Page 25 of No Strings Attached

“Sheriff Harper already cleared that up. Sam doesn’t owe anything.” Cannon stood and walked to the coffeepot. “One way or another, we’ll find him, Morgan.”

Until then, Morgan wasn’t going to rest.

He walked out, jumped into his truck, and headed toward the diner, all the while keeping his eyes peeled for a burgundy car. After Morgan paid for the food, he made his way home.

When he pulled next to Denali in his driveway, Morgan got out and handed a Styrofoam container to him. “Breakfast is on me for getting out of bed and doing me a favor.”

Denali yawned. “I had to get up anyway. Zayde has to work this morning.”

“How is your mate?” Morgan asked.

“He’s fine.” Denali grinned. “Keeps me on my toes.” His smile faded. “How’s Sam?”

“Healing, jumpy, mistrustful of everyone.” Morgan glanced toward the upstairs windows.

“Do you blame him?” Denali asked. “I’ve seen Sam here and there. He stops in a few of the local restaurants once in a while for a meal. If I’d known he was your mate…”

Morgan had never spotted Sam before he’d found him in that closet. All this time and they’d never once crossed paths. “You didn’t know.”

Denali set his container aside. “Cannon tells me to keep my eyes open for a burgundy car. He says the driver isn’t human, and he’s the one who hurt Sam.”

“We can rule out vampires since they can’t come out in daylight.”

“And hellhounds,” Denali added. “No way one of those assholes would ever be considered charming. Sam would have felt all his happiness drain away, and I doubt he would have agreed to move in.”

Morgan slapped the open window. “Head home to your mate. Thanks for watching over mine.”

“Anytime.” Denali reversed from the driveway and drove away.

Now Morgan wished he’d bought a house closer to town. His nearest neighbor was a quarter mile down the road. He was isolated enough that, if the guy after Sam discovered where he was, there wouldn’t be any close neighbors to see anyone suspicious lurking around.

He headed inside and set the bags on the counter then walked upstairs. When he entered Sam’s room, his mate’s eyes were open. “How long have you been up?”

“Haven’t slept since I got up to use the bathroom last night.”

Morgan sat on the side of Sam’s bed. “I checked on you before I left for the diner. You were asleep.”

“I was trying to force myself to go to sleep.” When Sam struggled to sit up, Morgan helped him. “You must be a ninja. I didn’t hear you open my door.”

“I’m a ninja on the weekends.” Morgan lifted Sam from the bed and cradled his mate against his chest. He couldn’t get enough of having Sam in his arms and the contact made his polar bear softly growl.

Morgan covertly inhaled the warm ocean breeze scent and had to force himself not to nuzzle his mate.

“You have got to stop carrying me around,” Sam protested. “As long as I go slow, I can walk on my own.”

“Not this morning. Breakfast is downstairs. By the time you make it to the kitchen, our food will be cold.” He walked out of the guest bedroom and made his way downstairs, where he placed Sam in a chair at the table. “I don’t know what you like, so I got home fries, bacon, sausage, grits, scrambled eggs, and toast. I figured you’ll eat one or two of those things.”

Sam closed his eyes and breathe in deeply. “I love all of it.”

The guy was on the very thin side. Morgan thought it was more because of his situation than his choice. Never again would he allow his mate to be deprived of food.

“Eat what you can. You can save the rest for later.” Morgan snagged two plates from the cupboard and brought them over. Then he filled two glasses with mango-flavored orange juice.

“Ketchup?”

“For what?” Morgan asked.

“My eggs and sausage.”

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