Page 8 of My Bodyguard Neighbor
"They were being assholes."Holly slumped against the door, suddenly exhausted."Did you hear Siegman asking if I'd been in contact with any of my father's defendants?Like I'm stupid enough to hang out with convicted felons in my spare time."
"He's covering all the bases.It's what good cops do."
Holly studied Jonah's profile as he continued his inspection of her lock."You seem to know a lot about what good cops do.Almost like you've worked with them before."
His hands stilled for just a moment."I watch a lot of TV."
"Right."Holly pushed off from the door, her irritation flaring."I'm pissed off."
“You have a right to be.”
Holly crossed her arms."My car is destroyed, and someone's threatening me because of my father's job.It’s not fucking fair."
Before Jonah could answer, the power in her apartment went out.
It was only three in the afternoon, but the blinking microwave clock and the sudden silence of her refrigerator's hum was unnerving.
"Holly."Jonah's voice was sharp, urgent."Get away from the door.Now."
Before she could ask why, she heard the metallic scrape of her front door lock being manipulated.Someone was picking it.
Holly's blood ran cold.She backed away from the door as Jonah moved swiftly across her apartment, positioning himself in the kitchen doorway where he'd have a clear angle on the entrance.
"Bedroom.Under the bed," he whispered."Don't come out until I tell you."
Holly's instinct was to argue, but the absolute authority in his voice made her move.She'd barely made it to her bedroom when she heard her front door crash open.
"I know you're in here, sweetheart."The voice was rough, unfamiliar, with an accent that sounded fresh out of a bad cold war spy movie."Daddy's little girl thinks she can hide from us."
What the hell was her father up against now that goons had been sent to her apartment?
Holly couldn't see the fight from her position, but she heard the impact of bodies, a grunt of surprise, and a heavy body hitting her floor.It was over in seconds.
"You can come out," Jonah said.
Holly stared at the unconscious form sprawled across her living room floor, his hands and feet zip tied.Her mind struggled to process what just happened.Jonah stood over the intruder, breathing hard but apparently uninjured, looking like a warrior who'd just dispatched a particularly troublesome enemy.
"Holy shit," she said.
Jonah's head snapped toward her, and even in the dim light filtering through her windows, she could see the predatory alertness in his posture.For a moment, she wasn't sure if she should be more afraid of the unconscious man or of Jonah himself.
"Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm—" Holly's words cracked."What the hell just happened?Who are you?"
Jonah moved toward her slowly, like he was approaching a skittish animal."We need to call the police back.And then we need to get you somewhere safe.They were waiting for the police to leave before coming in.They were hoping to catch you by surprise attacking so soon."
"Answer my question."Holly's shock was rapidly giving way to anger.
Jonah stopped a few feet away from her, close enough that she could see the conflict warring in his eyes."Holly—"
"The truth, Jonah.Or I call the police myself and tell them my neighbor with the convenient combat training might be working with whoever's threatening me?"
The accusation hung in the air between them, and Holly saw the moment it hit home."You think I'm working with them?"
"I think you showed up in my life exactly when someone started threatening me, and I think you know a lot more about what's happening than you're letting on."
Jonah stared at her for a long moment.When he finally spoke, his words filled with regret."You're right.I'm not who I claim to be."
