Page 22 of Mine to Keep

He spun in his chair, his right leg bumping mine. “Don’t you watch documentaries and shit?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not relying on Netflix to teach me criminal behavior or psychopathy.”

“You’re missing out, but if you don’t believe me, talk to Aziza.”

I’d heard that name but couldn’t remember where. “Who is that?”

“Dr. Aziza Bakir. She’s the one helping Four and working with Two at the facility. She could tell you all about stalkers and their behavior.”

“Look, Nick, I appreciate all you did here—illegal, but still, thanks. I don’t think I have a stalker. Perhaps an admirer, someone who wants to ask me out but is too shy. Nothing violent has happened, and I don’t want to bring other people into this right now.”

“Okay, Mattie…for now. But please, if it gets worse, escalates in any way, promise you’ll tell me?”

I didn’t know why he cared so much or was so invested, but it was oddly sweet. “Yeah, I promise.”

Then he smiled, and I knew I was screwed. He was stunning, sexy, and if I could guarantee I wouldn’t get rejected again, I’d slide onto his lap.

“Anything else, Mattie?”

I shook my head and stood. “No, thanks…and stop calling me that.” I went to the door and looked over at him. “I do appreciate all you’ve done.”

I stepped out, and right before it closed I heard him say, “I’ll keep you safe, Mattie.”

CHAPTER TEN

Nick

If JJ,Noel, or any of my other brothers knew what I’d been up to the last week, they’d ream me out. No question. I’d tracked down Greg Morgan and followed him…a lot.

He was oddly normal…boring, even. He was an accountant, lived in a nice apartment with his cats, and he was in every night by seven. His body type fit the person on the video; only two things were off. One, he didn’t seem like a motorcycle guy and two, I couldn’t find a motorcycle on the property.

I’d hacked into the police database and searched to see if the license plate number had been reported stolen. It had not.

Another thing I didn’t want to tell anyone was that I’d also hacked into Matt’s Ring camera. Not my proudest moment, but I was truly trying not to go to insane levels by adding cameras outside his building.

There wasn’t much. His landlords came and went at all hours, oftentimes peeking over at Matt’s door, but nothing out of the ordinary. He’d had food delivered, and a visit from a friend.When I’d listened in, all I’d learned was that his name was Darnell.

The cameras across the way had a view of his fire escape but it was grainy and if someone did try to climb it, I’d never get a clear view of them.

“Okay, we’re talking,” Noel said as he burst into my room and shut the door.

“Dude, get out!”

“No. Now, I’m going to talk and you’re going to listen.”

I sighed and spun my chair so I was facing him. “What?”

“All week you’ve asked me to cover for you and teach our moron brothers, not including JJ, how to break code and hack cameras. I said okay, figured you were into something, and you’d at some point tell me what’s up.”

I’d known this was coming. “I will.”

“You’re obsessed with something, Nick. And that means it’s serious or wrong.” He quirked a brow. “Tell me, or I go out there and call a family meeting.”

Shit. He’d do it too. “Fine, but maybe you keep it between you and me for now, please?”

He regarded me for a beat and nodded. “Okay, talk.”

I proceeded to update him on everything. From Matt telling JJ about the gifts to what I’d been up to the last week. He listened, made a few unsavory expressions, but didn’t interrupt.

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