Page 26 of Hidden Scars

He grins. “You got it, baby.”

* * * *

The piercing ringing of my phone pulls me out of the first nightmare free sleep I’ve had since I found that note on my car and I roll over, grabbing it off the nightstand and resisting the urge to chuck it against the wall to shut it up. God, I’m so not a morning person. Sitting up, I accept the call and press the phone to my ear.

“What?” I ask, my voice coming out as more of a growl – a result of being woken up so damn early. A hearty laugh greets me and my heart skips a beat because I know that laugh.

“You sound so damn cute in the morning.”

“Nix,” I prompt, heat coursing through my veins and chills running down my spine at the same time. How the hell does he do that? I ignore the butterflies in my belly and try to remember to breathe. “How did you get my number?”

“Your brother gave it to me.” His answer shocks me and I sit on my bed with wide eyes, unsure of what to say. I thought it’d be a cold day in hell before my brothers ever gave my number to a guy.

“Which one?” I ask.

“Does it matter?”

I nod. “Yes, I need to know which one to kill.”

He chuckles and the sound wraps me up like a blanket. “Aw, baby, you don’t mean that.”

I sigh. Damn him for being right. Not only would I never harm either one of my brothers but I’m not all that upset that he has my number even though I know I should be.

“Why are you calling me, Nix?”

“Well, apparently, I have Emma duty today.” My brow furrows. Emma duty? What the hell is — no! Oh, God, no.

“Please tell me my brothers didn’t add you to their ridiculous bodyguard detail.”

“I would, but I’m not a liar, sweetheart.”

Shit.

Fuck.

Goddamn it. How am I supposed to spend all day with him and resist these feelings I have? I bury my head in the pillow and groan, earning another chuckle from Nix.

“This is so stupid!”

“I disagree. After the things Ryan said in the parking lot last night, I think you having some protection is a fantastic idea.”

I swallow hard as my mind works through all the things Ryan could have possibly said to Nix and my brothers. “What did he say?”

“You don’t need to hear that, baby.”

Fury boils inside at the thought of another man trying to control me and I snap up in the bed, gripping the comforter in my fist.

“First of all, Nix, stop calling me baby,” I growl. “Second, don’t you dare do that to me! I won’t let anyone take away my choices ever again. You need to tell me.”

He sighs into the phone and the sound has me picturing him running his hands through his thick hair in frustration. “All right. Come open the door and I’ll tell you everything.”

His comment makes me come to a screeching stop.

“What?”

“I’m at your front door. Come let me in.”

Suddenly, there is a knock at my front door and I look down at my body, covered only by a thin tank top and a pair of panties.