by Judy Corry
“I hope your grandkids will have reason to think I was an okay guy.”
She gave a noncommittal shrug.
When I sat next to her on her bed, she clapped her journal shut and held it against her chest under her cast.
“Why the secrecy?” I asked. “Were you writing bad things about me after all?”
She shook her head. “No, of course not! What bad things would there be to say about you?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” I raised my hand in the air. “Maybe that I’m a strange guy you can’t get rid of.”
“I wouldn’t write that about you.” She shook her head, her silky hair begging me to run my fingers through it. “You’re just doing your job,” she mumbled, almost grudgingly. This would not do. We needed to get over this tiptoeing around each other. We needed to start having fun again.
“Then why not let me take a peek.” I reached over to touch her journal, hoping she’d loosen up for a change.
“Uh-uh.” She stood up, transferred her journal to her good hand, and held it behind her back.
“Do you think holding your journal behind your back could keep me from getting it if I wanted?” I paused for a second, remembering how she’d hurt that poor guy tonight. “Then again, maybe I should worry about what you might do to me.”
“Yes, you better watch out, Arie.” A reluctant smile snuck up her lips. “I’m practically a master in self-defense now.”
“Oh yeah?” I challenged, happy to have earned a smile. “And what would you do to me if I did this?” I stood and walked over to her, trying to reach behind her back to grab the journal.
“Not so fast,” she said as she darted away from me.
“There must be some dang interesting stuff in there if you don’t want me reading it this badly.”
“I don’t know. I’ve only had this journal since we got here, and nothing too interesting has happened since then. My journal in Maplebridge, on the other hand, now that one . . .” She stopped mid-sentence and covered her mouth with her casted hand.
I smiled. Had she written about me in her journal back then? “What kinds of things did you write about in Maplebridge?”
“Nothing.” She avoided my eyes.
“Come on, you can tell me.”
“Like you don’t know,” she said, as if it were obvious.
I didn’t want to assume anything, so I prodded. “I’m not a mind reader, so I can’t pretend to know.” I reached around her again, snatching the journal from her hand and holding it high above my head. She started jumping, trying to reach it with her good arm. It was a cute attempt but useless. I was too tall for her.
“Come on, please give it back,” she begged.
I shook my head with a grin and lowered my arm to hold the journal behind my back. She tried to reach around me again, but I seized her about the waist with my free hand.
Caught off guard at our unexpected closeness, she stepped away. Emma tried to get her journal back a few more times without success.
“Okay,” she said, giving up. “If you must know, I wrote about how great you were and how I loved hanging out with you.” She looked down. “You know, those kinds of things. Can I please have my journal back now?”
“Did you really think those things about me?” I asked in a low voice.
“Yes, I did,” she whispered. She raised her beautiful blue eyes to look at me, her face a few inches from mine. “I still think those things, even though I probably shouldn’t.”
My body flooded with warmth when she spoke those words. I wanted to tell her how I felt. Even more, I wanted to lean in and show her how I felt. I took a step closer, trapping her in the corner. There was vulnerability in her eyes, like she was waiting for me to make my move. That look brought emotions I’d tried to suppress for so long right back up to the surface, and my breath caught in my throat.
I dropped her journal onto the chair beside us and then placed one hand on the wall beside her head while the other caressed her cheek. Emma’s eyes widened, and she lifted a trembling hand to my chest. At first I thought she was going to push me away, but she didn’t. Instead, she bunched the fabric of my shirt in her fingers. I looked at her lips and then at her eyes again—they were filled with the same desire I felt crashing over me. So I tilted my head down, moving my face closer to hers.
“What’s going on in here?” Jason barged into the room, dressed in Scooby-Doo pajamas, and holding a Glock.
I stumbled back from where I had cornered Emma, feeling my cheeks burn as I bit down. “Nothing, everything’s fine. I was saying good night to Emma.” This didn’t look good.
He lowered his gun and looked away, visibly trying to calm himself in front of Emma. “I heard shuffling up here and thought Emma was in danger.”
Emma stood wide-eyed, wringing her hands. “We were playing a game of keep away. I-I’m sorry to have alarmed you. Everything’s fine up here.”
Jason waved her away. “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad everything is all right.” He nodded at me and left the room.
That was my cue to leave as well. Our moment had passed, and it was probably for the best. I’d told her dad I’d stay away, after all. So I picked up the journal from the chair and held it out to Emma. “I better get to bed as well.”
Ask me not to go.
Emma took the journal from my outstretched hand. “See you tomorrow.” My heart fell when she followed me to the door and closed it behind me.
I walked across the hall to my room. Jason was waiting for me in there. His face was stern, and I had a sinking feeling I knew why.
“Close the door and take a seat.” Jason started pacing about my room.
I obeyed and sat on the edge of my bed.
Jason cleared his throat before beginning. “I can’t pretend not to understand what I walked in on a minute ago.”
I winced.
“Is there something going on between you and Emma? Romantically, that is?”
It looked as bad as I thought.
“No. Nothing’s going on. Nothing happened.” Which was true . . . Jason’s sudden appearance had stopped me from kissing her.
