Chapter 10
Korie
It was painful watching Riah disappear upstairs when I could protect her so much better here on this couch…with her head on my chest and my arms around her waist. Where I could kiss away the worried wrinkles in her forehead, rub the tension from her shoulders and whisper the doubts from her mind.
I stared at the ceiling above me, rubbing my fingers over the delicate lace of her panties still in my pocket, until the sun began to peek through the curtains.
Knowing all that separated us was one floor, that she was right above me, made it impossible to fall asleep.
I wondered if she was thinking of me, too.
If she could feel me staring up at her through the drywall.
Something had definitely shifted since Riah got back home. The way she looked at me. The way she acted around me. She had always been a bit shy, but there was something more. Something I was determined to dig out and hold in my hands.
“Good morning,” a low whisper pulled me from my thoughts.
Riah’s mom and dad tiptoed past me in the living room and settled in the kitchen. With the fully open concept layout, I could still see them as they set out mugs and set some coffee to brew.
“Coffee?” Her dad asked.
I sat up, stretching my stiff muscles and rubbing the non-sleep from my eyes.
“Yes, please.”
They handed me a warm cup and settled on the couch across from me, still wrapped in their plush robes.
“How was the rest of the night? Anything concerning?”
“Nope, it was thankfully pretty quiet.”
“Good, good. That’s good. Listen, we have something to ask you.” Riah’s dad set his mug down on the coffee table, leaning forward on his elbows.
“Yeah, anything.”
“We are worried about Riah. I know it was probably just some one-time, weird freak accident, but I can’t take any chances with my little girl.
I appreciate you getting one of your guys to watch over her but…
well, Sadie and I feel like it would ease our minds to know someone familiar was guarding her. Someone who actually cared.”
“We want you to be the one,” Sadie, Riah’s mom, chimed in. “You’re probably busy but…we would pay you out of our own pocket. Anything to keep our girl safe.”
“Oh, no. You don’t have to pay me. I was actually thinking the same thing. You guys are like my family, I want to make sure she’s as safe as possible.”
I’d do anything for Sadie and Edward. They’d taken me in as their own when my parents couldn’t give two fucks. And there was nobody on my team who I would trust with Riah’s life more than myself.
“Still, we know it's taking time and money from your pocket. Sadie and I already agreed.” He pulled a check from his robe pocket and slid it across the coffee table. “Save it. Blow it. Whatever. But we aren’t taking no as an answer.”
I chuckled to myself. Now I knew why Riah had mentioned writing me a check. This whole family, besides Eddie, was behind in tech. I folded the paper, tucking it away in my pocket for later.
“Thank you, Edward. Sadie. I really appreciate it.”
“Any coffee left for me?” Riah’s sleepy voice tugged at my chest.
“Of course, sweetie. Sit. I’ll grab you some. How’d you sleep?”
“Thanks, Mom.” Riah took a seat next to me. “I barely slept at all. What are we talking about?”
“Just some good news,” Edward started. “Korie is going to be hanging out with you for a while. She’ll be your guard.”
“What?!” She looked horrified, knocking my confidence down a peg. “I mean, I uh…” She hesitated, staring down into her coffee as her mom handed it over. “I’m sure you’re really busy and have much more important clients. You run a whole business, I couldn’t ask you to put anything on pause for me.”
“I do run a business,” I confirmed as I sat back and took in her cute, tousled hair. “That means I’m the boss and can do what I want. And what I want is to be your guard until you’re safe again.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, letting her head drop as it shook side to side with a sigh.
“Okay. How does this work?”
“Well, the faster we eliminate the threat, the better. We will do 24-hour guard and surveillance. I’ll have my second best switch out for 8-hour shifts while I get some rest, but other than that, you’ll be stuck with me.”
“You both can stay here with us until it’s safe,” Sadie suggested.
“That’s a nice offer, but it would be best not to change her routine. If there is someone watching her, a sudden switch can trigger a dangerous reaction and we don’t need to bring that here. Plus, if they are following a routine, it’ll be easier to pin it and catch them in the act.”
“So, I’m guessing no housewarming party?” Riah asked, sarcasm lacing her voice.
“Hmm, you said you didn’t notice anything weird or anyone watching you before you moved back, right?” I asked.
“Right.”
“I’m guessing they probably think you live alone. Maybe they even have mistaken you for someone who lived there previously. The housewarming would be a good way to show them, if they’re watching, that you have people around you. That you aren’t alone.”
“I don’t want to put anyone in danger.”
“It’s unlikely they’d act with so many people around. But if they do, I’ll be right there. I won’t let anyone get hurt, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Now,” I pushed to my feet. “I’m going to run home real quick and when I get back, we’re going to go fix that window.”