Page 71 of If Our Hearts Collide

Taking several steps backward, he retreats from my accusation and makes his way toward the glass windows on the opposite side of the unit. I join him, feeling the coolness of the tiles under my bare feet.

My eyes focus in on a row of five little pots that are resting on a table.

Collins is a man of many things. Security expert… Neat freak executor… But a connoisseur of succulent plants was not something I could ever have predicted.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued.

My fingers trail along the boney leaves. Maybe Collins does have a nurturing bone in his body. His plants are well cared for and, more importantly, alive.

A distant flicker of light has me peering out the window at the angry, dark sky. It looks like the clouds are about ready to explode with an epic temper tantrum. I just hope everyone I love is safe. It’s going to be brutal.

“I’m a man of many skills, Penny,” Collins says with a chuckle, “but predicting the future is not one of them.”

“Then how?”

“It’s a coincidence. I knew you wanted to move to Portland, but I didn’t know where you would end up. I’m actually a bit surprised you found a unit so fast and signed rental agreements without even seeing the place.”

“I looked at many places in the city before I went to college. I knew that at this hefty price point, I wouldn’t be disappointed. But are you sure you didn’t hack my Internet and make it so that when I searched for apartments, only the ones you pre-approved of popped up in some type of cyberspace magical voodoo? Stop laughing at me. I bet Nic would have those capabilities.”

Collins tries to hide his grin by rubbing a hand over his mouth. “Maybe so. But you and I both know that Nic is a bit distracted right now.”

“Yeah, I agree, but I still know what you all are capable of. I’ve seen the eyes on Angie and Claire. You all probably get alerts every time they pee.”

He gives me a nod, not denying anything I spew. “Watching out for those we care about is a code we men live by, Penny. It’s best you get used to it.”

“But why do you care?”

I watch as Collins swallows, looking away but just for a second. “I cared the moment your brother found me and needed my services.”

“So it’s about the money? Maybe I can outbid my brothers and hire you tonotwatch over me.”

He bursts out into laughter. “Are you really trying to bribe me, poach from your brothers, and renegotiate what they have already put into place?”

I peek up at his face between my eyelashes. “Is it working?”

“No,” he states flatly.

I hold up two fingers, squeezing them together but leaving an inch. “But you are a little bit tempted?”

“No, Penny, and it’s a horrible idea.”

But is it?

I cross my arms over my chest. He is making me twitchy with anger. “Why is that so unreasonable?”

“Because I’m not doing this for the damn money, Pen. It’s never been about that.”

“Then why are you taking an assignment you obviously do not like?”

“Loyalty.”

Damn these men and their secret code of conduct. “I just hate that I’m in the middle of all of this.”

The loud cracking sound of thunder echoes through the room, causing my body to jerk.

It’s amazing how it can still be heard through the insulation and thick glass of the windows—but it can.

Shivers run up my spine, as goose bumps form on my arms.

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