Page 28 of Bonded By Christmas
The fact they have an apartment in my building to keep tabs on me is… I don’t even know what word to use to describe that. Weird? Off-putting? Concerning that it’s necessary in the first place? Thoughtful, considering I’m not his responsibility in the least?
Wow.
My emotions are a mess.
The way Wilder carefully cleans my skin is throwing me off in a big way.
“Why would I need security, anyway?” I ask, my mind circling back to what he said about Callum.
So he, what? Assigned Cal to watch over me, and Callum made the choice to approach me on his own? If that’s how it went down, it’s actually kind of sweet, right? He liked me so much that he went against orders because he couldn’t stand to stay away.
“You know what my profession entails. Occasionally, I make enemies. Those enemies should have enough decency not to lash out at anyone with a connection to me, but that wasn’t a risk I was willing to take.” Wilder hums. “What’s that saying? Better safe than sorry. And considering you have a bloody handprint on your jaw, I’m going to go with that being the right call. Twist a little farther. I need to clean the other side of your face.”
I turn in my seat, and he tosses my hair over my shoulder.
“Jesus Christ,” he hisses, gently tilting my face up and to the side to give him a better view. “Tell me that’s Grim’s bite…”
“It is,” I assure him. “He had consent, so don’t go trying to rip his head off or punish him for something thatI agreed to.” Okay, I kinda agreed while it was in progress, but the look on Wilder’s face is intimidating. It’s time to distract him and put the focus where it belongs—back on him. “So, it wasn’t just luck thatGrim stumbled upon me tonight? You have people following me around like bodyguards or something?”
Wilder’s jaw tightens.
I’m not sure if he’s still furious that Grim and I bonded or if he’s uncomfortable with my questions.
“It’s not round-the-clock security. Whenever you’re at work, you’re safe enough. I was under the impression you’re normally at work right now.” He huffs and gets back to cleaning the blood from my neck and jaw. “Having someone constantly tailing you would draw your attention, especially if it was the same few faces. I always try to have someone follow you home from work at a distance. Once you’re in your apartment, it’s just about having someone close enough to act if necessary.” The car takes a corner, and I slide toward Wilder. He moves his free hand to my side to help keep me in place and removes it promptly once it’s no longer needed. “The doorbell camera watches your front door. That’s why I rented the unit directly across the hall. I mistakenly thought you’d be safe enough in public places like work or grocery shopping during the day. Although, to be fair, I don’t believe the attack tonight had anything to do with me.”
“I don’t think so either,” I admit. “I’m so worried about Grim. Is he going to get in trouble for saving me? I think they might have beendead.” I find myself whispering the last word as my eyes dart toward the driver.
“You don’t have to censor yourself in front of my staff,” Wilder says. “Raymond has been part of the family since before I could talk. You also don’t need to worry about Grim. Callum will take care of him, and I have a team that should be there by now to back them up.”
I nod, but my eyes ache.
I wonder if I’ll have a full-blown meltdown once the adrenaline wears off. “I just want a hot shower, a change of clothes, and a comfortable bed to climb into to wait for Grim.”
Wilder’s eyes sparkle. “As it turns out, I can help with all three.”
The house Wilder inherited from his dads is in a fancy neighborhood with a guardhouse. Two men step out, and one approaches the car while the other loiters just outside the small building.
It’s a quick exchange, and the driver takes off, weaving through mansions that are all spaced far apart from the one next to it.
I lived in the house Wilder now owns for the better part of two months, but it never felt like home, more like a long-term hotel stay. They didn’t purposely make me feel unwelcome. In fact, his dads went out of their way to ensure I knew I was welcome to stick around for as long as I liked.
It was just a huge adjustment, and I felt awkward all the time around them.
My mom and I shared a one-room apartment until I was like eight or nine. Even when we moved into a two-bedroom, I often slept in her bed because I knew she would snuggle with me once she got home from work.
At the time, there was a sweet older lady who watched me from the time I got home from school until she went to sleep at nine or ten p.m. That’s when I would let myself into our apartment, have a snack, take a shower, and put myself to bed.
My mom wasn’t neglectful. She was just a single parent with no family and no resources. She did the best she could with what she had.
I’m actually really happy she met Wilder’s dads. They spoil the hell out of her now, which is exactly what she deserves afterworking her ass off for the better part of two decades to provide a decent life for me.
It kinda makes me wonder if I’ll have to wait as long as she did to not have to stress so much. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks, and Grim’s bite on my neck radiates with warmth.
Holy shit.
That’s right.
It wasn’t a hazy dream.
