Page 24 of Knot Innocent

Before answering, I pull out my phone and show him my security app. “My cameras are motion activated, and I haven’t received any alerts. If anyone’s been here, they didn’t get within fifteen feet of my house.”

“Of the front or back of your house. Your cameras are visible, meaning it’s obvious the sides of your house are unprotected.”

Not for long. I make a mental note to request additional cameras in the morning. “Thirty seconds, Birdie. That’s all I ask.”

I release the door handle, and Bastien slides off the leather seat to creep like a ghost around my house. His cursory inspection doesn’t turn up any monsters, so he collects me from the truck and walks me to the house, once again, with his hand at my back.

Just inside the door, Bastien levels a somber, mind-control-like glare my way. “It’s time to let me in, Birdie.”

All I can do is sigh, nod, and gesture for him to follow me. Inside my office, I lower the display screen over the windows and fire up all my systems. Bastien sits, rapt, as I spend the next hour walking him through my work as a vigilante. “Well, that’s it,” I say when finished.

Bastien leans back in the kitchen chair he brought into my office. “Ok. So now, I’m equally impressed as I was pissed off.”

I bristle at this comment, but he continues before I can object. “That you would use your extensive skills to do this to save others is commendable. You’re an amazing woman, Birdie Crenshaw.”

Bastien’s awe-filled praise is short-lived, and bossy Bash is back in a blink. “However, putting yourself in danger, especially after the cop said he couldn’t back you up, wasn’t a good decision. More than that, it was downright irresponsible, and you won’t do it again.”

“You think you can tell me—”

“Because I’ll be going with you from now on.”

I had been ready to launch verbal nukes, but at Bastien’s declaration, all I can manage is a pitiful squeaked, “What?”

Matter-of-factly, he announces, “You need a partner. I’m it.” Then, daring me to challenge him, he adds, “Unless you want to involve Sadie, Knot, or someone else. And since I know you want this kept as quiet as possible, you’re stuck with me.”

Bastien grabs my chair, rolling it toward him until we sit knees to knees. He leans close and warns, “Don’t test me on this. I won’t hesitate to roll on you if it means keeping you safe.”

Huh. So, this is what blackmail feels like. I sag in my chair and stare at the man threatening me with help. “Why are you doing this?”

Bastien’s growling voice vibrates my skin. “I think you know why.”

My heart pounds like this is some scene in a romance movie, except there’s no way Bastien is interested in me. He’s right, though. I do know why, or at least I have a good idea. “I have a theory. It’s for the same reason you sacrificed your career in the Navy. You’re a natural-born protector. You stood up for a vulnerable sailor, and now you want to help me save kids from predators.”

Bastien blinks away his shock to stare back wordlessly. Bullseye. “Who was she, Bastien? The woman you couldn’t save?”

The warrior’s face goes slack. He did not expect this conversation to turn on him. He’s silent for a long while before whispering, “My mother.”

The pain etched on his face shows me the nightmare beyond. Something inside compels me to comfort him, so I place my hand on his thigh. Just a small touch, but Bastien’s eyes shoot to the spot and remain. “What happened?” I ask, encouraging him to continue.

He places his hand over mine, lightly tracing circles on my skin. “As long as I can remember, my father liked to hit her. He started on me when I got old enough to beg him to stop. Then he beat both of us until I was big enough to fight back. He left me alone then, but my mother’s beatings got worse. I begged her to take us away. I think she may have even tried a couple times early on when I first started showing bruises. Then, when I was seventeen, she left us both for good.

“I came home drunk one night. Just once. I’d heard that alcohol could make you forget, and I wanted one night of peace. My father raged at my condition, and I was too drunk to put up a defense. Mom stepped in to protect me and never woke up from the head injury he gave her.

“That bastard went to prison, and I went to live with my father’s sister. She’s nothing like him, decent. Still, I took off the minute I turned eighteen and never looked back.”

“I’m so sorry, Bastien.” It must have been awful to feel so helpless. Bastien nods and leans back, stretching his long legs and crossing his arms over his chest. “You know my story now. So, tell me why it is you do this. Why do you hunt monsters?”

I look down, pulling my hand from beneath his and dust imaginary crumbs from my jeans. Well, Birdie? Tit for tat. You didn’t think he’d share and then move on, did you?

Once again, I failed to think things through around Bastien. I push out of my chair, needing to escape the conversation. I’m not like him, an innocent victim. I’m the reason Amelia’s dead. If Bastien finds out, all that rosy nobility he thinks I harbor will be gone. “I can’t… I’m not… ready to share my story.”

Bastien doesn’t press, even though I’m being unfair. Since being around him fries my brain, the best thing to do is get him out of here. “Well, it’s getting late. I’m sure you have a full morning ahead of you.”

Bastien stands, taking up way too much of my personal space. “So do you. I’m changing our schedule. Starting Monday, you’ll work out with me three mornings a week. When I’m deployed, you’ll be checking in with Spatch. I’ll set everything up.”

“It doesn’t sound like you’re leaving me any room to say no,” I grumble.

Bastien steps in close, bending until we’re nose to nose. “You’re damn right. I’m not. And after work tomorrow, you and I are looking for this car. Until then, keep this house locked up tight, and don’t make any stops between here and work.”

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