Page 24 of Sheltered By Love

I ease my ass off Felicity’s sofa, tuck my sleeping bag away and smother multiple curses as I make my way to the staircase.

I can’t risk opening the front door, so I climb the stairs two at a time, listening as someone knocks.

I don’t have to go into Felicity’s bedroom to wake her, she’s already up and about, dressed, and not looking pleased.

When she turns to head downstairs, I grasp her arm. “I’ll be up here.”

Delicate frown lines form on her forehead. “Until you know it’s your brother Levi?”

For a second, I scowl back at her until it dawns on me, that I haven’t told her about that.

I didn’t leave my notes in the kitchen, which means she called Garrett when I asked her not to phone anyone.

“This is going to go a whole lot harder if you don’t pay attention to what I tell you.”

Her cheeks flush. “I was paying attention. I choose to ignore you. There’s a difference.”

She doesn’t give me a chance to reply, just clutches the banister Garrett broke his arm sliding off of and disappears down the stairs.

When she opens the door, I duck back and strain to listen.

“Good morning! We’re with United Children’s Fund and we’d love to talk to you about the crisis in—"

Felicity doesn’t let him finish, she opens the door and gestures for them to come inside. “Of course, won’t you both come in,” she says.

When I spot Levi’s clipboard and hi-vis shirt it’s impossible not to appreciate the effort.

He spies me and grins. “You owe us big time, bro. We had to do the entire street so it looked good. Good thing hardly anyone was home, Jax is way too conspicuous,” he says.

People overuse the term ‘Gentle Giant’, but when they meet the three hundred pounds and six foot five inches that is my cousin, they stop in a hurry.

The only time I’ve ever heard about him using his size and muscle to his advantage was when he caught a sex predator on the beach.

Just another thing I missed out on while I was away.

Stoic as always, Jax just shrugs one hefty shoulder. “It’s a good charity and a good cover.”

The second Levi spots Felicity he lays on the charm an inch too thick. “We haven’t really met, have we? I’m Levi. I’m a jack of all trades. This tank beside me is Jaxson. Owner and proprietor of The Outrigger and sometimes Lifeguard.”

Felicity’s face softens as she smiles then looks at me for direction. “Hi. So, um, how do we do this?”

Without thinking about why I’m picking it I speak. “Kitchen? You have four chairs.”

She fiddles with her hands and then breezes off leaving a pleasant scent of lavender behind her. “Okay. I can make some tea.”

Jax gives me a look. “Remember when we used to get in trouble, and your mom and Mrs. Davis used to make us drink tea out of China cups.”

My chest tugs at the reminder. “She was trying to make us civilized,” I mumble.

Levi’s eyes shift to the lines we carved into the wall beside the kitchen, measuring who was going to outgrow Jax.

His smile falters so I change the subject. “You get any intel?”

“We made a note of who was out and who has security. We saw a lot of fake cameras and faded burglar beware-type signs. But for the most part, everyone seems equally at risk,” he says.

Except they aren’t. Only women alone have been targeted. I’m still thinking about how I can get her out of here so I can really discuss her security issues.

Jax, ever the animal lover, spies the rabbit in the corner of the room and gives Felicity even more reason to trust him.

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