Page 12 of Rafael

He dropped his belongings and hurried toward her.

Gisele stepped out, expecting him to lock the door behind her.

When he followed her outside, she turned a frown on him. “You need to lock the door from the inside.”

“Are you going up to your apartment?” he asked, ignoring her comment.

Her frown deepened. “I am. Alone.”

“I’ll go first,” he said and stepped past her.

He was halfway around the side of the building when she caught up with him.

Gisele hurried to beat him to the base of the steps, where she ducked in front of him and stared him down. “Where do you think you’re going?” she demanded.

He cocked an eyebrow. “To clear your apartment before you go inside,” he said as if that was the most logical thing to any moron.

“I don’t need anyone toclearmy apartment, whatever that means.” She tipped her chin upward. “You’re staying in the shop, not my apartment.”

“I know. But a protector makes sure the space the protected is going into is free of danger, which means I need to go in first.”

She didn’t like the idea of Rafael entering her apartment. It seemed too...personal. Like he was invading her space and would leave a little of himself behind when he left—which was complete nonsense.

“I’ll only be a moment. I mean, how long could it take to clear your apartment? I can’t allow you to occupy the space until I know for sure your attacker is not inside, waiting for a second chance to harm you. Either I clear your apartment, or you can stay in the shop with me tonight.”

She silently debated with herself. If she argued that she didn’t need someone to “clear” her apartment, it would only delay the inevitable. He was pretty adamant that he wouldn’t let her enter until he did the deed.

She let out a huff of a breath and stepped aside. “Fine. Clear my apartment.”

As he darted past her and took the steps two at a time, she called out. “But don’t touch anything.”

He paused halfway up the steps. “You should go back into the shop and lock the door.”

“The hell I will.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Then at least stay close enough I can see you at all times.” He came back down the stairs, grabbed her hand and led her to the top. “Stay.”

“I’m not a dog.”

“Stay, please?” he amended.

She frowned. “Better, but I’m still not a dog for you to train.”

“Fair enough.” He held out his hand. “Key?”

She dug in the crossbody purse looped over her shoulder and handed him the key to her place.

“Don’t go anywhere,” he said as he unlocked the door. Then he disappeared inside, switching on the lights as he moved through the few rooms.

Gisele tried to remember how she’d left her apartment that morning. Had she made the bed? What had she done with her sheer baby-blue nightie she’d slept in the night before? Had she left it on the bed, put it in the hamper or dropped it on the floor as she’d staggered into the bathroom for her shower that morning?

She was still worrying about the location of her nightgown when Rafael appeared.

“Find anything?” she asked.

“Just this.” He held out his hand, the object of her concern dangling from his index finger.

She snatched it away. “I told you not to touch anything.”

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