Page 44 of My Secret to Protect

Aiming my gun with one hand and still holding my phone with the other, I make my way across the landing and throw open the guest room door, performing the same boogie man checks as in my room before doing the same with the linen closet and bathroom, and then heading for the stairs.

I slowly make my way into the kitchen, then the dining room, checking the back door, which is still locked, and then the living room and front door, still locked.

All the windows are closed, and there’s nobody here. Without warning, I fall to my knees and gasp for breath. He’s not here. There’s nobody here. I left a window open. I must have. I’m so tired, so fucking exhausted, that I was careless, and the realization breaks me. He could have got in. He could have done anything to me all because I can’t get my shit together.

A knock on the door startles me, and I shriek, falling back onto my ass on the hard floor before pointing my weapon at the door as tears well in my eyes.

‘Bree, open up,’ Arlo’s voice has a sob bursting out of me, and I push myself up to standing, then make my way to the door and open it, immediately wrapping myself around him as relief rushes out of me and he holds me tight. ‘I heard noises, so I came around and saw you through the window. What happened?’

Thank God for these old houses and their paper-thin walls. I shake my head and push away, heading for the sofa and slumping down, bringing my knees up and making myself small. Arlo joins me, sitting at the other end.

‘Bree?’ he pushes gently.

‘I left a window open,’ I admit, and his eyebrows knit together. ‘I know I’m an idiot. You don’t have to tell me. I just, I could swear I checked them all.’

He doesn’t say anything, and I wait for the verbal ass-kicking at my being so irresponsible, but it doesn’t come.

‘You checked the whole house?’

‘Yeah.’ I nod, ‘everything else is closed, nothing out of place, nothing else open.’

‘Which window?’

‘My bedroom.’

He inhales, then stands and locks the front door before heading upstairs.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Stay there.’

I do as I’m told, too tired to fight, a migraine setting in, so I lower my forehead to my knees and let the tears come.

When Arlo comes back down, I’m halfway asleep, and he wakes me with a gentle hand on my shoulder.

‘Give me the gun and go to bed, pix,’ he says softly as I look up at him. ‘You’re safe. Get some sleep.’

Despite his soft words, there’s still an edge to his tone that makes me anxious, but I can’t unpick it right now, and I can’t fight with him on it. Instead, I stand and make my way upstairs. Finding the window closed, the bedsheets pulled back neatly, and the bedside table lamp turned on, once more, my heart flutters for my fake boyfriend as I put down my cell phone and lay down, my eyes closing almost the second my head touches the pillow.

You’re Just So Bulky

Arlo

Fuckmylife,sheis so pretty. No, not pretty. Pretty is too small a word. She’s extraordinary. Her caramel eyes catch the light and sparkle in a way that grips me, tortures me.

She’s watching the singer at the bar with rapt attention, but I’m watching her. I shouldn’t be, no, I should, because I’m playing the part of her doting man. What I shouldn’t be doing isactuallyfucking doting, but when she looks likethat…

I knocked on her door a couple of hours ago for the date we had planned, and when she opened the door, I almost had a goddam heart attack.

I know she’s struggling with this. She’s not saying as much in person, but I see the toll it’s taking on her in the small smile she forces in place of her natural grin and the way she keeps on looking over her shoulder. And the pissy text messages she’s been sending.

We left things for a couple of days. I watched as she came and went in her uniform. I walked Beans and checked the cameras, then I called into her tiny department to ask her out where we could be overheard.

She smiled, said yes, then, as I walked away, the burner in my pocket vibrated, and I pulled it out.

Bree: Let me know what we’re doing so I can dress appropriately.

I shook my head, knowing she fucking hates this.

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