”

  This one was easy, at least. “I broke every traffic law on the way there.”

  Her heart stuttered once, and my fingers itched to call the nurse before it settled back down.

  “What about the building?”

  I finally met her eyes with a frown. “What building?”

  “The one I was lying next to. You punched a hole through the brick wall.”

  My heart stopped for a whole entire beat before restarting. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She struggled to sit up straight as I struggled to remain where I was. My insides warred between the desire to go to her and the need to run as far away as I could. She was more observant than I’d given her credit for. I didn’t want to lie to her anymore, but what choice did I have?

  She pinned me with a glare, her chin stuck out in defiance. “I know what I saw.”

  I grit my teeth and shook my head, already hating the words I knew I had to say. “You hit your head. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “My head is just fine!” she yelled, surprising me with her outburst. I always managed to forget that, despite her tiny stature, she really was a force to be reckoned with. “I’m sick of the lies! Just tell me what’s really going on.”

  Fuck!

  This wasn’t going well, and the sun was going to rise any minute.

  “I don’t have time for this,” I said as I turned and headed toward the door.

  “Don’t walk away from me!” I ignored her until I heard her tinkering with the tubes in her hand.

  I spun back around and hurried to her bedside, grabbing her hands before she could do any damage. “Leave that shit alone,” I said, irritation bleeding into my words.

  She slapped my hands away from her and seared me with another fiery look. “I know you’re not a social worker, I know I didn’t hit my head, I know you punched a fucking hole through the side of a building, and I know all you’ve done is lie to me so far. Tell me the truth,” she demanded.

  I let my arms fall to my sides, the fight leaking out of me steadily. I made sure she was looking at me before I said, “I can’t.”

  Her eyes narrowed again. “Why not?”

  I shook my head. I was not willing to budge on this. The only humans who were allowed to know about vampires were the ones who had agreed to the change. I wasn’t about to condemn her to a lifetime of darkness when she was the epitome of daylight.

  “It’s not allowed.”

  “That’s bullshit,” she said, her face turning red with anger.

  I had to hold back a laugh, even though there was nothing even remotely funny about this situation. She just looked so cute when she was mad.

  I nodded once and took a step back, ready to leave as soon as possible. “I know it is, but I can’t change that.” I took another step and her eyes widened.

  “Where are you going?”

  I stopped in my tracks and tilted my head in confusion. “Um, home?”

  “Why?”

  I didn’t understand.

  “Because you’re awake now.”

  She looked down at her hands, her next words so soft, even I could barely hear them. “I’d feel better if you stayed.”

  Fuck.

  The joy was so intense it was almost painful.

  She wanted me.

  Despite the fact that I’d been nothing but an asshole to her.

  Despite the fact she knew I was lying.

  Despite the fact that I was nothing but an eclipse of her sun.

  “I’m sorry,” I said between gritted teeth. She looked up and the sadness swimming in her blue eyes almost undid me. “If I could, I would stay,” I said softly, hoping she heard the gravity of my words. Hoping she could hear what I couldn’t say.

  That nothing but the sun could make me leave her side.

  That I’d never spent a more peaceful night in five hundred years.

  That if I had it my way, I’d never leave her again.

  I forced myself to take another step away from her, the separation feeling like miles instead of inches. “I’ll have someone here to take you home when you’re discharged,” I reminded her.

  She frowned. “You’re not picking me up?”

  More joy. More pain.

  “I… can’t,” I said, wondering if my words sounded as tortured to her as they did to me.

  “Why?” she almost whined.

  I couldn’t help the smile that tugged on my lips. “I’m going to be…” asleep for the daylight hours, “… busy,” I said instead.

  Her shoulders drooped the tiniest bit, and a stab of guilt raced through me.

  “I can come by when I’m free though,” I offered, knowing that if she said yes, I’d be there the moment the sun went down.

  She smiled, and I swear, it was the like the room lightened for a moment. “Okay,” she said softly.

  “Okay.”

  Her smile got wider, and I had no choice but to return it. I took another series of steps backward before I lost my nerve. “I’ll see you later.” As soon as possible, I amended in my head.

  Her smile brightened, and I felt it all the way to the tips of my fingers. “Okay.”

  “Okay,” I said and left before something stupid like another okay could fall out of my mouth. Just a simple look from that girl and I turned into a fucking moron. That really didn’t bode well for my future.

  I hurried down the hall, calculating how long until the sun was up and how fast I could get back to my apartment. If I took the rooftops, it would be quicker, but if I didn’t make it in time, I’d be ash.

