“Isn’t that overkill?”
“Anyone motivated enough can look on the Internet and learn how to make an IED. It’s better to be over prepared than caught unawares,” he explained as he completed checking the car.
“I could have lived a happy life without knowing that,” Kale drawled.
Aleksi chuckled and opened the door to the backseat. It would give him greater maneuverability if he had to implement offensive driving techniques. “In you get.”
“Thank you, Alfred,” Kale said, his tone snotty.
“I’m not calling you Batman—or sir.”
He couldn’t remember a protection detail being this much fun before.
Kale was quiet for several minutes as Aleksi started the car. He glanced at his protectee in the rearview mirror. “Hey, I will if you want me to.”
Kale looked up and met his gaze.
After shutting off the engine, Aleksi spun in his seat. “What is it?”
“I think someone was in the car while we were in the studio,” Kale said shakily.
Aleksi noticed a small package wedged under the seat next to Kale. The way the seat curved stylishly had hidden it from view when he’d checked through the windows before Kale had entered. Aleksi filed that information away to account for the blind spot next time. It pissed him off that he’d missed it.
He didn’t wait before climbing into the backseat. He pressed Kale up against the locked door, shielding the man with his body while he visually inspected the package.
There were no scents on the box. It must have been sprayed with an anti-shifter-detection compound. To work this well and not have any trace on it was odd. Only the very best military-grade stuff was that effective and it was not easy to come by—or cheap. Owing to the expense, the military rarely only used ones like it. The chemicals in them also had a tendency to damage the user’s respiratory and nervous systems.
“I’m going to open the package, okay?”
“Yes.”
Aleksi fingered the purple ribbon tying the eighteen-by-five-inch box, looking for any kind of trigger, and quickly undid it when he found none. He’d usually make his protectee wait outside in a safe area but he still had that tingly feeling at the back of his neck that said someone was watching them.
Touching the box as little as possible, he gingerly peeled back the paper. The police might be able to pull some prints off it. Aleksi opened the box to reveal a single purple rose—or what used to be a rose. All the flower petals had been ripped off, crumpled up and thrown to the bottom of the box.
“At least it wasn’t another animal part,” Kale pointed out, as Aleksi let him peer over his shoulder.
He spotted a white piece of parchment underneath the prickly stem and picked it up. “Hang on, there’s a note with it.
Be a good boy. Good boys get pretty flowers. I’m coming for you, my love.
“Well, that’s…creepy.”
“Yes,” Aleksi agreed. Kale might not realize just how right he was. Whoever was doing this had connections and money to get his hands on the anti-shifter detection spray. They would also have to have eyes on Kale to know about the last-minute appointment with Philippe at the studio.
Aleksi had a hunch how the man was doing it, but he didn’t have any proof. Without evidence, the police assigned to the case would have their hands tied, especially as they didn’t have a suspect. “Give me your phone.”
“Why?” Kale handed him his cell.
At least Kale wasn’t fighting Aleksi in protecting him anymore.
“I’m going to play a hunch,” he told Kale.
He handed his phone to Kale in exchange and instructed him to press Speed Dial Two. “Tell Scott to have the police officers handling your case at your hotel in plain clothes in an hour. Tell him to call your brother and instruct him to ignore all texts from your phone until told otherwise.” He waited for Kale to do as he’d said before he shot off a text on Kale’s phone to the man’s brother.
On way back to room. Ditched new bf. Feeling tired. Call you later.
A quick scroll through Kale’s message streams had let him know the man only shortened long words to text speak, so he had matched the style. Now all they had to do was drive to the hotel and see if his hunch was right. Aleksi hoped it wasn’t, though.
Kale ended the call and watched silently as Aleksi squeezed his large frame back through the gap and into the driver’s seat. The shifter had scared him in the studio when Liam had snapped, throwing the jerk off him as if he’d weighed nothing. Then scared him again when the shifter had made him stick to his back as they’d checked the car for bombs. Everything was beginning to feel a little too real. He was a model, for fuck’s sake! Bombs had nothing to do with his life.
“So, what now?”