Jason narrowed his eyes. “It didn’t look like nothing from where I stood.” I was going to be fired for sure now.
“I know what it looked like.” It looked like I had trapped Emma in the corner and was about to have my way with her. “But nothing happened.”
Jason held up a finger. “Because I came in at the right moment.” He blew out a breath. “Arie, you are Emma’s bodyguard! She’s in serious danger and needs people watching out for her, not falling in love with her!”
I threw my hands in the air. “Don’t you think I know that!” I stopped, realizing Emma would hear me at this volume. I brought my voice down a few notches and whispered, “I’ve tried to keep my distance this whole time we’ve been living in Philadelphia. It’s not like I want to get fired. You of all people should understand that.” He’d fallen in love with his boss, after all.
“I know, I know. But that was different.” Jason stopped his pacing and stood in front of me, his expression softer. “And I assume the feelings are mutual, by the way Emma was looking at you. But you can’t act on your feelings, Arie. Emma is in real danger right now. We have no idea where Fenris is . . . but we know he won’t stop looking for her until he has what he wants. Until we find him, I need you to stay focused on the task at hand. And if you can’t, we will have to replace you.”
“I know.” I studied the carpet. The last thing I wanted was to lose my focus and have her stripped away from me again. “I’ll keep my hands off Emma.”
“Hands and lips?”
I looked up. He had a hint of a smile on his face.
I sighed. “Yes, hands and lips.”
“Good.” Before he left my room, he glanced back at me. “It’ll all turn out, Arie. This can’t go on forever.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
EMMA
I DIDN’T KNOW what I’d been thinking when
I almost kissed Arie. The fact was, I hadn’t been thinking at all, because if I had, I never would have been in that situation. Apparently, my mind was still having a hard time controlling my body and my emotions when it came to him.
Thankfully, he never brought up the almost kiss, either. Instead, we continued on as almost friends. We talked, but the conversations weren’t very deep anymore. It was like we were dancing around each other, afraid to let down the walls we’d manufactured out of unspoken conversations and guarded emotions.
“How does it feel to finally have the cast off?” Arie asked when Sophie and I came home after my appointment with the doctor.
“Wonderful.” I sat on the other end of the couch Arie was on. “The doctor said my arm healed well, but I’ll need to exercise it to slowly build back the muscle I lost.”
“I’m sure you’ll be back to normal in no time.” Sophie squeezed my shoulder and smiled before moving toward the kitchen.
Once Sophie was out of the room, I turned my attention back to Arie. “Did Jason find out anything new while I was gone?”
Arie rested his arm along the back of the couch, and a huge smile crept up his face. “He did. They know where Fenris is. The police are on their way as we speak. And it sounds like Fenris still has no idea where you disappeared to.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding, my chest feeling lighter than it had in so long. “So it’s almost over?”
“Yes.” Arie’s smile broadened further—something I hadn’t seen him do so freely before. “We still need to be careful because he still has his guys out there. But things are looking up.”
My arms tingled, and I almost jumped out of my seat with joy. I’d get to go home with my family soon. This nightmare was almost over.
A little while later, I was on the couch with my nose in a book when the phone rang. Since I wasn’t allowed to answer the phone, I waited for Arie to get it. He did, and a moment later I was holding the phone to my ear talking to Matt.
“Hi, Peyton,” he said calling me by my false name.
“Hey, Matt.” I marked my spot in my book and shut it around my finger. “How’s it going?”
“Good.” He cleared his throat. “Are you doing anything Friday night?”
“I don’t have any plans yet,” I answered, though I was hoping I’d be packing my bags by then.
“I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me.”
He wanted to go on a date? After watching me ninja-chop his friend’s crotch? I hadn’t been out on a date since moving to Philadelphia. Maybe it would be a nice way to celebrate the end of my lockdown. And it would be fun to go out with Matt—he seemed really cool at his party a couple of weeks ago.
There was just one problem: even if things were looking up right now, I was still supposed to have a guard with me at all times. How was I supposed to manage that on a date? It’s not like I could say I could go as long as one of my babysitters could tag along to make sure I didn’t get killed.
I racked my brain, trying to think of a solution to my dilemma without giving Matt the impression I didn’t like him. Then it came to me.
“I’d love to!”
“Great . . .”
I interrupted him before he could say anything else. “But my parents have this rule that they need to know where I’m going to be when I go on dates. You could say they’re slightly overprotective.” I smiled even though he couldn’t see it. “Let me know where we’ll be going in advance so I can tell them, and I’m sure they won’t have any problem with it.”
“Wow, that’s strict.”
“Tell me about it.”
The line was quiet for a second.
“Do you like bowling?”
“I love bowling!” Bowling would be perfect! I could have one of my secret agents stationed there, and Matt would never even have to know we were being watched.
“Good. So I’ll pick you up at seven?”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Well, at least part of me was—I’d try to ignore the other part of me while we were out.
I gave him my address, said goodbye to Matt, and hung up. Arie walked back into the room once he saw my call was finished.