  Just as I started to really worry about where I was going to sleep for the day, I heard my name called. I turned to find Dr. Thomas rushing toward me, his face grim.

  “What are you still doing here?”

  I shrugged. “I was detained.”

  He snorted and motioned for me to follow him. “There’s an inside room for doctors to rest in between shifts. You can stay there for the day. I do it all the time.”

  A wave of gratitude filled me. Maybe I shouldn’t have given him such a hard time before.

  “You’re lucky I found you,” he said, turning to me with an unimpressed look. “Maybe plan a little better next time you want to stare at the girl until dawn.”

  I snorted and shook my head.

  Nope. He was still an asshole.

  Chapter 7

  Charlotte

  “What the hell was that?”

  My new bodyguard was on his feet before the words left my mouth. Ashton shoved aside his suit jacket, palming the handgun on his hip while the fight outside raged on. My eyes widened as I looked from him and his loaded gun to the front door of my apartment.

  As Alexander promised, Ashton was there to pick me up the moment I was discharged. Admittedly, a little part of me had held out hope that Alexander would find a way to pick me up himself. I tried to remind myself he’d promised to stop by later, but I didn’t know when later was, and despite my best efforts, I’d been anxiously waiting for him all day.

  I still had a million questions, and I was sick of him avoiding them. Nothing was adding up, nothing was making sense, and I was tired of living in the dark. I was determined to get him to answer at least some of my questions.

  The other reason was both more pressing and also stupider of me.

  I wanted to see him because I liked him.

  Sure, he was usually an asshole, but he’d saved my life. And he acted like he didn’t care, but then he made sure I had an armed guard pick me up from the hospital.

  And then there was last night when he’d comforted me after I’d had a nightmare. Who would have thought that this giant, cantankerous man would ever crawl in a hospital bed to hold me during a bad dream?

  He was complex in a way I hadn’t anticipated, and all it did was make me want to know him more.

  “Charlotte, why don’t you head back to the bedroom?” Ashton said, breaking me out of my thoughts.

  I stood from the couch, thankful I’d gotten the stupid cast removed, as the yelling in the hall got louder. With wide eyes, I watched the locked door as I cautiously backed up toward the bedroom.

  I was almost there when a loud series of thumps rattled the front door. I froze as Ashton unstrapped his gun and pulled it out of the holster.

  The banging started up again, this time rattling the wood so hard I thought it would fall off the hinges.

  “Open the goddamn door!”

  Ashton aimed his gun as I raced forward. “No! Don’t shoot!” I said breathlessly as I put myself in the line of fire. “It’s Alexander.” I hurried to undo all the locks.

  “Who?” Ashton asked, but I barely heard him.

  I swung the door open to find Alexander on the other side. My heart was already pumping viciously in my throat as I examined the man I hadn’t stopped thinking about all day.

  As usual, he was in a dark shirt and pants, the material clinging to his muscles like a second skin. I traced my eyes up his body, from his black boots, to his pale, fisted hands, to the murderous look on his face.

  A tiny thrill of fear spiked through my system, but it dissipated just as quickly.

  “Hi,” I said quietly.

  His dark eyes softened for a second before glazing over with rage again. He shoved me inside the door. “Hi. Get in,” he said.

  I stumbled backward before pushing his hands off me. “Watch it.”

  He ignored me as he looked around the apartment, glaring at random things until he met Ashton’s gaze. “Who are you?”

  The bodyguard stood up straighter, the gun still in his hand at his side. “Ashton James. Who the hell are you?”

  Alexander bared his teeth. “I’m the asshole who hired you. Now get out.”

  “Alexander!” I yelled. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  He ignored me as he stared Ashton down, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. “Did I fucking stutter?” he said, his voice low and deadly.

  Ashton’s body remained rigid. The only tell he gave was when his Adam’s apple bobbed with a swallow. “If my services aren’t needed anymore, I’ll head out,” he said calmly.

  “You don’t have to go,” I insisted

  “Yes, you do,” Alexander growled.

  I backhanded him in the chest which felt more like slapping steel, and hurried toward Ashton. “Thanks so much for today. You were great.”

  “What the fuck was so great about him?” Alexander muttered behind me.

  I whipped around to give him a scathing look that promised violence if he didn’t shut the hell up. Turning back to Ashton, I put a hand on his arm and led him toward the door. I could hear Alexander snarling behind me, but I ignored him.

