Page 53 of His Every Move

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “I’ve got this bad feeling like he’s involved somehow. But there’s something else I can’t shake…”

“What is it?”

I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to piece together the thoughts swirling in my head. “He’s angry, but he doesn’t seem like the type who’d actually do something this extreme. I think there’s more going on here. Someone else pulling the strings, maybe?”

Benji nodded slowly. “Let’s check his other posts. If he’s working with someone, maybe there’s a clue.”

We spent the next hour combing through Damon’s online presence, looking for patterns, connections, any name that stood out. My eyelids grew heavy, and the wine made my body feel warm and loose. Despite the fear still clinging to my chest, I felt safe here.

Protected.

Benji was the most solid, grounding presence I’d ever had. I leaned against him, resting my head on his shoulder as he used a website I’d never heard of to scrub the internet, looking for Damon’s presence. His arm slid around me, holding me close. It was comforting. Natural. Like we’d done this a thousand times before.

“Is there anyone else besides Damon and Nomad that interacts with you frequently online?” Benji asked.

“There is one person. NightOwl. But he’s never given me any signs that he wanted to hurt me. The complete opposite, actually—he’s been one of my biggest supporters. I basically consider him a friend. He books a lot of private shows, and we just chat with each other. Hell, he even pointed me toward Stonewall Investigations when I told him about my problems.”

“Really?” Benji asked with a curious grunt.

“Yeah. I know it’s not smart to really foster connections online right now, but I do think he’s genuine.”

“Interesting.”

“If you go to my profile and search his username, you’ll see he’s one of my top gifters, too.”

Benji closed out of the website he was on and opened up another window. He pulled up my profile and typed in my name. NightOwl appeared on my wall of fame. Before he clicked on the username, he lifted his arms and stretched. It nearly knocked over his laptop, but I managed to grab it before it fell to the floor.

“Nice save,” Benji said.

“I can say the same thing about you,” I replied, winking at him. Part of me was still on high alert from the bomb threat, but there was another side of me that buzzed with a powerful electric current. It seemed to originate from where Benji’s knee rested against mine. I cuddled against him, enjoying how solid andrealhe felt. My dick gave a twitch against my thigh as I thought about what else we could do on this couch aside from cuddle.

Except my exhaustion overpowered any other needs and urges my body may have had. I closed my eyes, breathing in his scent—something clean and woodsy that made me feel like everything might actually be okay.

“Thanks, Benji.”

“For what?” His lips brushed against my hair.

“For being here. For keeping me safe. For making me feel like I’m not losing my mind.”

“You’re not. You’re strong as hell, Eli. And I’m going to find out whoever this asshole is and make sure you don’t have to live your life in fear anymore..”

I sighed, letting myself melt into him, the warmth of his body lulling me into a peaceful haze. My heart pounded as I turned my head, brushing my lips against his throat.

“You don’t mind me staying the night?” I whispered.

Benji’s fingers tightened on my waist. “Of course not.”

Next, it was my turn to yawn. I stretched out my legs and rattled my entire body.

“Here, let’s lay down for a little bit.”

Benji moved his laptop onto the coffee table, and we shifted, lying down on the couch together. It was a big enough couch to comfortably fit us both. He cradled me in his arms, and I pressed my face against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

It was in that moment that I started to realize something: this wasn’t just about protection. This was different. Deeper.

Something I’d never felt before.

“You’re safe with me,” he whispered. “I’ve got you.”

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