“Now we head back to your room at the hotel.”
Kale looked daggers at the driver’s seat. “That’s it? That’s all you’re going to give me.”
“Yep.” He didn’t have to see his face to know the damn shifter was smiling. The man had been doing it all day, as if Kale were some new, fascinating pet that might do something interesting at any moment.
“Tell me,” Kale insisted.
“No.”
A small part of him hated that he had only this card left to play. It seemed like cheating. But the shifter had brought it on himself. “You work for me and I demand you tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Actually,
Mr. Andrews,
I work for Shifter Protection Specialists, Inc. and we are being contracted by your brother to protect you. So whichever way you spin it, I don’t have to answer you. Good try, though.” Aleksi started the engine and reversed out of the space before proceeding to drive away.
Kale had never been so riled by someone before. The smugness in the shifter’s voice was infuriating. “Perhaps we can stop at the store on the way and get you some kitty toys so you don’t scratch the furniture.”
“Come on now. You can do better than that. Besides, I think I’ve found a
kitty
toy
already,” the shifter shot back as they drove out of the parking structure.
Again, Kale didn’t have to look to know Aleksi was laughing at him. His face burned with embarrassment. He refused to acknowledge that he enjoyed arguing with Aleksi. “Just shut up and drive.”
* * * *
The ride passed in silence and so did the trip up to his room in the elevator. Together, they walked toward his door. Kale hadn’t spotted anyone suspicious, nor had the police officers he knew were dealing with the official complaint Caleb had made him file.
“Stay close,” Aleksi hissed quietly, as they turned the corner and his door came into view.
Kale jumped but stepped closer to Aleksi. He couldn’t see anything or anyone dangerous. There was only Barry from housekeeping. The guy was nice and a really good artist from the sketches Kale had seen one day, but he hadn’t been as talkative lately. Perhaps Kale should see if he’d said anything to offend the man and apologize.
Barry turned their way and Kale waved.
He shot a surprised look at the shifter when Aleksi wound an arm around his waist and dragged him close, snaking his hand into Kale’s back pocket as they walked. “Stay very close.”
Kale refused to think about why being this close to Aleksi and having the man’s hand on his ass made his heart beat a little out of sync. He’d never been this attracted and simultaneously annoyed by someone. “It’s just Barry. I’ve known him the entire time I’ve lived here.”
Aleksi nodded but kept his attention focused on Barry and the housekeeping cart. They kept walking and Kale let the shifter increase the pace as they passed Barry and came within a few feet of Kale’s door. Aleksi took the key in his hand, quickly opened the door and ushered Kale inside.
Kale almost jumped out of his skin when the shifter didn’t turn on a light and instead hid beside the doorway, motioning for Kale to step further into the room then stop and turn away. Kale was only a foot or two from the door. Something in his mind told him to act naturally. Whatever was going on, he guessed Aleksi didn’t want him to blow the deception.
“G-grab me a beer too, would you? Bottle opener is in the second draw, babe.” He tried to sound normal, as if he was talking to his lover and Aleksi was really headed to the kitchen.
Barely two breaths later, Kale heard light footsteps coming his way. He tried pretending he didn’t hear them by fiddling with his coat, as if he were having trouble with one of the buttons.
“Have you been a good boy? I’ve kept my
eye
on you.”
The whispered words in his ear made his blood run cold. He jumped away. The second he moved, he felt the disturbance of the air behind him. Barry must have tried to grab him.
Kale stumbled over his feet as he spun around and backed away from the man he’d called his friend. He went down hard, his ass aching from the impact. “Barry!”
“Good boys are more careful. You’re coming with me now,” Barry said, eyes wild and wide. The man fully stepped into the room and reached for him. Kale scrambled back until he hit the heavy white leather sofa. It must have been obvious, because Barry grinned, showing all his teeth like some sort of hysterical hyena, and grabbed for him again.
Barry never got close enough to touch him, though. Aleksi had been so still and quiet that Kale had forgotten about the shifter. He didn’t have time even to cringe as the shifter jumped into action. Aleksi pounced on Barry and, despite Barry’s struggles and yells, Aleksi had the man flat on his stomach, legs spread and hands held behind his back.