  Ashton’s eyes were darting between the two of us, probably wondering what kind of fucked up situation he’d landed himself in. I opened the door, and he turned to leave when Alexander stopped him.

  “Wait,” he called as he crossed the distance between us. I gave him a warning glare that he ignored. “I… apologize,” he said between gritted teeth. “Thank you for protecting her today. I’ll need you back tomorrow. I’ll call your agency with the details.”

  Ashton nodded once, his face still grim, before he turned and left without another word. Alexander closed and locked the door behind him while I stood there, wondering where to start.

  “Was that you hollering out in the hallway just before?”

  Alexander shrugged. “Yeah. So?”

  I took a deep breath that was supposed to calm me but did next to nothing. “Why the hell were you causing a scene in my building? We thought there was a fight going on out there.”

  He snorted. “It wouldn’t have been much of a fight,” he said before storming past me.

  I grabbed his arm before he could get far. “What the hell, Alexander?”

  His eyes flashed, their heat almost singeing me before he looked away. When he turned to me, his face was full of rage again. “Did you know that son of a bitch down the hall was cooking fucking meth in his apartment?” he yelled. “Meth! He could have blown this whole fucking place up.”

  Okay, yeah. That would piss me off too.

  But still. “How did you know that?”

  “I heard him.”

  I frowned. “You heard him cooking meth from the hall?”

  He shook his head and walked away, my hand on his sleeve doing nothing to stop him this time. He stalked into my kitchen without an explanation and I followed him, wondering where the hell this was going.

  “You know, you can’t just pick fights with my neighbors. I have to live here.”

  “Not for long,” he mumbled.

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  He suddenly darted forward, slamming his foot onto the linoleum, and I swear the whole apartment shook. “Fucking cockroach,” he growled before spinning around and pinning me with an intense stare. “Let’s fucking go.”

  He marched past me, leaving me in the metaphorical and literal dust once again. I spun around and planted my hands on my hips. I’d had enough.

  “I’m not going anywhere until you start explaining shit.” It seemed he hadn’t gotten my point, so I added, “Now.”

  When he didn’t answer, I tried again. “You can start with why you were so rude to Ashton.”

  “Is that his name?” he muttered.

  “You know that’s his name. And he’s a perfectly nice man that was nothing but kind to me all day. What the hell is your problem?”

  He stared at me from across the room, dozens of emotions flitting behind his dark eyes before he blew out a deep breath, his shoulders slumping. “I had a bad day. I’m sorry.”

  Okay, that was a start.

  I took a couple steps in his direction, my voice softening. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “No.”

  Well, I tried.

  He released another big breath and said, “I just didn’t like that I had to be away from you all day. I don’t want Ashton watching over you. I’d rather do it myself.”

  I took another step closer, my heart thumping in my throat again. “I would have preferred that too,” I said softly. “But there was no reason to be rude to him.”

  His eyes met mine with that heat again, and my stomach twisted painfully inside me. He reached out with one hand and ran his fingers through my thick curls. Rubbing one lock softly, he said, “Sorry.”

  I smiled up at him and watched his face soften the slightest bit. He sighed and took a step back, my hair falling from his fingertips. “We need to go.”

  He walked past me as I stood there, confused again. “Where are we going and why?”

  “We’re going to the St. Regis because if I see that meth head out in your hall again, I’m going to slam him through the fucking wall, and I don’t want to have to explain that to the human cops.”

  My whole world came to a screeching halt, my eyes widening as I watched his retreating form. “The human cops?”

  He froze in place before a long stream of curses flew out of his mouth. I thought I’d get more out of him, but he just shook his head and kept walking until he disappeared inside my bedroom.

  I scurried after him, skidding into the room just as he opened the first dresser drawer. “What the hell are you doing?” I asked breathlessly.

  “Packing,” he muttered as he held up a lacy, see-through bra.

  My face felt like it was on fire as I watched him twirl the delicate lingerie between his fingers.

  “You wear this?” he asked without looking at me.

  I swallowed down the embarrassment and stood up straighter. “Sometimes.”

  He turned to me, the heat in his gaze so molten I felt like it could burn me where I stood. His eyes traveled from the tips of my bare feet to the top of my head before he dropped the bra with a grunt and slammed the drawer closed. “You pack.”

  He stormed past me, his body only inches away, and I had to hold my breath until he was gone. I heard him hammering around in the kitchen and figured I’d better finish packing before he came back in here. I really didn’t need him to see the shit I kept in some of my other drawers.

 

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