Page 83 of Mine to Protect

“I still don’t trust myself sleeping with her, but I don’t want her to wake up alone.” Defeated, I hung my head. “Will you— “

“No sweat, man.”

“With your clothes on,” I added through gritted teeth. Fucking hell, this was torture.

“With my damn clothes on and hers,” Chandler chuckled. “Like I would risk getting on your bad side.”

Both brows rose high on my forehead. “You would, and we both know it.”

“Where’s the fun in being predictable.”

“I’ll kill you if you touch her.”

“Is that a bet?” he said with a face-splitting grin.

Narrowing my eyes, I shook my head. “No, motherfucker. It’s a promise.”

28

Alta

Insufferable heat woke me.My eyelashes were sealed together, making it challenging to peel them open on the first try. I blinked several times, clearing the dryness and allowing my eyes to focus in the dim light. An unfamiliar room came into view, with a few faint streams of buttery sunlight pouring through a set of blinds on a far window.

My annoyance at the sweltering heat grew as sweat beaded along my brow and between my thighs where they were pressed together, my knees curled against my chest. I made to fling off the heavy blankets but couldn’t. Something heavy rested across my shoulders, pinning me to the bed, adding to the heat.

Panic spiked through me. My heart raced and thoughts swirled.

What happened last night?

Where am I?

Who’s with me?

“Easy there, Birdie,” a familiar voice said from my back, right near my ear. “It’s just me, Chandler. You’re safe.”

Breathing still labored, I willed my body to relax under his hold. “I don’t understand what’s going on. Where am I?”

At that, the weight lifted. Immediately I shoved off the blankets. I swallowed gulps of the cool air before rolling to my back.

“Mathews didn’t want you to wake up alone.” Chandler clasped both hands behind his head and focused on the ceiling.

“Is he here?” I glanced back to the windows, the brightness making it seem a little later than I normally woke up because….

Grief engulfed me as the memories of last night hit. “Benny?” I asked, my voice breaking.

“I’m sorry, Birdie, but we don’t have an update. He made it through surgery, but he lost a lot of blood. That’s where Mathews is now. He got a couple hours of sleep, then went back out to check on him.”

“But he made it to the hospital and through surgery, so that’s something, right?”

Reaching over, he patted the top of my hand before pulling it back to his side. “Sure is, Birdie. And Mathews thinks that dog of yours could be the key to solving this case. He should be back—” The sound of a door slamming shut in the front room made him smile. “Ah, always on time, that one. Looks like my shift is up. Glad I could be here when you woke up.”

“Thank you.” I grabbed his hand and pulled it close. “For everything.”

“Peters.” Cas stood in the doorway with a murderous look on his hard features. “Get out.”

“How’s that for gratitude for you,” Chandler joked with an over-the-top wink. Shoving out of bed, he stretched his arms overhead with a loud groan. “Now it’s my turn to get some work done.”

Cas glared at Chandler as he crossed the room until the bedroom door shut behind him, leaving us alone in what I now realized was his room.

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