A completely inappropriate thought about him came to mind. Kale would be in Barry’s position with Aleksi on top of him like that—for completely different reasons, of course. The little jolt of excitement shot straight to his groin and made him half-hard.
The worst thing was that Aleksi snapped his head around to stare at Kale, eyes pure cat and all knowing—and the look really shouldn’t have made Kale as hot as it did.
The sound of people running toward them caught Kale’s attention. Two police officers entered the room as planned.
“What’s going on here?”
The demand was made by a slightly overweight cop in street clothes. Crumbs clung to his shirt and sweat beaded his brow as if he’d run a marathon instead of the length of the hall. The other officer looked as though she couldn’t stand her partner. The male officer repeated his question and pulled his weapon.
Aleksi growled when the officer pointed the gun in Kale’s direction. The officer quickly changed his target, watching Aleksi closely. No doubt taking in the sight of Aleksi’s bright cat eyes.
“Officer David, you know why we’re here. Mr. McCade called us to set this up. His operative has obviously caught the culprit who sent the stalker mail to Mr. Andrews.”
Officer David ignored his partner for the most part, still keeping the gun trained on Aleksi. “How do we know that? This
shifter
may have just attacked this man,” the officer snarled. It was clear from the way he hesitated before saying shifter that it wasn’t the word the officer really wanted to use. Shifters didn’t take well to being insulted by derogatory words about their nature. The cop probably looked on shifters as animals or monsters.
Kale slowly got to his feet, not wanting to startle either of the officers, and stepped toward the female cop. “I’m the one who filed the report about letters and packages and the man you’re pointing the gun at is my bodyguard. The guy on the ground is Barry, part of the hotel’s housekeeping staff.”
Barry took the opportunity to start yelling. “The shifter attacked me. I was trying to help Mr. Andrews and this animal tackled me to the floor and tried to eat me!” As if to sell the lie, Barry wailed pitifully and started sobbing.
It was obvious the cries were fake, but it gave Officer David the excuse he needed to stick to his prejudices and steady the gun on Aleksi, who was silent and still…waiting.
“Officer Dav—” the female officer began.
Officer David was having none of it. Kale had seen that look before from his father. A man like that had such hatred for anyone and anything different, that once there was an excuse for him to let it out, there was no dissuading him from it.
Pandering to it was the only option in order to minimize the damage.
Gently placing himself next to Officer David, Kale tried to shake off the nervousness and pasted a relieved and grateful smile on his face. “Thank you for responding so quickly. I was so scared.”
When he saw Officer David’s gaze linger on him, Kale realized he still wore some makeup from the photo shoot. He ducked his head shyly and let his hair fall to frame his face and eyes as he looked up through his lashes at the officer.
“I…well…you’re welcome. Now I need you to stand aside while I deal with the other two,” Officer David sputtered, puffing out his chest like some sort of male bird presenting for a prospective female mate.
It nauseated Kale.
He flicked his gaze to the female cop. She watched him with a mixture of interest and disgust. Disgust at what, Kale didn’t know, but it was clear he wouldn’t be able to count on her for any back up.
“I don’t want to get in the way. I just worry Barry might try to hurt me if the
shifter
moves.” He was laying it on a bit thick and part of him recoiled at the emphasis he placed on the word shifter. But by speaking in the same way Officer David had, it would create the appearance of like-mindedness. His college class in psychology came in useful at times.
Latching onto Kale’s common use of shifter, Officer David relaxed and slowly started lowering his weapon, staring at Kale instead of Aleksi and Barry.
“That’s all right. Officer Hadley, cuff the suspect while I protect the victim.”
Officer Hadley, the female officer, stepped forward and produced a set of handcuffs from her belt before approaching Aleksi and Barry without a word. She left Kale to contend with Officer David, who was standing a little too close and touching him too much for Kale’s liking.
Officer David crept his hand from where he had rested it on Kale’s shoulder to down Kale’s back to cup his ass. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”