Officer MacMillan chuckled. “Honey, this is LA. We don’t spend resources like that on a missing pair of underwear.”
Austin pushed to his feet then. “I think you can leave now, but I’d like to get your badge number before you go.” He had been mostly silent throughout the meeting, but now I could feel anger coming off him in waves.
Officer MacMillan smugly tossed a business card onto the coffee table. “My badge number’s on the card. You know she’s probably just doing this to get your attention.” And with that, he turned and left. Hot tears of frustration streamed down my cheeks as I gripped the couch cushion I was sitting on.
The younger officer lingered, looking uncomfortable and waiting until his partner was out of earshot. “I’m sorry about him. He’s old school, and his time on the job has made him a cynic. I’ll make sure a report gets filed. It honestly sounds like it could be a case of stalking, so maybe think about changing locks, stay alert, and call if anything else happens.”
Austin jerked his chin in the boy-man’s direction, and he left. Austin followed him out, there was the sound of a lock clicking, and then he was back. “Stay here for just a minute, I’m going to make a couple calls.” Pulling the blanket off the back of the couch, I tucked into a ball. I could hear the muffled sounds of Austin talking to someone, but couldn’t make out what he was saying.
A few minutes later, he came back and sat on the coffee table, knees bracketing my legs. “I talked to a locksmith, they’ll be here in an hour to change all your locks. The boys are picking up pizza and bringing overnight stuff. We’re gonna have ourselves a slumber party, and if you’re lucky, I might even let you paint Ford’s toenails.”
A faint smile came to my lips at that mental image. Austin stood and reached out a hand. “Come on, let’s strip your bed and wash your sheets. Once those are done, we can start washing all your clothes.” I just blinked up at him. How did he know that this was just the thing I needed? He bent down and grabbed my wrist when I didn’t move. “I know it will make you feel less skeeved out if we wash everything.”
I smiled for real then, feeling as if I had taken a solid hit to the solar plexus in the best possible way. This man was kind, caring, and was going to help me wash every item of clothing I owned because I was a freaked-out germaphobe. It was then that I knew I was going to let him back in. All the way in. I was going to jump off the high dive and take the risk of a big ol’ ugly and painful belly flop because he was worth the risk.
I stopped walking, and because Austin still had a hold of my wrist, he stopped, too. I leaned forward and pressed a kiss through his t-shirt to his left pec, right where his heart might be. Feeling his sharp intake of breath, I tipped my head back to look him in the eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“Anything for you,” he whispered back.
28
Austin
Sunlight filtered through the palm trees as I stood in my open entryway, waiting for Liam to get out of his overpriced sportscar. “Thanks for doing this,” I called as he shut his door.
“No problem. I’m happy to help. Having some of this stuff in place will make me feel a hell of a lot better about Carter and Taylor living in that house by themselves.”
My gut tightened at the reminder of Friday’s events. I hated the idea of Carter being alone for a second and hoped that getting some things in place to help her defend herself would ease my mind. “You and me both. All the supplies are in the garage, but do you want to come in for a quick drink first before I have to head to the gym?”
“Sounds good. It’s hot as hell out there, and it’s only April.”
I ushered Liam inside and into the oversized gourmet kitchen, grabbing him a beer and me a water. “Here you go.”
Liam took a swig of the dark ale. “So, how’s training going?”
My hands tightened around my bottle of water. “It’s going.” The truth was, I had been distracted as hell. My training was suffering, and I’d fallen behind on the day-to-day aspects of running the gym. I’d spent the entire weekend with Carter and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, but that meant cancelling two training sessions and a meeting with one of my fighters.
Liam studied my face. “You seem stressed. What’s going on?”
“You mean besides the girl I love thinking someone broke into her house and stole her fucking underwear?”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Fair point. But there’s something else.”
I cracked my neck. “I’m just trying to figure out how to balance training, the gym, and Carter, without one of those things falling through the cracks.”
Liam straightened on his stool. “You’re not having second thoughts, are you? Because I may not be able to kick your ass, but I will seriously hire a hitman to murder you if you hurt Carter again.”
My skin prickled at the insult. “Fuck, no. I’m just not used to having to juggle so much.” I paused, thinking about how my nerve endings had felt itchy all day. “And I want today to go well.”
Liam started a slow chuckle that turned into cackling. “You’re nervous? Austin ‘Bulldog’ Lyons isscaredof taking a girl on a date.”
I scowled. “Screw you, man.” I was planning to surprise Carter with our first official date this afternoon, but my stomach had been in knots since I’d decided on a plan of attack. I wasn’t good at this kind of thing. I had grown up with my last girlfriend, so I hadn’t really had to think about wooing her beyond getting her a corsage for prom. Could I even call Carter my girlfriend? Fuck, I was heading into pussy territory, and fast.
Liam doubled over, barely able to get his words out. “The look on your face! Fucking priceless!”
I chucked my half-full water bottle at him in response.
“Shit!” Liam caught the bottle as it bounced off his shoulder. “There’s no need for violence. Tell Dr. Liam what’s got you doubting yourself.”