Page 13 of Guarded from Sabotage

A smile curves Sarah’s lips, and some of the strain smooths from her face. “Dante. Oh. That’s just… I’ve felt so trapped. Like I didn’t know what to do.”

“Not anymore.” Returning her smile, I continue, “I’ll talk to the team, talk to Matt, especially, and come up with a plan. And we’ll keep you updated regularly. In the next day or so, when you can get away from work, I’d like you to come to Blade and Arrow to meet everyone. Answer any additional questions that come up.”

She bobs her head. “Of course. What else do you need me to do?”

“Definitely make a list of all your accounts and loans. Matt may have some other information he wants, so I’ll let you know about that once I talk to him.” I pause as something occurs to me. “What about money? With everything going on… we can help if you need.”

OrIcan. I’ve got plenty of money saved. The idea of Sarah struggling to pay her bills, to buy food…

“I’m okay for now. I have one account that wasn’t touched—it’s actually in my grandmother’s name and was transferred to me when she passed. And I’m cashing my paychecks now, instead of depositing them. So I think I’m alright.”

But I can see the worry in her gaze, so I tuck the topic away for another time, assuming we don’t get this solved right away. “Okay. Just let me know. And another thing. If you get any calls, if anything strange happens, if the police show up—anything, I want you to call me. Any time.”

“Okay. I can do that.” Sarah shifts closer to me on the couch; close enough to catch the faint scent of strawberries and vanilla. “Is there anything else?”

She actually looks hopeful, and I hate to potentially ruin it, but I bite the bullet and say, “We don’t need it now, but soon… a list of anyone who might be responsible for this. Someone who might have motive to mess with you. I know it’s not pleasant, but we have to consider it.”

She winces, but quickly hides it. “I understand. It makes sense. I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head…” Trailing off, she frowns. “Well.”

My eyebrows raise. “Is there someone?”

“I don’t think so… But Tanner, my ex—he wasn’t thrilled when I broke up with him. I don’t think he was upset so much about me leaving, but I’d been helping him with his student loans. That’s why”—she gestures around the small apartment—“I’m not living in the greatest place. I didn’t have much in savings, and to pay first and last month’s rent…”

“When did you break up?” And why am I irrationally happy about it?

“Six months ago.” Pink touches her cheeks. “He was cheating on me. Since I have to tell you guys everything… That’s why he didn’t come to the wedding. He was with another woman. Things hadn’t been great for a while, but…” Sarah gives a little shrug. “I found out shortly after, and that was it. We were done.”

I’m torn between wanting to track down this Tanner and beat him up for hurting Sarah and being glad she’s not with such a raging asshole.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “You didn’t deserve that.”

“No. I didn’t.” There’s a defiant lift to her chin. “I’m glad I found out when I did. And I’m better off without him.”

“You are,” I agree, and I couldn’t mean it more.

Our eyes meet, and there’s this magneticpullbetween us. It reminds me of how I felt at the wedding after Finn made a toast to Hanna; when Sarah turned to me with tears in her eyes and said, “I’m so happy for Hanna. I can’t think of anyone who deserves her happily ever after more.”

I felt something for Sarah then, even though I knew it couldn’t go anywhere.

I shouldn’t be considering it now; not given the situation.

Maybe after. Maybe once we get her case solved, and Sarah’s not a client anymore.

MaybethenI’ll ask her out.

CHAPTER FIVE

SARAH

For the first time in weeks, things are finally starting to look up.

Is everything back to normal? Of course not.

I know Blade and Arrow is good, but I don’t expect them to work miracles. Given the absolute mess of my credit and finances, I have a feeling it’s going to take a lot longer than a few days to clear everything up.

When I think about the sheer magnitude of it—loans taken out in my name, bank accounts emptied, all my personal information compromised, some random person out there usingmylicense—it feels like I’m trapped in a dark cave with all the walls closing in on me.

Before I met with Dante, I couldn’t see an escape.

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