Page 18 of The Protector’s Heart

Nila walked down the hallway at that moment, carrying Malachi’s coat. He was touched that she’d grabbed it for him. “Ready?” she asked, hopefully.

“Do you want me to drive?”

“If you’d like.”

“I would.”

They said goodbye to Brynn. Malachi offered his arm to Nila and she took it, leaning on him as they walked down the steps and out to the SUV. The parking lot was mostly slush and salt, but he still wanted her to be safe. He unlocked the passenger door and helped her in, and then he came around to the driver’s door and got in. As he turned on the engine, his phone buzzed.

He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the screen. His company was calling.

He mouthed sorry to Nila and answered the phone.

“Slattery here.”

“Good morning, sir. This is Vivi Parker at the communications center. I have an alert that the windows are being broken at 128 Forrest Road. It’s flagged that we should call you first and then the police.”

“Call the police. I’m on my way. Did you say that windows are being broken, as in multiple ones?”

“Yes, sir. The windows are being broken one after another, very systematically.”

“Damn it. Call me back if any other alarms are triggered.”

He tossed his phone into the cup holder between the seats with an aggravated snarl. “I need to take you back inside. Something is going on at your house.”

“Take me with you.”

“No, it could be dangerous.”

She clenched her teeth and defiance lit her eyes. “If you leave me here I’m just going to drive myself.”

“Damn it, you’re stubborn.” He put the vehicle into gear and pulled out of the parking space. “You’re to stay in the car and do exactly as I say, got it?”

“Yes.”

He grabbed his phone and called Sam, the head of the protectors, quickly explaining the situation and asking him to send any available protectors to Nila’s house. When he ended the call, he knew that he was potentially driving his mate into a dangerous situation, but he hoped like hell that whoever was breaking her windows was gone by the time they got there. If Malachi got a hold of whoever it was, he was going to lose it, and he didn’t want her to see the dangerous side of his wolf.

* * *

Nila’s phone buzzed as Malachi drove to her home. She pulled it from her purse, glanced at the screen, and then froze.

“No security system will keep us apart,” read the text from an unknown number. She had replaced her cell every time Damien figured out her number. She didn’t know how he was doing it, because the only places that ever had her number were the daycare and work, and the only people she willingly gave it to were Diane and Brynn.

“It’s Damien,” she said.

“What?” Malachi asked, his voice tight with anger.

“He just texted me. He’s the one who’s breaking my windows.” It had been easy enough to overhear the conversation with Malachi and the security company. Someone was breaking all her windows. Dread pooled in her stomach. She hadn’t wanted to believe it was Damien, but the text proved it.

“How the hell does he have your cell number? I thought you told Brynn that you didn’t give it out to anyone.”

“I don’t.” She deleted the text and then called the daycare to check on Jack. Everything was fine with him and no one had seen anyone suspicious hanging around. Breathing a sigh of relief, she dropped the phone into her purse and leaned back against the seat.

“If you’re not giving the number out, then he clearly knows someone who can get him the information. Maybe a private investigator or a crooked cop.”

Malachi turned a corner sharply. Two police cars and several other vehicles were parked on the street in front of her house, and men were milling around in the yard. Since Malachi didn’t say anything about the non-police people in her yard, she assumed they were protectors.

He pulled the SUV to a stop at the curb and turned to her. “I’m going to check things out. Stay put and lock the doors when I get out.”

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