“What did Matt want?”
“He asked me on a date for Friday night.” I carefully watched his face to gauge his reaction.
His eyes narrowed, and he didn’t look too pleased to be hearing my news. “Even though we found Fenris, you do realize that either Jason, Sophie, or I still need to be near you at all times, don’t you?”
I smiled at him. “Don’t worry. I’ve already thought about that. Matt said we’re going bowling. I figured the bowling alley’s a crowded-enough place that he wouldn’t notice one of you following me around.”
“I see.” His mouth was set in a firm line.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
EMMA
THE POLICE WEREN’T able to get Fenris. Somehow he’d been warned, or something, and he’d disappeared from his apartment before they could get to him.
So we were back to living in Philadelphia until the end of time.
At least I had gone ahead and agreed to that date with Matt, I guess. Even though I was super depressed, I managed to pull myself out of it a little bit by doing some retail therapy and getting a makeover.
I figured that if I was an heiress, I might as well look like one. Thankfully, Sophie had the foresight to make my tracking bracelet cute enough to match my new wardrobe.
The doorbell rang, and I heard Arie answer the door below. A moment later, he called my name from the bottom of the stairs. I grabbed my jacket and walked downstairs. I first noticed Arie.
Why was he already wearing his jacket? Wasn’t he supposed to wait to follow us a few minutes after Matt and I left? He looked my way as I made it to the bottom step. I imagined something like admiration flash in his eyes.
I walked past him to where Matt was standing near the front door. Matt gave me an approving smile. “Hey, Peyton. You look great!”
I smiled at his compliment and said, “Thank you!” I hoped Arie noticed Matt’s reaction.
“Shall we go?” Matt asked.
I nodded.
Matt said to Arie, “Hey, Asher, were you planning to ride with us, or are you taking your own car?”
What the heck was he talking about?
Arie stepped closer to me. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to ride with you guys.
Matt shrugged. “Fine with me.”
I looked back and forth between the two guys, hoping one of them would enlighten me.
Arie spoke next. “Didn’t I tell you, sis?” He winked. “When I heard about you and Matt going on a date, I talked to him about how I’ve been wanting to try out the dating scene in Philly myself, so he said he’d hook me up with someone cool that he knew.”
Date? Arie was going on a date with someone else? My heart shrunk in my chest, but I forced a smile on my face. “What a great idea.” I turned to Matt. “That’s so nice of you to let my sweet brother tag along. He doesn’t get out much.” If Arie wanted to tag along on my date, I was going to make him regret it. I was going to show him that I had moved on and I didn’t envy his date at all.
Arie placed his arm around my shoulder in a brotherly way. “Oh, Peyton. I’m so glad you’re not mad.”
“Of course not,” I said, shoving his arm off my shoulders. “It’s not every day you get to go on a double date with your brother.”
Matt’s car only had two doors, so I had to let Arie climb in through my door before getting in myself. Two-door vehicles were such a hassle when you had to use the back seats.
As we drove, I wondered what kind of girl Matt would set Arie up with. It didn’t sound like it was Tenley, which was somewhat relieving, but with my luck I’d probably end up watching him put the moves on some other supermodel-type girl at the bowling alley.
We stopped in front of a red brick house a few minutes later. I climbed out and held the door open for Arie to
get out. He stood close to me and whispered in my ear before passing by. “You look beautiful tonight.”
I blushed furiously at his comment because his quiet voice had made the words sound so sincere. My cheeks continued to burn as Arie continued up the sidewalk and I was left behind, wondering whether I imagined him saying those words that caused my heart to flutter.
The sounds of bowling balls crashing into pins and people laughing filled my ears as we entered. It was disco night, so the main lights were turned down, leaving the colorful neon lights to set the fun atmosphere. Matt was friends with the guy working the desk tonight, so he was able to get us a lane relatively fast, saving us from waiting long on the busy night.
Arie’s date ended up being Matt’s cousin, Sydney. She was cute, and average height with short auburn hair. She seemed like a sweet girl, but she didn’t talk much. I tried to be courteous to her, though deep down I was hoping she’d fall on her face . . . twice . . . and get a bloody nose, both times. Okay, maybe that was going too far.
Obviously, I was still mad that Arie had intruded on my date. Having him there kept him fresh on my mind, making it hard to concentrate on Matt and any possible connection we might have.
We all grabbed our shoes and made our way to lane seventeen. I found myself a bowling ball and came back to discover that Arie had already typed our names into the computer. I read the names on the screen: Matt, Peytie-poo, Asher, and Sydney. Peytie-poo?
I put my hands on my hips and walked over to him. “‘Peytie-poo?’ Why in the world did you put that for my name?”
Arie looked at me with an innocent expression. “I thought brothers were supposed to have nicknames for their little sisters.”
“When you’re little. I’m eighteen.”
“Oh, sorry.” He shrugged, not looking sorry at all. “I thought since I didn’t know you when you were younger, I might as well try to catch up on all we missed.” He winked, then smiled wickedly at me. Apparently, he was going to play the part of annoying stepbrother all night long.