Page 39 of Rival for Rent

“Really?” He arched an eyebrow. “We haven’t exactly had the most…cordial interactions. I didn’t think you liked me.”

I wondered if he was thinking about the kiss, or the fight before it. Or after it. Or any of the other conversations we’d had so far.

“It doesn’t matter whether I like you or not. It was the right thing to do.”

“Ah,” he said. There was something in his expression I couldn’t read, but it vanished before I could figure it out. “Just doing your duty?”

“Something like that.”

I wasn’t the most honorable guy. I was working on it, though. I knew I’d never make up for everything, but that didn’t mean I got to stop trying.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye,” Kai said, pulling out his phone to summon a car. “Unless you want a ride back to Georgetown with me.”

I tilted my head. “What are you talking about? Of course I’m going back to Georgetown with you.”

“Why?” he asked. “I don’t know where you live, but you’re closer to a Metro station here than where I live.”

“I live in Columbia Heights,” I told him, “but that doesn’t matter. I’m going back to your place and staying there.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you’re in danger. And I’m not leaving until I know you’re safe.”

Thatwasn’t that simple either, obviously. Kai objected, but I pointed out he’d already called a security service last night. Hewas going to have a bodyguard either way, and I wasn’t leaving until the other one showed up.

Kai argued that he had to go to work. That he couldn’t be a prisoner in his own home.

“Fine,” I told him. “I’ll go to work with you.”

He gave me an incredulous look. “Don’t you at least want to change out of your workout clothes?”

I gave my armpit a quick, discreet sniff. Not great, but not awful either. “I’m fine for now. I’ll have Dana drop some clothes off later.”

He glared at me. “I don’t get it, Mason. Are you trying to make up for high school? I thought you said you couldn’t remember any of it.”

I winced. I couldn’t stop thinking about that vision—the one of me pushing him against a wall, his eyes wide and scared.

“Some of it might be coming back,” I admitted.

He looked surprised. “Like what?”

“It’s hard to explain,” I said. “But are we going to stand outside the police station all morning, or do you have things to do?”

Kai sighed as the car pulled up. “Fine. Get in, if you insist.”

The morning wasn’t efficient, not by any stretch. We went back to Georgetown first so he could let Bella out and grab his briefcase. Then we took another car to his office.

The receptionist’s eyes went wide when she saw me walk in with him.

“Told you I knew him,” I said, grinning.

Kai rolled his eyes. “Don’t get too comfortable.”

There was no danger of that. His corner office had a leather sofa, but it was off to the side and impractical for what I had in mind. I grabbed the only other chair in the room—a swivel chair from hell that squeaked every time it moved—and dragged it over near the door.

I planted myself in it, five feet from the entrance and ten from his desk. It jabbed me in the kidneys, offered no back support, and sank every time I adjusted the height. But I stayed put.

“What are you doing?” Kai asked, glancing over his computer.

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