Page 62 of Sweet Temptation

And that compassion in his eyes.

“Maybe I’ve just always seen the world through a bit of a soundtrack,” I said.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know… Sometimes I get lost in the music in my head, and it’s like everyone is on the same track with me. They’re all part of this glorious musical and I’m the conductor.” He listened carefully, like he was trying to understand. Or at least assess. “Maybe it makes it hard to see that not everyone is hearing the same music that I am.”

“It’s good to be aware of that.”

“I wasn’t until just now.”

I studied him as he held my gaze.

Then he sat back in his seat.

“The police have released Sanchuk from custody.”

I blinked at him. “What?”

“I’m sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. “There was no easy way to tell you that. I wanted you to feel safe, to know we’ve got everything we need in place, we’ve got guys on it and we’ve got a plan, before I told you. But I don’t want to leave you in the dark.”

Well. I couldn’t exactly be pissed at him for that. But I was annoyed as shit that we’d just sat here eating dinner and he didn’t tell me right away.

“When did this happen?”

“Early this afternoon. Like I said, we have contacts in the police department. I called Brody already to fill him in.”

Of course.

Tell the men first. They need to know.

I bit back my irritation.

If I went into raging bitch mode, maybe he’d decide it wasn’t worth the trouble of telling me anything.

“So what happens now? Will he try to come after me again?”

“I’m gonna be straight with you, Summer—”

“Please do.”

“We don’t know this guy or his motives. We don’t know why he did what he did, and that makes him a threat. But you are not in danger. We’ll wait for the restraining order to come through. Meanwhile, you go about your life, and we make sure you’re secure. ”

“Right. And what exactly does that mean?”

“It means I’ll be with you twenty-four-seven. If I ever have to leave, briefly, someone from my crew or from Jude’s will be covering you.”

“Leave?”

“Maddox and his guys will be back tomorrow to install your new alarm system. I’ll probably pop out briefly while they’re here. I need to make a run over to my place, pick up some things.”

Huh. Interesting, how it disappointed me that he was leaving.

Though, obviously, he needed a change of clothes.

“Okay,” I said. Damn, though. I wasn’t scared that he was leaving, was I?

Yes, he made me feel safe, already. That was certain. As much as that certainty kinda bugged me.

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